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August, 2013

SLO Water Politics vs. The Geopolitics of Food and Water`

Written on 26 Aug, 2013 in Featured, Opinion | 56 comments

OPINION by ALEX ALEXIEV On Aug. 27, SLO county supervisors Bruce Gibson and Adam Hill will try to push through an “emergency” ordinance to deal with the purported ground water depletion in the Paso Robles water basin. `According to existing statutes, to... (Continue reading)

Debunking some common local water myths

Written on 26 Aug, 2013 in Featured, Opinion | 28 comments

By WARREN FRANKEL, M.D., M.S. Deeper wells are not the problem, they are the solution to our North Coast water issues. That’s my conclusion, based on a thorough search of existing scientific literature. I’ve identified a number of unfortunate incorrect... (Continue reading)

Taxes drive driving costs

Written on 26 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 5 comments

Californians drive fewer miles than the national average, but only in Georgia is it more expensive to put pedal to the metal. (Bankrate) That’s because of taxes, which should surprise few. Drivers in this state pay an average of $1,809 ... (Continue reading)

California lawmakers battling ‘revenge porn’

Written on 26 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 20 comments

California lawmakers are attempting to reverse a growing trend of people posting naked photos of their ex-lovers on the Internet. [Wall Street Journal] Earlier this month, the Senate approved SB 255, which would make the posting of “revenge porn” a... (Continue reading)

SLO County attorneys help the poor

Written on 26 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 7 comments

San Luis Obispo County’s pro bono system of legal services to the poor is more robust than those services in Santa Barbara County. [PacificCoastBusinessTimes] The California State Bar Association recommends lawyers spend at least 50 hours a year providing legal... (Continue reading)

Soldier from Santa Maria killed in Afghanistan

Written on 25 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 10 comments

A soldier from Santa Maria was one of two men killed Friday during a bombing in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced. Spc. Kenneth Clifford Alvarez, 23, of Santa Maria and Pvt. Jonathon Michael Dean Hostetter, 20, of Humphreys, Mo.... (Continue reading)

CMC guard sentenced for selling contraband

Written on 25 Aug, 2013 in Uncovered SLO | 23 comments

A California Men’s Colony guard who sold contraband to inmates was sentenced to 30 days in jail for accepting a bribe. Kevin Jon Venema, 50, pled guilty to one count of accepting a bribe. In September, CMC internal affair’s investigators... (Continue reading)

Officers nab Central Coast Bandit

Written on 24 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 13 comments

Police arrested a woman on Friday they suspect is the Central Coast Bandit, a prolific bandit responsible for six bank robberies since December. At about 5 p.m., a woman who resembled the Central Coast bandit entered the Golden 1 Credit... (Continue reading)

CalPERS purging illegitimate claimants

Written on 23 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 11 comments

Tens of thousands of people are receiving benefits improperly from CalPERS, the nation’s second-largest health insurance provider, officials of which have announced a series of detailed audits to stem the problem. (Sacramento Bee) The insurer believes that at least 22,000... (Continue reading)

Dee Torres is public figure, judge says

Written on 23 Aug, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 49 comments

Dee Torres is a public figure, San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera said Thursday, seriously undermining the homeless program official’s slander lawsuit against Atascadero private investigator Michael Brennler. Torres, director of homeless services for Community Action Partnership of... (Continue reading)