Hearst land plan details will
be aired
Details of the proposed Hearst Ranch land deal will
be presented to the public during the next few weeks after a year of secret
negotiations.
The American Land Conservancy will release data
on the plan prior to May 5, when the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
will decide whether to contribute $23 million in federal and state transportation
funds.
California's Transportation Commission may be ready
to finalize the funding by the middle of May.
The 82,000-acre parcel will be subjected to limited
development under the plan. Sales price for the property is $80 million,
plus $15 million in tax credits, to be paid by voter-approved state bonds.
The land is worth an estimated $200 million; the balance of its value
will be donated by the Hearst family.
Hearst Corp. would keep San Simeon Point, specific
beach areas not purchased by Caltrans, and the rest of the land east of
Highway 1.
Under the plan, Hearst Corp. would be able to construct
a 100-room hotel at Old San Simeon Village, and 27 five-acre home sites.
Other than agricultural use, no other use or development
will be allowed.
Caltrans would purchase most of the 18 miles of
coastal property west of Highway 1. And Hearst would donate 500 acres
east of the highway for road movement and erosion control.
Sheriff's report alleges Yecny struggled
Excessive force was not a factor in the March 13
custody death of San Luis Obispo resident Keith Yecny, according to a
report issued by Sheriff Pat Hedges.
According to the report-which absolves jail deputies
and other personnel of any responsibility in the 23-year-old man's death-Yecny
had consumed methamphetamine before his March 6 arrest.
Sheriff's investigators concluded that Yecny struggled
with officers six hours after he was booked into San Luis Obispo County
Jail and that the deputies restrained his hands and ankles.
Yecny, in the midst of a confrontation with jailers,
suddenly went limp. A sheriff's department videotape shows deputies rushing
into Yecny's cell. Most of the activity, however, was out of the view
of the camera. Only the sounds of a scuffle can be heard. After about
eight minutes, a phalanx of paramedics rush into the cell, and Yecny is
seen being removed from the cell on a gurney.
He was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Facility,
where he died after a week in intensive care. He never regained consciousness.
San Luis Obispo police stopped Yecny at about 9:30
p.m. March 5 after observing him driving in an erratic manner. He was
arrested for being under the influence of meth and alcohol and possessing
stolen credit cards.
The sheriff's report said that a jailer asked a
staff counselor to evaluate Yecny at about 8:15 p.m.
Then, shortly after 11 p.m., Yecny was reported
to be acting "strangely" by a jail sergeant. A nurse was called to the
holding cell in which he was being detained. Officers attempted to handcuff
him, according to the report, and Yecny began to struggle.
The report said Yecny "fought with unusual strength."
Then, in the sheriff's version of events, Yecny
suddenly became quiet.
A pathologist's report is pending. Investigations
by the county district attorney and sheriff's internal affairs are continuing.
County wants time to study GM rice
One of the hottest topics at last Tuesday's San
Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors meetings was rice. Specifically, genetically
modified (GM) rice and the California Food and Agriculture's proposal
to list the county as an acceptable site to grow the experimental crop.
The state's Food and Agriculture secretary announced
that it will make a decision on April
8 but County Administrator David Edge will
contact the state before then and ask for a
postponement.
In news reports, Supervisor Peg Pinard said that
allowing companies to grow the rice would be a huge change in the county
and that allowing any plans to advance without more discussion would be
a "huge mistake." Fellow supervisor Shirley Bianchi voiced her own disapproval
of the plan and said she wasn't even interested in the county being listed
as a potential site.
Speakers at the meeting spoke against the plan as
well and asked the county to study the issue before making a decision.
Concurrently, local environmental groups are trying to introduce a ballot
measure that would forbid growing genetically modified crops in the county.
The board will hear a staff report on the issue
on April 20.
In early April, Sacramento-based Ventria Bioscience
announced it was seeking approval to grow genetically modified rice in
10 California counties early April. Company officials have said they were
interested in San Luis because it was removed enough from other rice growing
counties and the genetically modified rice would have a lower potential
for cross pollination.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting, County Agricultural
Commissioner Bob Lilley said he was unaware of any place in the county
where rice could be grown.
Horse trailer death case ends in hung jury
A hung jury forced a mistrial in the two-week trial
of Jose Iniguez, 35, of Arroyo Grande, accused of leaving a horse on the
Cuesta Grade and causing an accident that claimed the lives of three people.
Killed when their car struck the horse were Atascadero
residents Peter Hunt, 66, and his nephew, Paul Tucker, 41, and Virginia
Hunt Richardson, 61, of Honolulu.
The horse fell from a trailer towed by Iniguez.
A California Highway Patrol investigation eventually linked Iniguez to
the accident.
The jury hung 10-2 in favor of acquittal on a hit
and run charge, 7-5 to convict on vehicular manslaughter, and 7-5 to convict
on a cruelty to animals charge.
District attorney deputies were uncertain Wednesday
if they will retry the case.
Cal Poly student death ruled a suicide
The morning of April 5, Michael Blitz, a 20-year-old
Cal Poly student from Valencia, Calif., was found dead in his Stenner
Glen apartment. San Luis Police are calling the death a suicide.
Blitz's parents had not heard from the junior computer
science major for several days and contacted the apartment's management
when he missed an appointment earlier that day. Housing staff found him
in his room and contacted the police.
Investigators from the San Luis Obispo Police Department,
Cal Poly Police Department, and the SLO County Sheriff's office were attempting
to piece together the last several days of Blitz's activities. It seemed
likely that Blitz had died sometime over the weekend.
Fate of Mardi Gras still undecided
On Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce
held a luncheon to discuss the future of the city's Mardi Gras celebrations.
But participants-who ranged from city and police officials to college
students and event organizers-left the meeting no closer to finding a
decision than when they first came to the $15 affair.
The debate stems from the riot-and subsequent arrest
of 198 people-that erupted during this year's celebrations. Allen Rood,
the 2004 Mardi Gras King, said the problems stemmed from drunk and violent
youths, not the celebrations themselves. City and police officials countered
that the only way to send the message that the party is over is to not
have a parade.
Alison Anderson, president of Associated Students
Inc. at Cal Poly, charged that a lack of a community plan kept students
from congregating in a safe and legal way. Ken Hampian, the city administrator,
said the city and parade organizers' past efforts-changing the parade's
date and time, increasing police presence-have not worked. He maintained
that shutting down the event was the only way to prevent 2005's celebrations
from getting worse than 2004's.
Parade organizers have not announced whether or
not they will hold next year's parade. The San Luis Obispo City Council
will discuss the matter at its April 20 meeting. ³
This week's News was compiled from local and
other news sources by News Editor Daniel Blackburn and Staff Writer Abraham
Hyatt.
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