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Deputies identify arsonist who set fire to Templeton Feed and Grain

July 16, 2025

Templeton Feed and Grain following the fire

By KAREN VELIE

Correction: The owners of the Templeton Feed and Grain are not planning on rebuilding the feed storage silos and have contracted with another company to make their feed recipes. 

San Luis Obispo County sheriff deputies have identified the arsonist who allegedly threw fireworks on the roof of Templeton Feed and Grain on the evening of July 4, destroying the granary and damaging the retail structure.

The suspects who allegedly destroyed the iconic structures are juveniles, and their identities will likely be kept private. The case remains under investigation, according to the SLO County Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly after 11 p.m., an alarm sounded at the feed store on Main Street in downtown Templeton. As firefighters battled the blaze, flames shot from the top of the 80-foot grain silos. The fire burned for two days.

Members of the community watched as the buildings burned and as the silos were torn down, some crying at the loss of the structure built in 1912.

Templeton Feed and Grain’s insurance company canceled its policy about three years ago, co-owner Rick Jermin said. They were not able to find a new insurance provider.

It is unknown if the juveniles’ families will be held responsible for the Jermin family’s financial losses.

Moving forward, with the help of members of the community, including local contractors, the family plans to retain the front of the concrete building while rebuilding the rest of the structure. It is expected to take about a year to finish.

The family has partnered with a Central Valley-based feed manufacturing company, Penny Newman, to make the Jermin family’s feed recipes.

In the interim, the family is hoping to put up a temporary office and large tent where the towers used to stand to continue operating, Laura Jermin Humphrey said. And for the first time, Templeton Feed and Grain is planning to create a website where they will sell merchandise such as hats and T-shirts.

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I think it would be great if rather than locking up this young arsonist who probably wasn’t thinking about what they were doing and the consequences that would follow and the impact their actions would have on the community as a whole, if they were offered a diversion opportunity and give them a chance to take responsibility for their actions and have them make amends with the owners and the community and by having them take an active role in rebuilding the grain depot and make them see it through to completion or else face harsh consequences. It would be much better to see them own up to what they did, and work towards making amends(and a clean criminal record) with the owners and the community through hard labor and by teaching them skills and how to become productive members of society rather than lock em up at the taxpayers expense just to have them get into more trouble once they’re released. If they don’t accept or if they get in more trouble, throw the book at em but at least give them a chance to work towards making things right


-34

It is a sterilized approach to think juvenile delinquents are under the wing of parents. Gangs proliferate California communities these days, not just in larger urban areas like LA and SF. They are here, folks, and earn points by doing such deeds. Those markings you see on signs and posts are not for fun; they are there to mark their territories.


14

They should definitely be charged as adults. I’m sure their parents are sweating bullets right now. Templeton Feed and Grain definitely deserves restitution from the parents as well as the perpetrators. Can juveniles be given sentences in juvi as well as community service? They should damn well work their butts off 8 hours a day helping to rebuild.


66

The parents should be fully held liable for the gross lack of discipline they’ve put into these monsters and be made and example of. We need to go back to spankings and hard lessons early on in life, the liberals are ruining society with there hands off policies all the meds they’ve been shoving down the kids throats all these years the schools are liberal cess pools where they teach them that everyone gets a trophy and no ones feelings get hurt no matter how bad of behavior they display. The kid’s that burnt down that long standing family business that has done so much all these years were better off jacked off into socks and hit with flyswatters as we’re they’re parents who clearly have not contributed anything to society as well


23

C’mon Internet, do your thing.


24

By looking at the surveillance shots, these kids planned this night of destruction. They all had black clothes and some with beanies. The one kid with his shaved head was caught picture perfect. So sad they did this to our beloved downtown. Their parents will no doubt suffer financially and knowing what their child did will definitely way on their shoulders.


63

SO glad they’ve been identified. Now, please, Dan Dow, go after those who are responsible for them and do what must be done. Thank you to everyone who helped identify these kids.


58

If juveniles are going to break big boy laws they should be treated as adults… and of course the parents need to pay for this…


94

They’ve been identified, but have they been arrested?


64

Officials are checking to see if the parents have any of the right friends in high places to see if their kids would be protected.


32

You’re are right about that! If the kid or kids are well connected in our community, they will see a different type of punishment. I’m not saying that it’s correct but everyone knows how it works in this County when you’re connected and have money.


15
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