Ken Allard

KSBY News • 13th July 2023

SLO High School teacher, basketball coach on leave after misconduct allegations

A San Luis Obispo High School teacher and boy's basketball coach is on paid administrative leave.

San Luis Coastal Unified School District Superintendent Eric Prater confirmed in an email to KSBY that Jeffrey Brandow was placed on leave in March. KSBY News has learned the administrative action stems from allegations of misconduct involving a student.

Multiple calls to Prater's office were not returned. Prater in the email declined to comment on the allegations as the district does not comment

Mustang Rugby Inc. • 7th March 2023

Playoff Berth Looming, Mustangs Prepare for Their Own 'March Madness'

Seven straight weeks of rugby for the Mustangs were finally met with a much-needed, albeit short-lived, respite: a bye week.

Second-year head coach Chris O’Brien found himself in Strawberry Canyon, where he watched the Cal Bears take on defending national champion Army West Point — a highly touted match-up between the Nos. 4 and 8 teams in the country.

O’Brien wasn’t initially planning on attending. But once he received word that a few of his former players from Danville Oaks Rugby Club in Dan

KSBY News • 11th August 2023

Full-scale replica tall ship, San Salvador, arrives in Morro Bay: ‘This changed the world’

A piece of history has arrived on the Central Coast.

A full-scale replica of the galleon ship the San Salvador is docked in Morro Bay, and visitors will have the opportunity to take a tour.

It’s a joint partnership between the Maritime Museum of San Diego — which led the design and building of the replica ship — and the Morro Bay Maritime Museum called The Pacific Heritage Tour 2023.

The ship first arrived Tuesday and will be docked at the South T Pier through at least Sunday, Aug. 20, which

KSBY News • 29th June 2023

Prescribed burns, satellites and more: 5 things to know from Gov. Newsom's firefighting press conference

The roughly 45-minute press conference was meant to highlight the new innovations and ongoing preparations on behalf of the state of California and partner forces for the upcoming wildfire season — a season projected to be as dangerous and, potentially, destructive as 2017.

That year, fires burned over 1.5 million acres, resulting in the deaths of 47 people and the loss of 11,000 structures.

Here’s what you should know.

Forest management strategies are at the forefront

Following devastating

KSBY News • 16th August 2023

‘This is for everybody’: Swiss-Italian heritage celebration coming to Central Coast

A three-day event celebrating everything Swiss-Italian heritage is coming to the Central Coast this fall. And all are invited, genealogical past notwithstanding.

The first day of festivities kicks off Friday, Sept. 22 in Orcutt, where an informal meet-and-greet will be held at the Far Western Tavern.

Saturday, Sept. 23 will be a day full of Swiss-Italian activities at a private ranch near Los Alamos. It includes wine and cheese tastings, exhibits, alphorns and accordions, lectures on ancestry

KSBY News • 25th July 2023

Cal Poly SLO one of 34 best universities in nation, finance website says

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo received a 5-star rating in Money magazine’s 2023 Best Colleges rankings, placing it among the 34 best public and private universities in the nation.

Thirty-four colleges in total received a 5-star rating. The rating has Cal Poly alongside universities such as Columbia, the California Institute of Technology, Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale.

Factors such as the estimated tuition price, graduation rates, financial aid and graduate earning

KSBY News • 3rd August 2023

Attendance, revenues increase year over year at California Mid-State Fair

Attendance numbers and gross revenue totals for the 77th annual California Mid-State Fair have been released by the organization, showing year-over-year increases for certain sectors, the fair announced Thursday.

The unofficial attendance total for this year’s fair was 334,000, according to a California Mid-State Fair press release breaking down the numbers. The press release said that was a 0.5% increase over last year.

The release said the official count will take “several weeks” to finalize

KSBY News • 23rd June 2023

A new attraction will soon be cruising the waters of Morro Bay: an authentic gondola

A new attraction has made its way to the waters of Morro Bay, and starting June 30, people will have the opportunity to take a relaxing cruise inside it.

Steven Anastasi, owner and founder of Central Coast Gondola, has brought one of his passions to Morro Bay: a 62-year-old authentic wedding gondola.

Yes, the same romantic vessel seen in films and vacation photos alike — like it’s straight out of the canals of Venice, Italy.

“You can come to the gondola for an hour and you bring whoever you w

KSBY News • 15th June 2023

Santa Barbara County District Attorney warns consumers of undisclosed restaurant surcharges

Several restaurants in the Santa Barbara County area are charging mandatory service fees and surcharges without adequately disclosing those fees to customers, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s office announced Wednesday, which places those restaurants in potential violation of consumer-protection laws.

The Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit “has become aware” of “several” restaurants adding service fees and surcharges “without conspicuously disclosing them to customers before

KSBY News • 14th June 2023

Grand jury report critical of safe parking site, other county facilities OK

The San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury in its annual inspection report was critical of the Oklahoma Avenue safe parking site but found county-run jails and detention facilities to be primarily up to standard.

The grand jury visited and inspected — as required by California law — all jails, holding cells, detention facilities and other select spaces within the county from September through December of 2022.

While primarily positive, the report, released June 12, did find “safety hazards” for inm

KSBY News • 13th June 2023

Man pleads guilty to making death threats against Central Coast Planned Parenthood

A Ventura County man pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of making death threats and bomb threats, including to a Santa Barbara-based Planned Parenthood, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced in a press release.

Nishith Tharaka Vandebona, 34, of Oxnard, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of "threatened forcible intimidation regarding the obtaining and provision of reproductive health services" under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic

KSBY News • 7th June 2023

SLO City Council votes to move forward with water rate increases

The City of San Luis Obispo voted to move forward with a proposed plan that will increase water service rates for users over the next two years.

The vote was 5-0 in favor.

“You gotta have water,” councilmember Andrea “Andy” Pease said during the meeting prior to voting in favor.

Water rates will increase by 8.5% in 2023-2024 and an additional 7.5% in 2024-2025.

The first rate increase will be effective July 1, 2023.

The rate increases proposed by the Utilities Department of San Luis Obispo

KSBY News • 7th June 2023

San Luis Obispo Police Department releases video of 2021 shooting that killed detective

The San Luis Obispo Police Department on Wednesday released a video depicting body-worn camera footage of the May 2021 officer-involved shooting that killed Det. Luca Benedetti and seriously wounded one other.

The police department released the video, which contains additional information from the subsequent investigation, "in the interest of transparency" and in response to Public Records Act requests, the department said in a press release.

It provides additional context to May 2021 burglary

KSBY News • 3rd June 2023

Photos: See what the Elks Parade looked like in the 1950s

Festivities for the 80th annual Elks Rodeo & Parade kicked off Thursday. If you can't make it to the event in person, you can watch a live broadcast of the parade starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 3 on The CW, channel 6.2. The parade will be rebroadcast at 3 p.m. on KSBY.

As part of the station's 70th-anniversary celebration, KSBY is looking back at what life was like along the Central Coast during 1953 and surrounding years.

While you may recognize some of the groups, schools and even indivi

KSBY News • 1st June 2023

This local company is celebrating 40 years. They want to thank the community for making that possible.

One local company is celebrating 40 years in business, and they want to thank the community for making that happen.

San Luis Sourdough, founded in 1983, has been producing the same classic sourdough bread that lines the shelves of San Luis Obispo County and other West Coast-area grocery stores.

“I think it’s amazing,” Jaime Juarez — who is the company’s longest-standing employee at 27 years and counting — said to KSBY when asked about his feelings regarding the company running hot 40 years lat

KSBY News • 3rd May 2023

Gov. Newsom reverses parole decision for woman who killed CHP officer

Gov. Gavin Newsom reversed a parole board decision to grant release to a woman who was convicted and sentenced for the killing of a CHP officer in 2010, the SLO County District Attorney’s office announced Wednesday.

Kaylee Ann Weisenberg, who hit and killed CHP officer Brett Oswald while driving high on methamphetamine, was sentenced to 15 years to life for the June 2010 killing. Oswald was 48.

Weisenberg crashed into Oswald on South River Road in Paso Robles while Oswald was attending to a di

KSBY News • 3rd May 2023

Thousands of dollars of crab stolen from Morro Bay fish market

Thousands of dollars worth of crab was stolen from a Morro Bay fish market Monday night, the company announced on its Facebook page along with security camera footage of the incident.

Giovanni's Fish Market & Galley, on the northern end of the Embarcadero in Morro Bay, said in the Facebook post that the theft occurred on Monday evening. Giovanni DeGarimore, the owner of the market, clarified in an email response to KSBY that the theft occurred around approximately 11:30 p.m.

The market closes

Medium • 9th September 2022

Several Hundred Expected to Attend Top West Coast Rugby Tournament in San Luis Obispo

Several Hundred Expected to Attend Top West Coast Rugby Tournament in San Luis Obispo

37th annual iteration returns to the Central Coast for a day of food, fun, and rugby

Several hundred players and spectators spanning all across the state of California are expected in San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Sept. 10 for one of the top rugby tournaments on the West Coast.

Tri-Tip 7s, the annual end-of-summer rugby 7s tournament played at Damon-Garcia Sports Complex in SLO, is expecting nearly a thousand

Medium • 17th June 2022

SLO Food Bank’s ‘Most Important Event’ Scheduled for June 4

SLO Food Bank is proud to announce that its most important fundraising event of the year is back and in a familiar format.

Hunger Awareness Day, SLO Food Bank’s annual event meant to raise awareness of food insecurity in SLO County and to collect funds in support of hunger-relief efforts, has been scheduled for Friday, June 4.

Midstate Containers • 2nd March 2022

Owner of Central Coast Company Leads Humanitarian Effort for Ukrainian Refugees

The owner of a central coast container company is leading an on-the-ground humanitarian effort in Poland for Ukrainian refugees displaced by the most recent Russian military invasion of Ukraine.

Jake Knotts, owner of Midstate Containers in Santa Maria, Calif., began his trip to Kraków, Poland on Friday, Feb. 25, just hours after the build-up of over 150,000 Russian troops started their invasion of Ukraine. Jake Knotts and his wife, Anya, have deep roots in the country. Jake spent over 10 years

Mustang Rugby, Inc. • 9th August 2021

Mustangs Hire Former U.S. Eagle Chris O’Brien as Head Coach

Roughly six months after sixth-year head coach James Tesoriero’s departure, the head coaching position at Cal Poly has been filled. And he’s a good one.

Former U.S. Eagle and long-time American rugby coach Chris O’Brien has been hired as the head skipper of the men’s rugby club, bringing with him a rare wealth of high-level coaching and playing experience.

“I’m excited to get back into college rugby first and foremost,” O’Brien said. “It’s a bit of a full circle for me because my teammate and

Cal Poly Rugby • 17th May 2020

Patrick Madden Declares for MLR Draft, Maintains Eligibility for Final Season

Patrick Madden, junior team captain and Rudy Scholz Award finalist, has officially declared for the inaugural Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft, which is to be held June 13, 2020.

“Entering the draft comes with a lot of emotion,” Patrick Madden said in a statement. “I’ve been talking it over with family and respective coaches for the past month or so, but I’m confident in my decision.”

Take a breath, Mustangs, the two-time first team All-Conference player in Madden still maintains eligibilit

Cal Poly Rugby • 5th April 2020

Four Mustangs Make First Team All-Conference Selections

Four Cal Poly Mustangs have been selected for First Team All-Conference in the California Conference for their performances this season.

Junior prop Jasper Stone, junior flanker Kyle Hegarty, junior fly-half/inside centre Patrick Madden, and freshman fullback Alex Dominé were the four players to make the list. Those four selections were the second most in the California Conference, behind No. 3 Saint Mary’s, which had nine.

The Mustangs were also the only other team to have more than one playe

Cal Poly Rugby • 29th October 2019

Group of Australia's Best Young Pro Players Visit Cal Poly Practices This Week

A group of Australia’s best young up-and-coming professional rugby players will be visiting Cal Poly’s campus this week to assist with practice, adding a unique and rare dimension of expertise as the Mustangs gear up for the 2019-2020 season.

Seven players in total will be making the trip to San Luis Obispo, with their first session with the Mustangs set to take place Tuesday, Oct. 29 when the men’s squad have the first of their twice-weekly night practices. They plan to also provide assistance