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Police chief announces retirement

Grover Beach's chief of police, John Bradbury, has announced that he will retire sometime around the first of September.

The 58-year-old chief told reporters that he has not recommended a successor from inside the department, and that he will stay beyond Sept. 1 if a new chief is still in training.

Bradbury worked 25 years in the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the Grover Beach force in 1993. In 2000, he was promoted to chief.

Since then, his staff of 27 has become a staff of 31 and an annual budget of almost $2 million has jumped to $2.77 million.

Bradbury spent a good part of his tenure embroiled in a dispute with former police officer Todd Miller, ostensibly fired because he made too many drunken-driving arrests.

Bradbury contended Miller was discharged for other reasons, and the city eventually prevailed in administrative hearings. The extended litigation cost the city as much as $500,000.

 

Petition for GE ban approaches deadline

SLO GE Free, a local organization attempting to put an initiative on the November ballot to ban genetically engineered crops in the county, has collected more than 9,000 signatures in less than four weeks.

The group had hoped to file its petition by June 7 but extended its signature-gathering by one week to obtain the required 10,600 signatures by June 14.

"We didn't quite have the number of signatures we needed," said organizer Teresa Campbell. "The County Clerk-Recorder's office has been really helpful with this."

The petition will be circulated at sites throughout the county.

"This initiative will provide numerous health and economic benefits to our county's residents and farmers, and send a message to the agribusiness giants to slow down and pay attention to the people," said Michael H. Mara, who's been circulating the petition. "The core issue here is the purity and quality of our food supply, something that's of vital importance and concern to everyone."

More information is available at the SLO GE Free web site: slogefree.org.

 

Freitas departing KSBY

KSBY-TV's most prominent reporter, David Freitas, is leaving the station and the county for greener pastures.

News Director Tony Cipolla confirmed Wednesday that Freitas decided against inking a contract extension and plans to move to a larger television market.

"We're going to miss David a lot," said Cipolla. "We offered him a new contract, but he figured after four years it's time for him to think about the future. We are a small market here, and David, I'm sure, can make more money elsewhere."

He said Freitas mentioned a move to the Pacific Northwest, perhaps Portland.

Cipolla added, "David's broken a lot of good stories. He's a good reporter."

 

Health fair planned

A free, one-day community health awareness fair sponsored by California Zen is set for Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at San Luis Obispo's Embassy Suites.

California Zen, a nonprofit organization, will offer a variety of presentations on numerous topics, such as raw foods as gourmet cuisine, yoga and dance therapy, and current issues facing health care providers and patients.

The event was organized on an all-volunteer basis, said coordinator Lyne Hetherington. Participants can register for free drawings, and sessions are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is limited, said Hetherington.

Additional information can be obtained by calling 595-2561, or on the web at Californiazen.org.

 

Correction

An article titled "Road kill" in the May 27 issue of New Times stated that Centex Homes had purchased lots from Arciero Construction Co. Although such a deal was discussed, said Centex division president Travis Fuentez, an accord was never reached.

 

This week's news was compiled by News Editor Daniel Blackburn and Staff Writer Abraham Hyatt from local and other sources. Managing Editor Stacey Warde contributed.

 

 


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