Daily Briefs


California smugglers disguise drugs as spices, noodles

By KAREN VELIE Federal prosecutors announced on Friday they had filed charges against four California men who allegedly smuggled drugs disguised as noodles, spices and car parts to other countries. As part of a transnational drug trafficking organization, the suspects... (Continue reading)

Santa Barbara County pleads guilty to oil spill offenses

  By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Barbara County’s Water Resources Division pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts related to oil discharges at the Toro Canyon Oil Water Separator. [KCOY] The discharges occurred between Jan. 2018 through July 2021 and in Jan.... (Continue reading)

Firefighters battling multiple fires in northern San Luis Obispo County

By KAREN VELIE Firefighters are battling multiple blazes in northern San Luis Obispo County from Paso Robles through rural Creston. Crews suspect a vehicle, possibly dragging a chain, is igniting the fires. Shortly before 2 p.m., a caller reported a... (Continue reading)

Atascadero appoints David Fleishman as new city attorney

By KAREN VELIE The Atascadero City Council voted Tuesday to select David Fleishman of Richards, Watson & Gershon to serve as the city’s attorney and Craig Steele as assistant city attorney. “The city is excited for the opportunity to work... (Continue reading)

Man gets 25 years to life for raping, impregnating teen in Nipomo

By JOSH FRIEDMAN A San Luis Obispo County judge sentenced a man to 25 years to life in prison for raping a 17-year-old girl, whom he impregnated.  Florentino Marcelino Ramonsantiago, now 30, raped the victim on April 29, 2021 at... (Continue reading)

Officers plan DUI checkpoints in Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande

By KAREN VELIE Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles police announced separate plans to conduct DUI checkpoints in their cities at undisclosed locations on Friday evening. From 6 p.m. to 1 p.m., Paso Robles police will hold a DUI checkpoint at... (Continue reading)

SLO awards $150,000 to nonprofits for DEI programs

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The San Luis Obispo City Council last week awarded a combined total of $150,000 in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) grants to eight local nonprofits for programs the city says will contribute to a sense of belonging... (Continue reading)

Power outage impacting more than 1,300 SLO County residents

By KAREN VELIE More than 1,300 PG&E customers lost power in San Luis Obispo County on Thursday morning. Shortly after 7 a.m., 1,233 PG&E customers from Pismo Beach through the Edna Valley area lost power. PG&E estimates the power will... (Continue reading)

Police identify 15-year-old boy shot and killed in Santa Maria

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Maria police have identified a 15-year-old boy whom a gunman shot and killed on Saturday in the northern Santa Barbara County city. Shortly after 2 p.m., a caller reported a shooting in the area of Oakley... (Continue reading)

PG&E warns of potential power outages in Santa Barbara County

By KAREN VELIE PG&E is warning some residents of Santa Barbara County that the company may turn the power off because of heavy winds forecasts from Friday morning through Sunday. The potential shutoff impacts 103 Central Coast customers. “Given the... (Continue reading)