https://calcoastnews.com San Luis Obispo County’s on-line independent news source producing in-depth investigative news in the public interest. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:10:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 https://calcoastnews.com/images/2022/10/cropped-largetile-32x32.jpg https://calcoastnews.com 32 32 59345941 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/plains-fire-in-eastern-san-luis-obispo-county-burns-2500-acres/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/plains-fire-in-eastern-san-luis-obispo-county-burns-2500-acres/#respond Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:10:59 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135654 By KAREN VELIE The Plains Fire burning in Eastern San Luis Obispo County on Wednesday has grown to 2,500 acres. The fire is 15% contained and forward progress has been stopped. Shortly after noon, a caller reported the fire burning near the 9400 block of Soda Lake Road on the Carrizo Plain, according to Cal […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/plains-fire-in-eastern-san-luis-obispo-county-burns-2500-acres/feed/ 0 135654 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/man-sentenced-to-life-for-sexually-abusing-two-kids-in-paso-robles/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/man-sentenced-to-life-for-sexually-abusing-two-kids-in-paso-robles/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2026 23:36:36 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135650 By JOSH FRIEDMAN A San Luis Obispo County judge on Tuesday sentenced a man to 283 years to life in prison for sexually abusing two children in Paso Robles.  Last month, a jury convicted 41-year-old Teodulo Vasquezjimenez, a citizen of Mexico, of 15 felony counts involving the sexual abuse of the two child victims. The […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/man-sentenced-to-life-for-sexually-abusing-two-kids-in-paso-robles/feed/ 1 135650 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/fire-burns-300-acres-near-the-carrizo-plain-in-san-luis-obispo-county/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/fire-burns-300-acres-near-the-carrizo-plain-in-san-luis-obispo-county/#respond Wed, 12 Aug 2026 22:33:11 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135644 By JOSH FRIEDMAN A fire burning in the Carrizo Plain in Eastern San Luis Obispo County on Wednesday has thus far burned approximately 300 acres. Shortly after noon, a caller reported the fire burning near the 9400 block of Soda Lake Road, according to Cal Fire. Initially, Cal Fire reported the blaze was burning 80 […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/fire-burns-300-acres-near-the-carrizo-plain-in-san-luis-obispo-county/feed/ 0 135644 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/california-jails-transfer-hundreds-of-illegal-aliens-into-federal-custody/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/california-jails-transfer-hundreds-of-illegal-aliens-into-federal-custody/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2026 18:39:17 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135636 By KAREN VELIE Hundreds of criminal illegal aliens have been transferred from jails in seven California counties, including San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, to federal custody since last year’s launch of Operation Guardian Angel. Because of Operation Guardian Angel, which seeks to neutralize California’s sanctuary state law, 362 criminal undocumented immigrants were moved from […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/california-jails-transfer-hundreds-of-illegal-aliens-into-federal-custody/feed/ 10 135636 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/truck-crashes-into-tree-off-highway-41-driver-killed/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/truck-crashes-into-tree-off-highway-41-driver-killed/#respond Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:25:20 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135634 By JOSH FRIEDMAN A driver died Wednesday morning after their pickup truck went off Highway 41 between Morro Bay and Atascadero and crashed into a tree. The gray pickup truck veered off Highway 41 by Toro Creek Road at about 7 a.m. The vehicle crashed into a tree, then went about 20 feet down an […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/truck-crashes-into-tree-off-highway-41-driver-killed/feed/ 0 135634 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/fire-destroys-atascadero-home-family-displaced/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/fire-destroys-atascadero-home-family-displaced/#respond Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:59:38 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135597 By JOSH FRIEDMAN A fire destroyed a house in Atascadero on Sunday, displacing a family. Shortly after 4:45 p.m., firefighters responded to 7580 Castano Avenue. Upon arrival, firefighters found a single-family home fully engulfed in flames with the fire spreading to vegetation behind the house, according to a city of Atascadero news release. Firefighters began […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/fire-destroys-atascadero-home-family-displaced/feed/ 0 135597 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/woman-accused-of-election-fraud-loses-lawsuit-against-slo-county/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/woman-accused-of-election-fraud-loses-lawsuit-against-slo-county/#respond Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:30:27 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135591 By KAREN VELIE A San Luis Obispo County woman, who is accused of election fraud, filed three lawsuits against witnesses and agencies involved in her criminal case. Gaea Powell lost her case against the SLO County Clerk-Recorder’s Office on Tuesday, according to the ruling. Prosecutors charged Gaea Powell in June 2025 with violating multiple election […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/woman-accused-of-election-fraud-loses-lawsuit-against-slo-county/feed/ 0 135591 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/judge-rules-gang-members-can-stand-trial-for-downtown-san-luis-obispo-assault/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/judge-rules-gang-members-can-stand-trial-for-downtown-san-luis-obispo-assault/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:16:18 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135604 By JOSH FRIEDMAN Enough evidence exists for three defendants to stand trial over a 2024 assault in downtown San Luis Obispo that left the victim lying unconscious in the street, a judge recently ruled. The defendants are all members of a criminal street gang from Santa Maria. The victim was identified as a member of […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/judge-rules-gang-members-can-stand-trial-for-downtown-san-luis-obispo-assault/feed/ 4 135604 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/person-drowns-at-central-coast-lake/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/person-drowns-at-central-coast-lake/#respond Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:20:11 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135584 By JOSH FRIEDMAN One person drowned on Sunday at Lake San Antonio in Southern Monterey County. Shortly after 3 p.m., a caller reported that an adult relative had not been seen for about 20 minutes and was last observed in the water near the shoreline. Family members also told Monterey County Park Rangers that the […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/person-drowns-at-central-coast-lake/feed/ 0 135584 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/santa-maria-police-catch-alleged-car-thief-suspect-hurls-gun/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/santa-maria-police-catch-alleged-car-thief-suspect-hurls-gun/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:18:38 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135580 By JOSH FRIEDMAN Santa Maria police officers caught an alleged car thief driving a stolen vehicle over the weekend. On Saturday, officers responded to the 1200 block of West Bethel Lane over a stolen vehicle report. Shortly afterwards, officers located the vehicle near La Brea Avenue and Blosser Road and attempted to make a traffic […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/santa-maria-police-catch-alleged-car-thief-suspect-hurls-gun/feed/ 7 135580 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/newsom-wont-extend-diablo-canyon-operations-past-2030/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/newsom-wont-extend-diablo-canyon-operations-past-2030/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2026 21:02:30 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135565 By KAREN VELIE Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday he will not work to renew licenses to keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County operating beyond 2030. With less than six months left in office, Newsom said he will leave that decision up to the next administration. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/newsom-wont-extend-diablo-canyon-operations-past-2030/feed/ 17 135565 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/pedestrian-dies-after-being-struck-by-car-in-santa-maria/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/pedestrian-dies-after-being-struck-by-car-in-santa-maria/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:16:24 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135560 By JOSH FRIEDMAN A vehicke struck and killed a female pedestrian in Santa Maria on Sunday evening. Shortly before 9 p.m., Santa Maria police, as well as firefighters and medics, responded to the 100 block of West Battles Road over numerous reports of a woman struck by a vehicle. Santa Maria Fire and American Medical […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/pedestrian-dies-after-being-struck-by-car-in-santa-maria/feed/ 1 135560 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/forward-spread-of-antelope-fire-burning-near-shandon-stopped/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/forward-spread-of-antelope-fire-burning-near-shandon-stopped/#respond Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:36:39 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135557 By KAREN VELIE Late Sunday evening, firefighters were able to stop the forward spread of the Antelope Fire burning in San Luis Obispo and Kern counties. The fire has burned 2,091 ares and is 20% contained. Shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday , a caller reported the fire burning near the  Cholame Y – the […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/forward-spread-of-antelope-fire-burning-near-shandon-stopped/feed/ 0 135557 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/one-motorcyclist-dies-another-injured-in-crash-near-orcutt/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/one-motorcyclist-dies-another-injured-in-crash-near-orcutt/#comments Sun, 09 Aug 2026 16:25:26 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135540 By JOSH FRIEDMAN A pair of motorcycles collided south of Orcutt on Saturday, killing one rider and seriously injuring another. The motorcyclists crashed on the northbound Highway 135 onramp to northbound Highway 1, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Responders pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. An ambulance transported one person with […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/one-motorcyclist-dies-another-injured-in-crash-near-orcutt/feed/ 1 135540 https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/san-luis-obispo-county-deals-on-dining-lodging-happy-hours-23/ https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/san-luis-obispo-county-deals-on-dining-lodging-happy-hours-23/#respond Sun, 09 Aug 2026 16:14:24 +0000 https://calcoastnews.com/?p=135549 Find great local sales and deals on dining, happy hours, lodging, golf and more while supporting San Luis Obispo County businesses and the local economy. Old Juan’s Cantina in Oceano A great way to start your Sunday – brunch at Old Juan’s Cantina in Oceano! Spice up your morning with a delicious, hearty brunch, available from […]]]> https://calcoastnews.com/2026/08/san-luis-obispo-county-deals-on-dining-lodging-happy-hours-23/feed/ 0 135549