Uncovered SLO


Cambria hotel worker harasses Israeli couple, rakes in donations

By KAREN VELIE An Israeli couple tried to check into Oceanpoint Ranch in Cambria last week, but were confronted by a hotel staffer who repeatedly said “Free Palestine” and questioned whether one of the guests was a baby killer. The... (Continue reading)

Complaint alleges Paulding illicitly used SLO County resources for his campaign

By KAREN VELIE Multiple complaints to county officials accuse San Luis Obispo County District 4 Supervisor Jimmy Paulding of illicitly using public resources for his reelection campaign. California law prohibits public officials from using or permitting others to use public... (Continue reading)

Prosecutors charge two suspects in Templeton Feed and Grain arson fire

By KAREN VELIE The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against  two people on Wednesday regarding the July 4, 2025 arson fire that destroyed the historical Templeton Feed and Grain, District Attorney Dan Dow announced on Thursday.... (Continue reading)

Gibson and Dow battle over SLO County District Attorney Office funding

By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson and District Attorney Dan Dow clashed on Tuesday over funding for the prosecutors’ office, a partisan dispute that could result in a lawsuit. Amid the past several years of budget... (Continue reading)

Will SLO County partisan politics interfere with public safety?

By KAREN VELIE During a San Luis Obispo County District 2 supervisor candidate forum in Cayucos on Saturday, candidates Jim Dantona and Michael Woody answered dozens of questions from community members, including a question about working with SLO County District... (Continue reading)

Does SLO County candidate Jim Dantona stand with or against big oil?

By KAREN VELIE While many coastal residents are opposed to having hundreds of acres of windmills off the coast of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County supervisor candidate Jim Dantona argues wind energy is a non-issue while “big oil” is... (Continue reading)

Bike SLO County leader enters plea in child molestation case

By KAREN VELIE The former executive director of Bike SLO County pleaded no contest on Thursday to one count for molesting his 6-year-old step-granddaughter in a hot tub last year. As a result of his plea, Richard Ellison is facing... (Continue reading)

San Luis Obispo County attempts to rectify voter guide error

By KAREN VELIE The San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorders Office on Tuesday mailed out a list of endorsed candidates it wrongly omitted from voter guide pages to all registered voters in an attempt to correct its error. California law allows... (Continue reading)

Arroyo Grande water rates expected to increase because of lawsuit

By KAREN VELIE Most of south San Luis Obispo County is facing increased water rates because of an ongoing lawsuit over Lopez Lake water, with Arroyo Grande residents in line to pay the bulk of the costs in the fight... (Continue reading)

CalCoastNews reporter wins defamation case

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Jody Bernat’s defamation lawsuit against CalCoastNews reporter Karen Velie has been dismissed. San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Tana Coates issued a ruling Friday applying California’s anti-SLAPP law to end the case. “The anti-SLAPP statute enables... (Continue reading)