Cal Coast News

Christianson wins SLO council seat

jfriedman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:36:50 +0000

San Luis Obispo County Planning Commissioner Carlyn Christianson will fill the vacant seat on the San Luis Obispo City Council after winning a special election Tuesday night. Christianson captured 48 percent of the vote, edging former councilman Paul Brown who received 39 percent. The city clerk has yet to conduct the final tally, but Christianson [...]

Grand Jury report calls Templeton board dysfunctional

Karen Velie — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:11:00 +0000

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 [...]

Armed robbery at Paso Robles bank

Karen Velie — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:51:06 +0000

Paso Robles police are looking for a man who held up the Wells Fargo Bank on Spring Street at gunpoint on Tuesday. At about 9:20 a.m., the robber wearing a dark blue bandanna covering his face and carrying a semi-automatic handgun entered the Bank and demanded cash. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed [...]

Burton named chief, again

Daniel Blackburn — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:49:57 +0000

Cal Poly alumnus Robert Burton was named Paso Robles’ new chief of police following city council endorsement Tuesday. Burton, 47, has been a captain with the department and was former Chief Lisa Solomon-Chitty’s top aide during her scandal-ridden administration. CalCoastNews reported on May 14 that Burton had been offered the position, but council members did [...]

Los Angeles initiates plastic bag ban

Daniel Blackburn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:25:32 +0000

There will be no more plastic bags in Los Angeles supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, and other big retailers following a resounding 11-1 vote by city council members Tuesday. (Los Angeles Times) The move is considered the first step toward a total citywide ban of the bags. According to city officials, more than 2 billion plastic [...]

Breath-awareness meditation

Karen Velie — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:06:44 +0000

By GARY E FORESMAN MD (Editor’s note: This is part five in a five-part in a five-part series on stress management.) This article is intentionally kept brief, clean and without metaphors or discussions on why we meditate. I am just giving you guidance on one validated method of practice. Place: One can meditate anywhere. Having [...]

Kids turn in toy guns at elementary school buyback

jfriedman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:54:28 +0000

Children at a California elementary school are relinquishing their firearms. [Washington Times] Strobridge Elementary School in Hayward held a “Safety Day” on June 8, at which students received books and raffle tickets in exchange for their toy guns. School principal Charles Hill, who created the program, said toy guns teach kids not to take real [...]

NASA taps Cal Poly alum as potential astronaut

jfriedman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:15:13 +0000

A Cal Poly alumnus may become one of NASA’s next astronauts. NASA selected Cal Poly engineering alumnus and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Victor Glover as a one of eight members of its 21st astronaut candidate class. More than 6,000 people applied for entry into the astronaut training class. Glover, who is currently serving as a Navy [...]

San Luis Obispo man arrested for dispensing child pornography

Karen Velie — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:04:30 +0000

An Arroyo Grande police investigation led to the arrest of a San Luis Obispo County man on federal charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, according to a news release from the FBI. FBI agents arrested Bruce Klickstein, 59, on June 12 after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment. He was later released [...]

San Luis Obispo adopts $111 million budget

Karen Velie — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:52:53 +0000

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 of San Luis Obispo has increased by 2.6 percent from 44,359 to 45,525, yet the [...]

Oceano appoints interim general manager

jfriedman — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:24:19 +0000

The Oceano Services District Board of Directors appointed an interim general manager last week to replace the Tom Geaslen, who was recently terminated for cause. Former City Administrator of Lompoc Gary Keefe will serve as district general manager until the board finds a full-time replacement. Keefe will receive a salary of $54 an hour. Last [...]

High Court snuffs Arizona voter-ID law

Daniel Blackburn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:13 +0000

An Arizona voter-approved law requiring people desiring to vote t0 prove they are U.S. citizens was struck down Monday morning by the U.S. Supreme Court. (The Blaze) The so-called voter-ID law in Arizona was the biggest test to date of the constitutionality of a blizzard of voting rules initiated by Republican-dominated state legislatures across the [...]

California wineries courting gays

jfriedman — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:02:30 +0000

Sonoma and Napa Valley wineries are courting gay customers by coming out with labels in support of same sex marriage. [LA Weekly] The producers of Same Sex Meritage, a Sonoma grown red table wine that is sold in stores in Chicago, donate $1 out of every purchase to Freedom to Marry, a campaign to legalize [...]

Los Osos battle over McDonalds turns ugly

Karen Velie — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:48:05 +0000

During a land use advisory committee meeting on June 13 set to discuss a proposed McDonalds to be built in Los Osos, people cursed and yelled at those with differing opinions. About 100 attendees rallied against the proposed 24 hour a day fast food restaurant. Opponents voiced concerns over water usage, architecture, noise, lighting and [...]

First he confessed, now he says he is not guilty

Karen Velie — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:17:32 +0000

A San Luis Obispo man, who recently turned himself in to San Luis Obispo police claiming he robbed a bank in Atascadero, now claims he is innocent. [KCOY] On Friday, Steven Celaya pled not guilty to two charges of bank robbery. Three days earlier, Celaya went to the police department and said he had robbed [...]