Daily Briefs


California Valley victim burned, stabbed and beaten

Gruesome details about the bizarre torture of a California Valley man in November were revealed in a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s department warrant obtained by KSBY. In November, Travis Dames escaped from two men who had held him hostage... (Continue reading)

Salinan Tribe applies for federal recognition

The local Salinan Indian Tribe has again applied for recognition from the federal government. [Tribune] Last week, the tribe sent 920 pounds of documents to the federal government supporting the tribe’s request. Chris Molina, a spokesman for the Salinan Tribe... (Continue reading)

Chemical bomb exploded at Atascadero High School

The San Luis Obispo County Hazmat team was sent to investigate and clean up after someone detonated a device commonly called a chemical bomb shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Atascadero High School. Atascadero police said the explosion of... (Continue reading)

Campus pepper spray incident probed

Legislatures grilled University of California officials at a joint legislative hearing  Wednesday set to examine the behavior of UC Davis campus cops who pepper-sprayed sitting students and batted them with batons during a November protest that resulted in nationwide attention.... (Continue reading)

Dumb criminal of the week found sleeping on the job

Police arrested a Grover Beach man who was discovered sleeping in a recently stolen car stocked with burglary tools and stolen items in Vallejo on Sunday. [TimesHerald] A friend of the owner of the stolen Acura Integra was jogging when... (Continue reading)

Atascadero appoints new mayor

The Atascadero City Council unanimously voted to appoint Bob Kelley mayor of Atascadero on Tuesday. [SLOTribune] Last year, Atascadero voters elected to join San Luis Obispo County’s other six cities and begin electing mayors instead of allowing the council to... (Continue reading)

Study lists California pensions’ shortfall at $500 billion

California’s three largest pension systems are on the hook for $500 billion beyond their current ability to pay retirees, according to a study released Tuesday by Stanford University Professor and former Democratic Assemblyman Joe Nation and a student researcher. [SacramentoBee]... (Continue reading)

Detective on the hook for faulty SWAT team raid

The 9th Circuit Court ruled Friday a Santa Maria couple can sue the detective whose faulty warrant led to a SWAT team storming their home in search of their son who was already in jail. [CourthouseNewsService] The Santa Maria Police... (Continue reading)

Feds accuse local hospitals of overcharging

Catholic Healthcare West paid $875,564 to the United States to settle allegations that certain of its affiliate hospitals, including French Hospital in San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, overcharged Medicare during a period of almost a decade, United... (Continue reading)

Part-time legislature amendment proposed

Would California fare better with a part-time legislature? [SacramentoBee] That’s the central question at the core of a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce both the lawmaking body’s time in Sacramento and the pay for members. First-term Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, (R-Bakersfield) ... (Continue reading)