Free parking at beaches in Santa Barbara County could soon be a thing of the past, like cheap gas or Pontiac convertibles. On July 26, the Santa Barbara County Parks Commission will hold a public meeting to discuss a staff report on the possibility of charging parking fees at seven parks to generate revenue for […]
AMY ASMAN
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Leeds will spend the rest of his life in prison for scrap yard killings
On July 19, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley announced that “mass murderer Lee Leeds was sentenced to a term of 100 years to life [in prison]” for shooting and killing four people, including his father, at a Santa Maria salvage yard in 2008. “That term will then be followed by a term of […]
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DA charges two St. Joseph educators with failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to authorities
Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley announced on July 12 that misdemeanor charges have been filed against former St. Joseph High School principal Joseph Myers and dean of students John Walker for allegedly failing to immediately report suspected child sexual abuse to law enforcement agents. According to a press release from Dudley’s office, “It […]
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Allan Hancock College cultivates the future with an ag-related grant
Allan Hancock College is expanding its curricula on agriscience-based careers, thanks to a $135,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cultivating the Future program. The money will also be used to launch an “ag literacy” campaign to educate students and parents about agricultural production and careers in the ag industry. “This is a stepping […]
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Living Creekside
The county housing authority opens a low-income apartment complex for ag workers
A cool summer breeze rolls in from the west, carrying with it the distinctive cry of a rooster. A woman pushes her infant in a stroller. A young girl slips her way down the slide of a community jungle gym. Welcome to Creekside Village, the Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County’s newest low-income housing project. […]
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State Senate approves funding for high-speed train
California’s high-speed bullet train appears to be back on track—for now—after the state Senate approved on July 7 the sale of state bonds to build the first portion of the rail line in the Central Valley. After being besieged by an intense lobby campaign led by Gov. Jerry Brown, legislators voted 21 to 16 to […]
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Lompoc officials call for criminal grand jury investigation into LHCDC
Lompoc City Council member Cecilia Martner and former Lompoc mayor Joyce Howerton recently sent a letter to Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley, asking her to impanel a criminal grand jury to investigate the Lompoc Housing and Community Development Corporation (LHCDC). The letter pointed out that a civil grand jury found LHCDC was experiencing […]
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Leaders at Family Partnership Charter School take a pay cut
Striving to positively impact Family Partnership Charter School’s 2012-13 budget, the school’s administrative team recently requested they be furloughed for five days during the upcoming school year. Todd Mitchell, Mark Palmerston, and Suzanne Clark submitted their proposal at the June 19 meeting of the charter school’s governing council, which expressed its appreciation and then unanimously […]
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Preserve your summer vacation memories!
Summer’s here! That means most kids are on summer vacation, but it doesn’t mean they can’t have fun learning outside of the classroom. Use something exciting—like a family trip to Disneyland or a picnic in your neighborhood park—to create a unique learning opportunity. Before heading out on your adventure, give your little one a disposable […]
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Changing of the guard
Budget cuts leave Buellton’s police station one officer down, and open only two days a week
A Sun writer and photographer toured the Buellton police station on a recent Monday afternoon. Four days later, on Thursday evening, one of the officers interviewed had lost her job and the station had its hours cut by more than half. On June 28, the Buellton City Council voted 4-1, with Councilmember Judith Dale dissenting, […]
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State of the union
Tough economic times have shifted the public spotlight onto labor unions
From the recall of Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin to the threat of a strike at Marian Regional Medical Center, employees’ unions have been front and center in the news as of late. According to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization’s website, aflcio.org, the modern labor movement began in the mid […]
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Sheriff investigates another officer-involved shooting
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred the morning of June 28, resulting in the death of Jose Rangel Rincon, a 23-year-old Santa Maria resident. According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Department, deputies were conducting a joint investigation with officers from the Santa Maria Police Department near […]
