SanLuisObispo.com: Breaking News

Arroyo Grande City Councilman Jim Guthrie decides to reenter county supervisor race

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:02 PDT

By Bob Cuddy -- Arroyo Grande City Councilman Jim Guthrie, who dropped out of the Fourth District Supervisor race last month, is back in.

Guthrie, 56, manager of the Spyglass Inn, first said in March that he would run for the seat, being vacated next year by Katcho Achadjian.

But in June, he withdrew, saying he wanted to help guide Arroyo Grande through the hard times the city faces. He added that he did not want to take too much time away from the Spyglass Inn, where he is general manager.

Graham predicts Sotomayor OK 'barring meltdown'

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:10 PDT

By By DAVID ESPO and MARK SHERMAN -- Senate Democrats praised Sonia Sotomayor as a judicial pioneer, but Republicans questioned her impartiality and President Barack Obama's views as well Monday at the start of confirmation hearings for the nation's first Hispanic nominee to the Supreme Court.

Even so, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Sotomayor, "Unless you have a complete meltdown, you're going to get confirmed.

"And I don't think you will" have a meltdown, he added quickly as Sotomayor sat listening, her face in a half-smile.

Calif. lawmakers: Deal elusive despite progress

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:39 PDT

By By SAMANTHA YOUNG -- California's legislative leaders are reporting progress with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on a deal to close the state's $26.3 billion budget shortfall, expressing hope for agreement by the end of the week.

Lawmakers from both parties said Sunday that they had made headway after a weekend of closed-door meetings at the Capitol, but acknowledged a deal remained elusive. It was unclear when legislative leaders would reconvene for talks.

"We have several more days to go," said state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles. "I think what's most important is the talks have not broken down."

Man accused of beating 65-year-old at SLO homeless shelter

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:34 PDT

By Antonio A. Prado -- Police have arrested a local man accused of beating a 65-year-old man at the Maxine Lewis Memorial Shelter for the homeless on Friday afternoon.

Investigators found that Ronald Wayne Perkins, 43, repeatedly kicked Clifford Anderson in the head and face, according to a report by San Luis Obispo police Sgt. Sean Gillham released on Sunday.

When emergency responders arrived at the Orcutt Road shelter after 3:50 p.m., they found that several bystanders came to Anderson�s aid, police said.

UPDATE: Fire in SLO the result of arson, fire investigators say

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:24 PDT

By Stephen Curran -- A string of fires early morning on Bishop Street and Parkland Terrace were the result of arson, according to the San Luis Obispo Fire Department.

The three fires started between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. in the 1200 block of Bishop, the 2300 block of Bishop and the 2300 block of Parkland Terrace. They damaged four cars and burned a small patch of grass and fence.

Officials said Friday they believe the fires to be the work of the same person.

UPDATE: Victim in San Miguel shooting identified

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:11 PDT

By Stephen Curran -- The woman shot and killed Thursday in San Miguel has been identified as 24-year-old Tasha Dawn Norris.

Sheriff�s investigators said an autopsy on Norris, a San Miguel resident, is expected today. Deputies responded to her home in the 500 block of 11th Street on a routine building inspection matter and were told by Norris� husband, 24-year-old John A. Norris, that he had accidentally shot his wife.

Additional details have not been released.

General Motors to try selling new cars on eBay

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:14 PDT

By By RACHEL METZ -- As part of its turnaround plan, General Motors Corp. said Friday it plans to experiment with auctioning new cars on eBay, expanding on an existing partnership covering certified used vehicles on the online marketplace.

GM CEO Fritz Henderson said the company is working on an "innovative new partnership" with eBay Inc. to let consumers in California bid on vehicles as they would in a normal eBay auction, or choose a "Buy it Now" option to purchase the car at a set price. Dealers would still distribute the cars.

A deal between eBay and GM hasn't been completed yet, however, and both sides say they have been in discussions.

CSU to stop accepting applications for spring 2010

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:21 PDT

California State University says it will stop accepting nearly all student applications for the spring 2010 term to help offset deep budget cuts to the 23-campus system.

CSU officials said Thursday that campuses on the quarter system have stopped accepting applications for the 2010 winter term.

CSU, which has about 450,000 students, typically admits more than 35,000 freshmen, undergraduate transfer and graduate students during the spring term.

Calif. fiscal experts see late August as deadline

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:46 PDT

By By JUDY LIN -- It was only weeks ago that lawmakers, finance officials and the governor were warning that California was headed over a financial cliff.

Without a balanced budget by June 30, they said the state was at risk of running out of money and its government would grind to a halt. Then the calendar changed, and nothing much changed: The sky didn't fall when the new fiscal year started July 1, even though California remained without a balanced budget.

The state's deficit has only grown since then, but the only thing that has come to a standstill are the negotiations over closing California's $26.3 billion deficit.

Woman killed after shooting in San Miguel

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:56 PDT

By Tonya Strickland and Antonio A. Prado -- A woman died in San Miguel this afternoon in what the Sheriff�s Department described as a shooting in an apartment complex.

The incident was reported as an accidental shooting about 2:15 p.m., department spokesman Rob Bryn said. He declined to give the victim�s name or age, saying that the department is still trying to notify her next of kin.

The shooting took place along the 500 block of 11th Street, Bryn said.

SLO City Manager Ken Hampian leaving at the end of the year

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:55 PDT

By Sally Connell -- San Luis Obispo City Manager Ken Hampian is leaving his job after 20 years at City Hall and a total of 35 years in public service, but he refuses to call it retirement.

�It�s not retirement. It�s a new phase of my life,� the 57-year-old said.

His departure will be effective Jan. 1, but he plans to be flexible in case the city needs his services a little longer to train a new city manager.

UPDATE: Los Angeles man died in crash that closed Hwy. 46 East for several hours

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:46 PDT

By Tonya Strickland -- A Los Angeles man died in an early morning accident that prompted the closure of Highway 46 East between Highway 41 in San Luis Obispo County and Highway 33 in Kern County Highway for several hours.

Thomas Corell, 56, from Los Angeles, was driving a 2008 BMW westbound at an unknown speed on Highway 46 East, east of Kecks Road in Kern County, when he crossed the line into the eastbound traffic around 2:05 a.m. and hit a semi truck head on, according to the CHP.

The truck, driven by 46-year-old Mladen Krmpotic of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, was carrying "a type of sludge," spokesman Michael Duenas said, that spilled onto the road. Officials closed the highway to determine if the material was hazardous and determined it wasn't, he said, cleaned up and reopened the highway earlier this morning.

SLO Planning Commission still reviewing proposed Target plans late Wed. night

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:02 PDT

The San Luis Obispo Planning Commission was predicting late Wednesday that it would not finish reviewing the proposed shopping center where the city's first Target store is proposed.

The commission was reviewing the environmental impact report that covers a project to annex 31 acres into the city to build a total retail center of 188,000 square feet of retail space, including the 139,000-square foot Target, and 838 parking spaces.

The center is called Prefumo Creek Commons and is named for the creek which runs behind the property located on undeveloped land across Los Osos Valley Road from the road into Costco and Home Depot. The builder is Madonna Properties.

Jesse James Hollywood convicted of murder, kidnap by Santa Barbara jury

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:54 PDT

By By JACOB ADELMAN -- Marijuana dealer Jesse James Hollywood faces a possible death sentence after his conviction for kidnapping and murdering a 15-year-old boy over an escalating drug debt, a crime that inspired the 2007 movie "Alpha Dog."

A Santa Barbara Superior Court jury on Wednesday also found Hollywood guilty of the special circumstance allegation of being a principal in a murder committed in the course of a kidnapping and being involved in a crime in which an assault weapon or machine gun was used, making him eligible for the death penalty.

The jury deliberated for about four days. Hollywood, 29, stared straight ahead as the verdict was read.

Man arrested after allegedly trying to lure teen into van in Arroyo Grande

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:20 PDT

By Stephen Curran -- An Atascadero man was arrested Wednesday after police say he tried unsuccessfully to lure a 17-year-old Arroyo Grande girl into his van.

Anjana Priyadasun Nonis, 26, was arrested on suspicion of attempted child stealing and annoying/molesting a child after the teen told officers that a man driving a white van approached her about 11 a.m. as she walked home near Elm Street and the Pike and asked her if she wanted a ride.

The teen refused the offer, police said, and a white van matching the description provided was found at a pharmacy parking lot at Oak Park Boulevard and East Grande Avenue.

UPDATE: Deputies respond after shots fired in Arroyo Grande home of renowned magicians

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:45 PDT

Sheriff�s deputies responded to the Arroyo Grande home of world-renowned illusionists Charlotte and Jonathan Pendragon earlier today on a report of shots fired.

A woman called 911 at 10:49 a.m. to report the incident as it was occurring in the 200 block of Country Hills Lane, according to Sheriff's spokesman Rob Bryn. The woman said her husband had armed himself with a handgun and fired a shot during an argument.

At the advice of 911 operators, the woman ran into the yard to avoid a possible armed confrontation inside, according to Bryn.

High bacteria levels found in water off four beaches in south SLO County

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:04 PDT

County environmental health officials have posted health advisories at four South County beaches after tests showed high levels of bacteria in the water.

Warning signs were posted at Silver Shoals Drive in Shell Beach, at two locations south of the pier in Pismo Beach and in Oceano, 350 yards north of Pier Avenue. The signs warn beach-goers to avoid contact with the water at those locations.

New water samples were taken at those locations when the warning signs were posted. The signs will stay in place as long as testing shows high bacteria levels.

UPDATE: SLO bicyclist suffers leg, head injuries after being struck by minivan

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:13 PDT

By Tribune staff report -- A San Luis Obispo man suffered leg and head injuries Tuesday evening after he was struck by a minivan while he rode his bike.

Police said William Douglas Jones, 57, was traveling in the westbound bicycle lane on Tank Farm Road near Long Street at 6:40 p.m. when he turned abruptly in front of a 1994 Mazda MPV driven by Breana Kathleen Dixon, 24, of Atascadero.

Paramedics and firefighters responded quickly to aid Jones, who was placed on a gurney and taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center hospital in the ambulance.

How has the economy affected you? Take our series of polls

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:30 PDT

The recession has affected the lives of many San Luis Obispo County residents. Some have lost their jobs, their homes or their businesses. Others are finding it difficult to stay afloat and are searching for signs of recovery. The Tribune would like to know how these tough economic times have touched your life, how you�re dealing with the tough economy and if you believe better days are ahead.

Fake bomb prompts evacuations of Paso Robles homes

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:37 PDT

By Tonya Strickland -- Paso Robles residents evacuated their homes today for about three hours after a fake bomb made to look real was found inside a home on the 1600 block of Park Street north of downtown, police said.

The device, designed to look like an explosive with fake dynamite sticks and a clock attached to it, was investigated by the Paso Robles Police Department and San Luis Obispo County Bomb Task Force from about 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Capt. Robert Burton said.

�It turned out to be a prank item,� he added, noting the department is still investigating where it came from.