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BIG MESS: When oil spilled in Northern Santa Barbara County, chances were good that all fingers pointed at Greka. The energy company dealt with a series of accidents in late 2007, which spilled over into 2008. The thousands of gallons of loose gunk, spread over numerous incidents, pooled together to attract the attention of local response agencies, the Board of Supervisors, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Environmental Protection Agency. County officials ultimately issued a stop work order on the company, effectively bringing it to a halt. Greka officials cried foul, claiming the company was being singled out. Cleanup continued, work started again, and business continued pretty much as usual: Greka reported a string of small spills in the final days of 2008 Credit: FILE PHOTO BY STEVE E. MILLER
“Challenge and change” was the theme
‘MINUTEMAN’ COMES TO SANTA MARIA: On Feb. 20, members of the newly formed Central Coast chapter of Minuteman Civil Defense Corps held a meeting at the Santa Maria Inn to educate locals about the organization and encourage them to call on local law enforcement agencies to crack down on illegal immigration. The controversial organization is best known for voluntarily patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border and helping immigration officials in apprehending suspected illegal aliens. “Thousands of people come across the border each day, and we have no idea who they are. It’s a matter of national security,” Paula James, chairperson of the Central Coast chapter, told the Sun at the meeting. “We want illegal immigrants stopped from crossing our borders. We want them to go through the process of getting here legally.” Not all Santa Marians welcomed the group. The night of the meeting, dozens of protestors lined the sidewalk outside of the inn, including Santa Maria City Council member Hilda Zacarías (pictured here). “I’m proud to be here with my neighbors and fellow Santa Marians saying that this [group] is not for Santa Maria,” Zacarías said, adding that she doesn’t want the city to become a place where people are afraid of their neighbors. Credit: FILE PHOTO BY AMY ASMAN
for Santa Barbara County in 2008. Firefighters, government officials, and local nonprofits worked together to confront two wildfires and their aftermath. A changing economy and political climate ushered in new leadership at both the county and city levels. County residents voiced their opinions-“both at the polls and on the streets-“on issues that shaped their local communities.
Locals also celebrated several milestone events throughout the county. In Santa Maria, officials unveiled a new public library and secured funding to improve the Santa Maria River Levee. And after years of planning, county officials were able to move forward with plans to build a much-needed North County jail.
What does 2009 have in store? We can’t even begin to predict, but we can recap 2008. So that’s what we’ll do.
Staff Writer Amy Asman is ready for more change. E-mail her at aasman@santamariasun.com.
HONORING REAGAN: On April 10, former first lady Nancy Reagan visited Vandenberg Air Force Base to attend a dedication ceremony of the new missile defense facilities, named in honor of President Ronald Reagan. At the ceremony, Mrs. Reagan unveiled a bronze bust of her late husband. Mrs. Reagan, 84, didn’t speak at the dedication, but she did issue a statement to the public. “Ronnie felt so strongly that a security field should be developed that destroys weapons, not people,” she said in the release. “He would be honored that this site, overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean that he loved so much, will be a testament to his commitment to security and peace for America, and the free world.” The Ronald W. Reagan missile defense site includes four silos holding interceptor missiles that, when activated, will serve as part of the overall Ballistic Missile Defense System. The complex is one of only two installations in the United States with long-range interceptor missiles, designed to shoot down incoming enemy missiles. The other missile defense site is in Ft. Greely, Alaska. Credit: FILE PHOTO COURTESY VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE
CORDERO TAKES CITY COUNCIL SPOT: On Nov. 4, Mike Cordero (right), a lieutenant and 35-year veteran of the Santa Maria Police Department, beat incumbents Bob Orach and Leo Trujillo in a landslide to secure a spot on the Santa Maria City Council. Cordero received 41 percent of the vote, leaving Orach and Trujillo to duke it out for the second open spot. Orach ultimately squeaked by with 29.79 percent of the vote, beating Trujillo’s 28.48 percent. When Cordero announced his bid for City Council, he told the Sun he wanted to push for a more open government. “As a police officer, I understand the need for confidentiality,” Cordero said. “But there’s a difference between confidentiality and secrets.” Cordero, who retired from the police department in December, received support from county and city officials, including Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown (pictured here with Cordero) and City Councilwoman Hilda Zacarías. Credit: FILE PHOTO BY SARAH E. THIEN
A GRAND OPENING: Hundreds of Santa Marians gathered at the much-anticipated grand opening of the city’s newly constructed Santa Maria Public Library on Aug. 23. During the opening ceremony, City Librarian Jack Buchanan greeted the crowd in a black-and-white tuxedo, and City Councilwoman Hilda Zacarías followed with a greeting in Spanish. The keynote speaker was Mayor Larry Lavagnino. After the mayor’s speech, Buchanan unveiled a surprise: The courtyard outside of the new library would be named Lavagnino Plaza, in honor of the multi-term Santa Maria leader. The library came with a hefty price tag of roughly $22 million. A grant from the Library Construction Act of 2000 only covered $16.39 million of the bill. The rest of the funds came from taxpayers, donors, and fundraisers. The new building boasts 59,850 square feet on each floor—that’s 111 percent more than the former library—and features a community meeting room, café, bookstore, children’s library, and theater. The building also has the capacity to hold 67 percent more books, 104 percent more audiovisual materials, 77 public computers, and 300 seats. Credit: FILE PHOTO BY JOE PAYNE
