Daily Briefs


Concern over Smart Meters increases

The debate over the safety of PG&E Smart meters continues in northern California. A property manager in Marina recently installed cages around the 142 electric and gas meters in the 70-unit apartment complex on Monterey Bay in response to PG&E’s... (Continue reading)

Congress considering extending jobless benefits

The long-termed unemployed would receive an additional 14 weeks of benefits under a bill introduced in Congress this week. [CaliforniaWatch] In California, there are more than 330,000 people who have exhausted the maximum 99 weeks of unemployment insurance, recently dubbed... (Continue reading)

Brown flies solo to LA chamber speech

Gov. Jerry Brown flew from Sacramento to Los Angeles Thursday morning to deliver a major speech before the Chamber of Commerce. That, in and of itself, is not news. But people are talking because the new California governor made the trip... (Continue reading)

San Luis Obispo Police arrest murder suspect

San Luis Obispo Police officers arrested a Santa Maria man suspected of the attempted murder of a 21-year-old on Sunday. Cole Sterling Milton, 19, is suspected of repeatedly stabbing Justin Hirsh near the intersection of Nipomo and High Streets with... (Continue reading)

Weather forecast for Thursday February 9

By JOHN LINDSEY from PG&E SEA SWELL: Today’ 4 to 6-foot west-northwesterly (285-degree deep-water) swell (with an 8 to 17-second period) will continue at this height and period along our coastline through tonight, decreasing to 3 to 4-feet (with an... (Continue reading)

Oceano water sale rejected

After hours of public comments and debate, the members of the Oceano Service District on Wednesday voted 3-2 against the sale of 100 acre feet of water to Pismo Beach. Oceano is in serious financial trouble with failing infrastructure and... (Continue reading)

McCarthy drops by White House for private lunch

House Majority Whip and Republican congressman Kevin McCarthy has a special lunch date Wednesday. He’ll be eating in the private dining room of the White House with President Obama and Vice-President Biden. [LA Times] McCarthy, whose congressional district includes parts... (Continue reading)

Weather forecast for Tuesday February 8

By JOHN LINDSEY from PG&E SEA SWELL: Strong to gale force northwesterly winds along the entire coastline of California will contiue to produce an 8 to 10-foot northwesterly (310-degree deep-water) sea and swell (with a 6 to 14-second period) along... (Continue reading)

2 critically injured in plane crash

Two men from San Luis Obispo County were critically injured when their twin-engine plane crashed near the San Bernardino Airport on Monday. [LATimes] The victims, Lonny Rollins, 39, of San Luis Obispo and Greg Fitzgerald, 61, of Paso Robles were... (Continue reading)

Autism triples among children in California

The number of children with autism in California has tripled since 2002 according to new state education figures released in February. [California Watch] More than 680,000 students – 11 percent of all California public school students – are enrolled in... (Continue reading)