Residents in the Five Cities area should boil their water before drinking or food preparation after bacteria was found in the drinking water distribution system according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department The boil water notice affects people in Arroyo Grande and other customers of the San Miguelito Water Company (Zone 3) County Public Works reports that routine sampling of the water found repeated positive samples showing bacteria resulting in a California State Water Resources Control Board violation People in the affected areas should use bottled water or boil their water following these instructions: officials suggest using household unscented liquid bleach following these instructions: County officials say they will alert affected residents by Reverse 911 and AlertSLO when the boil water notice is lifted Click hereto sign up for text message and email alerts through AlertSLO In a notice sent to Pismo Beach residents, officials said they expect the issue to be resolved by Sunday, May 4, or sooner. Pismo Beach City Manager Jorge Garcia also posted the following message to residents Wednesday evening on Facebook: A message from Arroyo Grande Mayor Caren Ray Russom on Instagram: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Caren Ray Russom (@caren_ray_russom) According to the Lucia Mar Unified School District the following schools and all district offices are affected by the boil water notice: A boil water order that was issued because of bacterial contamination has been lifted this afternoon for Arroyo Grande Oceano and the San Miguelito Mutual Water Company San Luis Obispo County Public Works told KCBX these areas have switched to an uncontaminated water source the boil water order is still in effect for Pismo Beach and Avila which are still connected to the contaminated Lopez Water Distribution system Nola Engelskirger with Public Works said the California State Water Resources Control Board started looking into the cause on-site today “They will also be inspecting the integrity of our infrastructure to make sure that our storage facilities are properly maintained," Engelskirger said It is still unclear how the water system was contaminated Pismo and Avila residents are asked to keep boiling water for at least one minute– or to use bottled water– for drinking The county first issued the order Wednesday after routine tests of the Lopez Lake distribution system first detected E then on a second round of tests found coliform bacteria— not E the Lopez water system tested negative for the bacteria The department said the boil water notice for remaining areas could be lifted as early as Saturday if this trend continues this is the first time a boil water notice has been triggered for the Lopez Lake distribution system Coliform bacteria can enter water systems through leaks according to the Environmental Protection Agency Drinking contaminated water can cause vomiting diarrhea and other symptoms within two to four days County officials urge people with severe symptoms to seek medical care The County will post updates at readyslo.org/wea (FOX26) — Grover Beach Police department arrive to two different street racing events that occurred over the weekend One incident occurred in the 1500 block of West Grand Ave while the other happened in the 1800 block Two of the drivers were locals to Grover Beach while the other was a visitor from Visalia The Visalia driver was also racing while under the influence No one was hurt during the event but participating in a street race does lead to having cars to be impounded for 30 days Grover Beach police officers arrested three drivers for street racing over the weekend Grand Avenue and the other on the 1800 block of W Officers responded by arresting three drivers two local residents and a driver from the Visalia area “Remember, not only is it dangerous and illegal to engage in street racing and reckless driving, but it also brings consequences such as a 30-day vehicle impound, according to the Grover Beach Police Department. “Let’s keep our roads safe and prevent a tragedy!” The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com.  Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not.   Comment Guidelines Same problem in AG 5cities shopping Center parking lot Simple solution is speed bumps like those around Walmart In the 1970’s we went either out to the roads by Oso Flaco in the fields or somewhere out by the Airport after the Thursday nite cruise night Go to an actual speedway to learn how to be a proper/professional racecar driver Should be crushed before they release the cars As long as the impound fee is say $400-$500 a day wouldn’t be too bad Over $13,000 to get your car back or it is forfeited and sold 16th St is treated like a speedway as well   Editor Bill Loving Reporter Karen Velie, (805) 234-1703 Reporter Josh Friedman Founder Daniel Blackburn Tip Your Team tips@calcoastnews.com Advertise ads@calcoastnews.com Moderator moderator@calcoastnews.com Site Issues admin@calcoastnews.com - Grover Beach police made some arrests over the weekend connected to illegal street racing Police say they were surprised by the two incidents and they come with some hefty legal consequences Two separate incidents involving illegal street racing took place on Grand Avenue in Grover Beach last weekend Two arrests on Sunday night,” says Nelida Aceves And it all took place on Grand Avenue between Courtland Street in Arroyo Grande and 13th Street in Grover Beach “It was surprising watching the videos where the participants in the contest weren't even aware that the officers were in the area So it clearly shows that they're not aware of their surroundings,” says Commander Aceves The vehicles were impounded and the drivers were arrested they are a danger to the participants and to the public And your vehicle can be towed for up to 30 days,” says Commander Aceves “We get complaints regarding speeding but typically not speed contests we haven't had speed contest arrests completed within the last year So it's surprising to have two incidents in one weekend,” says Commander Aceves The public is encouraged to keep their situational awareness about them at any time of the day or night as calls of speed violations can come at any time Speed contests are not localized to Grover Beach by any means and many residents of Santa Maria say they know these races happen because they can hear the engines and tire screeches in their neighborhoods News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information A boil water notice has been lifted for the communities of Arroyo Grande and customers of the San Miguelito Mutual Water Company According to the County of San Luis Obispo testing by county and State Water Resources Control Board officials has found that the water is safe to drink in those areas The order remains in place for Pismo Beach and Avila Beach The boil water notice was issued on Wednesday after testing on water samples repeatedly found the presence of coliform bacteria in the Lopez Water Distribution System county officials explained that the order was being lifted for the four areas above because those communities were able to isolate their water systems from the Lopez Water Distribution System and use other water sources and those sources tested negative for bacterial contamination during the entire time that the boil water notice was in effect The communities of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach have also reportedly tested negative during the boil water notice but they remain connected to the Lopez Water Distribution System requiring the notice to remain in place in those areas County officials said that tests of the Lopez Water Distribution System were negative on Friday which means the notice could be lifted on Saturday if samples taken on that day are also negative Those who remain under the boil water order are advised to use bottled water or boil their water following these instructions: County officials say they will alert affected residents by Reverse 911 and AlertSLO when the boil water notice is lifted.Click here to sign up for text message and email alerts through AlertSLO Officials with the State Water Resources Control Board are working with local agencies to determine the cause of the contamination The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department says it has not received any reports of E The boil water notice remains for Pismo Beach and Avila Beach while it has been lifted for the communities of Arroyo Grande While the other communities turned off their supply of Lopez Lake water and instead are relying on ground water Pismo Beach and Avila Beach require Lopez Lake water to meet demands Pismo Beach’s well is under maintenance and unable to meet the city’s water demands coli contamination was detected in treated water from Lopez Lake the county issued a boil water order for Arroyo Grande The bacteria was discovered during routine testing The water is contaminated through a transmission line Crews are estimating the boil water notice for Pismo Beach and Avila Beach will be lifted on Saturday A boil water notice has been lifted for people living in Pismo Beach according to the County of San Luis Obispo Officials say the State Division of Drinking Water authorized the cancellation around noon on Saturday after extensive testing confirmed that the drinking water supply was safe The county's Public Works Department reports that residents can return to using their tap water for ordinary purposes without taking any further action Restaurants can also return to normal operations if they follow Environmental Health Department guidance The announcement comes after the order was lifted for residents of Arroyo Grande and customers of the San Miguelito Mutual Water Company on Friday afternoon the county is continuing to work with its partner agencies to investigate the cause of the singular test result that triggered Wednesday’s order The current investigation is expected to take 30 days to complete county representatives say drinking water remains safe for consumption and is under regular water quality sampling San Luis Obispo County Director of Public Works John Diodati wrote about the affects of the boil water notice in a press release published on Saturday “I recognize the last few days have been extremely impactful for our Five Cities communities," Diodati said and through strong collaboration and coordination with the state we were able to quickly implement preventative safety measures.” Diodati also emphasized that the drinking water is safe and will be monitored and regularly tested as the county works toward identifying the source that caused the event we will share information with the public on what we know and what measures we will take to prevent this from happening again," Diodati said County Board of Supervisors Chair and District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg added that the county alert system was critical in keeping the public safe The boil water notice was issued on Wednesday after testing on water samples repeatedly found the presence of coliform bacteria in the Lopez Water Distribution System According to the Public Works Department, one sample showed the presence of E. coli. County officials explained on Friday that the communities of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach reportedly tested negative during the boil water notice; however they remained connected to the Lopez Water Distribution System requiring the notice to stay in place in those areas until Saturday either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content which applies to the region's "Five Cities" area is expected to remain in place through Sunday as authorities continue testing and monitoring The affected communities include Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach and Avila Beach—collectively served by the Zone 3 water system. Census data estimates roughly 46,000 people live across the five cities. Residents are being advised not to drink tap water unless it has been boiled for at least one minute due to the presence of coliform bacteria detected in multiple water samples Although the presence of coliform bacteria does not necessarily make the water unsafe to drink it can indicate that other bacteria like E The detection of coliform bacteria has prompted state county and local officials to conduct additional testing to ensure the water is safe to drink people in the affected areas should boil their water before drinking it The bacteria was detected in water samples collected on April 28 and April 29 The findings prompted the State Water Resources Control Board County of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department County Health Department and the Lopez Project water system to advise customers in Pismo Beach and other cities serviced by the Zone 3 system to use bottled water or tap water that has been properly boiled for drinking and cooking purposes "We will inform you when tests show that the water is safe to drink We anticipate resolving the problem by Sunday Further instructions urge people to "be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering" and to "use caution when bathing babies and young children." Ice made from tap water should not be used the County of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department referred Newsweek to its most up-to-date press release "This is the first time a boil water notice has been triggered for the Lopez distribution system and we are still working to identify the cause," the update said "Representatives from the State Division of Drinking Water will be on site Friday Repeated positive samples of total coliform triggered a mandatory boil order by the State Division of Drinking Water The repeated samples the County is collecting are showing a downward trend of this contaminant." Pismo Beach City Manager Jorge Garcia said in a Facebook video that daily water testing in Pismo Beach showed normal levels but that the city is still following the county's advice when it comes to the advisory The city will remain under the boil water advisory until the county and state confirm that it is safe to consume the water infection usually begin three or four days after exposure to the bacteria But you may become ill as soon as one day after exposure to more than a week later which may range from mild and watery to severe and bloody .. Garcia said in the video about the advisory: "It's important not to count on filtered water as reliable way to consume the water Having a water filter or a reverse osmosis system is not sufficient." The county anticipates the issue will be resolved by Sunday. In the meantime, customers must either boil the water or treat it to make it safe by disinfecting it with bleach or tablets. Instructions on how to do so can be found on the Pismo Beach website and bottled water or boiled and then cooled water should be used for them Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all The Grover Beach City Council has approved a final construction contract for Phases 1 and 2 of the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project The project is expected to start in June and last through early 2026 City officials say there will be major improvements to the park The Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project is a series of planned improvements to revitalize the park in phases Officials say this project aims to create a more inviting functional and inclusive Ramona Garden Park the City received a $3.3 million Community Development Block Grant to help fund Phases 1 and 2 which include a new all-abilities playground Through July 1, you can contribute directly to the park upgrades while honoring a family member or loved one by purchasing an engraved brick, bench or picnic table. This campaign will help offset project costs to the city that are not covered by grant funding. To purchase a commemorative item, click here: https://www.grover.org/645/CIP-1259---Ramona-Garden-Park-Rehabilita The Grover Beach City Council has officially initiated the Proposition 218 notification process for proposed changes to the City's wastewater rates The move comes after councilmembers reviewed a detailed Wastewater Rate Study during their meetings on March 24 and April 14 The study revealed that the City's current wastewater rates are not sufficient to cover the rising costs associated with operations and urgently needed infrastructure improvements over the next five years The proposed changes are designed to support an estimated $15 million in system upgrades the City will mail detailed notices this month to Grover Beach property owners and wastewater account holders These notices will outline the proposed rate changes City Council will consider adopting the new rates the proposed rate structure would begin on July 1 and would include an annual increase of 17.8% over five years this translates to a bi-monthly bill increase from $25.64 to $30.20 in the first year — roughly $2.28 more per month City officials say despite the adjustments Grover Beach's wastewater rates are projected to remain among the lowest in San Luis Obispo County property owners have the right to submit written protests against the proposed rate increases If more than 50% of property owners submit valid protests Grover Beach will host two public informational sessions where residents can learn more about the wastewater system The City encourages all residents to attend and participate in their informational sessions next month. For more information and updates, visit the City of Grover Beach website: https://www.grover.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=696https://www.grover.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=696 Tags: Visit the archives… CA 93401PHONE/805/546-8208 • FAX/805/546-8641 From Highway 1 to 10th Street in Grover Beach road construction has impacted drivers for months Businesses on West Grand Avenue have been dealing with it since last fall and say they've noticed a dip in customers "The struggle is that there are so many detours that people would rather take their business elsewhere and the hardest thing is that it changes every day so one day one section of the road is open and the next it's closed," said Heidi Hernandez She says they were told construction would be wrapped up by Christmas With her family's business in the thick of the construction zone Hernandez says communication with the city hasn't been great "The city hasn't come in to see what we're dealing with They are leaving the communication to the construction workers Grover Beach Mayor Kassi Dee also owns a local business located just outside of the construction zone "We have an amazing downtown business scene that is the heartbeat of our economy," Dee said "We want to hear their concerns with the construction and help them as best we can." Mayor Dee says she hears the business owners' complaints and that's why the city is now offering grants of up to $2,000 for affected businesses "It's small but it's us saying thank you to them for understanding that the construction is going to add to the downtown experience while also acknowledging the delay that was caused in construction," Dee said Hernandez says she's grateful for the money and rent but revenue took a real hit so it'll take more to bounce back but it's nice that we have a buffer now from it," she said To apply for the business grant, click here for the online application and city officials say recipients will receive the grants by April 30 (FOX26) — A man was arrested after the Grover Beach Police Department said he intentionally rammed one of its police patrol vehicles Officers responded to a disturbance involving a vehicle on the 400 block of Leoni Drive Sunday night officers found 62-year-old Steven Tomis driving a 1974 Ford pickup truck They said Tomis tried to get away but a second officer arrived with emergency lights to get Tomis to stop Tomis accelerated and steered his truck into the officer's patrol vehicle The officer sustained minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital Police said both vehicles were heavily damaged Tomis was found to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident He was arrested and booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of attempted murder assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer Grover Beach police officers responded to two DUI crashes on Tuesday prompting officers to remind the community of the dangers of drunk driving a drunk driver crashed into a parked car on Brighton Avenue a 19-year-old driver crashed with alcohol and fentanyl in his system Both he and his passenger were overdosing when officers arrived Officers administered Narcan saving both of their lives After the driver and his passenger received medical care officers booked the driver in the San Luis Obispo County Jail for DUI involving alcohol and drugs “Driving under the influence is not just illegal—it’s deadly,” according to the Grover Beach Police Department Share this message and help prevent another tragedy.” UPDATE: PG&E reports the cause of the outage was a downed-wire adding that power was restored to nearly all customers within four hours UPDATE: Power has been largely restored for affected areas Around 50 customers now remain without power between Grover Beach and Oceano.— a power outage is affecting more than 5,700 customers in Oceano and Grover Beach PG&E says that their estimated restoration time is scheduled for 11:15 p.m For more information on the power outage, click here A Grover Beach woman who ran as a write-in candidate for county supervisor was sentenced Monday to 90 days in jail The jail time was half of what the San Luis Obispo County Probation Department recommended in a pre-sentence report for Michelle Morrow Morrow ran as a write-in candidate for the San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor seat and also voted in District 3; however Incumbent Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg won that race Morrow was originally charged with four felony counts and pleaded no contest in November to felony charges of filing false nomination papers and fraudulent voting charges of voter registration fraud and perjury were dismissed Morrow faced two years of supervised felony probation and up to 180 days in county jail The sentence handed down Monday was 90 days in county jail and two years of felony probation The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office reports Deputy District Attorney Ben Blumenthal “did not argue for a specific amount of jail” but did submit the following on the probation department’s recommendation: “I want to make crystal clear Morrow was not prosecuted because of her political beliefs Morrow was prosecuted because she deliberately and repeatedly lied to the voters of San Luis Obispo County in an unlawful attempt to get elected to a position she knew she was not legally qualified to hold." The DA’s Public Integreity Unit handled the investigation the unit has a mission “to hold elected officials and candidates for office accountable to the rules and laws that govern them.” The Grover Beach City Council earlier this month approved a final construction contract for revitalizing Ramona Garden Park The project is slated to break ground in June and last through early 2026 The improvements to the park include a new amphitheater “We are thrilled to move this project forward and take such a meaningful step in revitalizing Ramona Garden Park for our community,” said Grover Beach Mayor Kassi Dee we’re transforming a long-standing vision into something future generations can enjoy.” Ramona Garden Park hosts many of the city’s community events such as the Stone Soup Music Festival and Street Fair and the City’s Summer Concert Series An RV burned to the ground in Grover Beach on Thursday According to the Five Cities Fire Authority the flames extended to a nearby fence but firefighters were able to knock down the fire quickly The cause of the fire is under investigation - Kassi Dee was officially sworn in as the new mayor for the City of Grover Beach Monday night starting a two-year term that makes her the youngest elected official in San Luis Obispo County "The swearing in was wonderful," said Dee Tuesday morning "It was such a great opportunity to celebrate I'm just so grateful for the City of Grover Beach and the residents for entrusting me in this role." The 29-year-old Dee grew up in the city, and is the owner of Nan's Books and Crystals which has long been one of the most well-known businesses in Grover Beach since it was first opened nearly 40 years ago by Dee's grandmother and I grew up with a family of public servants "I grew up volunteering for the Parks and Recreation Commission because my mom was on it so this was a role that I learned from a legacy from my family." Dee beat out two other candidates to win the mayor's seat during the Nov earning 505 more votes than runner-up Debbie Peterson and 1,267 more than third place finisher Robert Robert She takes over for former mayor Karen Bright Dee's major platforms during the election were to improve community engagement spur economic development and support public safety "I believe our community is only as strong as the people who are in it," said Dee "I look forward to encouraging our council to be out there and to speak to the rest of the residents listen to the residents and look towards what Grover Beach can become you have a really great city and a really great community I know that the small business owners are the foundation that lifts the city up I really look forward to supporting our first responders in this role." Dee's term starts at a time of Grover Beach is going through a tremendous transition highlighted by a series of landmark and transformative changes taking place along the city's main economic corridor A long-planned construction project to dramatically remake and revitalize W as is the construction of two high-rise mixed-use buildings at the busy corner of W and I'm looking forward to working with the new council to implement these goals but also reconnect with the community and reengage this relationship between local government and the residents of Grover Beach I look forward to encouraging our council to be out there and to speak to the rest of the residents listen to the residents and look towards what Grover Beach can become." one of the biggest accomplishments is that I get to be a role model for young people especially young women who want to come up into office who think that they can't do it," said Dee You just have to work hard and love your community and be transparent with the people connect and be really involved with the community and I'm excited to be that role model for young people." Dave Alley is a reporter and anchor at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Dave, click here A 62-year-old Grover Beach man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after police say he intentionally rammed his truck into an officer’s vehicle According to the Grover Beach Police Department officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Leoni Drive for a report of a disturbance involving a vehicle Police say officers attempted to make contact with Tomis but he tried to drive away That’s when they say Tomis accelerated and steered head-on into a patrol vehicle The incident was captured on the officer’s dashcam was taken into custody after the crash and booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of attempted murder The officer involved in the crash reportedly suffered minor injuries Both vehicles involved sustained major damage Police say the patrol car was new and had only been in service for a few weeks Tomis remained in custody with bail set at $500,000 A $2.3 million storm drain project in Grover Beach has been put on hold due to aging sewer infrastructure that city officials say must be addressed before construction can move forward City council members this week discussed a proposed sewage rate increase that would help fund the upgrades residents’ monthly sewer bills would increase by about $5 another $5 increase would apply through 2030 and it's projected to reach approximately $109 in five years Grover Beach resident Christa Jeffrees shared her personal experience with failing sewer lines who lives on Ramona Avenue — one of the streets slated for upgrades — described discovering a pile of toilet paper outside her home shortly after moving in more than a decade ago “We found out the previous tenant had been plunging all the toilets every day for six years because she had not repaired or replaced the sewer lateral in the house,” Jeffrees said “I really did not like having poop and toilet paper in my front yard and I don't think anybody in the audience would like having poop and toilet paper in their front yard.” Jeffrees said while she understands a rate increase may be unpopular she believes the infrastructure improvements are necessary Other residents expressed concern about the financial impact of the proposed increase claiming the city is gearing up for mass development City Manager Matthew Bronson told KCBX that the new sewage system would be an upgrade to the current system and added that it's intended to support the city's growing population Grover Beach resident David Swiff questioned the information presented by city staff at the meeting Staff had said the proposed increase is lower than most Central Coast cities “We are a unique town with a unique population and unique square miles,” Swiff said “Trying to compare our cost of service to another city’s cost of service is just trying to confuse people.” The Grover Beach City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed rate increase June 9 Paul Schneider had only been living at the Grand Avenue Mobile Home Park for a couple of months when his world was turned upside down “My first initial reaction was that I wasn't expected to end my life in this way,” Schneider said “I felt a hot flame go across from the heater to the propane tank that I had filled and then I saw a flame on the tank where the valve is and it started whistling loud like it was going to blow so I went back in because I didn't want it to blow up,” Schneider said He says the flames from the tank spread quickly to the front of his trailer That's how hot the flame was coming through I was only about two feet away from it,” Schneider said He says he hid in the back of his trailer waiting for firefighters to rescue him Grover Beach Police Department officers broke a window and pulled him to safety WATCH: Grover Beach PD releases dramatic video of trailer fire rescue His trailer and everything inside is a total loss His co-workers at The Home Depot in San Luis Obispo are now coming together to support him Kelly Neufeld started a GoFundMe She’s worked with Schneider for seven years and says he is always giving to everyone he was walking around with a big bag of gifts handing them out to at least two dozen people,” Neufeld said The Red Cross put him up in a motel for three days but he is currently trying to find a place to stay Schneider says he is grateful for the help and support from the community Donations can also be dropped off at The Home Depot in San Luis Obispo - Grover Beach city leaders say wastewater rate increases are coming for local residents The city has been indicating a need to raise rates for quite some time now there's an opportunity for residents opposed to a rate increase to make their voices heard Demands are growing on the aging wastewater system This lift station basically collects all the sewage via gravity being that we're in a hilly area everything runs downhill to this point and then it gets pumped back the other direction to get to another gravity point Grant funding has had to be allocated to several other important community projects recently But city leaders say even with full grant funding they would still need to raise rates to fully fund operations and upgrades A series of rate increases are being proposed over the next 5 years “We're proposing to increase sewer rates by about $2.28 per month for year one rising up to about $16 more a month by year five in order to make sure our sewer system works for our community today and for tomorrow,” says Matthew Bronson some crucial street repairs are ready to start but the city wants to fully update the wastewater system beneath them first so they're not cutting into the fresh pavement for the sewage upgrades “Last year they told us they were going to repave the streets and they never did And they're repaving Grand and fixing it up and yet our streets are like third world country streets So it's like who has mismanaged the money that's supposed to go to take care of our streets?” says Valerie McGill during which city administration will send letters and make announcements that residents' rates will be increasing July first If 50% or more of the population have one valid reason per property why they cannot meet the higher rates the city will not be authorized to adopt the change in rates Community members have until the public hearing on June 9th to submit any protests—in writing only Informational sessions are scheduled for May 8th and May 28th A human trafficking investigation led to the arrest of a Porterville man in Arroyo Grande this week and police are now asking any potential victims in the case to come forward Grover Beach police say Henry Vincent Terronez was arrested Thursday at a location in Arroyo Grande where police say the 34-year-old was intending to meet a minor for sexual purposes The arrest followed a multi-week investigation who say an unregistered AR-15 was found hidden behind the driver’s seat in the car Terronez was in A 60-round drum magazine and several 30-round magazines “with armor piercing ammunition” were also found with the gun Terronez is facing charges of human trafficking of a victim under the age of 18 arranging to meet a minor for lewd purposes pandering and sending harmful matter to a minor with sexual intent Police ask anyone who believes they may be a victim connected with this investigation to contact Detective Sergeant Matt Goodman at (805) 473-4570 or mgoodman@gbpd.org Additional information on the weeks-long investigation was not released The Grover Beach Police Department today warned residents of a phone scam in which an alleged loan company offers cash Never give out personal information like Social Security numbers or passwords unless you are 100% sure the request is legitimate “If someone claims to be from a company or agency then contact them directly through their official website or number,” according to police “If a company is requesting money through gold bars pause the process and take some time to verify the company.” This situation is something to take seriously there have been a couple of instances where I came very close to being scammed a few scams are very elaborate and realistic My policy now is to avoid giving any information to someone who calls me unless I personally know them I do not even acknowledge that I am the person they called “What’s this about?” even if they call me by name I would rather apologize to a friend for saying that than confirm any information a potential scammer has If you want to know details of my experiences “If a company is requesting money through gold bars…” OMG that would be hilarious is PG&E started accepting gold bullion 2025-05-05T07:41:43-07:00May 5 2025-05-02T09:39:58-07:00May 2 2025-05-02T08:40:53-07:00May 2 2025-05-04T09:32:06-07:00April 30 2025-04-30T17:06:48-07:00April 30 The Grover Beach City Council wants to raise sewer rates by approximately 89% over the next five years with sewer rates increasing by 17.8% annually over five years For a typical single-family residential customer the average bi-monthly bill would increase from $25.64 to $30.20 in the first year — an increase of approximately $2.28 per month Grover Beach’s wastewater rates are expected to remain among the lowest in San Luis Obispo County Current wastewater rates will not cover the rising costs of operations maintenance and critical infrastructure improvements over the next five years The proposed rate changes will help fund an estimated $15 million in needed system upgrades Ratepayers will have the opportunity to mount a majority protest to upend the sewer bill increases property owners may submit written protests to the rate increases If more than 50% of property owners submit valid written protests the Grover Beach City Council will hold a hearing to consider adopting the proposed rates A dollar a day to handle and properly dispose of all the poop generated in a single household is not too much at all Sewage system is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in any modern civilized community too many people don’t want to pay their fair share to maintain a healthy system I was thinking that this is not an unreasonable action as long as it has been many years since the last rate increase It says only property owners may participate in this decision Apparently they just have to pay sans due process It probably doesn’t matter that much A threshold of half of all property owners having to make their own ballots and pay to send said ballots to the city is a nearly impossible bar to reach Five Cities Fire Authority responded to a structure fire in Grover Beach early Monday morning first responders found light smoke coming from a single-family home on the 1600 block of Nice Ave including the Grover Beach Police Department and San Luis Ambulance The fire authority reports that the fire was quickly contained to the room it started in but adds there was smoke damage throughout the home Six people were displaced due to the fire and the cause is currently under investigation As part of a human trafficking investigation Grover Beach police detectives arrested a 34-year-old man on Thursday detectives contacted 34-year-old Henry Vincent Terronez of Porterville at a location in Arroyo Grande where he intended to meet with a minor for sexual purposes Terronez arrived at the location with an unregistered concealed and loaded AR-15 behind his driver’s seat The gun included a 60-round drum magazine and several 30-round magazines with armor-piercing ammunition Detectives booked Terronez in San  Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of human trafficking of a victim under 18 years old arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes sending sexual material to a minor and pandering He remains in jail with his bail set at $800,000 Detectives are asking any potential victims of Terronez to contact Detective Jared Allegranza at (805) 473-4511 “The Grover Beach Police Department would like to thank the Arroyo Grande Police Department and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Investigation Bureau for their assistance with this case,” according to police While there is a steel penetrator within the bullet the round was never designed as “armor piercing” You’re correct that the green tip rounds the original M855 (now being replaced by the M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round) aren’t specifically designated as “armor piercing” it does have fairly significant target effects on hard targets https://www.army.mil/article/48657/evolution_of_the_m855a1_enhanced_performance_round Of note is the following regarding the hard target performance of the original M855: Although it’s not an armor-piercing round the EPR can penetrate 3/8 inch-thick mild steel at distances approaching 400 meters (based on the range at which 50 percent of the rounds can pass through the barrier) The M855 only penetrates this material out to approximately 160 meters if our sterling citizen had indeed had time to engage law enforcement at short ranges the M855 will defeat their body armor I point this out not to rile up the anti-gun weenies although some of the reliable left-leaning commentators here will seize on my comments to demand even more draconian gun control Kabuki nonsense here in the DPRC but because I like geeking out on ballistics I’m happy that this scumbag didn’t get a chance to use them Add your event. Below is a press release from the City of Grover Beach regarding the approval of a final construction contract for the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project GROVER BEACH, Calif. – On April 14, the Grover Beach City Council approved a final construction contract for Phases 1 and 2 of the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project will deliver major improvements to the park Guided by the Ramona Garden Park Master Plan, the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project is a series of planned improvements to revitalize the park in phases As the host site for many beloved community events this project aims to create a more inviting Last year, the City received a $3.3 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help fund Phases 1 and 2 center on the development of a new main park plaza and pickleball courts “The Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project is a true reflection of our commitment to enhancing community spaces in Grover Beach,” said Grover Beach City Manager Matt Bronson “These upgrades will make this cornerstone park even more dynamic and more inclusive We’re proud to bring this long-envisioned project to life.” Project construction is expected to begin in June and last through early 2026 Stay tuned for a futuregroundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of these highly anticipated improvements For more details on the project, visit the City’s website or contact City staff at admin@groverbeach.org The race for Grover Beach mayor is a close one two candidates are neck and neck for that position KSBY checked in with both of the leading candidates because the people of Grover Beach have had a say," said Debbie Peterson "I'm really positive about the outcome and I'm excited to see how it turns out," said Kassi Dee Debbie Peterson and Kassi Dee are the two lead candidates in the still undecided race for Grover Beach Mayor Both candidates say they are feeling optimistic and are looking forward to finding out the final decision the community of Grover Beach came to Dee has this message for voters as they wait "I want to see community back in our local government," said Dee "I want people to feel comfortable when they come to council meetings and I want to see our council be very visible to the community We need our community back together so I'm hoping to be listening and speak for all residents of Grover Beach but for every single person in Grover Beach." and for her message to voters while they wait she says to start thinking about who you want to fill the open council seat if she gets elected to mayor "Because it's a recall I think it is so important that they people elect their representative this time," said Peterson I would say they should start thinking about who they would like to represent them in District 2." At last check Dee is slightly leading in votes KSBY reached out to Mayor pro-tem Robert Robert who is also running for the mayoral seat but we have not heard back The City of Grover Beach welcomed its newest facility to the public Thursday City officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the completion of the Mentone Basin Park pickleball courts The facility features four permanent courts for residents and visitors to use "Cities are all about bringing people together and enjoying a place where you can live work and play," Grover Beach City Manager Matthew Bronson said It's the result of an over two-year pilot program that tested the popularity of pickleball by marking temporary lines on existing and underutilized tennis courts After positive feedback from the community the city decided in May to make the conversion permanent The cost of the conversion is said to be about $16,000 Bentone Basin Park can be found at 1500 Trouville Ave There are over 50,000 known pickleball courts in the United States and nearly 80,000 members of USA Pickleball, according to the organization USA Pickleball says it is the fastest-growing sport in America for the third consecutive year "What I see in pickleball is a way to stay healthy and a sport that is accessible," Bronson said It's very social from everything I've seen and it provides this great recreational enjoyment for our community San Luis Obispo County's first cat café has opened in Grover Beach Staff at The Caffeinated Cat Café say visitors can enjoy a high-quality cup of coffee or tea in the company of 10 to 15 friendly the café's mission is to "provide a relaxing stress-free space for people to engage with cats," while also encouraging visitors to provide a forever home for the rescues “It's different," Owner Jaime Pierce told KSBY but then you can have a cat purring on your lap at the same time Workers at the café recommended that visitors make a reservation ahead of their visit To secure a time slot or learn more about the café, community members can visit The Caffeinated Cat Café's website - The City of Grover Beach is increasing its efforts to promote engagement between members of the public and city leaders Through a series of new or reestablished events the city is providing the community with a number of ways it can speak to government officials on a personal basis "Community engagement has long been an important goal for our city," said Matt Bronson "It's something that local governments really need to do to hear from their community and then have the elected officials take that information and help them and making the decisions that affect and support our community." Grover Beach held a "Coffee with Council" gathering at Perfetto Caffe where Mayor Kassi Dee and Councilmember Jules Tuggle met with constituents "Today was great," said Grover Beach Kassi Dee whether they wanted to make a comment about a past council meeting whether they needed more information on what we're doing moving forward in our city with certain ordinances or resolutions This is a place where they were able to come and speak to us and it was just great to hear from the community in this setting It was a productive conversation that we had with." The Coffee with Council event on Thursday marked its return to Grover Beach for the first time in several years "We're really excited to be kickstarting this again because it was something that was provided before Covid," said Dee We're planning on doing them very frequently with different council members as well so you'll get a chance to talk to your district representative At a certain point we're going to be going to different places in the city as well We have amazing coffee shops that we can help support spread out in our community and be able to touch all jurisdictions with our community." several community members had the opportunity to speak with Dee and Tuggle face-to-face allowing them to provide each councilmember with their questions "I wanted to meet the new city council members and it's good to have open communications with the city," said lifelong Grover Beach resident Bill Rea "It's great to meet with them and kind of with open communications because at city council meeting everything's very structured but here you can speak about whatever you'd like and want find out to." The morning gathering follows other community engagement opportunities held by Grover Beach recently the city has held community forums and special pop-up events where people were also able to speak with Grover Beach city leaders "Last year we really kicked up our community engagement work quite a bit," said Bronson "We did community forums where we talked about key issues they have made a community engagement and even higher priority so we're ramping up our Coffee with Council events We're ramping up pop up engagement activities to go where people are in the community We're doing more community forums on key topics shaping the community to do this with regularity and frequency so that we hear from all different voices in our community." the city has created a new Grover Beach Citizen Police Academy "Our police department does an incredible job engaging our community," said Bronson "They have different programs and events all throughout the year A new program they're just offering now is a Citizens Academy that gives residents an opportunity to learn about what's happening in our police department That program will start next Wednesday and last for the next two months." Bronson added the next community forum is scheduled for Wednesday Contaminated soil and tar balls were discovered in Grover Beach near businesses and a neighborhood according to the Grover Beach Community Development A nearby business owner says they’re taking the hit right now because of the smell “We had multiple customer complaints and customers leaving," said Christopher Zaferis "The customer frustrations were the smell of tar and oil." She often gets her hair done at Surfs Up Cuts Barbershop in Grover Beach and from time to time she will stop in to socialize "I pop in and say hi to all the customers,” Digges said Digges stopped by the shop a couple of days ago and says she was greeted by a repulsive stench in the air The Grover Beach Community Development said contractors found the contaminated soil just as they were getting started on a four-story multi-use development According to the Grover Beach Community Development Director the mixed-use project on the corner of West Grand Avenue and North 2nd St will have 23 new residential condominiums and townhomes as well as approximately 2,500 square feet of commercial space the impacted soil is still covered with tarps Over 1,000 cubic yards of soil have been tested and approved to be disposed of at Cold Canyon Landfill in Grover Beach Martin also says this will not delay the process of the mixed-use project or change it in any way Martin says stumbling upon materials like this during construction is not uncommon in property development especially since before it was a commercial ATV operation The removal of contaminated soil at a construction site in Grover Beach that has unleashed a tar-like odor is expected to finish on Friday Grover Beach’s Community Development Director said state inspectors have determined that the odor is not harmful but it has spurred complaints from residents “This is not considered hazardous waste and it's not currently listed as a local hazardous site as defined by the department of toxic substances control and all of the contaminated soils that were identified will be disposed of at an approved waste facility.” She said some oil and gas contamination was expected considering the site was a former ATV business Nearly two-dozen new condos will be built on the site “During the initial stages of grading and excavation the contractors encountered presence of impacted soil at the site and a lot of neighboring businesses and residences were concerned But it's important to note that this was all anticipated.” Martin said the cleanup involves removing up to 1,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil which will be taken to the Cold Canyon Landfill by Friday The city cannot give a definitive answer as to when the smell will go away - A Grover Beach police officer is being praised for his alertness and quick action this last weekend Local residents can rest easy knowing authorities are present and quick to respond to any kind of situation The officer saved a family from a house fire officer Reyna of Grover Beach Police was on routine patrol when he detected the distinct odor of smoke in the air “He smelt something that was similar to something burning which is at that time of night or early morning is kind of unique especially when it's not cold and people don’t have their fireplaces going,” says Jeremy Douglas Officer Reyna was able to awaken the two adults in the house and get them safely out while five cities fire authority responded quickly No children or no one else that I'm aware of,” says Sgt The specific cause of this particular fire is still under investigation and undetermined But officials do have some important safety reminders for the public.  So we highly encourage check your smoke detectors change your batteries out every time you change your clocks Really be diligent about maintaining orderly cleanliness in your homes If you're running extension cords only do it for a temporary purpose make sure you have it done by a professional,” says Craig Angello Five Cities Fire Authority battalion chief Both departments have acknowledged their strong working relationship with each other and they pay their compliments to officer Reyna's alertness and quick actions The power is back on and the residents are back in their home while the investigation into the cause of the fire continues After Grover Beach residents voted to recall Council member Daniel Rushing in the November election the city is looking to appoint a new District 2 Council member Interested individuals who reside in District 2 are encouraged by officials to submit an application by Jan “I invite all District 2 residents who are passionate about our community to apply for this opportunity to serve on the City Council during this exciting time for Grover Beach,” said Grover Beach Mayor Kassi Dee in a press release “This is a great opportunity to have a chance to make an immediate impact in our community We’re eager to work with someone who shares our passion for public service.” The City Council will reportedly review all applications received by 5 p.m 3 and interview applicants during their meeting on Jan the Council will make an appointment for the position The appointed individual would then be sworn in and hold office for the unexpired period of former Council member Rushing’s term through December 2026 officials say applicants must be a resident and registered voter in District 2 in Grover Beach.  In addition to the District 2 Council seat Grover Beach residents also have another opportunity to get involved in the community The city is currently accepting applications for a vacancy on the Parks, Recreation & Beautification Commission which was created following the election of the prior commission Chair advises the City Council and Community Services on parks Residents interested in applying can submit an application on the City’s website. community members can contact the City Clerk at (805) 473-4567 or wsims@groverbeach.org San Luis Obispo County’s Behavioral Health Department is expanding its mental health services for youth with a new clinic in Grover Beach “We need to teach children how to deal with their emotions at a young age the Grover Beach Youth Mental Health Clinic offers a variety of resources and support services for youth and their families The clinic is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m Police discovered an unregistered and concealed AR-15 firearm behind the driver's seat of the suspect's vehicle along with a 60-round drum magazine and several 30-round magazines loaded with armor-piercing ammunition (FOX26) — Detectives arrested 34-year-old Henry Vincent Terronez of Porterville following a multi-week investigation into human trafficking Terronez was taken into custody on Thursday after detectives intercepted him in Arroyo Grande where he allegedly planned to meet a minor for sex [RELATED]Visalia police arrest man following child porn investigation police discovered an unregistered and concealed AR-15 firearm behind the driver's seat of Terronez's vehicle The firearm was accompanied by a 60-round drum magazine and several 30-round magazines loaded with armor-piercing ammunition including carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle human trafficking of a victim under 18 years old arranging and meeting with a minor for lewd purposes and sending harmful matter to a minor with sexual intent The case has been referred to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution The Grover Beach Police Department urges any potential victims of Terronez to contact Detective Jared Allegranza at (805) 473-4511 The department expressed gratitude to the Arroyo Grande Police Department and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Investigation Bureau for their assistance in the investigation Mayor Pro Tem Robert Robert, Former Mayor Debbie Peterson, and Kassi Dee are the Grover Beach Mayoral Candidates running for a two-year term The candidates each talked about their qualifications for the position positive presence in our local government,” said Kassi Dee I will be there to listen to the voices of Grover Beach.” “I've been on [city council] since 2020 and I've been a community servant for quite sometime before that,” said Robert Robert I think I have the qualifications and the experience to move the city forward.” “I have a track record for repairing the streets," said Debbie Peterson "For bringing gray water ordinances to town bringing the bond that the citizens voted in to repair our streets and I know we're very proud of that We also asked about each of their visions for the future of Grover Beach “Everybody is ready for the next generation to come in and be in our local government.,” said Dee “I think the biggest thing that we need right now is our community back together I think right now the tension is really high.” “Some of the visions I have for Grover Beach is I'd like to make it more of a destination town than just a stop and pass through town and we're doing that with all these things we have on Grand Avenue,” said Robert “We're very interested in supporting our businesses I'd like to keep going forward with that.” “My vision for the people of Grover Beach is that they are able to participate and grow in their city hall and it's a warm welcoming place where they feel involved and where they can be a part of where her community goes over the next few years,” said Peterson we asked the candidates about their plans after the election “I've been so grateful for all the support It was a dream of mine to run and be elected as mayor of Grover Beach one day but I'm feeling really positive about the outcome.” “I am mayor pro tem and I'm in the middle of my term right now so I'll still be sitting on council and making decisions with the council if I were not to win as mayor But I'm looking forward to being the mayor of Grover Beach there's a wonderful opportunity to really start working on your vision and start working on how things will move forward and the committees that people will be involved in,” said Peterson it is a great time to prepare and be ready to really get started.” (FOX26) — An RV fire shut down an intersection in Grover Beach in San Luis Obispo County Tuesday afternoon at North 11th Street and Brighton Avenue north of Grand Avenue The Grover Beach Police Department and Five Cities Fire Authority responded to the call of a vehicle fire and found the RV and a car burning The intersection was closed while fire crews worked to put the fire out [RELATED]Grover Beach welcomes ex-Clovis officer Jim Munro as new police chief The cause of the fire remains under investigation