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KSBY Action News NBC 6

Man drives through Vandenberg Base Gate, makes threats

A man in a vehicle with an improvised explosive device hit a barricade at Vandenberg Air Force Base around 6 PM Friday night.

Law enforcement officials say the man smelled of marijuana and told base security he had an improvised explosive device on his vehicle.

Law enforcement officials say found an improvised explosive device in his car.

The man was arrested.

The nearby Vandenberg Middle School was evacuated. The students had returned from field trip when the incident occurred.They were taken to the Lompoc Police Station.

Highway 1 was closed down because of the incident.

It remains under investigation.

Stay tuned with KSBY and KSBY.com with the latest

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2013/5/24 23:48

Firefighters put out flames near San Luis Obispo Homes

Five homes were threatened by a vegetation fire in San Luis Obispo Friday.

It happened in the 4500 block of Spanish Oaks Drive around 1 PM.

Cal Fire says the fire was accidentally started by a 12 year-old boy who was playing with a lighter in dry vegetation.

The fire spread quickly because of 15 to 20 MPH winds.

The winds also started a second fire which was extinguished quickly.

It was contained within 20 minutes of the initial call.

Together, the fires burned one acre.

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2013/5/24 21:47

Santa Ynez loses in CIF Quarterfinals

Santa Ynez missed out on some opportunities with runner's in scoring position and only managed to get across one run in a 3-1 loss to Citrus Valley in the CIF Division-5 Quarterfinals.  The loss ends the Pirates season at 19-10. 

Santa Ynez got on the board first, with one out in the second inning, junior Zach Snyder walked with the bases loaded forcing home Jacob Pritchard.  That was all the Pirates were able to get in the inning. 

Citrus Valley senior Connor McCoy hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie it.  In the fifth, the Blackhawks had runners on first and third.  The runner on first attempted to steal second, the catchers throw was high and went into centerfield allowing the runner from third to score. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Santa Ynez had runners on first and third with nobody out but weren't able to score.  Citrus Valley pitcher Luke Lanphere threw a complete game allowing four hits and three walks. 

Santa Ynez senior Thomas Rowan pitched 6 2/3 innings allowing three runs (two earned).  Citrus Valley scored its final run in the top of the seventh. 

It was the Blackhawks 19th straight win as they advance to the semifinals. 

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2013/5/24 19:27

Counting down 60 top stories of 60 years: #45-41

As we continue our countdown of the top 60 local stories of the past 60 years, we look at the creation of a Central Coast landmark, a Christmas Day tragedy, and the clean-up of a toxic waste dump.

At number 45, more than 10,000 companies and government agencies dumped about 5.6 billion pounds of hazardous waste at the Casmalia Resources Facility, located southwest of Santa Maria between 1973 and 1989.

The Environmental Protection Agency declared Casmalia a Superfund site decades later in 1992, and they have been working to clean it up ever since.

Number 44 on our countdown is the double homicide case against Andrew Downs of Atascadero.

The murders happened on Christmas Day of 2010.

Downs, 20, shot and killed sisters Kathy Yeager and Beverly Reilly while they were housesitting in Santa Margarita.

He also tried to attack their relative before he was subdued and arrested.

Downs pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and was found to be legally insane at the time of the shootings.

On February 21st, 2012, he was committed to a mental health facility.

November 25th, 1995 marks a deadly car crash on the strip of Highway 46 dubbed "Blood Alley."

That comes in at number 43.

Jeff Fairbanks, editor of the San Luis Obispo Tribune, was driving home from his daughter's track meet when he crashed head-on into a 30-foot motor home.

A truck rear-ended his car and all three vehicles burst into flames.

Fairbanks, his wife, and their 12-year old daughter died in the crash, along with the drivers of the other vehicles.

A historic landmark on the Central Coast takes the number 42 spot on our countdown.

The Hearst Corporation donated Hearst Castle to the State of California on June 2nd, 1958, making it a state park.

Tours were opened to the public at 1:00 that day.

Tickets were only two dollars for adults and one dollar for children, and there was only one tour route, compared to the three daytime tours at the castle today.

At number 41, the 649th Military Police Company, based out of Camp San Luis Obispo, has seen its share of deployments since the Persian Gulf War.

It was called into service in January of 1990 and returned home in May of 1991.

Later, in 2003, it was deployed to Iraq.

The unit spent more than a year training Iraqi police and was honored for bravery under fire with the Valorous Unit Award.

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2013/5/24 18:21

Student art show raises money for Relay for Life

Some student artists are showing off their skills at Righetti High School to help fight cancer.

Friday they showed their stuff at the annual chalk and art festival. The art show and fundraiser helps the students raise money for their Relay for Life event.

Art teacher Autumn Jennings said, "This is their one opportunity for the entire student body to see how incredibly skilled and talented they are like in the moment of their drawing."

There were more than 900 pieces of student art on display.

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2013/5/24 17:59

Student graduates despite challenges

According to a report by the Century Foundation, 81% of new students at community colleges say they want to transfer to a four year university but only 12% do so within six years.

KSBY spoke to a student who overcame those odds and is graduating today.

Elida Gonzalez knows first hand how difficult it is to graduate from college.

She is the first person in her family to do so and it didn't come easy.

"By the time that spring semester started, my mom was hospitalized again," said Gonzalez.

Elida's mother's illness became so severe, thoughts of dropping out of college crossed her mind.

"At one point we had to bathe her, we had to feed her, she couldn't do much on her own," said Gonzalez.

But with one semester remaining, teachers and friends wouldn't let that happen.

Ulises Serrano, a close friend, remembers the day he told her to push on.

"I said you know what, you need to rethink things," said Serrano. "I know you're having a difficult situation at home but you've already gone so far on your education, you can't just stop now."

According to the Century Foundation, the state and federal government provide half the amount of funding for educational resources to two year colleges than to four year universities; however, even with those challenges, Hancock students like Elida seem to be beating the odds.

As Elida glues her memories on to her graduation cap, she can't help but remember where it all began.

"I'm going to put the bull dog paw, just so it can represent where I started, so like where I started and where I'm going, so Santa Cruz with this slug," said Gonzalez

Elida will attend UC Santa Cruz in the fall.  She hopes to eventually get her PhD in public health policy.

Allan Hancock College students earned 1,016 associate degrees in art or science in the 2012-2013 academic year.

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2013/5/24 17:34

Local families open up their homes to San Luis Obispo Blues baseball players

The San Luis Obispo Blues baseball team kicks off opening night on Friday.

The team is made up of only collegiate players. They recruit from all over the country.

Those athletes often need a place to stay for the summer and that's when local families step in.

The host program gives the student athletes a place for the summer while they play ball for the Blues, but more importantly, the team said, it's an opportunity to show off the Central Coast and all there is to offer.

University of Tennessee sophomores Andrew Lee and Drake Owenby are staying with the Goetz family. Jon and Leslie Goetz have opened up their home to be a host family to the young men. The boys will play for the Blues for the summer, and they both say they look forward to working on their game, especially under the California sun.

"We're just trying to get used to it right now, but it's been a lot of fun so far. I'm liking the weather.  It's a lot cooler than Tennessee," said Lee.

Owenby said, "It won't rain nearly as much, or thunderstorms, so that's always nice. You get to play every day.  You don't have to worry about getting rained out."

Blues Head Coach Chal Fanning said it's great to get talent from all over the country, but it's also an opportunity for the young men to travel and see the country. He said the Blues would probably not be as successful as it is without the help and support of the host families and the host family program.

The Blues Host Family Coordinator, Marianne Stowe, said it actually still needs five or six families for the 32 players on the team. It said another great perk about being a host family is that you get to follow your player over the years, as many of them end up going on to the major leagues.

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2013/5/24 17:03

Memorial Day weekend sees an increase in RVs

AAA expects 31.2 million Americans to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend, and you might see more RVs on the roads because sales are up from last year.

Pismo Coast Village and RV Resort is at capacity.  In fact, all 400 sites are booked for the weekend.

For Robert Casarez and his family, spending Memorial Day at this resort is a decade-long tradition.

"The men play a horseshoe contest and I like to sit in one chair and then go to another," said Hope Alvarado, Robert's grandmother.

This weekend's agenda includes relaxing, grilling, drinking and overall having a good time, so why choose this luxury-style camping over a hotel?

"Definitely cheaper if you have a motor home or a trailer," said Ryan Branch, who is visiting the Central Coast from Palmdale.

A site in this park runs $60 a night plus tax.

"I think everybody's looking forward to a good season," said Jay Jamison, the CEO of Pismo Coast Village RV Resort.

Jamison said this weekend kicks off their busy season, but some people make this their home away from home.

"We're here you know for two and a half to three months, so we fix it for us," said Manya Benson, who is from West Covina.

For the Bensons, that means everything from a vegetable garden and wind chimes to tropical decor.

"It takes us a couple days to set up everything," said Mrs. Benson.

For most RV resort patrons, it's a weekend getaway for family fun.

"This is where the magic happens," said Robert Casarez. "And the weekend festivities have just begun."

Nationally, RV sales are up 72% from 2009. Locally, RV sales are up 15 to 20% compared to last year at Sky River in Pismo Beach.

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2013/5/24 17:14

Man arrested outside bank with trunk full of weapons sent to prison

The man arrested outside of a Heritage Oaks Bank in San Luis Obispo with a cache of weapons and restraints is going to prison.

Turner Newman was sentenced to five years in prison this week.

On March 13th, Newman was found with loaded guns, ammunition, a machete, and restraints in his car.

He was arrested after a bank employee felt threatened and called police.

When police later searched Newman's home, they say the found evidence of web searches about how to hurt and kill people.

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2013/5/24 16:07

Nearly 700 students graduate from Cuesta College

A diverse group of nearly 700 Cuesta College students are graduating on Friday.

The commencement includes students who have completed their requirements from fall and spring semesters and those who will be finished this summer.

"Feeling great," said nursing graduate Jarrod Macha. "It's been a long two years, a tough road. We all trekked through and stuck together."

Students from China, Germany and six other U.S. states are part of the graduating class.

The students' ages also vary widely, ranging from 19 to 64.

Nearly half of the graduates came from local high schools.

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2013/5/24 15:39

UPDATE: Woman hit by train identified

Pismo Beach Police have identified the woman hit and killed by a train on Wednesday as Veronica Clancy, 59.

Police say she has no permanent address, but frequents the Five Cities area.

Police say Clancy was killed Wednesday night when she was trying to cross the tracks and was struck by a freight train in the area of Frady Lane and the Highway 101 overpass.

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2013/5/24 15:00

Two men arrested for hand-to-hand drug deal in Paso Robles

Paso Robles police say two men are in jail for drug possession.

Police say Dylan Bice and Afeek Haviv were seen acting suspiciously by two special enforcement team detectives in the Target shopping center parking lot on Theater Drive on Thursday.

Detectives say they were involved in a hand-to-hand drug transfer of heroin and hypodermic needles.

They were arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance and other drug paraphernalia.

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2013/5/24 12:48

Shots fired into Santa Maria home, no one injured

Officers are working to determine if gun shots fired into a Santa Maria home early Friday morning is a gang-related incident.

It happened around 3:50 a.m. in the 800 block of Tabitha Lane.

Santa Maria Police say up to four shots may have been fired.

A bullet hole was found in the home, but no one was hurt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Maria Police Department.

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2013/5/24 6:04

CHP offering free child safety seat checkups this weekend

The California Highway Patrol and Target are teaming up to offer free child passenger safety seat checkups.

The checkups are happening Saturday at the San Luis Obispo Target from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CHP says four out of five child car seats are not properly installed or adjusted.

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2013/5/24 5:32

US Postal Service's annual Dog Bite Awareness Week

The United States Postal Service wants to raise awareness about one of the dangers that mail carriers face every day. The organization said one of the country's most commonly reported public health problems, is dog bites.

The Postal Service said 6,000 bites were reported last year, although only one of them was on a mail carrier in San Luis Obispo. The main post office in Santa Maria told KSBY, that dog bites are also a prevalent issue.

The Postal Service said there are two methods of defense against an aggressive dog- pepper spray, and a satchel. But, what it comes down to, they said, is the responsibility of the owner.

"We try to tell our carriers when they're walking into a yard to scan the area, look for anything like dog poles, dog chain, dog toys, anything that might be laying in the yard that gives them an idea there's a dog," said Russell Wilber, the Supervisor for Customer Service at the San Luis Obispo office.

He said homeowners can he held liable for any injuries cause by their dog.

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2013/5/23 18:19

Counting down 60 top stories of 60 years: #50-46

We continue to count down the top 60 stories of the past 60 years as part of our 60th anniversary here at KSBY.

At number 50, in May of 1984, Kenneth Wayne Curry was convicted of murdering two Cal Poly students.

Stephen Braun and Viola Ada were hiking along Cuesta Ridge when Curry shot and killed them.

He escaped the death penalty, but was sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.

A whale watching trip gone wrong takes the 49th spot.

On February 16th, 1983, 24 children and 8 adults were rescued from 59-degree Morro Bay waters after their whale watching boat was smashed by 15-foot waves.

The children on board were students from a Paso Robles Middle School.

The Morro Bay Harbor Master warned Captain Jerry Weaver not to go out in the rough seas, but got no response.

The captain never issued life preservers, but all 32 people on the boat were rescued.

The death of a local legend is number 48.

Alex Madonna died of a heart attack in his San Luis Obispo home on April 22nd, 2004.

The 85-year-old was best known as the creator of the iconic Madonna Inn.

The story goes that he designed the hotel on a napkin.

He and his wife, Phyllis, opened it on Christmas Eve of 1958.

Mr. Madonna was also a rancher and a local philanthropist.

The Central Coast said goodbye to the "godfather of fitness" on January 23rd, 2011.

That's number 47.

Jack LaLanne died at 96-years-old in his home in Morro Bay from respiratory failure caused by pneumonia.

He was a recognized fitness guru, nutritional expert, and bodybuilder.

He celebrated his 60th birthday by swimming from Alcatraz to San Francisco, handcuffed and towing a 1,000 pound boat.

LaLanne also had a regular segment on KSBY called "Living Longer".

He exercised every day of his life until his death.

And at number 46, there was a time when women were not allowed to take classes at Cal Poly.

Female students first appeared on campus in 1904, but on June 30th, 1930, legislation was passed forbidding women to attend.

The legislation was dropped in 1937, but Cal Poly didn't re-admit women until the fall of 1956.

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2013/5/23 18:16

PHOTO: Weapon missing in Atascadero homicide: Victim ID'd

An Atascadero mother, who police said died from a gunshot wound, was identified Thursday as Colleen Maria Barga-Millbury, 52 . She was found at her home late Wednesday afternoon.

Atascadero City Police were called to the 4300 block of Tranquilla Ave. around 5:30 p.m. Shortly after, Millbury was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation into her death went late into the night and early morning hours.

"We are investigating it as a homicide with a firearm used," said Chief of Police Jerel Haley, Atascadero City Police.

The gun used has not been found.

Police are asking for the public's help. At this time they don't know the motive or have any suspect description. They say Milbury's home is still an active crime scene

"We are making sure we didn't miss anything as a result of the darkness last night," said Police Chief Haley.

They are using thermal imaging during the investigation.

"We're looking for a different heat signature on it (the gun)," said a firefighter on scene, Thursday.

Firefighters are helping with the investigation. They combed the thick brush around Milbury's home looking for a gun using heat sensors.

"The gun would be colder, I assume," said a firefighter on scene.

Police say Millbury was a long-time Atascadero resident, and she lived with her teenage son.

"We didn't receive any reports from neighbors of any kind of disturbance prior to the call at 5:30 p.m.," said Police Chief Haley.

But investigators say they are following up on several leads. They are working closely with the District Attorney's Office as well as the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office.

"It is a homicide so definitely we are looking for anything that would lead us to clues as to who the suspect is and information about what a motive might be."

KSBY spoke with a few neighbors who said Millbury kept to herself; however, they did notice she had moved away recently and moved back within the last six months.

In 2010 she was an employee of Atascadero State Hospital.

Police are asking for the public's help. If you have any information about this case, call the Atascadero City Police Department at (805) 461-5051.

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2013/5/23 17:25

Santa Maria Police Dept. officer honored as Officer of the Year

Some of the people who help keep the city of Santa Maria safe were honored Thursday.

The Santa Maria Police Department hosted an awards lunch to honor sworn officers, support staff, and citizens who have gone the extra mile to make the community safe.

The winners also included the SMPD dispatchers and Officer Mike Parker.

Parker was recognized as Santa Maria's Police Officer of the Year.

He told KSBY News, "I love the ability to go after people who are harming our community. I've grown up in Santa Maria; I've lived here my whole life my father lived most of his life here. It's great to be able to serve my community and be able to put people who are harming that community in jail or in prison."

The awards luncheon is an annual event held at the Santa Maria Elks Club.

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2013/5/23 16:38

Dalidio Ranch in escrow

A controversial piece of property in San Luis Obispo is in the process of being sold.

Ernie Dalidio confirmed to KSBY Thursday his ranch off of Highway 101 and Madonna Road is in escrow.

There's no word on who is buying it, or for how much. The 131 acres were listed at a price of $19.75 million.

For two decades, Dalidio tried to develop his land. It resulted in city and county-wide elections, as well as lawsuits.

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2013/5/23 16:32

Nine San Luis Obispo businesses in trouble for selling alcohol to minors

Nine businesses in San Luis Obispo are in trouble for selling alcohol to minors.

SLO Police and the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) conducted a sting operation with a decoy.

Nine of the 45 businesses did not check for identification and sold alcohol to the minor, who was working for the police department.

Those who sell alcohol to a minor face a fine and/or community service for a first violation.

ABC will also take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage licenses that could include fines or losing a liquor license.

The following is a list of business who sold to minors:
1. Vieni Vai Restaurant
2. The Sidecar Restaurant
3. AM/PM
4. Circle K
5. Sandy's Liquor Store
6. Madonna Shell Gas Station
7. 76 Gas Station
8. Chevron Gas Station
9. University Gas Station