A Santa Maria High School (SMHS) assistant soccer coach was arrested on May 9 for allegedly annoying or molesting a minor and for allegedly contacting a minor to solicit lewd photographs, according to a press release from the Santa Maria Police Department. The suspect, 34-year-old Santa Maria resident Francisco Hernandez Sanabria, also coaches a local […]
BRENNA SWANSTON
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Guadalupe inspection ordinance raises concerns for rental tenants and landlords
The city of Guadalupe may face legal action for alleged violation of residents’ Fourth Amendment right to protection from unreasonable searches, according to attorney Stew Jenkins. Jenkins has teamed up with a group of 17 Guadalupe residents—both landlords and tenants—who claim the city’s rental inspection mandates could lead to warrantless searches of rental homes. He […]
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Laura’s Law pilot program gets another year of county funding
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 at its May 16 meeting to fund the county’s Laura’s Law pilot program for another year. Laura’s Law, or the Behavioral Wellness Department’s Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program, has operated for four months as a pilot program, aiming to provide extensive outreach and engagement to Santa […]
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Forest Service seeks to restore parts of La Brea Creek area
The public comment period for the proposed La Brea Restoration Project is winding down, slated to close on May 21. Until then, individuals and organizations may write in their comments on the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed project, which aims to restore damaged portions of the North Fork La Brea Creek area for recreational access. The […]
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Remembering Henry Grennan
Former Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees President Henry Grennan died on May 1, following a battle with cancer. He sat on the board for 12 years, in addition to more than 40 years’ experience working as a teacher and administrator for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District and Chapman University. Grennan, who served as a […]
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Hancock adds to College for Kids
Allan Hancock College will introduce five new classes to its College for Kids program this summer, according to a press release from the college. New courses will include “Science of Ice Cream,” in which students learn chemistry, physics, and agricultural science by making their own butter and ice cream; “Seed to Table Family Cooking,” which […]
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SMHS race team kicks off high-speed season
Santa Maria High School’s race team is gearing up for an interesting season, with Crew Chief Chris Salce preparing younger teammates to replace him when he graduates at the end of the school year. Salce, who began racing cars his freshman year of high school, moved into the leadership position after only one year on […]
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A new home: Syrian natives speak on war, religion, and starting fresh in Santa Maria
On a clear April morning in Santa Maria, Samir Fadel sat with his brother Tony and uncle Yaser Antoun Shleel in the back office of their family-owned liquor store on S. Blosser Road. The men were mostly working, clacking away at keyboards and calculators, but they took breaks now and then when people popped into […]
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Budget or bust: Lompoc faces major funding cuts, higher taxes
Lompoc’s Chamber of Commerce may lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in city funding for the next two years, if the dramatic cuts proposed in Lompoc’s draft 2017 to 2019 budget make their way into the final version. The draft budget, which city staff presented at the May 2 Lompoc City Council meeting, eliminates all […]
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Guadalupe residents fight warrantless rental inspections
A group of Guadalupe residents have partnered with attorney Stew Jenkins to challenge the city’s rental inspection program, which mandates annual warrantless inspections of all rented properties. Jenkins, who presented a 12-page letter to the Guadalupe City Council on May 2 protesting the rental inspection program, said 17 residents are working with him to contest […]
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Supervisors favor new groundwater agencies for Cuyama and Santa Maria
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to create two groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs)—one for the Cuyama Valley Groundwater Basin and another for the fringe areas of the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin—at its May 9 meeting, with 4th District Supervisor Peter Adam recusing himself from both votes. The Cuyama basin will partner with […]
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Grand jury investigation gives Santa Maria High School benefit of doubt
The Santa Barbara County grand jury found “strained relations” between teachers and administrators at Santa Maria High School (SMHS), according to a jury report released April 26. The report came following an investigation into state grant funds, communication conflicts, and concerns regarding school safety and anti-bullying procedures—most of which the jury found “to be the […]