Daily Briefs


John Madonna in Bakersfield plane crash

John Madonna and a Bakersfield man walked away after the homemade aircraft they were flying crashed into a corn field on Sunday afternoon southwest of Bakersfield. The light aircraft the 56-year-old son of Alex Madonna and 42-year-old Shilo Staib were... (Continue reading)

Motorcyclist dies in crash at Oceano Dunes

A Northern California man died in a solo motorcycle crash Sunday at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area on Sunday. [Tribune] Nineteen-year-old Felipe de Jesus Amezcua of San Leandro, crashed his motorcycle around 4:18 p.m., according to a state... (Continue reading)

Taxes drive driving costs

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’

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

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

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)

Officers nab Central Coast Bandit

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

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

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)

SLO offender arrested for soliciting sex from minors

San Luis Obispo police arrested a registered sex offender Thursday for soliciting sex from two minors. [Tribune] Michael George Johnson, 49, allegedly attempted to solicit sex from two social acquaintances and dissuade them from reporting themselves as victims. Johnson, whose... (Continue reading)