1:55 p.m.) - The California Highway Patrol has released new information about a deadly wrong-way crash in Nipomo on Monday was driving southbound on Orchard Road in a Chevrolet Silverado Contreras crashed head-on into a Toyota RAV 4 driven by Darlene Leticia Scruggs The force of the impact pushed the Toyota off the roadway while the Silverado rolled over crashing into a BMW that was traveling northbound behind the Toyota Officers believe Contreras was speeding and driving the wrong way at the time of the crash The CHP is asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has further information about this incident to contact Officer R 7 p.m.) - Two people were killed in a three-vehicle crash involving a potential wrong-way driver in Nipomo on Monday evening A California Highway Patrol official said a white pickup truck traveling southbound on Orchard Road "appears" to have crossed into the northbound lane near Cherry Blossom Place around 6:30 p.m. The male driver in the pickup truck and the female driver in the SUV both died at the scene The third driver suffered minor injuries and was not transported to the hospital The official adds that speed seems to be a factor It's unclear at this time if drugs and/or alcohol were involved This is a developing story and will be updated with new information as it becomes available The California Highway Patrol identified the two drivers killed in a crash on Monday evening as 63-year-old Melchor David Delagarza and 49-year-old Darlene Leticia Scruggs, both of Nipomo, according to the California Highway Patrol. Delagarza was headed southbound in a white pickup truck on Orchard Road near Cherry Blossom Place when he attempted to pass and crashed head-on into a white SUV driven by Scruggs Both Delagarza and Scruggs died at the scene Delagarza’s pickup truck crashed into a red sedan The driver of the sedan suffered minor injuries An investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing Officers are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call Officer R don’t drive distracted and always have a high visual horizon for what is in happening in front of you,” said San Luis Obispo Commander 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 A very tragic and unnecessary outcome for Darlene Scruggs and her family This collision was completely avoidable had the other driver not been behaving criminally negligent   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 – Two people died in a three-car crash just before 6:30 p.m Monday at Orchard and Cherry Blossom in Nipomo The San Luis Obispo CHP confirmed Tuesday afternoon that 70-year-old Fernando Contreras of Santa Maria and 49-year-old Darlene Leticia Scruggs of Nipomo died in the accident drove his Chevy directly into the path of Scruggs' RAV 4 traveling northbound on Orchard Road with another 63-year-old Nipomo man in a BMW behind Scruggs Contreras rolled over in his Chevy and crashed into the BMW as it rolled before the car rolled over on its side near a dirt area east of the roadway Scruggs' car got pushed off the road onto a dirt path west of the roadway and the 63-year-old's BMW came to rest in the northbound lane of Orchard Road following impact Contreras is believed to have traveled the wrong way at an unknown high speed before the crash due to the severe damage on all three cars Both Contreras and Scruggs were pronounced dead at the scene due to their injuries and it is unknown if drugs or alcohol are factors in the crash Both lanes were closed on Orchard Road due to the accident The crash remains under investigation and those with information are asked to contact the SLO CHP 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 Two drivers were killed and a third driver was injured in a head-on crash in Nipomo on Monday evening, according to the California Highway Patrol. a driver was headed southbound in a white pickup truck on Orchard Road near Cherry Blossom Place when he attempted to pass and crashed head-on into a white SUV Both the male driver of the pickup truck and the female driver of the SUV died at the scene the pickup truck then crashed into a red sedan The names of the deceased are not being released pending notification of their next of kin CalCoastNews will release additional information after it become available The white pickup truck owner probably had no insurance - Hundreds of elementary school students from South San Luis Obispo County attended the annual Nipomo-area Elementary Career and College Fair Friday morning students in grades from transitional kindergarten through sixth grade took part in a career fair at Dorothea Lange Elementary School the event rotates locations at all three Nipomo-area elementary schools More than three dozen local professionals from a wide spectrum of occupations were on hand allowing the kids to speak face-to-face with the different speakers Some of the occupations on hand included an aerospace engineer San Luis Ambulance paramedic and much more who also serves as the station community liaison students were given a list of questions to ask the speakers that related to their occupation A new feature this year included Nipomo High School students speaking to the younger students about different college options The high school schools researched information about a chosen university and offered the kids information about the school in front of a cardboard display Dave Alley is a reporter and anchor at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Dave, click here Sophia is your community news reporter covering the North Coast of San Luis Obispo County It never crossed my mind it was battery storage,” said Ephraim Torres Some Nipomo residents were unaware of the battery project along Joshua Street so I am concerned about that now,” Torres said Ephraim Torres regularly uses Joshua Street to get to Santa Maria Given the recent fire at the Vistra battery plant in Moss Landing Now I’m concerned because I wasn’t really informed about it,” Torres said the 100-megawatt Caballero Energy Storage Project will provide enough energy to power more than 100,000 homes for up to four hours during times of peak electricity demand every day A spokesperson for the Caballero Energy Storage Project told KSBY “The Caballero Energy Storage project adheres to the highest safety standards Comprehensive safety plans and protocols are in place to prevent and respond to any situation and these have been tested and verified by first responders.” “I hope that there have been enough studies that can adequately tell us what long-term consequences are in terms of pollution the project will take up six acres of the 20-acre property The batteries will be housed in containers and the stored electricity will feed into the nearest grid which is the existing PG&E substation located right next to the project “As California looks to achieve its sustainability goals battery storage is an essential component to ensure grid reliability and facilitate further renewable energy adoption.” The State of California has a goal of 100% clean energy by 2045 but some say the safety of these projects needs to be reliable first “California has such a growing population that I realize we need services to continue to sustain the population there have been adequate studies done and not a rush-rush situation,” McSparron said San Luis Obispo County District 4 Supervisor Jimmy Paulding said “While I didn’t vote to approve the Caballero Battery Storage project it is my understanding that the Caballero project will use rigorously tested battery technology designed to prevent chain reactions and reduce fire risks including an Emergency Response Plan approved by County Cal Fire and an independent fire protection engineer Supervisor Paulding adds he will be at the South County Advisory Council meeting on Monday at the Nipomo Community Services District Board Room for those who would like to participate and voice their concerns The project is expected to begin operating early this year - San Luis Obispo County is set to begin work on updating the Nipomo Community Plan which will help direct future planning for the South County town "The Community Plan update is an opportunity for the community to partner and join with the County Planning Department to update our plan," said San Luis Obispo County Fourth District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding how to address existing needs and future needs and really make sure that the vision is reflective of what the community wants." the county will host the first in a series of four community workshops that will take place during what is expected to be about a year-long process to craft the plan "The more community involvement and the more community opinions that are rendered is a really really good thing," said longtime Nipomo resident Tom Geaslen "It leads to a much stronger position and keeping Nipomo the place that we all know and love." Last updated more than 30 years ago in 1994 the Nipomo Community Plan is described by the county as a document that establishes a vision for the future that will guide land use and transportation over the next several years "One of the reasons I wanted to undertake this process was because I've heard from the community of Nipomo," said Paulding "Concerns related to housing development and growth Obviously there are plenty of existing needs and we know that with more development and growth is an opportunity to take the plan that hasn't been updated for 30 years accommodate with reasonable assumptions and planning the types of infrastructure facilities that we need to support that future growth but also to develop a public financing plan for our facilities and infrastructure needs now That was never done as a part of the1994 plan There was no chapter on how to finance those existing needs and so this is really an opportunity to validate what those needs are and then develop a plan to fund those improvements and move forward." The community workshop on Saturday is scheduled to take place at the Nipomo Library from 2:30 p.m this workshop is an opportunity for community members to provide input on the needs and priorities of Nipomo learn more about the Community Plan Update process and to share ideas and vision for Nipomo’s future "Face to face and good healthy discussion is what this needs," said Geaslen I've spoken out and spoken for several issues over the last 25 years Other community workshops will take place over the next several months with these tentative dates released by County Planning: July 2025 – Funding the Journey: How to Make the Vision Real October 2025 – Forging the Path: Finding the Best Route Forward April 2026 – The Final Round Up Meeting: Reviewing the Draft Documents Come out to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors public hearings For more information about the Nipomo Community Plan Update, click here to visit the county's official webpage about the plan Twenty-four single-family homes are going in just off Highway 101 in Nipomo and each home has a two-car garage," said Cam Boyd the chief executive officer for Coastal Community Builders He says that the complex is intended to be affordable for families in the area "The homes are going to be priced from $700,000," said Boyd Community members say they are optimistic about the new development "I think it's great they are making more housing for people to buy," said Daniel McKenzie Sioban Major moved to Nipomo from Santa Barbara recently and says she is excited for more people to experience living in the area "I don't have much to say except just don't over-develop it," said Major Boyd says he hopes the new complex will combine a modern design with a small-town feel and says community members have already shown interest "We've just started to work on the project "We've got an interest list where people can sign up and indicate whether they would like to get more information about sales." He adds that they expect it will be around a year until the homes are fully constructed "We'll start construction on the homes themselves in about six months so we have about six months of grading and utility work to be done before we start construction on the homes," said Boyd "And then it'll be about 6 more months before the first homes are delivered." More than a dozen people spoke at Tuesday’s San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting on the nearly finished 100-megawatt Caballero Energy Storage project in Nipomo. That is scary for all of us,” said Angelica Gutierrez of Nipomo Although the battery project is located on 20 acres outside the heart of Nipomo we have our dream homes there,” Gutierrez said About 1,000 feet from Highway 101 along Joshua Street some locals say it’s too close for comfort the 101 freeway would be shut down and you have to ask yourself how would the evacuation go,” said one Nipomo resident during public comment Many of the people who spoke asked supervisors to pause the project “I think it would create significant liability for the county we would not suggest that,” said County Counsel Rita Neal San Luis Obispo County Fire Chief John Owens detailed the safety procedures many local fire departments would be doing on the project and the training they have received from the developer “Invited to that training were Santa Barbara County Fire This is not the only training we will be doing We will always be doing training,” Owens said The project will take up six acres of the 20-acre property The stored electricity will feed into the existing PG&E substation located nearby “My home is adjacent to the Caballero project which is about 300 feet from my property line the project with hazardous materials was built right in my backyard without a courtesy notice,” said Lorena Chavez of Nipomo Some people with property nearby also voiced concern about not being notified of the project in advance “The radius was 300 feet to notify the neighbors so the only person that was notified was the landowner,” Gutierrez said That prompted Supervisor Jimmy Paulding to propose a change “I ask that we increase the radius for notices for future projects like this,” Paulding said California has a goal of 100% clean energy by 2045 “Clean and renewable energy sources are needed for our energy resilience This includes batteries,” said one San Luis Obispo resident Gutierrez believes safety should come first “We don’t have to be the leader in the county on all these renewable energies,” she said A spokesperson for the Caballero Energy Project told KSBY: "The safety systems built into the Caballero Energy Storage project are industry leading and have been extensively tested and verified by the National Fire Protection Association and the County’s designated Fire Protection Engineer fumes would be below the toxicity threshold and would not have any impact on the surrounding community or environment." The battery storage facility is expected to be completed early this year - San Luis Obispo County has finally secured the funding needed to build the long-proposed new sheriff's substation in Nipomo the Board of Supervisors approved funding for the planned 7,000 square foot facility that will be built on county-owned property at the intersection of East Tefft Street and Carrillo Street in Old Towne Nipomo "The current estimated cost for the project is about $11 million," said Fourth District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding "That includes the design cost as well as the construction costs I advocated that we make this a top priority because public safety is our Board of Supervisors number one priority." Paulding added the project is "long overdue," and will help improve public safety in the growing community "It'll be located right here here in Old Towne directly adjacent to where the current report writing facility is for the Sheriff's Office," said Paulding on Wednesday morning while standing in the empty field where the new building will be located "The plan is to go through the design build process and start construction in 2027 and complete construction in 2028." The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office points out the new substation will not only add a greater law enforcement presence in the community so those deputies that cover Nipomo start and stop their shift in Oceano," said San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Nate Paul "While that doesn't seem like a long way away when there's an emergency call for service or some reason that you have to get to Nipomo quickly even five minutes can seem like a long time we’ll be based there and able to respond to calls that much more quickly.”  agreed that the new substation will benefit the entire town and surrounding area He specifically pointed out how the substation will allow for faster emergency response times create a local space for the public to meet with law enforcement and also create a community meeting room "Having heard from the community that this is a top priority and having worked to advocate to move this project forward Both Paul and Paulding remarked how Nipomo is actually a bigger community than many people make think and will only continue to grow in the future "Within the Nipomo Community Services District area there's about 18,000 people," said Paulding so you compare that to a city like the City of Arroyo Grande (Nipomo) is larger and the needs are greater Sheriff's Office has to patrol this whole geographic area all the way out and to the more rural and remote parts of the county that's about 4,500 new people coming into the community and then we know there's about another 1,000 units of housing units going in we're looking at a current population of around 24,000 on the Nipomo Mesa so it is really vital that we have the facilities that we need to serve that growing population." Paul echoed those comments from Paulding that Nipomo is a surprisingly large community and is one that needs a larger law enforcement presence than it currently has today "The community of Nipomo is actually bigger than any of the South County cities in terms of square miles or population," said Paul it definitely deserves its own citation to centralize public safety and meet the needs of the community."   (UPDATE 6:45 p.m.) - PG&E tells KSBY less than 300 people are without power as of 6:30 p.m A power outage was impacting thousands of people in Nipomo late Monday afternoon The outage was first reported at around 4:36 p.m. 7,830 PG&E customers were without power with the majority being on the west side of Highway 101 Power is estimated to be restored by 8:45 p.m Posted by | Mar 18 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Deputies have arrested a Nipomo man for possession of child pornography after a routine patrol stop on March 13 According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office deputies contacted the occupant of a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road late at night near Los Berros Road and Highway 101 in Nipomo Further investigation revealed the driver was in possession of child pornography on his phone The suspect has been identified as 54-year-old Gregory Kornman of Nipomo Kornman was a substitute teacher in grades K-8 for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Kornman is no longer an active teacher and is currently not affiliated with the school district Kornman was arrested for possession of child pornography and is currently being held without bail additional search warrants have been served and the case is still being actively investigated No further information is available at this time If anyone has information on this incident you are asked to call the Sheriff’s Detective Division at (805) 781-4500 Articles published by The Atascadero News may be publicly submitted press releases or other forms of media not specifically authored by a member of our News Staff Atascadero News is the community’s top-ranked news source for Atascadero mailing 20,000 monthly copies to our community most-trusted news source for our community Good News • Real News • Your Hometown News Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress A food delivery app driver was arrested in Nipomo on Wednesday after authorities allege he assaulted a woman at her home during a food delivery The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office says it received a call on Tuesday from a woman who reported being the victim of a sexual assault The woman claimed that a driver for an app-based food delivery service had sexually assaulted her when delivering her order Authorities say sheriff's detectives immediately responded to her home in Nipomo; however the suspect had already left the residence The SLO County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as 54-year-old Robert Becker Jr Becker’s last address was as a transient in Santa Maria He was reportedly convicted in 2000 of “assault with intent to commit a specified sex offense” and was released in 2001 Police say Becker was located in Nipomo and arrested on Wednesday He was charged with assault with intent to commit rape and failure to register as a sex offender SLO County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Tony Cipolla tells KSBY that the food delivery app Becker used "hasn't been confirmed at this time and is part of an ongoing investigation." Authorities ask anyone with information on this incident or other similar incidents to contact Sheriff's Detectives at (805) 781-4500 – An anonymous online tip caused a two-hour lockdown at Nipomo High School Tuesday afternoon After the tip was received by the school and sent to law enforcement a secure-in-place message was issued by Lucia Mar Unified School District to students another alert was sent to parents indicating all of the classrooms had been checked students would receive a break and return to their 4th period classes until the conclusion of the school day and after school activities were held as scheduled According to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office deputies were on campus for a suspicious circumstances call after school officials contacted law enforcement Parents were cautioned to not come to campus and the secure-in-place alert was issued out of caution stated the Lucia Mar Unified School District alert Lucia Mar declined to prove further information about the exact nature of what caused the lockdown Andrew is a Digital Content Producer and Assignment Desk Assistant for News Channel 3-12. For more about Andrew, click here. UPDATE (3:04 p.m.) - District officials say they've received confirmation from the sheriff's office that all classes have been checked "Students are being provided a break and then will return to their 4th period classes until the conclusion of the day at 3:35 p.m.," a spokesperson said The sheriff's office reports the 'all clear' has been given at the school adding that deputies are wrapping up on scene teachers and staff at Nipomo High School were securing in place Tuesday afternoon The safety measure was issued out of “an abundance of caution” after a Lucia Mar Unified School District spokesperson says they received an anonymous online tip and reached out to local law enforcement Deputies with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office were reportedly just arriving at the school as of 1:40 p.m The district is asking people to not come to the campus Students and staff were said to initially be staying in their classrooms but as of 1:45 p.m. KSBY was told they were being escorted to another area on campus so they have access to restrooms and will be served lunch District officials say the students also have access to phones and their devices Their backpacks remain in the classroom “as a precaution.” No other information was immediately available A 100 megawatt battery storage facility is slated to open next month in Nipomo Caballero Energy Storage plans to store energy in lithium-ion batteries Apha Omega Power recently acquired the facility located near Joshua Street approximately 1,000 feet from Highway 101 Caballero Energy Storage is slated to provide enough energy to power over 100,000 homes for up to four hours daily during peak electricity demand periods The plan is to charge the batteries when energy demand and prices are lower — such as solar generation during daylight hours — and then send the power to the grid during peak demand In the aftermath of a raging fire earlier this month at a battery storage facility in Moss Landing Assemblywoman Dawn Addis introduced legislation that if passed will require future battery storage facilities to be located at least 3,200 feet from sensitive places like homes While the legislation will likely halt plans for a proposed 600-megawatt battery storage facility in Morro Bay it appears it will have no impact on the Caballero Energy Storage in Nipomo 1000 ft Northwest of Hwy 101 and just slightly farther from the 166 interchange…let me count the number of days the prevailing winds DON’T blow in that direction That effectively closes the only transportation/evacuation route WHEN 166 and coats the Santa Maria riverbed on its way to the folks in Santa Maria as well as all the agriculture in the valley all the way to Santa Barbara The folks in Moss Landing might have a thing or two to share about their adventures with the Vistra plant fires and the evacuations due to the plume of toxic The Elkhorn Slough and estuary is now covered with elevated levels of heavy metal contamination Thank God we got rid of that nasty Unocal stuff and replaced it with the Green wave of the future… I don’t think any deep pocket company will own these yet And to think those Bay Area refugees in the Monarch development were distracted by dune buggies at Oceano Dunes and that BS about silica You can thank Bruce Gibson and Jimmy Paulding for that slight of hand Couldn’t find anything from PG&E other than costing 300-400$ per kilowatt hour per battery this site cost PG&E customers half a billion dollars just for the kilowatt hours allegedly to be provided per battery For only 4 hours during peak use times when the grid may or may not be overwhelmed will drain directly to the Santa Maria river carrying whatever toxins and poisons created PG&E is putting up about a dozen of these battery storage sites and many private companies are building more is that these batteries “will only store clean and green produced energy that taste like strawberry lollipops and vanilla ice cream” Yeah, not my words though: https://exencell.com/blogs/bess-costs-analysis-understanding-the-true-costs-of-battery-energy-storage-systems These things are exploding and burning all around us fervently support these neighborhood toxic bombs You are wrong about the water used to fight the fire draining to the Santa Maria river and so on The one thing the Moss Landing battery fire told us is when this facility catches fire the fire department will not use and water on it the know the only option is to just let it burn itself out Since you have done no research into the Nipomo bomb site I’ll let you in on a secret: It’s packed with WATER spray and flood systems to combat fire Since the site is uphill from the river….that’s where the run-off will go and then flow towards the Guadalupe lake area to be used again on crops because that flow would go directly into the incredibly sensitive Elkhorn Slough the associated heavy metals of the batteries have already been found in extreme concentrates there due to the built in water suppression system flowing downhill to the sea and since the state is rife with loss of grid power (just ask the North county) not to mention that California is the largest IMPORTER of electricity in the nation (over 25%) I find it hard to believe any juice from these batteries will go anywhere past our borders I found no source about selling our lack of energy to anyone Actually the Ca grid use of solar was the reason you didn’t have rolling blackouts this year nearly as severe as years prior Because of lack of storage we sold off solar power generated in CA to AZ this year “up to four hours daily” as long as no one turns on the A/C or uses their washing machine Then the run time is cut to 23 minutes unless supplemented by rainbows and unicorn p*ss Hundreds of people were without power Tuesday in Nipomo The outage was impacting people along both sides of Division Street between Highway 101 and Orchard Road A damaged power pole was reported to be the cause The Nipomo Rotary Club is gearing up to host a charity golf tournament next month The 27th Annual Mesa Oaks Nipomo Rotary Charity Classic will take place Friday A $150 registration fee is required to participate participants can expect a tri-tip lunch and a raffle featuring two wine wagons Organizers say the money raised will go toward different causes including providing scholarships to local students The Rotary Club is still looking for golfers and sponsors For more information, click here - The long-planned and much-discussed Dana Reserve project for Nipomo moved a major step forward by earning its final San Luis Obispo County government approval Thursday afternoon The San Luis Obispo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted 6-1 in favor of the project site being annexed into the Nipomo Community Services District (NCSD) boundary San Luis Obispo County Fourth District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding along with Second District Supervisor Bruce Gibson voted against the project when the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in favor of the development this past April The project needed the approval in order to secure water and solid waste service for the development "We are very pleased with today’s vote," said Nick Tompkins "By offering a full spectrum of housing—a housing ladder—affordable daycare we can provide a leg up for young families The approval follows several others from local government boards over the past year including the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission master-planned community with up to 1,370 residential units 110,000-203,000 square feet of commercial and non-residential (Visitor Serving/Hotel a minimum of 55.6 acres of open space and 6.3 acres of recreation and related circulation and infrastructure The project site is located on a highly visible 288-acre piece of property adjacent to Highway 101 The property is passed by thousands of vehicles daily traveling on Highway 101 and is located about one mile north of Tefft Street Since it was first proposed four years ago by local developer Nick Tompkins the project has generated a significant amount of discussion in the Nipomo area particularly due to the potential impacts it may create on both the community and the environment the Nipomo Action Committee (NAC) was formed which included a number of community members who joined together to formally oppose the project The group has been highly visible over the years as well as coordinating an organized alternate plan for the project site alongside the San Luis Obispo chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) filed a lawsuit that challenged the approval of the Dana Reserve housing project The lawsuit argues San Luis Obispo County’s approval of the project violates the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) construction will not begin at the Dana Reserve site due to the ongoing litigation NAC President Alison Martinez released a statement to News Channel 3-12 after the LAFCO vote We are of course disappointed with the 6 to 1 vote of the LAFCO commissioners to annex the Dana Reserve project We believe today’s result has created a lose-lose situation A loss for the environment with the cutting down of over 3,000 oak trees and the destruction of unique plant habitats A loss for the current Nipomo residents who will have to ensure the 19 significant adverse impacts to our community for years to come A loss for the hopeful new Nipomo families who find themselves unable to obtain one of the only 156 low-income housing units or unobtainable so-called median-priced house It was of course a financial win for NKT commercial development and Shea homes who stand to make millions of dollars from the project and for people who come from outside our community and can afford homes costing over 1 million dollars Nipomo Action Committee will continue its lawsuit alongside the California Native Plant Society which is likely to go before a superior court judge in February 2025 Nipomo Action Committee will continue to stand strong for responsible and sensible development for our community a court date for the lawsuit filed against the Dana Reserve is set for Feb There are many more facilities like the one that blew up at Moss Landing planned for the Central Coast We need to act now to ensure public safety is tantamount as it affects these sites which present the potential for toxic fires/explosions This project does not just affect Nipomo residents most of whom knew nothing about this facility In Monterey County the evacuation zone from the Moss Landing disaster was eight miles away and the shelter-in-place zone was up to 20 miles away while schools were closed up to 70 miles away An incident at the Nipomo Facility has the potential to impact much of the Central Coast Please make every effort to attend the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday The meeting is on the first floor of the government building located at 1055 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo we are asking the supervisors to declare an emergency pause to the startup of the Nipomo battery energy storage system until the community is ensured that any and all safety precautions are in place for the public and first responders The County of San Luis Obispo has completely failed the citizens living in the area between Orcutt and Five Cities All these communities are well within what I am going to refer as the toxic-gas blast zone depending on wind conditions and inversion layers for a new battery energy storage facility located in Nipomo Whereas the SLO County government only bothered to notify residents within a mere 300 feet of the new project before construction began where a similar type of battery plant just blew sky high residents within eight miles of the facility were forced to evacuate And upwards of 100,000 residents throughout the region were advised to shelter in place schools were ordered to be closed 70 miles away When the SLO County did environmental review of the possible impacts of the project on the community they had the gall and temerity to determine it was not likely that the facility could create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through reasonably foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment Tell that to the folks in Monterey County who are now living amidst a toxic waste site because of the fire and explosion that happened at Moss Landing battery storage site two of their three battery facilities had fires too the entire region should have received the following warnings and instructions that were buried online as it pertains to a mandatory evacuation or sheltering in place Before a Battery Energy Storage System facility incident you are to do the following if you live or work near a facility: Build an emergency supply kit with the addition of plastic sheeting Make a family emergency plan and remember to include emergency planning for your pets Ensure that you have signed up for emergency alerts Know how to operate your home’s ventilation system because you are going to have to shut it off and seal it Identify an above-ground shelter room with as few openings as possible Further instructions for sheltering in place include: Bring pets inside Close and lock all exterior doors and windows Seal gaps under and around the following areas with wet towels wax paper or aluminum foil: doorways and windows Avoid eating or drinking any food or water that could be contaminated Note: ten square feet of floor space per person will provide enough air for up to five hours these protocols could easily apply to everyone living in the area from Orcutt to Five Cities in the event of an emergency How come every single household in the region has not received a set of these instructions one additional instance of gross negligence on the part of SLO County which approved this facility has to do with the fact that there was no mention and no evaluation or concern issued regarding the fact that dozens of farmworkers work the fields in the immediate vicinity of this facility Andy Caldwell is the executive director of COLAB and host of The Andy Caldwell Radio Show they don’t have the same thermal issues as the old batteries do I’m sure you can all explain the chemistry specific’s because you all learned about that before you started ranting against battery projects Apparently the people commenting here in favor of battery plants in our populated areas haven’t kept up cobalt and manganese have been found within a two mile radius of the battery plant These heavy metals are not good for humans and other living creatures (duh) One commenter opines that there have been no deaths from battery plants in the US So we should wait until there are deaths before we ban them from populated or environmentally sensitive areas How many animals are going to die from the Moss Landing catastrophe There are transmission lines criss-crossing the state It makes absolutely no sense to put them in our populated areas For our politicians who advocate for battery plants in our towns I would like to know how many of them are on the take from the battery storage companies There is a battery storage site next to the 101 and situated in the heart of Goleta’s business park and quite near the flight path of the Santa Barbara Airport I cannot imagine the damage and residual water poisoning should that one explode Shilling much for the fossil fuel industry because of a less than stellar safety record of flaming storage batteries spewing hundreds of tons of toxins into the air We will shill for whatever industry that can safely and efficiently There have been exactly zero deaths caused by energy storage facilities in the United States The fossil fuel industry has no such record The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the fatality rate for oil and gas extraction workers is 27.1 deaths per 100,000 workers compared to 3.8 deaths per 100,000 workers for other US workers Add to that the climate and pollution fallout from fossil fuels and I would say that there is no comparison in safety between the two energy sources According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics does not show up on the list of occupation deaths It does show that truckers and delivery drivers are the closest to your 27.1 is not listed in the “top ten” who has proven over the years to produce a cause for their pre-determined conclusion what disease does the oil industry release that would concern the Center For Disease Control this is the same government entity that proclaimed guns I’ll take the word of people that study jobs and occupations instead There have also been zero deaths directly associated with nuclear power generation End the Taxpayer subsides that support this insane nonsense Know why Texas is running laps around California in renewable energy and housing affordability It’s because nosey NIMBYs don’t try and stop literally everything from being built always whining for another 10 environment impact report and another 50 meetings of community input; everyone and their dog has a veto Can’t cut down a tree or add electricity to the grid without cries of bloody murder There is absolutely no reason these need to be located in such populated areas They could easily be located several miles a away from cities that Texas renewable energy went completely dark thanks to the weather those sources depend on… There are huge transmission lines that traverse the Cariso Plains A controversial housing project that's expected to bring 1400 homes and apartments to the unincorporated area of Nipomo has cleared its final hurdle The San Luis Obispo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) agreed to annex the Dana Reserve Project That means the agency will allow the development to use water and sewage services from the Nipomo District The LAFCO approval was the final step in the project’s approval process and represents the Nipomo district on the Board of Supervisors He was the lone vote against the annexation Paulding said he disagreed with the board’s findings about how the project will contribute to urban sprawl and whether the community is able to support the growth “In this case adding 4500 new people to the community of Nipomo…I really took issue with that latter part in the sense that we really don't have the sheriff's deputies things like that to serve the existing needs of Nipomo,” Paulding said the SLO County Board of Supervisors approved the Dana Reserve Project earlier this year Paulding also opposed the project at the time “Somehow over the years this project morphed into all these things’ and only a thousand of those homes as are currently presented are in the above moderate income category—meaning they don't count towards any of the affordable housing goals that the county has—and that was one of the issues that I cited.” Backers of the project said it would bring much-needed housing to the Central Coast Paulding said he understands that the region needs more housing but he said this project was not the way to provide it The Dana Reserve Project will likely be completed in the next decade UPDATE (4:10 p.m.) – The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office has released additional information about the threat saying it was “general in nature” and not directed at the school or a specific person Sheriff’s officials say they responded and began searching the school and nearby New Tech High Officials say the decision to lock down the schools and have students shelter in place was made by the school the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office all responded The threat was determined to not be credible adding that the investigation is ongoing.— (UPDATE: 3:12 p.m.) – District officials say afterschool release and pickup are taking place as usual Thursday along with athletics and after school activities sports with early departures have been rescheduled Officials say authorities remain on campus “We recognize that today has been difficult and we truly appreciate your support as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff,” district officials said “We take any threat seriously and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aid in their investigation.”— UPDATE (1 p.m.) -  Both schools were still sheltering in place as of 1 p.m Thursday as authorities worked to do a full sweep of the campus staff and faculty and Nipomo High and Central Coast New Tech continued sheltering in place shortly before noon Thursday District officials say the online threat was received by Nipomo High they determined to do a full sweep of the campus," officials said District officials say students will be fed and that are able to use the bathroom People are still being told to stay away from campus.— ORIGINAL STORY: People were being told to stay away from two Nipomo schools Thursday morning due to a reported threat Officials with the Lucia Mar Unified School District said they reached out to authorities after receiving a report of an online threat Nipomo High School and Central Coast New Tech then went into “Secure in Place.” law enforcement was reported to be on scene restricting access to the schools District officials say students and staff are safe in classrooms adding that “We are committed to student safety.” This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available - Several members of the public raised concerns about the soon-to-be-completed Nipomo battery storage facility on Tuesday morning at the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting Located at the southern end of Nipomo on Joshua Street Caballero Battery Storage Project has been under construction for several months and is now close to completion The intent of facility is to store excess renewable energy produced during the day and later release the power back into the grid during peak demand hours from 4 p.m According to a release from operators Fengate Asset Management and Alpha Omega Power when completed, the six-acre project will provide enough energy to power more than 100,000 homes for up to four hours during daily peak electricity demand periods In light of the recent fire at the Moss Landing Vistra Power Plant in Monterey County the project is causing some residents in Nipomo and nearby areas to worry about the safety of the facility "This will be a huge impact if there ever was an incident in this area," said Victor Guiterrez who lives directly behind the plant and spoke during Tuesday's board meeting "There's talk about the fire department being trained and all that but there is no fire department anywhere that is trained for any type of catastrophe like what happened in Moss Landing." who worked as a firefighter for more than 30 years before retirement pointed out the potential hazards from the plant are not confined to the Nipomo area and the Santa Maria and northern Santa Barbara County," said Gutierrez It is near impossible to evacuate that many people let alone the greater population of Santa Maria We know that the Moss Landing incident affected people 10 We are concerned and that we were never notified The community was never notified of the potential risk I know the fire department's trying to do as much as they can to mitigate some of these issues but there is nothing out there that can mitigate a runaway thermal fire and that's our biggest concern." During the public comment period of the meeting several people expressed additional concerns about what they described was the lack of open communication about the facility during its approval "We didn't find out about it until it was already built," said Terri Stricklin who has lived in Nipomo for more than 40 years. "That's unacceptable when something as controversial as this project is being proposed the county supervisor notifies the public that we need to come to these meetings This is an important issue and we weren't given that opportunity Fourth District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding pointed out during the meeting as well as on social media a few days earlier the project did meet all the requirements as it was being reviewed before earning final approval in 2023 "This project was approved by our planning commission," said Paulding "All of the county's current procedures were followed to give notice to the surrounding neighbors There was a South County Advisory Council meeting to discuss this project but it was during it was done in 2021 during Covid and I think somebody raised that point today during public comment and I think they made a good point What I want to see is that we expand those notification requirements to people who live within 1,000 foot radius moving forward." Paulding has said CAL FIRE San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo County Planning and Building and an Independent Fire Protection Engineer have reviewed and approved the Emergency Response Plan He also pointed out on his social media multi-agency training was conducted in October 2024 with CAL FIRE San Luis Obispo County local law enforcement and neighboring fire agencies and additional onsite emergency training drills are planned with invitations extended to fire agencies that were unable to attend the first session "I know many folks are very concerned about the safety of this facility," said Paulding. "This facility is going through the final testing process CAL FIRE and their fire protection specialist are reviewing the project against all of the fire codes to make sure that it's safe and are working on an emergency response plan  There will be more to learn in terms of what that consists of and I'm here to help to try to get as much information out to the community as possible." many speakers urged supervisors to do what they can to potentially temporarily halt or stop the Caballero plant from starting operation "We are asking them to pause," said Gutierrez "We want this stop. We want to see what happens in Moss Landing to the life property and the environment of that community before we continue and having this thing ever up in our backyard." An attempt to stop the project was not considered by the supervisors particularly due to potential litigation the county could face if they were to try and reverse the approval it was given three years ago this particular developer has what's called vested rights," said Paulding "They have a contract to proceed with the project pending further evaluation of the safety around these types of facilities we would incur financial and legal liability stopping a project that's already been approved." completion is expected sometime in early 2025 San Luis Obispo County residents deserve consistent and transparent leadership when it comes to the controversial Caballero Battery Storage Project in Nipomo the response from 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding tells a different story an area where Paulding has historically focused much of his attention I have no doubt it would have received the proper level of scrutiny and public engagement But for the average working families of Nipomo There was little communication and few opportunities for meaningful input Compare this to the Dana Reserve housing project Paulding actively scrutinized that project—posting about it on social media and raising “concerns” in his monthly newsletters Why didnt he give this battery facility the same level of public awareness and oversight the battery project was pushed forward with a bare-minimum 300-foot notification radius—far less than what a project of this magnitude warrants A real community leader would have ensured broader community outreach Paulding is trying to distance himself from the decision explaining that it was the Planning Commission who approved it But let’s be clear: every supervisor appoints a planning commissioner and these commissioners reflect the priorities of those who choose them The community should have been aware of this facility before approval—not after construction was nearly complete Paulding claims public safety is his top priority We’ve already seen the consequences of inadequate planning at the Moss Landing battery facility where multiple fires forced evacuations and caused environmental damage What is the real plan if something goes wrong What happens when water cannot extinguish a lithium battery fire What does “burn out in a controlled manner” actually mean for the families who live in Nipomo Given the facility’s proximity to Highway 101 and the junction of Highway 166 would a battery fire and toxic fumes have the potential to block evacuation along those routes The community should have been given the opportunity to fully engage in this discussion before approval of the Caballero project other elected officials have acted to protect their communities The city of Morro Bay recently voted unanimously to pause battery plant development Assemblymember Dawn Addis introduced AB 303 to ensure that battery storage facilities undergo stronger community review before approval If she sees the need for better public input why did Paulding accept a bare-minimum notification radius We must apply the same level of accountability to all projects That’s why I strongly urge the county to pause the facility’s activation until a town hall is held where community concerns can be fully addressed Leadership means ensuring residents have a voice—and listening to them before it’s too late I spoke to Jimmy prior to the election for supervisor about him telling people he was a conservative He told me that although he is a Democrat he was still conservative He did not register as a Republican because of certain conservative beliefs like pro life I think a lot of voters who did vote for him now wish they hadn’t It’s obvious he is not even close to being conservative He should not be in any public office and should be recalled He explained he came from a conservative home (his father was a SLO cop) and that he was a Republican but really an independent who was a centrist He is a full blown Progressive attorney and a perfect California politician namely a political animal who sees the world through the party lens the machine doesn’t necessarily make the monster There are men and women who vote their conscience the Department of Justice announced that Chantelle Lavergne Woods of Nipomo has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint for allegedly creating hundreds of fraudulent immigration documents The 54-year-old is being charged with fraud and misuse of visas a felony with a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison noted the U.S Attorney's Office for the Central District of California in a press release Friday Woods was arrested Wednesday and made her initial appearance in U.S District Court on Thursday where a federal magistrate judger ordered her released on $10,000 bond stated the U.S She is currently scheduled for an arraignment on her charges on March 25 shared the U.S According to an affidavit filed on Feb. 18 with the complaint Woods allegedly created hundreds of fraudulent documents related to medical examination and vaccination requirements for people seeking a lawful permanent resident card - also known as a green card - or trying to make changes to their immigration status while she ran an Arroyo Grande medical clinic United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires that people applying for changes in their legal status submit medical examination and vaccination records -known as Form I-693- and federal law requires a licensed physician or civil surgeon to perform those evaluations explained the U.S Woods managed payments for a website advertising the Arroyo Grande location as a "Medical Weight Loss and Immigration Services" clinic that claimed to help applicants with their immigration physicals detailed the U.S One of the doctors listed on that website as an "M.D Board Certified Neurologist and Designated Civil Surgeon for USCIS" was actually a pediatrician according to the California Medical Board website Woods is also alleged to have forged the signatures of several doctors including one doctor who was deceased before the documents were prepared The Drug Enforcement Administration's Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad and the USCIS Fraud Detection investigated this matter and Assistant U.S Attorney Elia Herrera of the International Narcotics and Racketeering Section and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting the case stated the U.S A rollover crash on northbound Highway 101 in Nipomo has caused minor injuries and slowed traffic in the area according to the California Highway Patrol The 2-vehicle collision was reported around 1:10 p.m CHP says one of the vehicles was overturned and that the crash blocked lanes of the highway Authorities reportedly requested a flatbed tow truck to deal with major rear-end damage on one of the vehicles at around 1:16 p.m This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available – The California Highway Patrol was on scene of a car crash in Nipomo just before 7:00 p.m The San Luis Obispo CHP advised the public to avoid the area due to traffic from the Nipomo holiday parade More information on this incident will be provided as it becomes available to Your News Channel For the latest road condition updates, visit the CalTrans website For constant updates on fires in Santa Barbara County For constant updates on fires in San Luis Obispo County check out CAL FIRE SLO’s social media: – Fire crews responded to a residential fire in the 600 block of Sandydale Drive Wednesday morning According to the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department everyone inside was able to safely leave the building and no firefighters were injured during the response The fire was limited to the home and fully knocked down around 6:49 a.m shared the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department Crews remained on the scene for a few hours doing salvage and overhaul work and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation explained the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department Ten families are celebrating 15 months of hard work on the corner of South Thompson Road and West Branch Street in Nipomo The families built their own two-story homes from the ground up we completed this project,” Rebecca Cordero said 70-year-old Cordero and their husband Anthony made their dream a reality “It was physically and mentally hard because you had to focus on the project and completing the home,” Cordero said the Corderos lived in a small one-bedroom apartment we got together in our little apartment," said Cordero they have a three bedroom two story house." “The building process to home ownership was really difficult,” Velasquez said we learned we all can come together collectively and learn new skills to build our homes,” Velasquez said ten qualifying families trained with People’s Self-Help Housing to build their own homes this program has helped out families through this program over 1,200 families “This is probably one of the only opportunities folks will be able to participate in the American dream of home ownership and build wealth for their family,” said Ken Trigueiro Cordero says she has a message for others in similar situations “I always had a dream to live in a home again at my age," said Cordero "You're never too old to have a dream and have it fulfilled." People’s Self-Help Housing finds a piece of land and subdivides it into lots After all the basic infrastructure around the property is set up they invite the chosen families to learn about the programming background and training The eligibility is designed for people who aren't making more than 80% of the area median income for the whole household then they are picked through a lottery system Kuszyk carded rounds of 68-68-71 to get to 6-under His final round even-par 71 was with a double bogey on No 18 to fall to 6-under but still hold onto the two-shot lead.  The big moment of the tournament for Kuszyk came on the front nine of the second round where he recorded five birdies to propel him to the top of the leaderboard Tyler Ashman and Jaden Hunter finished T2 at 4-under and Zachary Mate finished in solo fourth place at 3-under Six golfers finished T5 at 2-under to round out the top ten Nicola Kaminski of San Jose State defended her 2024 Nipomo Championship with a dominating wire-to-wire victory this year Kaminski was the only golfer under par for the tournament and her three under-par rounds were the only under-par rounds in the tournament Rori Fanning and Katelyn Kong finished T2 at 11-over while Sammie Miller finished in solo fourth place at 13-over and Sarah Yoo finished in solo fifth place at 14-over winning the 2024 San Francisco City Golf Championship the 2024 Nipomo Amateur Women’s Championship Home  |  Tournaments  |  Courses  |  Equipment  |  Players  |  Rankings  |  About Us  |  Contact former substitute teacher 54-year-old Gregory Allen Kornman of Nipomo was arrested for possession of child pornography deputies on routine patrol made contact with the driver of a vehicle parked on the side of the road near Los Berros Road and Highway 101 stated a press release Monday from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office a further investigation revealed that the driver had child pornography on his phone The Santa Maria-Bonita School District verified that the 54-year-old is a former substitute teacher last employed on Jan and is no longer affiliated with the district "We are reviewing the procedures that we have in place for background checks and screening of all employees to ensure they are as effective as possible," stated the Santa Maria-Bonita School District in a press statement Monday "Santa Maria-Bonita schools are here for our students and families Anyone in our school community with questions or in need of support is encouraged to reach out to school administration." Kornman is currently being held without bail on a charge of possession of child pornography shared the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office additional search warrants have been served and the case is still under investigation detailed the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Detective Division at 805-781-4500 10:35 p.m.) - A motorcyclist is dead and another driver is in custody following an accident near Nipomo Tuesday afternoon Officers identified the motorcyclist as 37-year-old Nipomo resident Levi Lopez Lopez was wearing safety gear at the time of the crash The driver who attempted to flee the scene and was subsequently arrested has been identified as 36-year-old Genaro Cortez Beltran of Bakersfield Drugs or alcohol are not suspected to be a factor in the accident 6:25 p.m.) - A motorcyclist was killed in a crash near Nipomo on Tuesday afternoon in the area of Hutton Road and Joshua Street According to the California Highway Patrol a Nissan pickup was headed southbound on Hutton Road when the driver made a U-turn directly in front of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was traveling northbound The motorcycle struck the passenger side of the truck and the rider was ejected Officers say the occupants of the truck ran from the scene after the crash but were quickly apprehended by an off-duty CHP officer - Nipomo High School shined the spotlight on four past student-athletes who are charter members into the newly created Nipomo Athletics Hall of Fame each of whom achieved significant and notable success during their high school careers and beyond A member of Nipomo's first graduating class in 2005 Leigh Stephenson Bode was a Titan trailblazer during her groundbreaking career in high school and later on in college She earned a varsity volleyball letter all four years in high school one as a freshman at Arroyo Grande the year before Nipomo opened She also lettered in soccer three times and in softball once she immediately assumed the role as volleyball team leader both on and off the court and was instrumental in helping establish the fledgling varsity program the school's first-ever league championship finished as the CIF-Southern Section Division III-A runner-up Stephenson racked up a dazzling array of awards most notably Los Padres League most valuable player two times San Luis Obispo County player of the year once She also earned All-League honors in soccer during her junior and senior seasons Stephenson continued her volleyball career at UCSB becoming the first Titan alum to play any sport at the Division I level setting program records and earning more individual honors she played in Germany and in the California Beach Volleyball Association as well as coach with several local youth volleyball clubs Lucas Marsalek starred in several different sports at Nipomo which allowed him to showcase his all-around abilities like few others in school history The 2006 graduate earned varsity letters in five separate sports Marsalek was a dynamic two-way standout and was part of Nipomo's first varsity team He was instrumental in helping establish the Titans program during its first few seasons which would pave the way for the team's future success he was named team most valuable player and outstanding defensive back Marsalek was also twice First Team All-League Marsalek was also a basketball team captain and most valuable player and earned All-League Honorable Mention Other accolades include a spot on the All-League Second Team in volleyball team outstanding pole vaulter in track and field as well as several other individual post-season team-given awards He was also honored by the California Scholarship Federation (CSF) a statewide organization that recognizes high school students for their academic achievement and community service where he is now a respected mentor and role model to countless kids in the community He has spent many years serving as a coach in Nipomo Little League Nipomo Youth Basketball League and Special Olympics and hopes to continue in a leadership position for many years to come Andrea Ragan Conaway was a talented two-sport athlete who excelled especially in volleyball where she was a varsity letter winner all four years The 2008 graduate earned several individual awards on the court throughout her distinguished career Ragan Conaway was named First Team All-League three times she was part of the historic Titans team that captured the school's first-ever league championship and later finished as the runner-up in CIF-Southern Section Division III-A Ragan Conaway also was an integral part of the soccer team she was named team captain and earned the team's “Coaches Award.” After graduation Ragan Conaway continued her athletic career and remained a Titan while playing for Cal State Fullerton Moving to NCAA Division I volleyball allowed Ragan Cowaway to elevate her game to new heights she was named to the All-Big West Freshman team in 2008 A team captain her junior and senior seasons she helped lead the team to the Big West Conference championship in 2010 Ragan Conaway was named the team's most valuable player after setting a program record for all-time career assists embarking on a coaching career that included several club volleyball teams where she served as Titan varsity girls coach from 2014 through 2019 From the small town of Nipomo to the bright lights of the Big Apple Jeff McNeil has achieved extraordinary athletic success unrivaled in school history The 2010 graduate was a three-sport standout earning varsity letters three times in golf and basketball as well as All-League honors each year he played He qualified for multiple CIF tournaments and the prestigious 2009 U.S McNeil was a two-time team most valuable player and All-League recipient setting a path that would eventually lead to the Major Leagues In his only season on the diamond for the Titans McNeil was named team most valuable player and First Team All-League culminating in his junior season when he was named First Team All-Big West Conference He was drafted by the New York Mets in 2013 and worked his way through the minor leagues before making his MLB debut in July 2018 he has established himself as one of baseball's most versatile players and best hitters claiming the 2022 National League batting title and Silver Slugger Award to go along with two All-Star Game appearances McNeil represented the United States during the 2023 World Baseball Classic and was inducted into the Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024 and the Santa Barbara Foresters Hall of Fame in 2020 Mike Klan is the sports director for News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Mike, click here - The future of the Nipomo Senior Center is unclear due to a declining membership with the seniors organization that manages the facility the Nipomo Area Senior Citizens Club has served a valuable role in the community meetings and other gatherings in the San Luis Obispo County-owned facility "We gather here to provide a place for the seniors to meet friends and play games and stay active and do the exercises," said Nipomo Senior Center Secretary Donna Johnson "I think very important to have the Senior Center It's healthy for the rest of the town because the healthier that we are the more involved we are with the town and community spirit grows." leaving numbers so low board members are worried about the center's long-range prospects “It's scary," said Nipomo Senior Center Second Vice President Merodie Nelson Our membership dropped off really badly during Covid and most of those people got in the habit of staying home rather than coming down here.” with only a small portion of the members taking active participants in the group events “The less people that we have and the less members that we have then it's a possibility that the senior center might have to close," said Johnson that would be a shame for that community.” San Luis Obispo County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding has been actively working to find solutions for the Nipomo Senior Center Paulding is hoping to meet with the Senior Center board of directors soon to discuss ways to boost membership and provide options to help improve the group's long range viability "While membership at the Nipomo Senior Center decreased during the pandemic and has not yet rebounded I’m confident that the demand for these services is strong and I remain optimistic that raising awareness about the vital services the Center offers will help restore membership levels," Paulding said in a statement "My office is fully committed to collaborating with the Center to achieve this goal and I look forward to meeting with board members and current members later this month to brainstorm strategies for increasing participation." The cost to join the Nipomo Senior Center is $20 per year and the fee includes access to all activities and programs held by the group The center opens Monday through Friday from 9 a.m to 1 p.m.“I encourage people to come down," said Nelson – CAL Fire SLO crews are on scene for a house fire in Nipomo reporting heavy smoke and fire from the home at 835 Chukar Street More information on this fire that first broke out at 5:49 p.m Tuesday will be provided as it becomes available to Your News Channel Add your event. - Hundreds gathered for the 8th Annual Olde Towne Nipomo Family Christmas on Sunday the popular event features a nighttime parade down East Tefft Street followed by a community Christmas tree lighting at the corner of East Tefft Street and Thompson Avenue as well as a Christmas marketplace featuring local vendors schools and other groups created bright lit holiday-decorated floats for families to enjoy It's a great year for the community to get together and just enjoy it's all about giving out," said Troy Simonson from Nipomo “It's getting better and better every year so we appreciate it," said Nicole Bowen from Nipomo BStrongLife Campus Clubs hosted the event with the help of local sponsors like the Brackett Family Heritage Foundation Premiere Gold Sponsor CHC - Community Health Centers of the Central Coast and Silver Sponsor Coast Hills Credit Union Nipomo can be strong," said Kathleen Hernandez with BStrongLife Club. "It really does feel good to know that we're being able to do something that brings families together And some people say it feels like a hallmark movie moment.” was honored as this year's Grand Marshal and kicked off the Christmas tree lighting ceremony "I don't know if I ever thought lighting a tree would be enjoyable but it was Alley was honored and recognized for her efforts as a longtime community volunteer and supporter for many local youth sports leagues “I do it because I love the community," said Alley UPDATE (3:16 p.m.) - The Shelter in Place was issued during an hours-long standoff between deputies from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office and Bobby Heredia Heredia damaged a car and threatened to kill its owner but Heredia left the scene before they arrived Heredia was reportedly found barricaded in his home on East Price Street in Nipomo sheriff's officials said he went outside and challenged deputies to fight He also threw rocks and bricks at their vehicles Heredia remained non-compliant as the Sheriff's Crisis Negotiation Team attempted to end the standoff peacefully Heredia stepped out of his residence and was immediately taken into custody County officials say he was arrested for felony vandalism and criminal threats.___ (7:25 a.m.) - The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office issued a Shelter in Place in Nipomo around 6:30 a.m From E Thompson Avenue to E Chestnut Street residents were advised to not enter the area At 7:06 a.m., the order was lifted. For more emergency updates and information on the alerts, visit San Luis Obispo County's page We will continue to share updates as they are provided UPDATE: Officers have identified the woman as Trista Loftus They updated her age to say she was 22 years old.—-ORIGINAL STORY: A Nipomo woman died from injuries she sustained in a crash near Santa Margarita early Thursday morning Officers say the 21-year-old was driving along State Route 58 East of State Route 229 shortly before 1 a.m when the pickup reportedly crashed and overturned Officers say they were notified of the collision by an automatic iPhone crash notification The woman was pulled from the truck and taken to a hospital in San Luis Obispo for treatment where Officers say speed appears to be the main cause of the crash adding that the woman was not wearing a seatbelt The woman’s name will be released once next-of-kin is notified A 20-year-old man is charged with manslaughter following a fatal accident in rural Nipomo early Sunday Monday a single vehicle crash blocked the southbound lanes of Highway 101 north of Highway 166 An intoxicated Dylan River Lossing of Orcutt was headed southbound when he crashed into a 30-year-old Santa Maria man’s Nissan Altima The force knocked the Nissan into a GMC Sierra driven by Leticia Fernandez Lossing’s vehicle continued southbound crashing into a Chrysler Pacifica driven by Trisha Norris Emergency personnel transported the 30-year-old Santa Maria man to Mariam Regional Medical Center and booked him in the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of manslaughter and driving under the influence He remains in custody with his bail set at $100,000 It just seems to me that cannabis use is every bit as widespread Users of that or alcohol shouldnt be driving impaired