Dunes pollution curb sought
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By Bob Cuddy — The county Health Commission is urging the Board of Supervisors to take any and all steps within its power to revegetate and stabilize the Oceano Dunes state park a move that could, in theory, lead to a temporary shutdown of parts of the recreational area.
The commission voted Monday night to send a letter to supervisors recommending that they take immediate steps to address the public health problem on the Nipomo Mesa created by particulate matter that blows to the mesa from the Dunes.
A study released last month by the county Air Pollution Control District documented the trajectory of the particulates a type of pollutant shown elsewhere to cause respiratory distress, especially for the elderly, children and those with pulmonary problems.
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Firm to help San Luis Coastal school district find replacement superintendent
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By AnnMarie Cornejo — Trustees with the San Luis Coastal school district will hire a consultant to conduct the upcoming search for a new superintendent.
San Luis Coastal Unified School District Superintendent Ed Valentine announced in February that he will retire in July after more than five years in the post.
The district seeks proposals from private firms that specialize in recruiting school administrators. The deadline for bids is March 19.
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Comparable counties system leads to rare pay drop for county position
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By Bob Cuddy — A funny thing happened at the county government center the other day: County leaders compared what one of their employees was being paid to what his counter-parts doing the same job in other counties were making and decided that they were paying too much.
The result: an uncharacteristic move downward in a taxpayer-funded job, based on the so-called comparable counties dynamic.
Critics have long complained that under comparable counties, San Luis Obispo County administrators and union negotiators have contrasted local employees to those in counties such as Napa, Sonoma and Monterey, and decided employees here were being short-changed.
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Biz Buzz: Economy caused owners to sell homes
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
Lingering uncertainty about the economy and financial distress were key reasons why Californians sold their homes last year, according to a recent California Association of Realtors survey that examined why homeowners put their houses on the market in 2009.
Sixty-seven percent of sellers sold their homes because they had trouble making their mortgage payments.
The majority of sellers had adjustable-rate mortgages that were due to reset at the same time that home prices were falling, leaving homeowners with no equity and much difficulty in refinancing their loans, according to the association.
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Diablo relicensing delay sought
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By David Sneed — A divided county Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to delay renewal of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plants operating licenses for three years while additional earthquake studies are conducted.
Supervisors Adam Hill, Jim Patterson and Bruce Gibson said it is common sense to delay license renewal until there is a fuller picture of the earthquake faults near the plant.
I believe we have time to do this right, Gibson said.
Supervisors Frank Mecham and Katcho Achadjian disagreed, saying the earthquake studies could be done concurrently with license renewal. They noted that plant owner Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and the NRC continually update their seismic safety information.
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Schools cost-cutting ideas offered in Atascadero
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By Sarah Linn — Parents, teachers and community members gathered Tuesday night at the cafeteria of Atascadero Junior High School to learn more about impending layoffs and shrinking school budgets.
Atascadero Unified School District board members Donn Clickard, George Dodge and Tami Gunther hosted the informational forum.
Our board really wanted to make every effort to reach out to the community and inform them of the significant issues affecting our school district, district Superintendent John Rogers told the crowd of about 30 people.
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Magician gets jail time
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By Nick Wilson — The Arroyo Grande magician who gained international renown for innovative illusions with his wife pleaded no contest Tuesday to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for threatening her in July.
Claude Yarbrough, 56, entered his plea, which stipulates he wont spend more than a year in County Jail for firing shots into the floor that missed his wife, Charlotte Yarbrough, on July 8, as well as another incident in which he threatened her with a firearm on July 3.
A no-contest plea in felony cases is similar to a guilty plea and results in a conviction.
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Konas Delis future uncertain
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 10, 2010 # Comments Off
By AnnMarie Cornejo — The two businesses that escaped last weeks fire intact at Foothill Square in San Luis Obispo reopened Tuesday.
The Rock & Roll Hair Salon and SLO Textbooks opened their doors to business for the first time since last Wednesday, when a fire gutted several nearby businesses.
San Luis Obispo fire investigators announced late last week that arson is suspected, and an investigation is ongoing. No suspects have been named.
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Body found in Pismo Creek is a local man, police say
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 9, 2010 # Comments Off
By Cynthia Lambert and Larissa Doust — An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the cause of death of a man who was found dead Monday afternoon in Pismo Creek near Ira Lease Park in Pismo Beach.
Police on Tuesday did not identify the man, though they said he is a local resident. Pismo Beach Cmdr. Jake Miller said police have received no reports of missing persons matching his description, nor have other agencies in the county.
A hobbyist photographer came across the mans body about 3:20 p.m. It was 80 to 100 yards east of the Highway 1 overpass at Pismo Creek, Miller said. He was described as white and in his 40s.
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SLO County Roundup
SanLuisObispo.com: Local @ March 9, 2010 # Comments Off
SLO County
Voters who are not affiliated with a qualified political party in California will be able to vote in the June 2010 Direct Primary Election.
More than 12,000 postcards are being sent to unaffiliated voters who also vote by mail so they can notify the elections office about their choice of ballot for the June election.
Voters are asked to return the postcard indicating their choice by March 16 so the voter record can be updated to ensure voters receive the correct ballot.
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