By Aaron Ochs, on October 4th, 2011%
 Time to tie the knot? San Luis Obispo County Administrator Jim Grant has thoroughly dismissed the allegations of conflict of interest between Public Works Director Paavo Ogren and former Los Osos Community Services District director Maria Kelly as having “no factual basis” during the morning portion of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Grant listed each facet of the investigation that he focused on, and stated unequivocally that Ogren was cleared of conflict of interest on all allegations raised by the local media.
Continue reading Ogren Investigation Falls Short →
By Aaron Ochs, on September 19th, 2011%
 Is anybody home? On October 13, 2010, I wrote an article titled “Get The Facts: Ring Paavo’s Doorbell,” which was understandably controversial. The controversy reached a fever pitch when I took on local radio host Dave Congalton, who wrote an article about it. Since then, I spent time objectively analyzing the overall job performance of the County, and their responsiveness to concerns surrounding the Los Osos wastewater project.
Continue reading ‘Ring Paavo’s Doorbell’ — One Year Later →
By Aaron Ochs, on August 26th, 2011%
 "They did it to themselves." I often listen and read what Los Osos residents have to say regarding the sewer. There has been plenty of articles and discussions hosted on this site that give many of our readers a very clear idea of our positions — but there has been little to no coverage of the diverse opinions expressed by residents. The sewer controversy has been alive and kicking for more than 30 years, and many people have a lot to say about it.
However, there are some Los Osos residents who cannot live with the idea that there is disagreement, that there is this groundswell of discontent that has become a mainstay of this current incarnation of the project. There is this bizarre belief that “one side” is completely right, the “other side” is completely wrong — and anyone discussing the very existence of gray shades is viciously harassed by misanthropic, self-serving sewer pundits who actually believe that the people of Los Osos “did it to themselves.”
Continue reading Dividing Los Osos →
By Ed Ochs, on August 22nd, 2011%
 The USDA Cash Cow With federal dollars drying up, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is lending San Luis Obispo County $86 million with willful blindness to its own policies and the truth about the County’s unaffordable and hazardous $200 million Los Osos wastewater project.
Despite all eyes in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. focusing on federal deficit reductions, the USDA continues to act as poster child for federal agency ineptness and reckless spending of taxpayer money, not to mention the devastating costs for thousands of Los Osos homeowners paying off the loan with interest over 40 years.
Continue reading USDA Loan Underwrites County Waste →
By Aaron Ochs, on August 11th, 2011%
 Mr. Katchoman Strikes Again The County doesn’t want you to think about Maria Kelly and Paavo Ogren.
County Public Works unveiled an ace up their sleeve at the SLO County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, August 9. Public Works’ John Waddell told board members during public comment that on August 4 Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 1125. 1125, which was introduced by former BOS supervisor Katcho Achadjian, is a supplement to State Senator Sam Blakeslee’s AB2701 that allows the County to “develop a program that would offset the assessments and charges adopted by the county for very low and low-income households with outside funds, including grants.”
Continue reading Unaffordibility Assistance Falls Short →
By Aaron Ochs, on July 20th, 2011%
Though she had no power or authority over the Los Osos wastewater project during her tenure on the board, former Los Osos Community Services Director Maria Kelly may have promoted the Los Osos wastewater project on her boyfriend’s — County Public Works’ Paavo Ogren — behalf through election campaigning, word-of-mouth at various community events, and progressive board action that allowed a controversial contractor to participate in the wastewater project. Given the seemingly lopsided results of the Proposition 218 assessment and the community survey, the County of San Luis Obispo benefited from her free marketing.
Continue reading The County’s Manchurian Sewer Candidate →
By Aaron Ochs, on July 10th, 2011%
 Shhhhhh! The County of San Luis Obispo is unlike most counties in California — and across the nation — because of its distinct preference for silence as a general response to public inquiry. Many inquiries and concerns are raised and have been raised by citizens who demand transparency and accountability. However, many of those inquiries and concerns are swept under the rug without recourse. This is the culture of silence, and it’s rudely counter-intuitive to making progress and uncovering the truth about highly questionable governmental practices that have become standard operating procedure in the County.
Continue reading The Culture of Silence →
By Ed Ochs, on July 4th, 2011%
 Only seven miles to Los Osos Not since Hurricane Katrina have a few politicians toyed so dangerously with the lives of thousands.
Recently, State Sen. Sam Blakeslee fought hard for a suspension of the relicensing of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant until “a myriad of questions regarding the seismic setting at the facility are answered.” Blakeslee rode the headlines from Japan to headlines in the U.S.
Yet Blakeslee has remained silent on asking for a suspension of engineering contracts on the nearby Los Osos Wastewater Project, less than eight miles away from the nuclear facility, until a parallel liquefaction study for Los Osos can be completed prior to engineering the sewer project. Any major earthquake in the area is likely to affect both Diablo Canyon and Los Osos.
Continue reading Blakeslee’s Seismic Contradiction →
By Aaron Ochs, on June 25th, 2011%
 Don't cry Maria... we're moving in with Paavo! Former LOCSD director Maria Kelly and current Public Works Director Paavo Ogren have been dating for six months. Some allege that their relationship has lasted for two to three years, and the political circumstances surrounding their relationship are extensive. It’s too early to tell whether a conflict of interest between Ogren and Kelly can be proven. However, there is information that illustrates the appearance of conflict of interest. Razor Online investigates the allegations.
Continue reading The Kelly/Ogren Influence →
By Aaron Ochs, on June 20th, 2011%
UPDATE (6/22 10:30 PM): The Tribune is now reporting that Kelly has been dating Ogren for six months, but she “does not base my relationship” on the sewer.
UPDATE (6/22 7:30 PM): The podcast is back online. Click on the link below to access it.
UPDATE (6/22 12:15 PM): KVEC 92.0, the radio station hosting the Dave Congalton show, has pulled the June 17 podcast, which had Velie discussing the article.
UPDATE (6/21 10:25 AM): The County Administrator will investigate the allegations made by CalCoastNews, and Razor Online will report to you the results when that information is available.
We didn’t vote for Maria Kelly. Paavo Ogren is not on our Christmas card list. CalCoastNews has a solid readership for their”gotcha!” formula. Love ‘em or not, something is wrong with the CalCoast formula, and it’s in danger of turning toxic when they go after the kids.
Continue reading CalCoastNews’ Teenage Hostages →
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