Uncovered SLO


Wartime Kyiv: martial law with a tad of normalcy

By JOSH FRIEDMAN KYIV, Ukraine – Sandbags, concrete blocks and hedgehogs line the streets. Soldiers man checkpoints, reinforce barricades and dig trenches. Air raid sirens sound intermittently, as do explosions off in the distance. Most businesses are closed, even during the... (Continue reading)

Oceano Dunes restraining order exposes county staff’s overreach

By KAREN VELIE A San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order last month stopping the state from installing additional dust control measures at the Oceano Dunes and exposing county staff’s support of relinquishing permitting authority... (Continue reading)

CalCoastNews reporting from Ukraine

By JOSH FRIEDMAN A dozen days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a CalCoastNews reporter has arrived on Ukrainian territory to provide coverage of the ongoing war. The refugee crisis created by the war is quickly apparent when entering Ukraine from... (Continue reading)

San Simeon manager wants the community to pay his fine, legal fees

By KAREN VELIE San Simeon Community Services District’s general manager wants local residents to foot the bill for his conflict of interest fines and legal fees. The California Fair Political Practices Commission penalized Grace last year for the “inherent harm”... (Continue reading)

Atascadero parents and students argue over masks, appropriate speech

By KAREN VELIE Parents and students in Atascadero are battling over the choice to wear masks and freedom of speech issues after two board members compared COVID-19 mandates to issues of racism during a contentious school district board meeting on... (Continue reading)

Former Atascadero resident Kelly Gearhart released from prison

By KAREN VELIE Former San Luis Obispo County developer and Atascadero resident Kelly Gearhart was released from federal prison today, a year early. Gearhart was serving a nine-year sentence related to a hard money lending scheme in which he bilked... (Continue reading)

Plaintiffs drop appeal of SLO County judge’s redistricting ruling

By KAREN VELIE A group focused on overturning the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors’ vote to redraw the county’s five supervisorial districts abandoned an appeal with the 2nd Appellate District Court in Ventura on Feb. 25, less than... (Continue reading)

Anger over mask mandates disrupts school board meetings in SLO County

By KAREN VELIE Anger, cursing and interruptions marred school board meetings held in Templeton and San Luis Obispo on Thursday during discussions on mask mandates. In both cases, the school boards elected to bring the issue back as an action... (Continue reading)

Paso Robles school board votes to defy the state, no mask mandate

By KAREN VELIE The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District voted 5-2 on Tuesday to defy Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mask mandate for schools, and to allow students to decide if they want to wear a mask at school. More than... (Continue reading)

San Simeon manager accuses DA of abuse of power, political motivation

By KAREN VELIE Attorneys for San Simeon Community Services District Manager Charlie Grace recently filed court documents accusing prosecutors of abuse of power in support of a political agenda. The documents also asserts Grace is innocent of all the crimes... (Continue reading)