To help ease the fiscal burden put on schools by severe budget cuts to education, KSBY and Century 21 Hometown Realty have started “One Class at a Time,” a grant program for K-12 classrooms in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Every two weeks, KSBY and Century 21 Hometown Realty will award a […]
AMY ASMAN
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Meet your mayor
Newly appointed Lompoc Mayor Mike Siminski is ready to lead the city through some trying times
Sitting in a Starbucks on North H Street, a steaming cup of coffee nestled between his fingers, Lompoc’s new mayor, Mike Siminski, was still in a bit of a daze. Within 15 minutes of sitting down, two fellow Lompocans came to congratulate the longtime city councilman on his new position. “I just wanted to […]
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The lost art of reading
Local educators say children are finding less enjoyment in books
It once seemed, for many people, that nothing could beat the leisurely pleasure of perusing the morning paper, or the magical enjoyment of snuggling under the covers in preparation of a favorite bedtime story. But now—as technology and culture continue to evolve at a dizzying pace—it seems people are more likely to reach for […]
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Get a GED to succeed
Beginning Sept. 1, Allan Hancock College is offering free General Education Development (GED) preparation classes to students who haven’t yet received their high school diplomas. GED classes help prepare students to take the GED exam and are self-paced, in a personalized learning environment. Counselors are available to help students develop an individual educational plan. […]
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Take a field trip to Los Flores Ranch Park
The city of Santa Maria is inviting local teachers and their students to explore Santa Maria’s newest outdoor classroom, Los Flores Ranch Park, this fall. The park offers views of the surrounding Central Coast hills, and the opportunity for students to learn about local wildlife and participate in a handful of recreational activities. Volunteer […]
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Slow for the cone zone
Some Santa Maria streets will be getting a sprucing up thanks to the city’s 2009 street overlay and reconstruction project, according to a press release from the city. CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria has been contracted by the city to overlay Cook Street with fresh asphalt from Pine Street to Railroad Avenue. The company […]
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Lompoc City Council appoints new mayor, council member
After weeks of somber discussion and an atypical public vetting process, the Lompoc City Council voted 3-1 (with council member Cecilia Martner dissenting) to appoint councilman Mike Siminski as mayor. The longtime council member will serve the remaining term of Mayor Dick DeWees, who died unexpectedly on July 30. Immediately after selecting Siminski […]
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It’s a bird, it’s a plane … no, it’s really a plane!
An airplane making its way to the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport missed its destination by approximately two miles and made an emergency landing on southbound Highway 101 the morning of Aug. 24. According to a press release from the California Highway Patrol, pilot Kris Sean Michael of Temecula lost control of his plane after […]
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In the red
A local nonprofit reacts to the Legislature’s slashes to HIV and AIDS funding
In 1989, Pacific Pride Foundation volunteer David Selberg was providing case management services to HIV and AIDS clients out of a hotel room on Broadway in Santa Maria. Fast-forward 20 years and hundreds of medical breakthroughs later. Selberg—who now serves as the organization’s executive director—said his co-workers and he might have to go back […]
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Lompoc City Council will interview mayoral candidates
The Lompoc City Council is expected to announce mayoral candidates—and possibly make a selection—at a special meeting on Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. The city began accepting applications in late July to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Mayor Dick DeWees. To be considered for appointment, the applicants are required to attend […]
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Cooking device started La Brea Fire, officials say
Authorities from the U.S. Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, and other agencies held a press conference on Aug. 18 to provide more information about the cause of the La Brea Fire. Investigators determined the fire was started by a cooking device used by a member of a Mexican drug organization, said Sheriff’s […]
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Pacific Christian School students score big on SAT
As the summer began to wind down, one local school received some encouraging news. Pacific Christian School recently reported that 87 percent of its students ranked above the national average on the 2009 Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). In a release to the media, school administrator Pastor Joe Hunt attributed the scores to a number […]
