Atascadero appoints new fire chief
By KAREN VELIE The city of Atascadero announced Thursday the appointment of David Van Son to head the Atascadero Fire Department. Van Son, currently a battalion chief, is slated to assume the role of chief on Sept. 19. Casey Bryson is retiring on Sept. 18 after 26 years of service...
What is the best shooting stance? An instructor explains
By DAVID DURINGER What is your stance on stance? A prominent local CCW instructor saw me using my favorite default shooting stance — modified weaver — and told me “no one” uses it anymore. He runs large classes and apparently teaches only isosceles, the stance which, unquestionably, is the one...
Judge rules San Luis Obispo County murder suspect can stand trial
By JOSH FRIEDMAN A San Luis Obispo County judge ruled on Wednesday that enough evidence exists for a defendant to stand trial for the murder of a Santa Maria man on Highway 166 last November. Abel Angel Santiago, 23, is headed to trial on all charges, including murder, conspiracy to...
Santa Barbara man allegedly injected teen with meth, assaulted her
By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a 50-year-old man for allegedly injecting an underaged girl with methamphetamine. The suspect is also accused of sexually assaulting the teen. In May, sheriff’s detectives launched an investigation involving Jeffrey Kyle Snyder. During the investigation, detectives determined that Snyder met a...
Sable Offshore seeks Trump’s help to seize land for pipeline
By KAREN VELIE In the ongoing battle over pumping oil off the coast of Santa Barbara and transporting it through the Santa Ynez pipeline system, Sable Offshore is now asking the Trump administration to exercise eminent domain over state and private lands. While state officials and environmental groups attempt to...
A republic if you can keep it
OPINION by ANDY CALDWELL These words of Benjamin Franklin, in response to the question, what kind of government was the United States to have, a republic or a democracy, are exceedingly prescient today, for we are surrounded, infected, and infested by enemies within and without. The four enemies I will...
Man sexually batters stranger outside store in Lompoc, arrested
By KAREN VELIE Lompoc police officers tracked down and arrested a 29-year-old man who allegedly stuck his hands down a woman’s pants outside a store on Sunday. Shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday, the victim and a family member were walking near West Ocean Avenue and L Street when they...
