Daily Briefs


Arroyo Grande man pistol-whips roommate, then shoots himself

The San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT Team found an Arroyo Grande man accused of pistol-whipping his roommate, dead of a self inflicted gunshot Wednesday. The Arroyo Grande Police Department received a call around 7:27 p.m. Tuesday stating that Grant Steven... (Continue reading)

California city bans smoking in apartments

San Rafael has a new ordinance prohibiting smoking in all homes that share walls with other residences. [RT] The San Rafael City Council adopted the ordinance last month, and it took effect November 14. The ordinance bans smoking in apartments,... (Continue reading)

Former deputy remains in jail on bank robbery charge

Former Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputy Bruce Valentine will remain in San Luis Obispo County on a bank robbery charge for at least two more weeks unless he can raise $250,000 bail. [Tribune] Valentine, 70, is charged with robbing Rabobank... (Continue reading)

Santa Barbara undersheriff retires amid sexting scandal

Former Santa Barbara County Undersheriff Jim Peterson exchanged more than 1,500 text messages in the last year with a female employee of the sheriff’s office in the last year, according to a claim filed earlier this month with the Santa... (Continue reading)

Two lawsuits challenge Paso Roble water ordinance

Two lawsuits seeking to have the Paso Robles water moratorium ordinance overturned were filed against San Luis Obispo County on Monday. On Oct. 8, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors extended its urgency ordinance that restricts water use... (Continue reading)

Paso Robles woman accused in death of daughter tries to reverse plea

A Paso Robles woman attempted to withdraw her plea of no contest Monday to causing the death of her three-year-old daughter. [Tribune] Prosecutors initially charged Erin Martin, 45, with murder and assaulting a child under 8 after her baby, Grace,... (Continue reading)

Torres ordered to pay attorney’s fees

Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo’s homeless services director Dee Torres will pay $17,681 in attorney’s fees to attorney Stew Jenkins over a slander lawsuit she filed. San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera made the fees ruling... (Continue reading)

Fake San Luis Obispo audiologist sentenced to jail

An Atascadero man who falsely claimed to be an audiologist was sentenced Monday to one year in jail. Even though he never attended college, Aaron Marquis, 46, passed himself off as a doctor. He saw patients and dispensed hearing aids... (Continue reading)

California toying with toy gun ban

California lawmakers are planning to introduce a bill calling for a ban on certain replica guns. [SacramentoBee] In October, Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed 13-year-old Andy Lopez, who was carrying a replica AK-47 in a Santa Rosa field.... (Continue reading)

Man pleads no contest to Paso Robles rape and carjacking

A 21-year-old San Ardo man pled no contest last week to charges of carjacking a teen from a gas station in Paso Robles and later raping her. Edson Salazar Tapia faces 25 years to life in prison for the crime.... (Continue reading)