Daily Briefs


One in four Californians lack health insurance

Nearly one in four Californians under age 65 had no health insurance in 2009, according to a new report by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. [Los Angeles Times] California’s uninsured population jumped to 8.2 million last year, up... (Continue reading)

First public peek at Meg Whitman’s money

Former Ebay chief Meg Whitman would like to be the next governor of California. To do so, she faces at least three main challenges: (1) defeating Steve Poizner in the June Republican primary, (2) defeating Democrat Jerry Brown in the... (Continue reading)

Set your clocks forward tonight

Just a friendly reminder from CalCoastNews: Be sure to set your clocks forward one hour before you head to bed tonight. We all lose one hour, but at least it will be light outside during the evening.... (Continue reading)

Oceano flooding battle rages on

An Oceano business owner has taken his fight to stop the flooding that plagues his former business to the state appeals court. [NewTimes] In 2006, Bill Bookout sued Caltrans, the Oceano Community Services District, San Luis Obispo County, the Pismo... (Continue reading)

Gibson gets a last-minute challenger

With less than three days before the formal filing deadline, the president of the Los Osos Community Services District has decided to challenge District 2 county supervisor Bruce Gibson’s re-election bid. [Tribune] Marshall Ochylski, 61, who is also a land... (Continue reading)

Chef, restaurant, charged with serving whale meat

The U.S. Department of Justice is filing charges against a Santa Monica restaurant and a  sushi chef for allegedly serving meat from an endangered whale. [Reuters] The owners of The Hump Restaurant at the Santa Monica airport, along with sushi... (Continue reading)

County unemployment rate at record high

San Luis Obispo County’s jobless rate hit a record 10.6 percent in January, up from December’s revised rate of 9.8 percent, the state’s Employment Development Department reported Wednesday. The number of unemployed county residents rose by 1,900 people during the... (Continue reading)

Body found hours after crash

A 2007 graduate of Nipomo High School, who was attending Allan Hancock College, was found dead early Thursday on the side of Stanton Road near Lyn Road in Arroyo Grande. [SantaMariaTimes] Alicia Renee Carreras, 20, veered of the road and... (Continue reading)

Special interests spend $1 billion in California

A new analysis by the Fair Political Practices Committee indicates that special interests have dropped approximately $1 billion on electioneering in California this last decade. [Contra Costa Times] Labor unions, Indian tribes, and pharmaceutical companies have contributed the most money... (Continue reading)

Californians smoke 16 million ounces of pot a year

Here’s something that might keep Sheriff Pat Hedges awake at night: A new state report indicates that Californians smoke 16 million ounces of pot a year–that’s just less than one half-ounce a person for every resident in the state. [Sacramento... (Continue reading)