On Wednesday, April 6, an unfinished house in Nipomo burned down in a late-night fire. It wasn’t just any house—it was one of the seven three-bedroom homes that, upon completion, would make up a development called Mads Place. Mads Place was set to host up to 112 people—that’s 16 per house—under H-2A, a federal program […]
BRENNA SWANSTON
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Capps endorses Central Coast marine sanctuary proposal
U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) announced her support for the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary on Monday, May 2, at a press conference in Pismo Beach. The Northern Chumash Tribal Council is spearheading the movement, which aims to designate Central Coast waters as a National Marine Sanctuary. The designation would impose […]
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Pipeline Safety Act moves forward
The House Energy and Commerce Committee gave U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ (D-Santa Barbara) Pipeline Safety Act a stamp of approval last week. The bill seeks to strengthen safety regulations on oil and gas pipelines throughout the United States. Capps’ Press Secretary C.J. Young told the Sun that the bill vies to apply lessons learned from […]
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California Department of Fish and Wildlife evaluates response to Refugio oil spill
As the first anniversary of the Refugio Beach oil spill draws near, the state released a report on Tuesday, May 3, evaluating its response to the spill. Overall, the report commended the cooperation between government entities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and criticized preventative planning and education efforts. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office […]
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Chumash elect Kenneth Kahn new tribal chairman
Tribe members from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians have elected Kenneth Kahn as their new tribal chairman, following Vincent Armenta’s mid-term resignation from the position. Kahn, 39, was nominated for chairman at the tribe’s April 12 general meeting and later voted into the position via absentee ballots. “I’m honored by the tribe’s vote […]
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Nipomo farmworker housing plan canceled following fire
The Mads Place development in Nipomo will no longer go forward as temporary farmworker housing under the federal H-2A program following a fire that destroyed one of the development’s structures last week. Greg and Donna France, owners of Mar Vista Berry Farms, were purchasing a development of seven three-bedroom homes with the controversial intent to […]
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Target practice: How unmanaged recreational shooting affects health and safety in Los Padres National Forest
View a slideshow of target shooting in Los Padres National Forest. Jared Herrera unzipped a gun case and lifted his Saiga semi-automatic from it, smiling. “This is my baby.” He and his buddy Mario Martinez pressed protective plugs into their ears and crouched behind their rifles, aiming toward a hanging metal target on the nearby […]
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Festival to host free strawberry tastings
Fun fact: Not all strawberries are the same. Strawberry plants actually comprise 103 distinct species and subspecies, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. There’s a lot more to that little red berry than meets the eye, and at the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival, attendees will have the chance to taste the difference […]
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Santa Barbara County Fire Department stocking up on ballistic vests
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) will purchase ballistic vests and helmets to distribute among engines and ambulances throughout the county, according to Fire Capt. David Zaniboni. “It’s just another piece of equipment we’re adding to our tool chest,” Zaniboni said. “In the country and the world, and even here in Santa Barbara, there’s […]
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Santa Barbara County to provide eco-friendly disposal of large plastics
Santa Barbara County is giving growers a sustainable way to chuck their pesticide empties: a free, on-the-spot recycling event for agricultural plastic containers. The county has only held the event once before, more than six years ago, and it didn’t see much of a turnout, according to Deputy Agricultural Commissioner Lottie Martin. But she said […]
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USDA ups standards for organic livestock, poultry
Prefer your Santa Maria-style barbecue with certified organic beef? Well, new rules from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) might make that a little more difficult. The USDA announced on April 7 that it is proposing additional rules to its organic livestock and poultry requirements in an attempt to improve consistency among growers who […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Desserts for every mood: Your ideal sugary fix, however you feel
There’s more than one side to every sweet tooth. Think about the different desserts your many moods require: Maybe it’s an 85-degree Wednesday and you feel like this week’s never going to end, so screw it—what sugary treat do you crave? Or perhaps your significant other just dumped you and you feel like caving in […]