On Oct. 8, locals can bid farewell to summer and say hello to fall at the Transitions-Mental Health Association’s second annual Harvest Festival at Growing Grounds Farm in Santa Maria. Held in conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week, the festival will focus on celebrating the new season and good mental health. Harvest-goers will be […]
AMY ASMAN
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Good news for state parks?
On Sept. 24, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled a plan designed to keep all state parks open without increasing cuts to the California Department of Parks and Recreation budget. According to a press release from the governor’s office, Schwarzenegger, in July, assigned the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Finance to develop […]
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Lompoc officials eye a potential electricityrate increase
Electricity prices could go up in the city of Lompoc pending a decision by the Lompoc City Council. A proposed rate increase is tentatively scheduled to go before the council on Oct. 6, according to city staffers. In an interview with the Sun, Lompoc Mayor Mike Siminski said there are currently two sets of […]
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Pacific Pride Foundation walks for life
Put on some tennis shoes and walk for a cause on Oct. 3 at the Pacific Pride Foundation’s 19th annual AIDS Walk at Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara. Proceeds from the walk will go toward paying for HIV/AIDS services all over Santa Barbara County. The event—traditionally the foundation’s biggest fundraiser—is especially important this year […]
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Volunteers keep Santa Barbara County’s waterways clean
On Sept. 19, residents up and down the Central Coast celebrated the 25th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day by collecting more than two tons of trash and recyclables, according to an announcement from the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department. A total of 687 volunteers cleaned 23 beaches and creeks in a three-hour period, […]
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Get screened
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men, according to research from the Prostate Cancer Foundation. In light of those statistics, Santa Maria’s Marian Medical Center is offering free prostate cancer screenings to men ages 50 to 80, regardless of medical coverage. The screenings will be held […]
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Santa Maria officials combat gang violence with a community forum
Responding to a recent escalation in gang violence in the Newlove area of Santa Maria, city and law enforcement officials planned to turn a monthly community meeting scheduled for Sept. 23 into a public forum on crime prevention and mitigation. Over the last month and a half, the area has been the site of […]
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Older Santa Barbara County employees are offered an early retirement package
In an effort to balance the county’s budget, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved at its Sept. 15 meeting a retirement incentive program that would provide credit for more years of work time to eligible county employees. According to the ordinance, all county employees who reach age 60 on or prior to […]
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Johnigan found guilty of second-degree murder, DUI
A Santa Barbara County Superior Court jury found 24-year-old Ashley Johnigan—the woman accused of causing the 2008 crash that claimed the life of District Attorney investigator Laura Cleaves—guilty of second-degree murder and driving under the influence. Johnigan’s sentencing is set for Oct. 15. She faces 15 years to life in prison, according to officials […]
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Santa Maria releases an updated master bikeway plan
Santa Marians interested in commenting on all things bike-related at the city level can submit statements regarding the Santa Maria Bikeway Master Plan by Oct. 16 to the community development department. Now available for public review on the city’s website, ci.santa-maria.ca.us, the bikeway master plan provides a blueprint of the city’s bicycle transportation system […]
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Travel the world with help from college
Allan Hancock College students will have a chance to attend courses across the pond or beyond during the 2010 spring semester as part of the school’s study abroad program in Italy or England. An informational meeting on the program will be held Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. on the Santa Maria campus in room G-106A/B. […]
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Walmart does its part for education
A group of Santa Maria Walmart employees came bearing baskets filled with school supplies to Calvin Oakley Elementary School on Sept. 17 as part of the store’s new Teacher Rewards program. At a special staff meeting, assistant principal Toni Kelly randomly selected in a raffle 10 of the school’s teachers to receive $100 gift […]
