Coastal News Clips

By JOSH FRIEDMAN and KAREN VELIE The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office disclosed their intent to provide the defense with video and audio evidence of sexual abuse Paul Flores allegedly committed before he was charged this week with the murder of Kristin Smart, according to the charging document. Prosecutors plan to use the […] [...]

Arroyo Grande police arrested a former girls basketball coach on Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing children in the 90s. For eight months, officers investigated allegations Daniel Berenguer sexually abused a child in Arroyo Grande. Detectives have since identified two victims, but believe there may be more. On Thursday, officers searched Daniel Berenguer’s residence in Goleta. […] [...]

By KAREN VELIE A San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge on Thursday ordered all parties in the Kristin Smart murder case not to talk about the case publicly. Paul Flores, 44, is charged in the murder of Kristin Smart, who has been missing since 1996. Prosecutors also charged Paul Flores’ 80-year-old father Rubin Flores […] [...]

By KAREN VELIE The Grover Beach man accused of the brutal murder of an Oceano activist repeatedly interrupted the judge at a hearing today to espouse his innocence, before he pled not guilty. James Krause, 41, is charged with the brutal murder of 90-year-old Lawrence Albert Bross of Oceano. On Jan. 24, 2019, one of […] [...]

By JOSH FRIEDMAN The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is considering reprimanding PG&E on Thursday for continuing to neglect its electrical grid that, in recent years, sparked large and deadly wildfires. [KCRA] The reprimand could mark the first step in a process leading toward regulators eventually revoking PG&E’s utility license, in accordance with a deal […] [...]

Editor’s Note: The following series, “Life in Radically Gentrifying Cayucos by the Sea,” to be posted biweekly includes the notes, thoughts, and opinions of an original American voice: author Dell Franklin.  Franklin’s memoir, “Life On The Mississippi, 1969,” is currently on Amazon. By DELL FRANKLIN The other evening while walking my dog, I ran into […] [...]

By KAREN VELIE San Luis Obispo County’s waste agency voted Wednesday to continue the countywide polystyrene ban even though the majority of board members voted to end it, leading several agencies to voice their plans to leave the agency. Divided along party lines, the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) voted 7-6 […] [...]

By JOSH FRIEDMAN Paul Flores murdered Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, who has been missing since 1996, while raping or attempting to rape her, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow alleges. At a press conference Wednesday, Dow announced his office filed a first-degree murder charge against Paul Flores, 44, and accessory after-the-fact to […] [...]

By JOSH FRIEDMAN In line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendations, San Luis Obispo County is halting the use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine while federal officials investigate six cases of women developing a rare type of blood clot after receiving the shot. As […] [...]

Arroyo Grande Police arrested a 39-year-old resident on Tuesday on allegations of stalking and illegal possession of a firearm. After receiving a report that Stephen Nathanial Lockett IV, a convicted felon, illegally possessed a firearm, investigators obtained a search warrant for Lockett and his residence. Officers made contact with Lockett as he left his residence […] [...]

Roger reports a case of domestic violence over child custody on the 5100 block of Hollister. The fire department and medics are now responding. [...]

A homicide suspect is arrested in Santa Maria following the death of 28 year old Elyse Marie Erwin [mug] [...]

Edhat readers share [pics] of "hummingbird moths" and black skimmer sea birds. [...]

Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider held a press conference on Monday, joining mayors across the nation, in support of the Federal Community Development Block Grant Program. [...]

Does anyone know what happened near Dos Pueblos High School? [...]

Roger reports a bicyclist is injured in a traffic accident with a vehicle on Milpas. [...]

Roger has the scanner reports. Ducks in the center divider looking to cross Highway 101 at State Street. [...]

An edhat subscriber shares that poems from Santa Barbara elementary students are on exhibit at Chaucer's Bookstore as well as in the lobby of the downtown library, and shares a poem in honor of National Poetry Month. [...]

State Route 246 passing lanes project will resume near Lompoc after its winter suspension. [...]

Until April 24th, major repairs will be made to failed asphalt on Shoreline Drive, between Loma Alta and La Marina. [...]

The program was again recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts. [...]