Fake news of CalCoastNews ownership change continues

September 12, 2017

OPINION by JOSH FRIEDMAN

For more than four years, persons opposed to the investigative reporting that CalCoastNews does have threatened, harassed and demeaned CCN reporters, affiliates, advertisers, and commenters.

Most recently, assertions that affiliates of San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill were taking over the news site have stalled reporting and raised serious concerns among contributors including people who have written comments about CCN stories.

In late July, Charles Tenborg told a New Times’ reporter he was working to obtain ownership of CCN. In March, Tenborg won a $1.1 million judgment against reporters Karen Velie and Dan Blackburn and an LLC owned by Velie, a judgment which is currently under appeal.

Bill Loving was not named in the libel suit even though he was the editor of CCN at the time and edited and approved the story. Unlike Velie and Blackburn, who had to mount a defense with virtually no money or other resources, Loving had both funds and friends in media law practice.

Tenborg’s victory did not give him the right to simply take over CCN. Legal processes must be followed. A claim against Velie and Blackburn for the judgment had to follow the rule of law regarding debts arising from a libel judgment. The process is still ongoing.

Tenborg created an LLC titled CalCoastNews/UncoveredSLO.com which further promoted his false assertion that the CCN news site belonged to him.

Aaron Ochs, an online troll Tenborg had previously asked to help fund his lawsuit, sent out a press release saying he will be running CalCoastNews and have Velie working under his direction.

Though both Tenborg and Ochs’ claims were untrue, some CCN supporters and commenters believed the misinformation. Many people who have participated on CCN then voiced concerns that they could be targets of harassment if their personal information became known to Hill, Ochs or Tenborg.

As a result, former CCN editor Bill Loving and reporter Karen Velie went to work for Cal Coast Times, a recently created news site covering the Central Coast.

Over the past 10 years, CCN reporters have investigated and reported on important issues that have led to positive changes in the community. CCN’s in-depth reporting led to charges being filed against John Wallace, Kelly Gearhart, James Miller, Karen Guth, Josh Yaguda and others. It has also led to a group who would like to silence investigative reporting on the Central Coast.

CCN reporters have continued to pursue stories that cannot be found in other local media. CCN reported that Hill worked as a paid consultant for a development firm and publicly promoted that company’s projects while serving as a supervisor.

Shortly after the series of articles on Hill and the developers was posted, a former contributor of CCN was threatened through an email account that utilized a fake name. The threats prompted the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office to open an investigation, which is currently ongoing.

Most recently, a CCN reporter’s investigation into allegations of neglect and torture at the San Luis Obispo County Jail resulted in the public demanding change.

In order to provide local news without fear of reprisal against reporters, supporters and contributors, Velie and Loving will continue to report on matters of public interest through Cal Coast Times.