The Tribune (SLO) (Sunday)
At last! Hwy. 1 from Cambria to Big Sur is open again
Under crystal clear skies, three years to the day after the first of a series of landslides cut off access to the full Big Sur coast, the California’s iconic Highway 1 finally fully reopened on Wednesday. The day after the reopening of Highway 1 was...
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SLO vigil honors Minneapolis woman killed by ICE
Candles flickered in the hands of about 200 people Thursday night in San Luis Obispo as they gathered to honor the woman killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis and the hundreds of other people taken into custody by...
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SLO pastor resigns after inappropriate photography of women
A San Luis Obispo pastor recently resigned after old rumors came to light that he was caught taking inappropriate pictures of young women at Trader Joe’s five years ago. The incident was apparently worrisome enough that it prompted a strongly worded...
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78 earthquakes shake SLO County farm ‘like a snow globe’
When the house started shaking, Mandy Evenson picked up her 7-year-old son and dashed outside. “It was a really hard, sharp shake,” she said. “It felt like I was in a snow globe — like somebody grabbed me and really shook me back and forth.” The...
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‘She is Paso Robles’: Norma Moye, downtown champion, dies at 92
Norma Moye, the legendary force credited with the revitalization of downtown Paso Robles, died Monday night at 92 years old. Moye, a fourth-generation Paso Robles resident, was the founder and executive director of the Paso Robles Main Street...
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How SLO County firefighters saved a man from mulcher accident
San Luis Obispo County firefighters and first responders pulled off a heroic show of expertise and teamwork in Nipomo this summer: They saved the life of a man who was caught inside an industrial mulching machine. On Aug. 29, Cal Fire firefighters...
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Crime podcast revives leads on 1980 SLO cold murder case
Forty-five years ago, two kindergarten-aged girls disappeared in broad daylight from San Miguel’s main downtown street. Their bodies were found nearly two weeks later. But their killer never was. Now, a popular true crime podcast and a seasoned San...
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Off-roading at Oceano Dunes violates Endangered Species Act
A U.S. federal court ruled that the California Department of Parks and Recreation violated the Endangered Species Act by allowing a protected shorebird to be harmed by off-roading in the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The Endangered...
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CHANGEMAKER AND FREEDOM DREAMER
Editor’s note: Stephanie Zappelli reported this story in partnership with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism as part of the 2025 California Health Equity Fellowship. Cesar Vasquez set down his megaphone for a moment while protesting...
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Museum of Art plans to expand into dramatic new space downtown
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art could get a lot bigger — and a lot more visible downtown — in the next two years. Museum leadership on Tuesday confirmed the organization has quietly been working on a major $20 million plan to renovate and purchase a...
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Kemp wants to be a billionaire with Thrifty Beaches empire
Before becoming a household name on the Central Coast for secondhand items and his risky-but-successful business ventures, Adam Kemp grew up surrounded by blank, white walls. As he and his family moved around to various California cities, Kemp dreamed...
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How Cal Poly grad went from journalism to CIA spy
As a Cal Poly journalism student in the 1980s, Susan Miller couldn’t have predicted she’d someday go deep undercover as a CIA spy in the Soviet Union or brief the president of the United States on international affairs in Prague. But that’s exactly...
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2 brothers accused in homicide allegedly forged green cards
New court documents claim the men accused in the murder of a Coalinga woman and torching her car talked about fleeing the country after one allegedly “beat the living daylight” out of her. Alejandro Soriano Ortiz, 45 of Coalinga, and Celestino Soriano...
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AN INVISIBLE THREAT
Editor’s note: Stephanie Zappelli reported this story in partnership with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism as part of the 2025 California Health Equity Fellowship. The sunrise stained the sky pink as a mother and her coworker drove to...
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How a 30-year oil cleanup is restoring Central Coast dunes
These days, coyotes, mountain lions and even, once, a black bear, roam through a former oil field at the GuadalupeNipomo Dunes Complex. Once the site of an 8-milliongallon oil spill, Chevron and its team of nine contractors have removed much of the...
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Wine grape harvest begins in SLO County
As the end of September nears, winemakers across San Luis Obispo County are gradually amping up grape-picking production as the 2025 growing season comes to an end. This year, the annual harvest schedule got off to a relatively slow start, local...
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Would harvesting season help Pismo Beach protect its clams?
Summertime swimmers couldn’t miss the Pismo clam even if they wanted to — as countless iconic shellfish have been tumbling in the surf at Pismo Beach in recent months. Scientists don’t know why the population recently rebounded, so the city of Pismo...
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SLO County wineries hit by rising tariff costs. ‘To be a political pawn sucks’
With tariffs fueling uncertainty in the wine industry, San Luis Obispo Country winemakers are scrambling to figure out how to pay for abrupt increases in costs. “It’s just a challenge, because obviously the grapes are all grown here in California and...
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CHANGING CHURCHES
Rows of padded, black chairs replace traditional wooden pews. Dark walls draw attention to purple and green light filtering through stained-glass windows, mingling with stage lights that illuminate the band. Guitars, a keyboard and singers belt out...
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SLO County farms rely on temporary visas amid labor shortage
Amid luscious rows of leafy greens, 13 Talley Farms workers plucked heads of Napa cabbages from the ground in rural Arroyo Grande and packed them into 30-pound boxes. The men filled dozens of containers of cabbage, carefully loading them onto a wide...
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Why did CA’s 2 largest wildfires happen at edge of SLO County?
Massive twin fires scorched more than 200,000 acres of wildland at the edge of San Luis Obispo County this summer — the two largest wildfires to rage across California this year. And they just so happened to both break out in virtually the same area:...
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As Gifford Fire nears, SLO County ranchers watch and wait
A distant plume of smoke curled into the sky on Thursday while Cara Craighead packed up to evacuate from her home in rural Arroyo Grande. “This is the closest I’ve ever had a fire out here,” she said. “It’s a little too close for comfort.” The...
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Woman says SLO mobile home park illegally raised rent
When Linda Valentine purchased a trailer at a San Luis Obispo mobile home park, she was excited to give her 38-yearold daughter Vanessa, who is autistic, a real chance at living independently, finding the space rent of $ 767 appealing as a long-term...
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Beloved hospice, home health care nonprofit closes
A beloved San Luis Obispobased home health and hospice care nonprofit suddenly closed its doors last month after nearly 80 years of service, leaving many in the community wondering what went wrong. For decades, Wilshire Health and Community Services...
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Four juveniles linked to granary fire, sheriff says
It’s been about two weeks since the iconic Templeton Feed & Grain granary burned down on the Fourth of July — and now suspects in connection to the fire have been identified. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said in a Thursday news release...
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Demolition team finalizes Templeton Feed & Grain take-down
The moment has come for Templeton residents. The gutted northern tower of the historic Templeton Feed and Grain has collapsed after days of demolition control following a massive fire that sparked late on the Fourth of July. Now, all that remains is...
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SLO County wildfire grows to 52,500 acres, forcing evacuations
A massive wildfire scorched 52,593 acres in the southeastern corner of San Luis Obispo County as of Friday morning, forcing the evacuation of more than 200 people north of Highway 166. The Madre Fire was 10% contained as of Friday at 9 a.m., according...
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Zachary Bernal of Atascadero sentenced for fatal hit and run
For the very first time on Wednesday, Zachary Bernal looked into the eyes of the family whose 11-year-old son he killed. “Mr. Bernal, you get to live knowing, no matter the situation, you still have your children with you. We hope that you never have...
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SLO sex trafficking trial begins with 3 defendants, 3 juries
San Luis Obispo Superior Court’s first multiple-jury trial began Tuesday, with 48 jurors arriving with color-coded badges that correspond with the defendant whose fate they’ll decide. Joshua Murphy, 27, Tremaine Jones, 32, and Heather Hunt, 32, were...
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Work completed on flyover interchange at Cholame ‘Y’
A major project to fix one of San Luis Obispo County’s deadliest roadways is now complete. Crews recently wrapped up construction on a flyover interchange at the so-called Cholame “Y,” where Highways 41 and 46 meet in the northern part of the county,...
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Over 1,000 county high school graduates mark commencement
More than 1,000 San Luis Obispo County students turned their tassels Thursday afternoon, commemorating their high school graduation. The ceremonies — spanning from Arroyo Grande to Shandon — resulted in another 1,073 fresh graduates ready for bright...
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Gibson won’t seek reelection after 20 years as supervisor
Bruce Gibson, the longtime supervisor for District 2 in San Luis Obispo County, announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a two-decade career on the board. For nearly 20 years, Gibson has represented the Second District,...
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Restart your engines: New owners reopen Santa Maria Speedway
For the first time in years, the sounds of revving engines, cheering crowds and cars zipping around a dirt track at near-100-mph speeds can once again be heard at the Santa Maria Speedway. Last month, the racetrack off Highway 101 on the border of San...
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Father charged with son’s death in heat wave is undocumented
The father whose 6-year-old son died after being left in a car during a heat wave in Paso Robles was undocumented and in the country illegally, according to U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. Briant Reyes Estrada, 27, was arrested Sunday after his child died...
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Trans student rights spark rallies, debates at school board meeting
A roiling debate about transgender students drew hundreds of people to the Lucia Mar school board’s meeting Tuesday night as both sides showed up in force for an evening rally before continuing the issue at a lengthy public comment period...
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Meet Brass Mash, SLO County’s all-brass mash-up band
On a brisk Friday night in San Luis Obispo, a line of people spills out the front doors of Liquid Gravity brewery, which hit its maximum capacity hours ago. Fans of all ages and walks of life, from college students to families, flock to the beer...
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Big things happen in small Harmony, population (about) 18
Driving on Highway 1 about 9 miles north of coastal Cayucos, you’ll see a couple of signs, seemingly in the middle of scenic nowhere, that say “Harmony.” Don’t blink as you pass the short, steep turnoff just beyond the second sign, the one with the...
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NO WATER IN WINE COUNTRY
Two scruffy dogs spilled onto the porch when Candy Nachel opened her front door. She stooped to pick up a fluffy Chihuahua named Poppy, then looked out across the property east of Templeton that she’s owned since 1996. Each year, she watches her...
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Homeless face barriers to pet-friendly housing
Hazel Bliss was never a dog person. But in 2019, a friend asked if she and her husband, Jason, could rescue a puppy. Their grandchildren, with whom they lived at the time, wanted a dog, so they decided it could be the right time. That’s how Olaf, a...
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Pismo Beach homeowner wins court case over zoning dispute
A Pismo Beach homeowner claimed victory in court after the city attempted to block his plans to make changes to his property bordering Highway 101. Over the past two years, Andrew Grow’s Shell Beach Road home has been the heart of the most recent...
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SLO County kids eat better than ever at school, but threat looms
The stereotype of mystery meat in school lunches has been around for decades — but local school food providers in San Luis Obispo County are hoping to change the game. Kids who hit the school cafeteria for lunch these days are more likely to find...
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‘OUR LITTLE ANGEL’
José Gutiérrez died a hero. The last thing the 4-foot-tall sixth-grader said to his two friends who were walking next to him was “look out!” before a truck that came barreling off El Camino Real hit and killed him. As heartbreaking as it was, however,...
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Everyone is a king or queen at Special Education Prom
Over a hundred prom kings and queens danced the night away on Friday at a magical and inclusive evening for participants with special needs. Success Charities’ hosted its second annual Special Education Prom at the Atascadero Lake Pavilion on Friday...
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Fired Central Coast biologist confronts Musk at Trump speech
Ben Vizzachero gritted his teeth on the floor of Congress on Tuesday night as he listened to President Donald Trump praise the budget cuts that cost the biologist his job at the Los Padres National Forest. But he didn’t make the trip to Washington,...
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Some SLO County homeowners dropped from fire insurance
Michele Flom’s home borders open space in San Luis Obispo, which offers a beautiful view but exposes her to wildfire risk and makes it difficult for her to keep her homeowners insurance. Within the last year, she’s gone through the process of finding...
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Woods Humane Society marks 70 years in SLO County
Few organizations can boast that they’ve been in the business of providing love for 70 years. That’s exactly what the privately funded Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo County and its predecessor have done, changing many lives in the...
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How can SLO County help fix shortage of primary care doctors?
Editor’s note: This is the final story in a five-part series exploring health care access in San Luis Obispo County. While patients, physicians and healthcare administrators have noted the need for more primary and overall health care in San Luis...
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PLENTY OF PATIENTS, NOT ENOUGH DOCTORS
Editor’s note: This is the first in a fivepart series exploring health care access in San Luis Obispo County. Lee Goldenberg has been trying to find a primary care doctor closer to his Nipomo home for nearly a decade. He’s had so little luck, he kept...
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Confusion swirls after arrest in Paso Robles
An arrest at a Paso Robles apartment complex on Wednesday, initially believed to be an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid, was carried out by a different federal agency, police said. But a witness to the arrest reported seeing ICE...
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Vandenberg SpaceX rocket launch visible from SLO County
At the crack of dawn Friday, Shell Beach resident Erik Olson stood on his balcony to catch a glimpse of a scheduled rocket launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base as it painted the sky above San Luis Obispo County. Olson follows all the rocket...
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SLO County school district warns pre-K program could be cut
San Luis Coastal Unified School District’s transitional kindergarten could be on the chopping block, administrators warned a crowded board room Tuesday night. The announcement came during the district’s fiscal update to the board as administrators...
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SLO County schools face budget cuts as enrollment drops
School districts in San Luis Obispo County will head into the new year with some drastic decisions to make. A slew of SLO County districts will be forced to cut their budgets in 2025 due to declining enrollment, a multi-billion-dollar state budget...
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Illegal frat houses spark anger in SLO neighborhoods
When Cal Poly is in session, San Luis Obispo residents Kathie and Steve Walker brace for a lot of sleepless nights. The Walkers moved to the Alta Vista neighborhood, a residential area adjacent to Cal Poly, 16 years ago. It used to be a lively...
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Offshore wind project was paused before Trump was elected
Equinor will cease offshore activity on the Central Coast until at least the middle of 2025 — but not because of the political climate, the corporation said. Rumors circulated San Luis Obispo County, speculating that Equinor would pause its operations...
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SLO County senior meal nonprofit struggles to meet demand
There is such a thing as a free lunch — and it’s served to San Luis Obispo County seniors five days a week at nine dine-in sites and at homes for the housebound. Meals That Connect delivers nutritious, free meals to homebound seniors and feeds others...
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Seafloor under Morro Bay Estuary for sale in SLO County
Todd LaVelle strung holiday lights on the Baywood Park Pier on Thursday, pausing every so often to chat with passerby and admire the back bay sparkling behind him. He said he appreciates the bay’s natural beauty and how Los Osos residents work...
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New steelhead trout tracking program launched in SLO Creek
Zachary Crum looked like a member of the Ghostbusters as he sloshed through San Luis Obispo Creek wearing an electrofisher backpack — an instrument that safely stuns fish so he can study them. The backpack contained a battery, a control board and a...
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Coach helps inmates find camaraderie through pickleball
The fastest growing sport in the United States has reached San Luis Obispo’s only prison. On a mid-November morning inside the California Men’s Colony gymnasium, two courts were packed with 25 inmates holding paddles and awaiting instruction on how to...
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3 spots have the most fatal crashes in SLO County
Editor’s note: This is the first of a four-part series about deadly car crashes in San Luis Obispo County. Over the past decade, more than 300 people have died in vehicle crashes on roads across San Luis Obispo County. On average, around 31 people...
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‘CLOSE TOMY DEATHBED’
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a three-part series — Aging on the Streets — on senior homelessness in San Luis Obispo County, reported through a fellowship from the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. This project was made possible thanks...
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Netflix show explores Zodiac Killer’s ties to Atascadero
A new Netflix documentary about the Zodiac killer explores one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in the country — and it has a new detail: The prime suspect worked as a teacher in Atascadero. “This is the Zodiac Speaking” is a three-episode...
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Suspect in deadly SLO County stabbing will face trial
Editor’s note: This story describes graphic violence. The Shandon man accused of fatally stabbing his stepmother and injuring his father will face trial, a judge ruled Thursday morning, after hearing eyewitness testimony about that terrifying summer...
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5 property owners won’t sell land for Bob Jones Trail
Texas-based landowner Ray Bunnell was thrust into the spotlight when he refused to sell a sliver of land to San Luis Obispo County to complete the Bob Jones Trail. But he wasn’t the only proprietor fighting the project. The county has spent more than...
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Paso Robles board candidate denies election fraud claim
A 19-year-old Paso Robles school board candidate under investigation by the District Attorney’s Office for alleged election fraud has denied the claims made against him. Hunter M. Breese is registered to run for the Paso Robles Unified School District...
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2 SLO County candidates face election fraud probe
Two candidates running for office in San Luis Obispo County are under investigation for alleged election fraud, ClerkRecorder Elaina Cano confirmed when asked by The Tribune. The District Attorney’s Office is investigating whether Arroyo Grande City...
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SLO County airport welcomes its largest passenger jet ever
A Boeing 737 touched down at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport from Seattle on Thursday afternoon, making history as the largest passenger aircraft to ever land at the airport. The plane, operated by Alaska Airlines, is more than double the...
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