Daily Briefs


Heritage Oaks Bank to lay off 65 people

Heritage Oaks Bancorp is planning to lay off 65 employees as it consolidates 11 branches into five. In October, Heritage Oaks announced it had agreed to pay $56.4 million to buy the $447 million-asset Mission Community Bancorp, making it the... (Continue reading)

Capps’ aide arrested for hit and run

An aide to Congresswoman Lois Capps allegedly critically injured a women in a hit and run incident Friday. Shortly after midnight, Raymond Morua, 32, struck the 27-year-old woman in Santa Barbara, police said. After glancing at the woman, he drove... (Continue reading)

Vandenberg launches rocket with secret payload

A rocket with a secret payload launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base late Thursday night. [NBC 13] The 19-story-tall Atlas V rocket launched around 11:15 p.m. Thursday and headed toward low-Earth orbit. It is unknown what is onboard, but the... (Continue reading)

Man barricades himself in Oceano mobile home

A parolee barricaded himself in a motor home at the Pismo Sands RV Park in Oceano on Thursday. Responding to reports of shots fired, San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the park and heard additional gun shots. Deputies then... (Continue reading)

Officers shoot wrong-way driver in Santa Barbara County

A Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputy and a California Highway Patrol officer shot and wounded a man driving a pick-up truck the wrong way in neighborhood outside of Goleta. [KCOY] Around 8 p.m. Wednesday, the CHP issued an alert about... (Continue reading)

15 arrested in SLO County drug ring with ties to Mexican cartels

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit arrested 15 members of a suspected drug trafficking ring with ties to Mexican cartels during a bust Wednesday morning. The bust spanned three counties and concluded a five-month investigation into a... (Continue reading)

Grover Beach lodge permit approved

The Grover Beach City Council unanimously approved a coastal development permit Monday to construct an 11,000-square-foot conference center and a lodge in Grover Beach near the entrance to the Oceano Dunes. The council also approved the project’s architectural plans. This... (Continue reading)

Gambling addiction leads to bank robbery?

Investigators are looking at a Paso Robles man’s gambling addiction as a possible motive for his alleged robbery of a Cambria bank. [KSBY] Last Month, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Valentine at his Heritage Ranch home for the... (Continue reading)

Fire evacuates SLO Old Navy shoppers

A ventilation system fire prompted the evacuation of the San Luis Obispo Old Navy store Tuesday evening. San Luis Obispo firefighters responded to the fire at Old Navy around 7:16 p.m. Tuesday and promptly extinguished the flames. The fire occurred... (Continue reading)

Salvation Army bell ringers banned from Arroyo Grande plaza

Salvation Army bells will not be ringing in front of the Arroyo Grande Walmart this Christmas season. [Tribune] The Five Cities Center, a shopping plaza that includes Walmart and Albertsons, has banned fundraising in front of its stores. “I love... (Continue reading)