Uncovered SLO


Oceano general manager under investigation

An investigation into the Oceano Community Services District’s beleaguered general manager’s questionable increases in his own pay is underway following a CalCoastNews exclusive. Raffaele Montemurro, the manager of the financially strapped district, consistently brags of his ability to cut costs on... (Continue reading)

Termination of Oceano’s general manager on Tuesday’s agenda

While Oceano’s general manager sat with his head hung low wiping sweat from his brow, the district’s board members voted to have a special meeting on May 31 to discuss the discipline, dismissal or release of their community’s general manager. During... (Continue reading)

Arroyo Grande water recycling plant under construction

After years seeking approval, construction is now underway on a cutting edge water recycling plant—unique in the world—at the Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) oil field in Arroyo Grande which will increase its oil production which is currently averaging... (Continue reading)

Can Oceano make employee payroll?

Crippled by years of financial mismanagement, Oceano Community Services District is facing the possibility it will not be able to cover payroll in August. “It is to early too tell if we can make payroll in August,” said Raffaele Montemurro, the... (Continue reading)

Blogger wins free speech battle, Cal Poly dean loses

The former Cal Poly College of Engineering dean who filed a defamation lawsuit against numerous defendants and the university loses round one and is ordered to pay a defending San Luis Obispo blogger nearly $17,000 on the grounds of freedom... (Continue reading)

Santa Lucia Bank facing regulatory deadlines

Santa Lucia Bank has been ordered to increase its shareholder equity by $12 million in less than three months in a state enforcement action -- a challenge in the face of plummeting stock prices. The Atascadero based bank’s stock prices have... (Continue reading)

Marx’s own emails belie prior claims

By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx, by her own admission in a series of emails, was a key player in an illegal campaign aimed at torpedoing a development project proposed by rancher Ernie Dalidio... (Continue reading)

Judge rules whistleblowers cannot sue

An alleged whistleblower’s case against the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District was tossed out because a judge said an employee cannot sue a public entity for wrongful termination because of being a whistleblower. Former lab technician Devina Douglas sued... (Continue reading)

Sanitation district served notice for violations

The South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District has been slapped with a notice of violation for the 12-hour raw sewage spill that occurred in December, 2010, according to an April 18 enforcement action that CalCoastNews received through a Public... (Continue reading)

National flags ignite firestorm at Atascadero Junior High School

A disturbance erupted in the Atascadero Junior High School cafeteria on Thursday when several Caucasian students began waving American flags at students who were waving Mexican flags in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, said Kim Spinks, Atascadero Unified School District’s... (Continue reading)