Karen Velie
Karen Velie lives in San Luis Obispo County.
The "Continue Reading" links open in a new window or tab.
APCD board split over Oceano dunes dust rule
By JOSH FRIEDMAN and KAREN VELIE The San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District is attempting to rehabilitate its Oceano Dunes dust rule, but in the aftermath of an appellate court ruling against the regulation, some members of the APCD board are calling for the district to find a less litigious plan for dealing […]... (Continue Reading)
Did Steve Gesell game the city to get his settlement?
By JOSH FRIEDMAN and KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo’s embattled outgoing police chief Steve Gesell had applied for a new job several months prior to City Manager Katie Lichtig placing him on administrative leave, a job he was first in line to get while simultaneously seeking a large settlement from the city under the assertion […]... (Continue Reading)
Mike Seitz resigns from sanitation district
By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District legal counsel Mike Seitz announced his resignation Wednesday shortly after an outside investigator began an audit of the sanitation district’s management practices. In his letter of resignation, Seitz said he is stepping down because of impending litigation over water rights between two clients he has represented […]... (Continue Reading)
Democrats losing membership in SLO County
By JOSH FRIEDMAN and KAREN VELIE As the Republican Party loses ground in California and risks losing statewide competitiveness, it is the Democratic Party that is suffering the greater erosion in San Luis Obispo County. Since 2009, the Democratic Party has lost 7,394 voters, a decline of 13.1 percent in SLO County, according to statistics […]... (Continue Reading)
Probation department seeking low sentence for Gearhart
By KAREN VELIE With just two weeks until Kelly Gearhart’s sentencing hearing, his probation officer and federal prosecutors are disagreeing over the number of the defendant’s victims, a fact that partially determines sentencing guidelines. While both sides agree on most information in the presentencing investigation report, prosecutors contend Gearhart had over 250 victims while the […]... (Continue Reading)
Did illegal ticket quotas hasten Gesell’s exit?
By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN San Luis Obispo Police Chief Steve Gesell’s command staff initiated an illegal ticket quota scheme with pizza as a reward, emails obtained by CalCoastNews show, an activity that may have contributed to Gesell’s being placed on paid administrative leave Friday. City officials are not disclosing the reasons for Gesell’s […]... (Continue Reading)
Sanitation district board hires former IRS investigator for audit
By KAREN VELIE The South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District Board voted 3-0 on Wednesday to hire Knudson and Associates to pursue a financial and past managerial review of the last 12 years. After several years of voting against an audit, in January, the district board agreed to allot $40,000 for an audit of […]... (Continue Reading)
Raised eyebrows over Pemberton brothers SLO project
By KAREN VELIE A pair of developers whose prior business deals resulted in claims of fraud and a bankruptcy with $1.4 million in unpaid wages, debts and charity pledges that were never fulfilled have started looking for investors in a project in downtown San Luis Obispo. Jeremy and Joshua Pemberton, twin brothers, have begun to […]... (Continue Reading)
Out with the old, in with the new in Arroyo Grande
By KAREN VELIE The Arroyo Grande City Council has hired Dianne Thompson to replace ousted city Manager Steve Adams and plans to replace long-term city attorney Tim Carmel with Heather Whitham. The council is slated to confirm both hires on April 28. Dianne Thompson has a Master’s in public policy and was the Cotati city […]... (Continue Reading)
Appellate court rejects APCD rehearing request
By KAREN VELIE After spending less than two days reviewing the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District’s request for a rehearing on the Oceano Dunes dust rule lawsuit, on Thursday, the 2nd Appellate Court in Ventura denied the district’s request. In its denial for a rehearing, the court modified its April 6 ruling […]... (Continue Reading)
