TUESDAY, AUG. 20 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at http://santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx#current. • The Guadalupe Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, […]
AMY ASMAN
Posted inNews
Furlough ends at Vandenberg–for now
Civilians working at Vandenberg Air Force Base received some good news earlier this month when U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced furlough days would be eliminated as of Aug. 11. The furlough, which began in July, was originally expected to last for 11 weeks. “The Sequestration induced fiscal year 2013 budget has created a […]
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Santa Maria police crack down on drunk drivers
Labor Day holiday brings additional officers, DUI checkpoints
Central Coast drivers should expect more stop-and-go traffic through Labor Day. The Santa Maria Police Department is joining other law enforcement agencies across California in an effort to step up DUI enforcement at the end of the summer season, Police Chief Ralph Martin announced in an Aug. 11 press release. During the crackdown period, there […]
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Spotlight on: Filipino Community Center Food Truck
A nonprofit fundraiser
Santa Maria is known for its tri-tip. So much so that the city has its own official style. Most locals know what goes into that kind of tri-tip (red oak, rub, salsa), but what about Filipino barbecue? “We have a special marinade, but that’s a secret,” said Sonia Vea, a member of the Filipino Community […]
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The gift of water
A youth-oriented nonprofit brings clean water to those in need
Come fall, Hands4Others co-founder Spencer Dusebout hopes to have several new Water4One clubs at high schools up and down the Central Coast. The newly formed clubs would organize fundraising events in their respective communities to pay for the installation of lifesaving water purification systems in villages throughout Central America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Dusebout and […]
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Local strawberry growers battle a crop disease linked to last year’s whitefly infestation
Stunted plant growth, discolored leaves, and brittle roots: the symptoms of pallidosis, a disease currently affecting strawberry fields in Guadalupe and other parts of the Santa Maria Valley. “It’s a little bit of a perfect storm that has happened and it’s really hurting some of the growers,” said Laura Gregory, grower communications specialist with the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Malia, Analea, and Leila Pule
Local residents Kevin and Maria Pule have enough children to form a family soccer team. For non-soccer types, that’s 11 kids. There isn’t actually a family Pule team, but there are three Pules currently playing for the Orcutt Crusaders: 10-year-old twins Analea (pictured right) and Malia (left), and 9-year-old sister Leila (center). Analea plays goalie, […]
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Start by believing
A victim-turned-survivor, Santa Barbara County law enforcement, and educators speak about the importance of supporting victims of sexual assault
It’s been about a week since Shane Villalpando was sentenced to one year in Santa Barbara County Jail and five years’ probation for having unlawful sex with underage teenagers. He’ll have to register as a sex offender throughout the duration of his probation. He’ll have to attend sex offender counseling and receive treatment for drug […]
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Lompoc officials talk potential water rate increases
Water and motorsports make a bit of an odd couple, but that’s what’s on the agenda at the Lompoc City Council meeting on Aug. 6. There will be two public hearings at the meeting: One will focus on whether the city should apply for state grants for a motorsports park and create a memorandum of […]
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Legislators debate the possibility of permitting HIV-positive organ transplants
A bill that would allow medical researchers to look into the feasibility of transplanting HIV-positive organs into HIV-positive patients has gained approval from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee. It now heads to the House floor for a vote. Authored by representatives Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) and Andy Harris […]
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Andy Caldwell calls foul against three county supervisors
Government watchdog and radio show host Andy Caldwell of the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture, and Business (COLAB) is butting heads with three of the Santa Barbara County supervisors. Earlier this month, Caldwell filed a complaint with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office asking officials to investigate whether supervisors Salud Carbajal, Janet Wolf, and Doreen […]
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Yosemite hiker finds missing pilot’s plane
On July 7, park rangers recovered the body of Nicol Wilson—the Santa Barbara County pilot whose plane went missing over Yosemite National Park on Dec. 17, 2012. A hiker spotted Wilson’s single-engine plane, which was largely intact, near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp on July 6 and reported it to authorities. Park rangers hiked to the […]
