Daily Briefs


Atascadero zoo welcomes three young meerkats

By KAREN VELIE Three young female meerkats recently joined two male meerkats at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero. The three two-year-old female meerkats sisters, Bumble, Buzz, and Honeycomb, affectionately known as “The Bee Girls,” were born at an accredited... (Continue reading)

Hilton and Becerra lead race for California governor

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra appear likely to advance out of a crowded primary field in the race for governor of California. Hilton, a British-American who served as an advisor to former Prime Minister David... (Continue reading)

Santa Barbara County deputies arrest fifth suspect over fatal stabbing

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives last week arrested a fifth and final suspect over the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old in the Goleta area last year. On April 30, 2025, the teenage victim was stabbed near San... (Continue reading)

Alleged jewelry thief arrested in Morro Bay amid string of burglaries

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Amid a string of North Coast burglaries, authorities arrested a Lompoc man who allegedly stole jewelry from a Morro Bay business early Sunday morning. Shortly before 4 a.m., Morro Bay police officers were dispatched to a burglary... (Continue reading)

Former SLO County Probation officer sentenced for embezzlement

By KAREN VELIE A former San Luis Obispo County probation officer, who embezzled more than $169,000, was sentenced today to 270 days in jail and two years felony probation. Between Feb. 2023 and Aug. 2024, while serving as treasurer of... (Continue reading)

Cal Poly baseball wins regional for first time

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The Cal Poly baseball team went 3-0 in last weekend’s Los Angeles Regional, advancing to a super regional for the first time in program history. Cal Poly beat Virginia Tech in its opening game on Friday, then... (Continue reading)

San Luis Obispo police searching for suspect who used stolen credit cards

By JOSH FRIEDMAN San Luis Obispo police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect who allegedly used stolen credits cards to make purchases last month. The male suspect allegedly made fraudulent purchases at Target and Chevron on May... (Continue reading)

San Luis Obispo DUI checkpoint nets two citations, no arrests

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The San Luis Obispo Police Department contacted 593 drivers during a DUI checkpoint on Friday night. While no drivers were arrested, officers cited two people for driving without a valid license. Held in the 900 block of... (Continue reading)

Gas prices drop in San Luis Obispo County, find lowest costs

By KAREN VELIE Amid reports of peace talks with Iran, the average price for a gallon of gas in San Luis Obispo County fell seven cents last week to $6.19 a gallon, according to AAA. In California, the average price... (Continue reading)

Santa Maria teen shoots firearm in front of residences, arrested

By KAREN VELIE A Santa Maria teenager was booked into juvenile hall after the teen fired shots in front of several residences this week, according to police. On May 29, a 911 caller reported a male firing a handgun in... (Continue reading)