Daily Briefs


Grover Beach commander to be next police chief

The Grover Beach City Council selected Police Commander John Peters as the city’s next chief. [KEYT] Peters is a 10-year veteran of the Grover Beach force. He will take over as chief on June 1 with a base salary of... (Continue reading)

SLO Symphony conductor fired, violists threaten exodus

The San Luis Obispo Symphony board of directors has fired its longtime music conductor and director, Michael Nowak, prompting the entire violist section to threaten leaving the orchestra. Last week, the board announced in a press release that Nowak was... (Continue reading)

Is Diablo desal SLO County’s next water source?

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors is slated to approve an agreement Tuesday that, in emergency situations, will allow the county’s branch of Cal Fire to purchase desalinated water from Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Pacific Gas & Electric... (Continue reading)

Shelly Higginbotham running for District 3 supervisor

Pismo Beach Mayor Shelly Higginbotham announced Monday her candidacy for the San Luis Obispo County supervisor seat currently held by Adam Hill. Higginbotham joins San Luis Obispo Councilman Dan Carpenter, former Grover Beach Mayor Debbie Peterson and Hill in a... (Continue reading)

Obama ordering restrictions on police militarization

U.S. President Barack Obama plans to issue an order Monday banning federal authorities from providing certain types of military-style equipment to local police departments. [New York Times] Obama is expected to prohibit police departments from using federal funds to acquire... (Continue reading)

More than 300 California dentists suspected of Medicaid abuse

A federal audit of dental bills covered by Medicaid found that 329 dentists in California engaged in questionable billing practices. [Contra Costa Times] The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services audit also identified six orthodontists in California with questionable... (Continue reading)

Hiker airlifted from Bishop Peak in SLO

A California Highway Patrol helicopter airlifted a 28-year-old man from Bishop Peak Sunday evening after the hiker reportedly broke his femur. [Tribune] Around 5:42 p.m., several agencies responded to Bishop Peak to assist the injured hiker who was halfway up... (Continue reading)

Salinas mothers found guilty of torturing girl

A Monterey County jury found two Salinas women guilty Friday of torturing, starving, and chaining an 8-year-old girl inside their home. [Monterey Herald] In March 2014, Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies discovered the 8-year-old girl who weighed just 40 pounds and... (Continue reading)

3 juveniles arrested for armed robbery spree

Santa Maria police arrested three juveniles for committing a string of armed robberies in San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Santa Maria on Thursday. [KSBY] Early Thursday morning, police said victims of multiple armed robberies provided similar descriptions of the... (Continue reading)

Central Coast company fraud against Veterans Administration

A Santa Maria company paid a $1 million settlement and agreed to close down on May 11 after its owner was accused of falsely claiming the company was a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) in order to obtain landscaping and cemetery... (Continue reading)