UPDATE: Brush fire in Morro Bay State Park is contained

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• Controlled burn at Morro Bay State Park jumps its lines before being put back under control

  Controlled burn at Morro Bay State Park jumps its lines before being put back under control

  A controlled burn in the Morro Bay State Park grew out of control this morning burning roughly an acre on Black Hill before it was under control around 2 p.m., said officials with the Morro Bay Fire Department.

• The fight for Morro Strand: Keeping a local state park open

  The fight for Morro Strand: Keeping a local state park open

  With the Morro Strand State Beach campground facing possible closure July 1, discussions are under way to find a nonprofit that will help keep the 84-space facility open.

  Nick Franco, superintendent of State Parks’ San Luis Obispo Coast District, said his department is in talks with various entities that would help keep Morro Strand open.

  “We’ve been working with Cal Poly for a while, and it would be a great fit if we can make it work,” Franco said.

• Morro Bay campground hangs by a strand

  Morro Bay campground hangs by a strand

  It’s not much to look at — a thin strip of 84 no-frills campsites nestled between the beach and the residential area of north Morro Bay.

  Even so, the campground at Morro Strand State Beach has a loyal following. Its main attractions are the scenic environs of Estero Bay and three miles of sparkling beaches to play on.

  But the campground is set to close July 1 — at the height of the summer tourist season — a victim of the state budget crisis and the need to cut $22 million over two years from the State Parks Department budget.

• Paul Brown resigns from Morro Bay Police Department

  Paul Brown resigns from Morro Bay Police Department

  Paul Brown, former San Luis Obispo City Council member, has resigned from the Morro Bay Police Department.

• Park closure would harm, not help

  Park closure would harm, not help

  Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to close 70 state parks — including the campground at Morro Strand State Beach — doesn’t add up. The $22 million in savings that would be realized is too puny to worry about; it accounts for just two-tenths of 1 percent of California’s $9.2 billion deficit.

  And that’s not the worst of it. When you account for what local communities will lose if these tourist attractions close, the “savings” realized by the state quickly turns into big losses for small businesses, as well as cities and counties that benefit from sales tax revenues.

  Officials in Morro Bay, for example, worry their economy could be out $2.5 million per year if the campground closes. If it’s even half that amount, that’s a big loss for acommunity that’s been struggling economically as much as Morro Bay.