Woman accused of election fraud sues witnesses in her case
By KAREN VELIE A San Luis Obispo County woman facing nine felony counts for election fraud filed three lawsuits against witnesses and agencies involved in her criminal case and is considering filing another suit. Gaea Powell is facing charges she violated multiple election laws when she ran for mayor of...
Santa Barbara County detectives searching for 18 cannabis burglary suspects
By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives are searching for 18 suspects from Southern California who allegedly committed two large-scale burglaries of a cannabis cultivation site in Carpinteria earlier this year. In total, detectives have identified 19 suspects in the case, 17 of whom are adults and two of...
Board votes against San Luis Obispo mayor’s proposed censure
By KAREN VELIE The San Luis Obispo Personnel Board voted 2-1 on Monday against a proposed censure of Mayor Erica Stewart. Chair Calvin Stevens agreed that Stewart had committed a serious violation. However, he argued that Stewart had a temporary lapse in judgement and should not face a censure. Jill...
Deputies searching for suspect who robbed Target in Goleta
By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a man believed to be armed who robbed the Target store in Goleta on Monday morning. Shortly before 10 a.m., a caller reported a robbery at the Target on Hollister Avenue. Deputies learned a man tried to purchase two...
Victim suffers a head injury, Atascadero assailant released without bail
By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County prosecutors asked a judge to increase the bail for an Atascadero woman who seriously injured a man she carjacked in Arroyo Grande; the court released the alleged assailant without bond. On July 18, Daniel Castilleja left his key in the ignition of his...
How does removing a playing field in SLO increase access?
OPINION by PEG PINARD An open letter to the members of the San Luis Obispo City Council It was interesting to read your recent DEI announcement, especially your commitment to “increasing access,” “fostering belonging,” “advancing structural and institutional equity,” and “improving community health and well-being.” It prompted a simple question: How...
Officers identify Paso Robles woman killed in crash
By KAREN VELIE California Highway Patrol officers identified the woman killed in a single vehicle rollover crash on Adelaida Road in rural Paso Robles on Monday afternoon as 56-year-old Laura Nolascode Hernandez. Shortly after 2:30 p.m. on July 20, a caller reported a vehicle had left the the 4600 block...
