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Articles Tagged With ‘Water’




Water crisis dividing friends, neighbors

Written on 7 Aug, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 87 comments

By DANIEL BLACKBURN Ken Currell gazed forlornly at vegetation surrounding the five-acre ranch he and his wife, Lynn, operate on the southeastern edge of Paso Robles, and responded to a visitor’s comments about the property’s beauty: “It was,” he said.... (Continue reading)

Groundwater ordinance bubbling in controversy

Written on 4 Aug, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 54 comments

By DANIEL BLACKBURN County supervisors will take their first look Tuesday at a wide range of options for a controversial emergency ordinance aimed at curtailing demand on the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin. (See full staff report here.) “The discussion will... (Continue reading)

Drought hits NorCal pot farms

Written on 25 Jul, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 10 comments

Drought conditions in Northern California may be prompting marijuana farmers to evacuate, leaving behind tens of thousands of dollars worth of pot cultivation. (San Jose Mercury News) Law enforcement officials report finding fields of pot with no one tending them,... (Continue reading)

Wastewater project wastes water

Written on 18 Jul, 2013 in Featured, Opinion | 3 comments

OPINION By TOM SALMON On June 7, CalCoastNews was gracious enough to post my opinion piece explaining the engineering complications and additional overruns surrounding the dewatering for the Los Osos sewer project. Since then little has changed. Above ground infrastructure... (Continue reading)

Supervisors accused of violating Brown Act

Written on 17 Jul, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 59 comments

By JOSH FRIEDMAN San Luis Obispo County government watchdogs are accusing the Board of Supervisors of violating California’s Ralph M. Brown Act during a discussion last week on North County water issues that did not appear on the agenda. At... (Continue reading)

Water bankers purchase Paso Robles’ Hardham Ranch

Written on 15 Jul, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 48 comments

By DANIEL BLACKBURN One of the nation’s most controversial and wealthiest farm operators has quietly acquired a sprawling 742-acre parcel of prime ranch and agricultural property adjacent to the southeast edge of the Paso Robles city limits — causing some... (Continue reading)

Nipomo Mesa water levels plunge

Written on 7 Jul, 2013 in Daily Briefs, Featured | 18 comments

The level of water in the Nipomo Mesa plunged 25 percent in one year to its lowest level since 1975, according to a report by the Nipomo Mesa Management Area Technical Group. [AdobePress] According to the Key Wells Index report... (Continue reading)

SLO rates rising despite abundance of water

Written on 20 Jun, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 36 comments

By JOSH FRIEDMAN San Luis Obispo water rates will increase next month for the eighth consecutive year even though the city currently only uses about 55 percent of its annual supply of water. As the city continues to raise rates,... (Continue reading)

San Luis Obispo adopts $111 million budget

Written on 18 Jun, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 20 comments

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The San Luis Obispo City Council adopted a $111 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday night. Ten years ago, the council adopted a $72 million budget for 2003-2004. In that past ten years, the population... (Continue reading)

SLO approves conservation-punishing water rate hike

Written on 13 Jun, 2013 in Featured, Uncovered SLO | 40 comments

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The San Luis Obispo City Council approved sewer rate increases Tuesday night, as well as restructured water rates that will hit hardest those who conserve the most. The council voted 3-1 in favor of both the sewer... (Continue reading)