Disability Rights California (DRC) found evidence that Santa Barbara County Jail practices violate the rights of prisoners with disabilities, according to the agency’s report on the April 2015 inspection of the jail. The report listed the jail’s main violations as: undue and excessive isolation and solitary confinement, inadequate mental health care, and denial of rights […]
BRENNA SWANSTON
Posted inFood & Drink
How joining a wine club changed my life: Buellton-based Club W makes waves online
Last year, I graduated from college the world’s youngest wino. It was a little sad, really: I was supposed to be this bright-eyed, pretentious recent college graduate, tackling the hectic world of overpriced cappuccinos and overrated bachelor’s degrees. But that simply wasn’t the case. Instead, I wasted my first postgraduate summer lazing through a lame […]
Posted inNews
Thief steals rabbits, rooster from Santa Maria Animal Center
Animal Services Community Outreach Coordinator Stacy Silva said the center’s staff discovered open, empty cages in the rabbit resort Saturday morning, and they ruled out an escape or animal attack. “If an animal were to attack, they wouldn’t have opened the cages,” Silva said. “A lot of the cages were up high, and rabbits can’t […]
Posted inNews
Trial date set for suspects charged in Lompoc stabbing
A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge set a May 24 trial start date for the three Lompoc men charged with murder with a gang enhancement in connection with a stabbing last June. Jesse Lara, 29, was stabbed to death on June 6, 2015, according to police. Damien Simpson, Dequan Matthews, and Edward Carter Jr. […]
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Santa Barbara County Animal Services considering recommendation to restructure management
In the meeting, county public health department Director Takashi Wada and Deputy Director Susan Klein-Rothschild met with the board to discuss last year’s set of 464 recommendations by the American Humane Association for the county’s Animal Services. Recommendations included a new, more financially efficient form of management. “That was the first recommendation in their summary,” […]
Posted inNews
Neonics, ag’s fallen hero: Neonicotinoid insecticides once saved the day, but now they’re under fire for potential adverse effects
Neonicotinoids have two stories to tell. In the first, they’re the good guys. While acres of citrus trees across the nation are withering and dying from an incurable insect-carried disease, neonic insecticides are growers’ best shot at containing the damage. In the second story, they’re villains. U.S. honeybees have exhibited declining health in recent years, […]
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Jimenez Elementary language program going strong
Miles Restrepo was intensely focused on coloring a picture, so when I interrupted him with a question about how he likes his kindergarten class, he wasn’t exactly thrilled. “I love it so much,” he said. “The end.” He returned to his coloring for a moment until I tacked on another question: Why does he love […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Maria Valley
Jeremy Deming, executive director
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Maria Valley turns 50 years old this month, just in time for a birthday present from Ross Stores Inc. Ross has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for the month of February, giving Santa Maria’s Ross customers the opportunity to donate to their local Boys […]
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Santa Maria-Bonita School District to purchase dozens of portable classrooms
Santa Maria-Bonita School District will acquire 26 portable buildings to accommodate the growing student population, following a unanimous vote from the district’s board of trustees last week. The district will place the buildings on 11 of its 20 campuses starting next school year, according to Public Information Officer Maggie White. About half of the portables […]
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Camp 4 talks heat up over taxes, gaming plans
Monthly discussions between the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the County of Santa Barbara Ad Hoc Subcommittee continued Thursday, Feb. 11, carrying on the groups’ attempt to agree on terms for Camp 4, a portion of land the tribe intends to submit into federal trust. Points of contention in last week’s meeting included […]
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Dry spell doesn’t mean the end for El Nino
Local temperatures approached record highs in early February, raising suspicion that this year’s “Godzilla” El Niño may have more bark than bite on the Central Coast. Last month, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory climatologist Bill Patzert told the Sun that February alone could see a year’s worth of rainfall. Feb. 1 pulled through, dropping more than […]
Posted inNews
County supervisors commit to healthy initiatives
Santa Barbara County supervisors have adopted a Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) resolution, making Santa Barbara the second California county to officially support initiatives to improve residents’ health via HEAL. Susan Klein-Rothschild, public information officer for the county health department, said the HEAL campaign commits to providing county residents with healthy options, everywhere from vending […]