Daily Briefs


California unemployment checks delayed

Thousands of Californians did not receive their unemployment checks this week while the state struggles to upgrade its 30-year-old payroll system. On Tuesday, the Employment Development Department announced that about 50,000 unemployed Californians did not receive their unemployment checks. A... (Continue reading)

Hard money lender sentenced to five years

Heritage Lending’s former president Candy Wells was sentenced on Thursday to five years in prison for fraudulent practices in the offer and sale of securities. Wells plead no contest in August to five counts of securities fraud. After listening to... (Continue reading)

Court upholds California’s low carbon fuel standards

A federal appellate court ruled Wednesday that California regulators can impose low carbon fuel standards on wholesalers and refineries in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. [LA Times] AB 32, California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, requires producers, refiners and importers... (Continue reading)

Jail inmate arrested for Oceano murder

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s detectives arrested an Oceano man Wednesday for the June murder of a Nipomo resident. Joseph Adrian Munoz, 36, had been in San Luis Obispo County Jail since June 23 for a probation violation. Since his... (Continue reading)

Shooting of Santa Maria suspect deemed justified

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s office ruled an officer involved shooting last year in Santa Maria was justified. [KCOY] On Aug. 12, 2013, Santa Maria police shot and killed a man who led them on a high-speed chase through... (Continue reading)

SLO council passes plan to rezone manufacturing area

A plan to redesign a neighborhood of southern San Luis Obispo that has divided the city council for months passed Tuesday night by a 3-2 vote. The South Broad Street Area Plan, which first appeared before the council in March,... (Continue reading)

Hallucinogen found in Spooner’s Cove drowning victim’s system

A Cal Poly student who drowned while swimming at Spooner’s Cove in June had alcohol, marijuana and a psychedelic drug in his system. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Coroner’s office determined 21-year-old Stefan James Wagner’s death was the result... (Continue reading)

Body found in Nipomo ditch

The body of an adult male was found Tuesday in a drainage ditch between two fields in rural Nipomo. Shortly before 5 p.m., a field worker discovered the body of an adult male partially submerged in the ditch located near... (Continue reading)

Atascadero hires firm to promote tourism on social media

The city of Atascadero is turning to social media to state its case for becoming the tourism hub of San Luis Obispo County. [KCOY] The Atascadero Tourism Business Improvement District issued an approximately $175,000 contract to an advertising firm to... (Continue reading)

Cal Poly’s increasing student body

Cal Poly has about 1,000 more students slated to attend this year compared to last and a goal of increasing attendance by 4,000 to 5,000 students over the next nine years. At the annual fall conference on Monday, Cal Poly’s... (Continue reading)