Karen Velie
Karen Velie lives in San Luis Obispo County.
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Who will succeed Paul Teixeira?
By KAREN VELIE As San Luis Obispo County residents mourn the sudden death of 4th District County Supervisor Paul Teixeira, speculation has already begun as to whom might be appointed to replace him. The names of several people including former Grover Beach Mayor Peter Keith, Oceano Community Services District Board Member Matt Guerrero and Arroyo […]... (Continue Reading)
Grover Beach under fire for water violations
By KAREN VELIE The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board has levied a $35,000 fine against the city of Grover Beach for repeatedly failing to provide the state reports that would expose deficiencies in its storm water discharge program, according to a June 26 complaint. In August 2010, regulators informed city staff that they […]... (Continue Reading)
Grand Jury report calls Templeton board dysfunctional
By KAREN VELIE At least one of Templeton’s elected officials is rude to the public and as a group they have failed to comply with laws set in place to provide transparency and to allow for public participation, according to a San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury report released last week. “The 2012 Board of […]... (Continue Reading)
Oceano does background checks on activists
UPDATE: An attorney from the law firm of Hall, Hieatt & Connely explains why his firm ran a check through Westlaw’s PeopleMap at the bottom of this story. By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN Oceano Community Services District’s former manager Tom Gealsen ordered background checks on several people who questioned his management of the district. […]... (Continue Reading)
Adam Hill explains the path to civility
UPDATE: Shortly after Hill sent out his response, Paso Robles Councilman Fred Strong responded with an email available at the bottom of this article. By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill said Sunday that the path to civility requires disassociating with those whose views differ from his own. Hill’s comments were made […]... (Continue Reading)
Tax filings show CAPSLO does not report sales of donated goods
By DANIEL BLACKBURN, KAREN VELIE and JOSH FRIEDMAN They’re small items: razors, socks, sometimes tampons. Community Action Partners of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO) sells those goods, donated by local and national businesses, to the homeless people it serves, current and former employees say. But CAPSLO hasn’t accounted for those sales, either internally, or on its […]... (Continue Reading)
Oceano under fire for Brown Act violations
By KAREN VELIE One of the leading open government attorneys in California served the Oceano Community Services District with an order last week to cease and desist violating the Brown Act or face litigation. The Ralph M. Brown Act, passed in 1953, guarantees the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative […]... (Continue Reading)
San Luis Obispo’s homeless barred from services
By JOSH FRIEDMAN, KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN Scores of homeless, barred from Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo’s homeless services, spend their days begging for food, looking for shelter and avoiding city police who target them. CAPSLO receives more than $60 million in government funding and support each year to provide services to […]... (Continue Reading)
Los Osos sewer costs escalating
By KAREN VELIE The cost to construct a sewer system in Los Osos is slated to run over its $173 million budget because of pay raises, extended contracts and under estimated workloads. On Feb. 24, San Luis Obispo County’s Public Works Director Paavo Ogren approved a 3 percent pay raise for employees of HDR Engineering. […]... (Continue Reading)
Chumash cemetery unearthed in Los Osos
By KAREN VELIE Members of the Chumash community want sewer collection system excavation halted in Los Osos where Native American remains were unearthed at what is believed to an ancient cemetery. Chumash leaders are asking that the area remain intact until the size of the cemetery is determined and solutions to avoid destruction of the […]... (Continue Reading)
