Daily Briefs


San Luis Obispo vandals storm Christmas

On the morning of Christmas Eve, vandals broke into Santa’s House in the San Luis Obispo Mission Plaza and disfigured the interior. [KSBY] The small red and white house had a broken door, a Christmas tree on the floor and... (Continue reading)

Australian stomach virus outbreak in San Luis Obispo County

A new strain of a stomach virus has caused at least three outbreaks in San Luis Obispo County within the past month, according to local health officials. All three outbreaks, two of which occurred in restaurants and one in a... (Continue reading)

One dead, three injured in Paso Robles crash

One person was killed and three people were injured in a multiple-vehicle crash at Highway 46 East and Golden Hill Road in Paso Robles Wednesday morning. Police said three vehicles were involved in the accident that occurred at about 9... (Continue reading)

CHP chief was making nearly $500,000 before retiring

California Highway Patrol division chief Jeff Talbott retired last year making $483,581 in salary and benefits. [Bloomberg] Talbott, 53, retired as the highest paid officer in the 12 most-populous U.S. states, according to a Bloomberg investigation. Upon retirement, he began... (Continue reading)

State can’t escape “No Child…” law

California’s resistance to provisions of 2004’s No Child Left Behind school proficiency act has led to denial of waivers officials have been seeking from the federal government. (San Jose Mercury News) This state wanted to join 33 others and the... (Continue reading)

Santa Margarita man imprisoned for mortgage fraud

A Santa Margarita man and two Santa Maria men who participated in a complex mortgage fraud scheme were sentenced last week to federal prison terms and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution to various lenders that suffered losses as... (Continue reading)

Frosty the hitman

This inflatable Christmas decoration stands guard over a home in the 1900 block of Vine Street in Paso Robles, serving to remind all that these holidays are viewed in many different ways by many different people. Without further comment, CalCoastNews... (Continue reading)

Environmental hazards of pot farms

Marijuana growers  are siphoning water, spraying pesticides, chopping down trees and leaving California’s wilderness areas strew with litter, scientist said. [LATimes] State scientists recently studied aerial imagery of a small tributary of the Eel River, the spawning grounds for endangered... (Continue reading)

SLO County high schools planning new leagues

Principals at high schools in San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara Counties will vote on proposed changes to athletic leagues in March which are slated to change the face of high school sports. [KSBY] One of the proposals, for... (Continue reading)

SLO man arrested for fatal hit and run

Officers arrested a San Luis Obispo man for hit-and-run after two female pedestrians were struck and killed late Friday on Highway 154 near Lake Cachuma in the Santa Ynez Valley. [Noozhawk] The two currently unnamed women — aged 54 and... (Continue reading)