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Articles Tagged With ‘San Luis Obispo County’




EFI financial battle hints at new suspects

Written on 24 Mar, 2009 in Uncovered SLO | 4 comments

By KAREN VELIE A third figure emerged as a possible suspect in fraud precipitating the collapse of hard money lender Estate Financial Inc. (EFI) during yesterday's courtroom squabble over the remains of the once rich and influential entity. San Luis Obispo County... (Continue reading)

Tribune slashing jobs as McClatchy freefalls

Written on 9 Mar, 2009 in Uncovered SLO | 11 comments

By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County’s daily newspaper, The Tribune, will terminate seven employees, and its top officials are reported to be warning of massive layoffs to come in the wake of a similarly foreboding announcement this morning by parent... (Continue reading)

Deputies seeking sheriffs’ union split

Written on 10 Feb, 2009 in Uncovered SLO | 3 comments

By KAREN VELIE Members of the county’s largest and most influential union have mounted an aggressive campaign to divide the Deputies Sheriff’s Association (DSA) into two separate unions. If the action is successful, one union would be comprised of sworn peace officers,... (Continue reading)

Agency fee assessments shaped by new law

Written on 3 Jan, 2009 in Uncovered SLO | One comment

By DANIEL BLACKBURN A new state law rigidly defining a public agencies’ ability to blithely pass along inflationary costs to residents is now in place, and its impact on San Luis Obispo County may be swift. The law, signed by the governor... (Continue reading)

Big-money frauds top our 2008 investigations

Written on 31 Dec, 2008 in Uncovered SLO | 4 comments

By THE EDITORS A scandalous stack of brazen fiscal rip-offs and obscene financial schemes that today imperil the very economic stability of San Luis Obispo County is the most important news story of 2008 – and readers learned of them first... (Continue reading)

Evidence keepers scrutinized by Grand Jury

Written on 11 Dec, 2008 in Uncovered SLO | 3 comments

By DANIEL BLACKBURN and KAREN VELIE A San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury is probing allegations of sloppy evidence protection by law enforcement and reviewing procedures currently being used by the Sheriff’s Department to protect evidentiary integrity. Sources with detailed knowledge of... (Continue reading)

DRUNK, BROKE: DUI rehab techniques questioned

Written on 21 Nov, 2008 in Uncovered SLO | One comment

PART TWO: Offending the offenders By DANIEL BLACKBURN If you’re one of the thousands of people arrested this year and charged with driving while intoxicated in San Luis Obispo County, be encouraged by the knowledge that the entire judicial system and a... (Continue reading)

DRUNK, BROKE: DUI program preps for big growth spurt

Written on 15 Nov, 2008 in Uncovered SLO | 12 comments

By DANIEL BLACKBURN PART ONE: Gold in the pockets of boozing drivers While law enforcement prepares the handcuffs, officials are predicting arrests in this county for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol will set new records this holiday season. And as... (Continue reading)

Bank board links Santa Margarita Ranch developer, supervisor

Written on 2 Nov, 2008 in Uncovered SLO | 3 comments

By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Katcho Achadjian occupies a salaried seat on a local bank’s board of directors along with a key developer in the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch project. Achadjian’s vote on plans for the Santa Margarita Ranch... (Continue reading)

Market plunge darkens taxpayers’ pension obligation

Written on 16 Sep, 2008 in Uncovered SLO | 3 comments

By DANIEL BLACKBURN San Luis Obispo County taxpayers are looking down the black hole of a swelling, multi-million-dollar deficit of the county workers’ pension plan that poses a monumental problem with few real solutions, complicated by Monday’s record-breaking 500-point plummet of... (Continue reading)