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Grover Beach air board rift spills over to conference center project

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Following the removal of Grover Beach Mayor Debbie Peterson from a regional air pollution board, an organization that supports off-road activity on the Oceano Dunes is planning to appeal the construction of an 11,000 square foot conference... (Continue reading)

Inmate escapes from Lompoc Prison

An inmate escaped from a minimum security area of the federal penitentiary in Lompoc on Friday. [KSBY] Prison officials discovered that Jeffrey Kilbride, 48, was missing at around 1:30 p.m. Witnesses last saw him in a white, four-door car. Kilbride... (Continue reading)

A Chumash Christmas with Brian Setzer

By COLIN JONES I’m not much for Christmas-themed music so it was with some trepidation that I ventured down to the Chumash Casino recently to catch the Brian Setzer Orchestra and his Christmas Rocks! extravaganza.To be honest at the risk... (Continue reading)

Fireworks likely cause of Cambria fire

Fireworks caused a small hillside fire in Cambria early Tuesday morning, according to firefighting officials. [Tribune] The fire burned a forested area of about 40 square feet on a hill below the Cambria Pines Lodge before firefighters extinguished it. Fireworks... (Continue reading)

Feds seize 204 bales of marijuana from panga near San Simeon

Law enforcement officials seized 204 bales of marijuana, totaling 3,570 pounds, from a panga boat that beached north of Piedras Blancas Lighthouse and San Simeon on Monday. [Tribune] A witness spotted the smugglers late Monday afternoon and alerted the San... (Continue reading)

California Lobbying firm accused of promoting illegal contributions

A former employee of one of California’s most prominent California lobbying firm says her former employer facilitated illegal contributions to dozens of politicians — including nearly a third of the Legislature. {LATimes] In a suit filed by Rhonda Smira, she... (Continue reading)

California transgender law set to take effect

A law requiring California public schools to let transgender students use sex-segregated facilities is set to take effect Jan. 1, despite a legal challenge. [KTVU] The law will allow students identifying as transgender to use the bathrooms and locker rooms... (Continue reading)

Grover Beach motel catches fire on Christmas Eve

A fire broke out on Christmas Eve at a Grover Beach motel that doubles as a residential building. [Tribune] Around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Five Cities firefighters responded to a laundry room fire at the Grover Beach Inn on 5th Street... (Continue reading)

Santa Maria man accused of Christmas Eve kidnapping

Police officers arrested a Santa Maria Man in Arroyo Grande for allegedly kidnapping a woman on Christmas Eve. [KSBY] Officers responded to the reported kidnapping around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and searched for the vehicle of 41-year-old Daniel Espinoza. They found... (Continue reading)

County bullies in full revenge mode

OPINION: By DANIEL BLACKBURN It was a casual get-together of professional women, mostly from the South County and Santa Maria, and the tone was cordial until one of the ladies happened to mention that she had read an article on... (Continue reading)