A hotel manager with more than 30 years of knowledgewill be sharing his experience with Allan Hancock College students who want to break into the hospitality industry. “It’s definitely a growth area and, in the near future, there will be more job openings and careers in the hospitality industry,” Max Tucker, the hotel manager who […]
AMY ASMAN
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A fire truck of their own
“Montecito, like all of our local fire departments, keeps their equipment in very good condition, and this engine will work for us for years to come,” David Senior, the department’s director/instructor of fire, safety, and emergency medical services, said in a press release. “It will be a great asset as we look forward to our […]
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Trash your tree responsibly
The city of Santa Maria will be conducting curbside Christmas tree collections Jan. 3 through 7 on regular residential garbage pick-up days. Santa Barbara County residents will receive similarly scheduled services from Health Sanitation Services. To be picked up, Christmas trees must be placed on the curb at least three feet away from all trash […]
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Baby new year
Marian Medical Center opens its neonatal intensive care unit just in time for the holidays
Santa Maria’s Jane Rooney knows the life-or-death impact of having a neonatal intensive care unit close to home. In 1982, Rooney and her newborn daughter Caitlin were rushed via ambulance to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. Born four weeks early, Caitlin’s lungs wouldn’t inflate, and the closest unit—often referred to as a NICU—was more than […]
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Traffic is flowing on Union Valley Parkway
It’s finally happened: The city of Santa Maria officially opened a portion of Union Valley Parkway on Dec. 16. The one-mile stretch includes a new three-way traffic signal at Highway 135 and Union Valley Parkway, connecting the highway to Blosser Road. Construction of Union Valley Parkway has been on the city’s to-do list for more […]
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It’s a sandy business, but somebody’s gotta do it
It was the last day before holiday break, and some Alice Shaw School students were busy throughout the campus selling sand. Yes, sand. But not just any sand. From Dec. 15 to 17, Valerie Trenev’s fifth grade students sold magnetic sand—a naturally occurring phenomenon—to help pay for a field trip to the Ronald Reagan Library […]
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Bonita gets ugly
The Santa Maria-Bonita school board gains a member��”and some controversial issues
The Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board of Education has experienced a leadership shakeup—or at least a reshuffle. District Superintendent Phil Alvarado started the Dec. 8 school board meeting by swearing in incumbent Bruno Brunello and newcomer Will Smith, who beat out longtime board member Jody Oliver in the November election. That victory, however, is receiving […]
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He’s baaaack!
Thought you’d seen the last of former Santa Barbara County Executive Officer Mike Brown? Well, think again. Brown, who served as the county’s top employee for 14 years—until retiring in October—will now be on the payroll of the Agriculture, Business, and Labor Educational Coalition of San Luis Obispo County (COLAB of SLO). In a recent […]
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Need an academic boost?
Thanks to a new five-year grant from the federal government, Allan Hancock College will now be able to offer its students more on-campus support services. The College Achievement Now (CAN) program—commonly referred to as the TRIO grant—provides academic assistance to low-income and first-generation students, students with limited English proficiency, and disabled students. “This program has […]
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CALMing effect
A Santa Barbara nonprofit journeys north to help families in need
Child Abuse Listening and Mediation (CALM)—a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization dedicated to putting an end to child abuse—has opened its doors to the North County community. Thanks mainly to a grant from the county’s Department of Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services, the organization will be offering counseling and preventative treatment to local families affected […]
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Michael Wilson’s sentencing gets postponed
Victims of sour business deals orchestrated by Orcutt businessman Michael Lee Wilson will have to wait another week to have their day in court. Wilson, who pleaded guilty to nearly 60 felony counts of grand theft, was set to receive his sentence on Dec. 3. The hearing, however, was delayed because of a family emergency […]
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They’re Big Bear bound
Pacific Christian Center’s Fourth Quarter Student Ministries is asking for donations to help send some of the school’s sixth- through 12th-graders on the Big Bear Lake Snow Camp the weekend of Dec. 31. The 80 or so students can apply for a partial scholarship toward the $145 event fee. Student Ministries is also providing dessert […]
