Daily Briefs


CalCoastNews appeal on anti-SLAPP ruling

By CalCoastNews staff Appellate justices will hear arguments Tuesday by attorneys for CalCoastNews that a libel lawsuit pursued by a county waste hauler should be dismissed. The 9:30 a.m. hearing will be held in the San Luis Obispo City Council... (Continue reading)

Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce names new CEO

The Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce board has hired Gina Fitzpatrick, a Heritage Oaks Bank branch manager, as its next chief executive officer. Fitzpatrick has been vice president and manager of the Paso Robles branch of Heritage Oaks for the... (Continue reading)

Paso Robles murder trial begins next week

With the murder trial of Paso Robles man Thomas Yanaga set to begin next week, attorneys are attempting to paint both the defendant and the victim as men with violent pasts. [Tribune] Yanaga, 52, shot and killed Atascadero resident Marshall... (Continue reading)

Thieves steal old women’s wallets in Goleta

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for thieves who have been targeting elderly women in Goleta. On one occasion, two women teamed up to steal a 77-year-old woman’s wallet, surveillance footage shows. In separate instances, a man stole the purses... (Continue reading)

Algal bloom reaches record levels

A harmful algal bloom that runs from the Central Coast of California to Washington State, has reached an unprecedented size. The concentrations of domoic acid appear to be the highest ever recorded along California’s Central Coast. [Santa Cruz Sentinel] As... (Continue reading)

Legislation proposed to bar PG&E from utilizing tax deductions to cover penalty

If proposed legislation is passed, PG&E will not be able to harvest a tax windfall from state authorities by taking a tax deduction for a $1.6 billion penalty because of its negligence in a fatal explosion in San Bruno. [Contra... (Continue reading)

Isla Vista rampage victim files lawsuit

A victim from last year’s Isla Vista rampage has filed a civil lawsuit against Santa Barbara County, Elliot Rodger’s parents and the University of California Santa Barbara. [KEYT] In May 2014, Keith Cheung was riding his bicycle home from work... (Continue reading)

Atascadero woman killed in crash, 5 others injured

A 19-year-old Atascadero woman died in a car crash on Highway 46 Thursday night that left an additional five people, including two babies, in the hospital. [Tribune] The crash occurred near Templeton at the intersection of Highway 46 West and... (Continue reading)

Jury awards nearly $1 million more in suit against Cuesta Title

In addition to awarding about $2 million to former MMA champ Chuck Liddell, a San Luis Obispo jury has awarded nearly $1 million to a pair of brothers, who too claimed Cuesta Title Company helped convicted developer Kelly Gearhart defraud... (Continue reading)

Attempted kidnapping suspect spotted masturbating in Avila Beach

San Luis Obispo County Sherif’s deputies have arrested the man who allegedly tried to kidnap a woman on an Avila Beach hiking trail earlier this week. The man was also reportedly seen masturbating in a nearby parking lot. Jose Alfredo... (Continue reading)