By KAREN VELIE Santa Barbara County’s unfunded pension liability increased 73% in one year, primarily because of poorly performing investments and higher than predicted cost of living increases. The Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System reported an unfunded pension debt... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN An Amtrak train slammed into a car that had gotten stuck on the railroad tracks south of Guadalupe on Monday and then dragged the vehicle approximately 600 feet. Shortly before 5 p.m., a woman crashed a black... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE An inmate who was housed in a single observation cell because of ongoing alcohol detox along with other medical concerns died early Sunday morning. On Thursday, the suspect was involved in a hit-and-run drunk driving incident. He... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE The City of San Luis Obispo continues to lead the Central Coast in incidents of hate crimes, according to the 2022 Hate Crime in California Report released in June. Despite comprising 2% of the total population of... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN A joint Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County health system, along with three Central Coast health care providers, have agreed to pay a combined total of $68 million to settle allegations that they broke federal... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN Members of the public are finding numerous sick or deceased marine mammals on Central Coast beaches, raising concerns about ocean water quality and a harmful algae bloom. [KCOY] Since mid-May, the Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN A fire scorched six tractors and trailers in an agricultural area around the eastern city limit of Santa Maria early Tuesday morning. A caller reported the blaze burning at a lot east of Highway 101 by Stowell... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties saw an uptick in their housing market in 2022, according to a state demographic report released Monday. Developers in densely populated urban areas built the highest number of new residential... (Continue reading)
By KAREN VELIE California’s population decline continues, though the rate has slowed, according to a state demographic report released Monday. Only three cities in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties experienced population increases. Stable births, fewer deaths, and a... (Continue reading)
By JOSH FRIEDMAN A motorcyclist died after crashing into a U.S. Postal Service vehicle on Tuesday in the Hope Ranch area outside the city of Santa Barbara. Shortly before 5 p.m., a caller reported the collision in the 4200 block... (Continue reading)