By KAREN VELIE Three Pismo Beach police officers were reprimanded and two were let go late last year because of issues in their romantic relationships that allegedly impacted their ability to serve as peace officers. Two of the officers had... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN A week after San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Frank Mecham removed his fellow board member Adam Hill from a leadership position, Hill lashed out at Mecham during a discussion on water use regulations. Despite receiving the verbal... (Continue reading)
By DANIEL BLACKBURN A bombshell announcement at Tuesday’s county supervisors’ board meeting has two of its members seething, two others grappling with their abrupt elevation to leadership stature, and its former chairman content with his unprecedented action. First District Supervisor... (Continue reading)
By DANIEL BLACKBURN San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Chairman Frank Mecham steps down, offers the board’s leadership to colleague Debbie Arnold, and the vice-chair to new supervisor Lynn Compton. Mecham’s unexpected move is not appreciated by fellow board members Adam... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE Federal law enforcement agencies are investigating Rabobank over questions about whether the bank overlooked signs of money laundering by customers with connections to Mexican drug cartels. For more than a year, investigators have interviewed current and former... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN Amid allegations of sexism and a good old boys’ club, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Frank Mecham stepped down as board chairman in order to promote Supervisor Debbie Arnold to chair and Supervisor Lynn Compton to vice... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE Confidential documents obtained by CalCoastNews reveal a long-term plan by South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District officials to delay fines and findings of mismanagement by mounting a legal battle against the state — a fight they... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN Jail inmate numbers in San Luis Obispo County have dropped by more than 25 percent since last year following initial implementation of Prop. 47, but San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson’s spending continues... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE After several years of voting against an audit, the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District Board voted 3-0 on Wednesday to pursue a financial review of the past 12 years. Approximately 30 people attended Wednesday’s meeting.... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN San Luis Obispo Police Chief Steve Gesell attended 13 conferences during 2014. Expense records show that some of the conferences turned into family trips and the city footed the bill. A two-month investigation by... (Continue reading)