SanLuisObispo.com: Breaking News

UPDATE: 19-year-old Cal Poly student found dead in campus apartment

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:51 PST

2:43 p.m.: Cal Poly officials have released the name of the 19-year-old Cal Poly student who was found dead in an on-campus apartment Thursday morning. He was Favian Mora of San Jose.

Mora was a second-year electrical engineering major, according to a university spokesman. He was set to graduate in 2011, according to his Facebook page.

11 a.m.:Cal Poly’s Police Chief Bill Watton said today that a 19-year-old male Cal Poly student was found dead in the university’s Poly Canyon Village housing complex.

Nipomo man sentenced to prison after violently attacking girlfriend

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:18 PST

By Leslie Parrilla -- A Nipomo man who violently attacked a woman he was dating was sentenced to prison this week.

William Okerblom, 25, was ordered Wednesday to serve four years and four months in state prison for felony domestic abuse, false imprisonment and assault with a deadly weapon, according to District Attorney’s Officials.

Okerblom beat the unidentified woman after handcuffing her arms while the pair talked in a pickup he was driving to his house, according to court documents. He punched her in the head and upper body with his fists and elbows and bit her, grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the dashboard of the truck then into the transmission shift lever, said court document.

Prop 8 The Musical, creating a stir on the Web

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:35 PST

By Associated Press -- Since Prop 8 passed in California, much of Hollywood has been up in arms. Now, they are singing and dancing, too, in a new Web video called “Prop 8: The Musical.”

The video was posted Wednesday on FunnyOrDie.com, the video site co-founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The site has found a niche in getting professional talent to quickly create topical comedy videos.

“Prop 8: The Musical” may be a 3-minute Internet video, but it has a blockbuster cast — including Jack Black (who plays Jesus), Neil Patrick Harris, John C. Reilly, Andy Richter, Maya Rudolph, Margaret Cho, Rashida Jones and others.

SLO County fire season set to close next week

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:21 PST

By Leslie Parrilla -- Fire season in the county is set to close Monday followed by the opening of burn season, according to fire officials.

With the change in seasons, staffing levels for wild land firefighting resources are scheduled to be reduced. But fire officials are reminding the public that the county is still at risk of experiencing wild fires on unexpected hot and windy days.

The opening of burn season Monday, which typically runs through the end of April, means residents outside urban and village reserve lines in rural areas can burn yard trimmings and agricultural wastes in their backyard on designated burn days with a permit from the county Air Pollution Control District.

Gas leak reroutes traffic in Paso Robles

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:34 PST

Traffic was temporarily rerouted Thursday in Paso Robles after a natural gas line ruptured.

The leak happened around 10 a.m. at a construction site at Golden Hill Road and Dallons Drive when grader struck a four-inch underground natural gas line, according to Paso Robles fire and police officials.

Police and firefighters re-routed traffic to a safer route around the leak and a nearby technology business on Golden Hill Road was evacuated.

Robbery reported at Bank of America in Paso Robles

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:35 PST

A bank in Paso Robles was robbed Thursday by a man who reportedly handed a teller a note, police said.

The robbery happened around 11:10 a.m. at the Bank of America at 1511 Spring Street by a man who is described as white with a predominant jaw line, short hair, in his 40s, about 6-feet tall with a thin build and wearing a beige leather jacket, jeans, a blue and tan baseball cap and what appeared to be a Hawaiian print shirt, according to initial dispatch reports.

The man was also carrying a dark-colored back pack that he put the cash in.

Dozen years in prison for Los Osos man who exposed himself to children

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:05 PST

A Los Osos man who exposed himself to children in that town and Morro Bay was sentenced to a dozen years in prison this week.

Enos Dailey, 30, was ordered Wednesday to serve the prison time after being convicted of five felony charges of annoying or molesting a child under age 18 and having a prior felony. His sentenced doubled from six to 12 years because of the prior felony, said officials Thursday at the District Attorney’s Office.

Neither Dailey nor the victims spoke at the sentencing.

Amgen Tour organizers set finish line in Paso Robles

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:23 PST

Cyclists in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will sprint into downtown Paso Robles to a finish line at 11th and Spring streets, according to a city announcement this morning.

The 145-mile route from Visalia to Paso will be the longest stretch in the multi-day race, taking them through San Joaquin Valley flat lands, through cattle ranches and onto Highway 46 east from Kern County. A visual highlight for spectators, officials said, is when cyclists will round out from Creston road and over Niblick Bridge as they enter downtown.

Their expected arrival time to Paso's stage 5 will be between 3 and 4:22 p.m.

Record largemouth bass caught at Santa Margarita Lake

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:21 PST

By Wayne Shaw -- Fishing-wise, November exited with a blast.

There was a lake bass record, a big payday for two anglers in Patriot Sportfishing’s three-month lingcod vontest and an exclamation point was affixed to the final fish caught aboard Michele Leary’s boat, the Rita G.

Santa Margarita Lake’s largemouth bass record was set for the second time this year. Both times the new record holder was professionally involved in the produce business. Their approaches were markedly different.

Bakersfield Californian, Santa Barbara News-Press announce layoffs

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:09 PST

The Bakersfield Californian will layoff 25 staffers as it tries to balance its budget amid shrinking advertising revenue and an unstable economy, the newspaper announced Wednesday.

Also Wednesday, the Santa Barbara News-Press announced it is laying off 17 positions.

The Bakersfield newspaper’s president and chief executive, Richard Beene, wrote in a memo to employees that the layoffs were a painful last resort.

State water officials consider upgrading sewer plant

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:41 PST

By David Sneed -- State water officials will consider Thursday whether to approve plans to upgrade the sewer plant serving Morro Bay and Cayucos.

If approved, the upgrade would close the highly contentious question of whether the sewer plant has played a role in sickening sea otters in Estero Bay. Studies by state wildlife biologists indicate that the plant is not responsible for high levels of infectious diseases among otters.

The plant was suspected as a disease source because it is one of only three coastal plants that are allowed to discharge partially treated effluent into the ocean. An upgrade plan calls for the plant to achieve full secondary treatment by March 2014.

Pozo man arrested after allegedly pointing a shotgun at SLO County Sheriff's deputies

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:20 PST

A 66-year-old man was arrested Tuesday evening after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at Sheriff's deputies outside his mobile home.

Deputies responded to the home on Avenales Ranch Road in Pozo about 7:45 p.m. after a relative of Glenn Cherry's reported that he was overdue for a family event.

When they arrived, the deputies said, Cherry exited the trailer and pointed a shotgun, saying "I'm going to start shooting." Cherry was ordered to drop the shotgun, which he did while shouting profanity at the deputies and removing all his clothing.

Flu shot clinics held throughout SLO County

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:51 PST

By Sally Connell -- Flu shot clinics will be held in additional places by the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.

In addition to the main public health clinic at 2191 Johnson Ave., where county residents must make an appointment at 781-5520 to get a shot for a small fee, there are three locations planned for free shots.

They are:

Delays may occur as Caltrans resurfaces nine county bridges

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:15 PST

By Kathe Tanner -- SLO COUNTY — From now through March 9, drivers crossing nine bridges in the county could encounter brief delays as crews resurface the structures’ decks, according to Caltrans.

De Bruin Construction of French Camp has $243,000 contract to work on bridges on highways 1, 46, 58 and 101.

Crews started on Highway 46 this week, and, weather permitting, are scheduled to work on three North Coast bridges on Highway 1 starting Monday, Dec. 8, according to Donna Carter, Caltrans spokeswoman. Those bridges cross San Simeon, Arroyo Laguna and Arroyo De La Cruz creeks.

Arroyo Grande brothers arrested for allegedly possessing child porn

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:49 PST

Two brothers from Arroyo Grande have been arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography.

Lonny Alvin Lehman, 50, and Sean Evan Lehman, 45, were arrested on Nov. 26 after Arroyo Grande police received a "cybertip" from the San Jose Regional Task Force for Internet Crimes against Children, according to a Tuesday news release by the Police Department.

The tip included child pornography associated with an e-mail account linked to the brothers, police said.

'Jingle Bells' the cat saved from wall near Pet Smart

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:38 PST

By Tonya Strickland -- A cat stuck in a small space in a wall near Pet Smart in San Luis Obispo was rescued Tuesday night.

It could be heard meowing from inside the crevice for several days.

After excavation efforts halted for the night, which included “three hours of intense demolition” to remove concrete from a wall with a jack hammer, a Pet Smart employee removed the cat at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to police.

Morro teen arrested on suspicion of making homemade explosives

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:38 PST

Police said they have arrested a 16-year-old local boy who is accused of making homemade explosives that caused a bomb scare and evacuation of a Morro Bay neighborhood Sunday.

About 7:30 p.m. Monday, Morro Bay police--with the help of the county Bomb Task Force and a State Parks ranger with a dog trained to find explosives--searched a home on Balboa Street.

They found items that appeared to have been used to make pipe bombs that had been removed from the home Sunday, as well as a firearm, according to a Tuesday news release by the Morro Bay Police Department.

Paso Council picks fifth member

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:31 PST

The Paso Robles City Council chose Planning Commissioner Ed Steinbeck as its fifth member on Tuesday night, filling the seat created when Duane Picanco was elected mayor.

Steinbeck--a former city planner--had placed third in November's council election, in which voters had to pick for two seats.

The meeting also marked the departure of Mayor Frank Mecham, who was elected to the county Board of Supervisors, and the swearing in of Councilmen Nick Gilman and Fred Strong, as well as Picanco as mayor.

Fraternity suspended after possible alcohol-related death of Cal Poly freshman

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:38 PST

By Stephen Curran -- Cal Poly has suspended the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter following the possible alcohol-related death of a university freshman.

The 18-year-old student, identified by San Luis Obispo Police as Carson Starkey of Austin, Tex., was found unresponsive at a local residence about 6:20 this morning. He was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, where he died.

In a statement this afternoon, Cal Poly officials said the university and national chapter of SAE has also suspended all activity at the fraternity until further notice.

Oso Flaco Natural Area closed to public next week

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:02 PST

By David Sneed -- The Oso Flaco Natural Area will be closed Dec. 9 and 10 as park managers burn off invasive European beach grass.

The two-day burn is expected to cover 158 acres of dune and back dune areas south of Oso Flaco Lake and Oso Flaco Creek. The natural area is part of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and is located approximately five miles northwest of the City of Guadalupe.

Other work is already underway at Oso Flaco. On Nov. 10, park managers began rebuilding the Oso Flaco boardwalk. The work is expected to last through February.