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Study lists California pensions’ shortfall at $500 billion

Written on 14 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 21 comments

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

Written on 13 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 29 comments

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

Written on 12 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 19 comments

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

Written on 12 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 16 comments

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)

California’s battling tax hike initiatives

Written on 12 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 10 comments

Californians overwhelmingly support raising taxes to support public education, but three such competing initiatives could be defeated because of voter confusion. [LosAngelesTimes] Funding for California’s public school system ranks 42nd among states in student spending. In addition, university students face... (Continue reading)

Armed Robbery at San Luis Obispo Subway

Written on 12 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 23 comments

San Luis Obispo police are looking for a man who allegedly held up a Subway restaurant at gunpoint Saturday evening. [KCOY] At about 10 p.m., the robber wearing a nylon stocking mask entered the Marsh Street store, took out a... (Continue reading)

Santa Maria bank robbery suspect arrested

Written on 12 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 9 comments

Law enforcement officers arrested a 45-year-old Santa Maria man on Sunday for allegedly robbing the Rabobank on North Broadway on Thursday. [KSBY] Officers took James Welbaum  into custody without incident in the area of Main and Pine streets in Santa... (Continue reading)

California prison psychologist allegedly faked her own rape

Written on 11 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 23 comments

Police arrested a prison psychologist for making a false report of rape in order to convince her husband to move out of their Sacramento neighborhood. [WashingtonPost] Laurie Ann Martinez, 36, allegedly split her lip, scraped her knuckles with sandpaper, had... (Continue reading)

Salmonella prompts cilantro recall

Written on 10 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 26 comments

Cilantro samples from a Salinas-based company have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella and a seven state recall has been initiated, according to Pacific Cilantro. On Friday, Pacific Cilantro said the Food and Drug Administration found salmonella in a... (Continue reading)

Paltry pot inventory pushes prices up

Written on 10 Dec, 2011 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 58 comments

Supply, demand, plant mold, and federal busts are pushing up the price of marijuana in California. [California Watch] And braced by threats from the U.S. Justice Department, property owners who rent to dispensaries now face the possibility of their property... (Continue reading)