Daily Briefs


Inmate escapes from Lompoc Federal Prison

Federal and local law enforcement agencies are searching for an inmate who escaped from the Federal Correctional Complex in Lompoc on Monday. Vicente Ramirez Jr., 27, who was discovered missing from the minimum-security complex at approximately 4 p.m., was serving... (Continue reading)

Rail spur opponents take aim at Peschong

Ahead of a San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission vote on the proposed Nipomo rail spur, opponents of the oil train project are attempting to seize on the fact that District 1 supervisorial candidate John Peschong has a business relationship... (Continue reading)

Homeless woman stabbed in Santa Maria

A homeless was stabbed early Monday while she was camping in a trashcan enclosure behind two businesses in Santa Maria. Police said the woman suffered potentially life-threatening injuries, but she is reportedly recovering from surgery. [KSBY] Santa Maria police and... (Continue reading)

Five Santa Barbara County residents infected with Zika virus

Santa Barbara County health officials have confirmed a total of five residents in the county who have contracted the Zika virus. Three of the five Zika cases were confirmed this month. Each of the individuals who tested positive for the... (Continue reading)

CHP conducts DUI checkpoint following Pozo Saloon concert

The California Highway Patrol, in conjunction with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint Saturday night in Santa Margarita. Authorities stopped drivers as they were leaving a concert at the Pozo Saloon. CHP... (Continue reading)

Hundreds of California police guns go missing

At least 329 firearms were lost by or stolen from Southern California law enforcement agencies over the last five years. [Orange County Register] Dozens of the missing firearms ended up in the hands of criminals, and some were used in... (Continue reading)

Jerry Brown vetoes reimbursement bill for San Bernardino responders

California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill Sunday that would have required the state to fully reimburse local agencies that responded to the December terrorist attack in San Bernardino. The bill had unanimously passed both the State Assembly and Senate.... (Continue reading)

House fire in Arroyo Grande

Correction: Early reports from several sources witnessing the fire from a neighboring home that the fire was a home on Garden Street or Nelson Street were incorrect. A fire started in a backyard shed on Whiteley Street and spread to... (Continue reading)

Man killed in fall from Santa Maria Mall parking garage

A body was discovered Saturday afternoon on the road outside the Santa Maria Town Center parking garage. Police investigators have not yet said whether they suspect the cause of the fall to be accidental or criminal. At about 5:15 p.m.,... (Continue reading)

Is Marx flip-flopping on rental inspection ordinance?

Amid public outrage over a rental inspection program, San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx asked city staff to put the city’s rental inspection ordinance on a March agenda for review and discussion. Marx said she selected a date five months... (Continue reading)