Uncovered SLO


Judge denies motion to remove parishioners from Grover Beach church

By KAREN VELIE A San Luis Obispo County judge denied a request to keep members of the Bethel Baptist Church from holding services at the church on Newport Avenue. The question of ownership led Judge Ginger Garrett to say she... (Continue reading)

SLO County releases sexual harassment complaints

By KAREN VELIE Two weeks after the head of the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department resigned, the county released portions of three harassment complaints lodged by staffers. [Cal Coast Times] A year ago, shortly after Daniel “Colt” Esenwein... (Continue reading)

SLO Tribune’s wildly varied circulation numbers

For a journalism contest, the San Luis Obispo Tribune’s circulation was less than 15,000. For advertisers, the Tribune’s readership is more than 122,000. [Cal Coast Times] On its website, the Tribune is reporting 27,408 in daily circulation and readership of... (Continue reading)

Judge rules El Campo intersection work can begin, lawsuit continues

By KAREN VELIE A Sacramento judge ruled Thursday that Caltrans can begin safety improvements on Highway 101 at four points between Arroyo Grande and Nipomo, despite an ongoing lawsuit. [Cal Coast Times] Caltrans had scheduled construction to begin on May... (Continue reading)

SLO County official resigns amid sexual harassment allegations

By KAREN VELIE Daniel “Colt” Esenwein resigned as director of the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department following an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made by several female employees, according to county sources. [Cal Coast Times] During the... (Continue reading)

Grover Beach Police Chief takes sides in church ownership dispute

By KAREN VELIE Grover Beach Police Chief John Peters authorized officers to arrest members and the pastor of the Bethel Baptist Church if they attempted to enter the church property. It was the latest development in a battle over ownership... (Continue reading)

Nonprofit accused of hostile takeover of Grover Beach Church

By KAREN VELIE Members of Hillside Church of Grover Beach will be conducting services Sunday. But it won’t be in the 67-year-old church. The locks have been changed and signs taken down in a dispute between some church members and... (Continue reading)

Gong compromises, North County office to stay open two days a week

By JOSH FRIEDMAN San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong has compromised with opponents of his plan to close the clerk-recorder’s North County office, which will now remain open two days a week, rather than shutting down completely. [Cal Coast... (Continue reading)

Ryan Petetit trial for 7 year old charges delayed, again

By KAREN VELIE For the third time this year, developer Ryan Petetit’s sentencing for a 2015 violent assault and a trial setting conference regarding a drunk in public and resisting arrest case from 2012 were delayed, this time until June... (Continue reading)

Lawsuit seeks environmental review of York Mountain weed business

By KAREN VELIE As the full impact of San Luis Obispo County’s increase to 3.5 acres of cannabis cultivation per site wafts over neighborhoods, a law firm is citing state environmental regulations in a suit against the county for its... (Continue reading)