After moving to Santa Maria in 2005, Tennessean Tyler Gross studied music business at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. With that experience under his belt—and one-on-one time spent with some big names in the industry—Gross decided he wanted to become an entertainment lawyer. In a recent interview with the Sun, the entrepreneur said he knew […]
AMY ASMAN
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An old military ordnance spurs the evacuation of downtown Solvang
The discovery of an old military ordnance in an alleyway behind several Solvang businesses on April 16 prompted members of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department to evacuate the town’s downtown area. After receiving a phone call from a concerned citizen around 3:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad and Vandenberg Air Force Base’s explosive […]
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A state grant boosts the county’s mental health services
Lompoc is expected to soon have a mobile crisis support team unit of its own, thanks to a $2.6 million grant from the California Health and Facilities Financing Authority. Pending approval from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, the department of Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services (ADMHS) will use the money to help […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Trailpaloosa promises food, music, and fun for a good cause
There’s nothing quite like taking to the local hills with friends to go on a hike or a challenging trail run. The beautiful scenery and bright California sunshine make fitness activities feel less like work and more like exciting adventures. A local nonprofit group called Santa Maria Valley Open Space (SMVOS) is a major proponent […]
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DA asks court to review judge’s ruling in Murillo case
Read the court filing (.pdf). The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office recently filed a motion in Superior Court to reinstate charges against Orcutt rapper Anthony Murillo on the grounds that Judge Patricia Kelly “erroneously dismissed the action.” The 20-year-old was accused of threatening the victims of the Shane Villalpadno sex-crime case in a song […]
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Isla Vista community reacts to Deltopia 2014 disturbance
Santa Barbara recently made national headlines for reports of “civil unrest” at Deltopia 2014, an annual Spring Break kegger in Isla Vista. According to a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, a collection of law enforcement agencies took to the streets April 5 to control an unruly crowd of about 15,000 people. […]
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Santa Maria City Council approves a building permit for ICE, despite emotional protests from the community
Attendees were in for a long and emotional night at the Santa Maria Fairpark on March 27, as more than 1,200 locals turned up to protest the construction of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facility (ICE) in town. The Santa Maria City Council’s special meeting to discuss four appeals against the Planning Commission’s February decision […]
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NCSD proposes drought-specific water rates
At its March 26 meeting Nipomo Community Services District Board of Directors reviewed a proposed “Water Shortage Response Plan” to address the depletion of local groundwater due to decades of over pumping and the current record drought, officials announced in a recent press release. “Over pumping and the continuing drought have made our current groundwater […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Alexis Topas
Santa Maria Saints varsity softball
Junior Alexis Topas has been swinging her bat for the Santa Maria Saints’ varsity softball team all three years of her high school career. As a freshman, she beat out several seniors for the position of shortstop—even though she’d been playing third base prior to tryouts. “We weren’t sure what we were going to do […]
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Judge dismisses charges against Orcutt rapper
Santa Barbara County Judge Patricia Kelly dismissed felony charges March 19 against Anthony Murillo—a 20-year-old aspiring rapper and Orcutt resident—that accused him of threatening two sex-crime victims. Kelly said the song, called “Remix for Life,” didn’t provide enough proof of a threat for felony charges. Some of Murillo’s supporters cheered when Kelly announced her decision, […]
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Capps asks officials to postpone ICE facility decision
Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) wrote a second letter to government officials asking them to postpone the final decision on a proposed ICE facility in Santa Maria until more of the community’s questions could be answered. The Santa Maria City Council was scheduled to vote on the matter at a special […]
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California biologists fight to help condors stay alive–and thrive
Imagine, as you stand on a grassy plateau overlooking the thirsty San Joaquin Valley foothills, three school buses soaring through the air about 40 to 50 feet above your head. Now replace the bright yellow paint and several tons of metal with the cream-and-charcoal feathers and naked pink flesh of a California condor. Typically weighing […]