Treadmills as far as the eye can see. Four to five kinds of treadmills, to be exact, and four to five kinds of elliptical machines, too. Western Village Health Club is the place to go in Santa Maria for cardio equipment, and other workout equipment as well. The health club’s owners recently finished a $200,000 […]
AMY ASMAN
Posted inNews
Community Corner: Technology + people = another life saved
Staff at Marian Regional Medical Center used nitric oxide to save newborn
For the first time on record at Marian Regional Medical Center, staffers in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) used nitric oxide to save the life of a seriously ill newborn. Dr. Eddie Alderete, medical director of Neonatal Services, and his team used nitric oxide on baby Valeria in the hours after her birth on […]
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Santa Barbara County crews help fight Yosemite’s Rim Fire
The 30 members of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) sent to battle the Rim Fire returned home Sept. 2 after an 11-day mission. “SBC welcomes home our dozer crews that were a part of a Strike Team helping in the fight against the massive fire burning in the Yosemite National Park & Stanislaus […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Disneyland is fun for adults, too!
Managing Editor Amy Asman, you and your husband are celebrating three years of marriage. Where are you going to go next? We’re going to Disneyland! Well, that’s where my beloved husband, Peter, and I went on Saturday, Aug. 24, to commemorate the anniversary of our nuptials. When I told my dad we planned to spend […]
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Community Corner: Spend the ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ with Altrusa
Altrusa of the Central Coast is celebrating International Literacy Day on Sept. 7 with “Dog Day Afternoon,” a free event for dog lovers of all ages starting at 11 a.m. at the Orcutt Public Library, 175 S. Broadway, in Old Orcutt. Author and Pismo Beach resident Destry Ramey will read from her pug-themed book series, […]
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A former ‘Employee of the Month’ is suing the county and SEIU Local 620 over agency dues
A former office administrator with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department has filed a lawsuit against county officials and Service Employees International (SEIU) Local 620 alleging they took full membership dues out of her paychecks even though she wasn’t a union member. Plaintiff Rosemary Banko worked for the county from 1998 until her retirement in […]
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Santa Maria educators discuss the pros and cons of having ‘smart’ technology in the classroom
Several Central Coast high schools made headlines earlier this month when the California Department of Education flagged their standardized test results because students posted test-related photos on social media websites. The department identified 242 schools at which social media postings occurred during Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) assessments administered last spring. According to the department, […]
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Home, ‘green’ home
emPowerSBC helps local residents make their houses more energy-efficient
The Rosenthals’ home off of Highway 246 in Solvang provides a cool oasis from the 100-degree weather. The white, single-story ranch house is neat and comfortable, with shiny wood floors and large double-paned windows that overlook a wraparound patio, a grassy lawn, and horse corrals. It’s David and Kathleen Rosenthal’s dream house—but it didn’t start […]
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Buellton Planning Commission approves Meritage project
Senior citizens could be getting more real estate options in the Santa Ynez Valley in the years to come. On Aug. 15, the Buellton Planning Commission unanimously approved issuing a conditional use permit and certified the environmental impact report for the Meritage senior living project. It now goes before the Buellton City Council for approval. […]
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State Assembly passes Achadjian’s ‘rape-by-fraud’ bill
After almost three years and two separate tries, the California State Assembly unanimously approved on Aug. 19 a bill aimed at changing the legal definition of rape to include attackers who coerce victims into sexual activity by impersonating their significant others. Authored by Assembly members Katcho Achadjian (R-San Luis Obispo) and Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), […]
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Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau launches window display contest
Businesses in the Lompoc Valley now have the chance to show their undying love for the City of Arts and Flowers by dressing up their windows. The Santa Barbara Foundation Lompoc affiliate and the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau have launched a window display contest with the theme “I Love Lompoc.” Retailers […]
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More Central Coast farmers are growing bush berries to turn a profit
Tony Chavez doesn’t look like a farmer. With his gold chain necklace and his brightly colored Hawaiian shirt, Chavez looks like he should be sipping Mai Tais on a tropical beach somewhere. Instead, he’s standing in a field in Nipomo talking to the Sun about blackberry production. An experienced businessman, Chavez formerly owned a tortilla […]
