Daily Briefs


Hiker falls on Bishop Peak, severely injured

A hiker fell near the top of Bishop Peak Thursday evening and was airlifted off the mountain. Fire officials say the man suffered severe injuries. San Luis Obispo and Cal Fire crews began hiking up the mountain around 5:30 p.m.... (Continue reading)

SLO council considering water bottle ban

The San Luis Obispo City Council is set to discuss the possibility of adopting a San Francisco-style ban on single-use plastic water bottles. In February, the council voted 4-1 to direct city staff to craft an ordinance banning the sale... (Continue reading)

Missing camper found dead in rural SLO County

Following an extensive search, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s personnel found the body of a missing 50-year-old man near a rural campground east of San Luis Obispo. The sheriff’s office has identified the man as Michael Tyson Fontenot. The sheriff’s... (Continue reading)

Maldonado meets with Trump over ag secretary job

President-elect Donald Trump is considering appointing Santa Maria farmer and former California lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado as the United States secretary of agriculture. Trump met with Maldonado on Wednesday at the president-elect’s Mar-A-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida. Another... (Continue reading)

Man killed in crash near Arroyo Grande identified

The California Highway Patrol has identified the motorcyclist killed in a crash near Arroyo Grande on Christmas Day as Fabian Hernandez-Americano, 27, of Santa Maria. Shortly before 4 p.m., Hernandez-Americano was traveling with three other motorcyclists on Los Berros Road when... (Continue reading)

Animal Services sends Grover Beach dog case to DA’s office

San Luis Obispo County Animal Services has competed its investigation into the deadly Grover Beach dog attack and has submitted the case to the District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors are expected to announce later this week whether they will file charges.... (Continue reading)

Pismo Beach drops its pot business ban

Pismo Beach’s urgency ban on most marijuana business activity will expire on Friday, following a city council vote Tuesday. Last month, despite stiff opposition from Councilman Erik Howell, the Pismo Beach Council adopted an urgency ordinance prohibiting outdoor cultivation, manufacturing,... (Continue reading)

SLO High arson damage climbs to about $2 million

The computer lab fire that three former San Luis Obispo High School students allegedly set caused more than $1.8 million worth of damage, according to several estimates. Police have now arrested each of the defendants twice, and one of the... (Continue reading)

Two die in plane crash near Fresno

A small experimental aircraft barely made it off a northwest Fresno runway Monday afternoon before crashing, snapping in half and landing partially submerged in the San Joaquin River. Both people on board died. [KFSN] The single-engine Express S-90 plane took... (Continue reading)

California to work with foreign countries on climate change policy

California Gov. Jerry Brown and leaders in the state Legislature are vowing to go around the incoming Trump administration and work directly with other nations and states in order to defend and strengthen California’s climate change policies. [New York Times]... (Continue reading)