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California a not-so-golden state

A pair of extensive studies unveiled this week suggest that California doesn’t compare well to the rest of the nation in “fundamental” well-being in analysis of economic, fiscal, educational, and personal factors. The primary report was prepared by Harvard University’s... (Continue reading)

Oceano manager refuses to disclose phone records

OPINION By JULIE TACKER Oceano Community Services District General Manager Tom Geaslen entered into a contract with the OCSD last April. The contract included his $126,000 salary through the end of the year, mileage reimbursement and health benefits and a... (Continue reading)

School funds may stymie reform

Approval by California voters of Proposition 30, the school finance measure, may have thrown a monkey-wrench into public education reform, some advocates of change are asserting. But teachers’ union representatives disagree. (San Jose Mercury News) The $6 billion injection may... (Continue reading)

Mother, father and son drown trying to rescue dog

A Northern California mother and father and their 16-year-old son all drowned over the weekend while trying to save their dog from strong ocean waves. [LA Times] The family dog ran into the ocean to fetch a stick Saturday at... (Continue reading)

CHP officer’s DUI case headed to trial

A California Highway Patrol officer who crashed his 2004 Ford Explorer in Arroyo Grande while allegedly under the influence of drugs may be headed to trial. [Noozhawk] Michael Mallory, 37, who was acting as the public information officer for the... (Continue reading)

Paso Robles gas station robber surrenders in Fresno

A man robbed a gas station in Paso Robles Sunday and then turned himself into police in Fresno on Monday. Charles Donald Wheeler Jr., of Paso Robles, robbed Eagle Energy Gas Station at 2400 Golden Hills Road without using a... (Continue reading)

Sanitation plant failures threaten groundwater

By KAREN VELIE During an inspection of the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation plant earlier this year, federal Environmental Control Agency (EPA) inspectors discovered several self-monitoring and biosolid handling deficiencies that could result in groundwater contamination, according to a... (Continue reading)

SLO hires new Public Works head

The City of San Luis Obispo has hired a new Public Works director from out of the area. [Tribune] Daryl Grigsby, previously the director of Public Works in Pomona, will earn an annual salary of $154,544. City management did not... (Continue reading)

Solar power plants burden host counties

With many California counties struggling to keep out of debt, several have embraced the development of solar power plants and the bounty of jobs and taxes windfalls they promise. [LATimes] In Inyo County, officials grew giddy last year as they... (Continue reading)

The eyes of dummies are upon you

More and more eyes are on shoppers these days, and not all of them belong to humans. (San Francisco Chronicle) Store mannequins outfitted with hidden cameras are scouring the aisles, using facial recognition software like that utilized by police and... (Continue reading)