View a slideshow from 2016’s Festival. The Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival is a celebration of one of this area’s most abundant fruits, but have you ever wondered how the strawberries we eat at the event or buy from some local stands turn out to be so sweet and perfect? There is a process, and […]
DAVID MINSKY
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Standoff with Oakland homicide suspect in Santa Maria on June 10
On June 10, a suspect wanted in connection with an Oakland homicide shot himself following an hours-long standoff with police at a Santa Maria gas station, according to Kelly Hoover, the public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, whose name is not being released at this time, was wanted for […]
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Biodynamic wineries in Santa Barbara County go beyond organic
What is biodynamic agriculture? The term “beyond organic” seems to get thrown around in certain circles, but what does that mean? According to Elizabeth Candelario with Demeter USA, it’s essentially a very comprehensive form of organic farming. “Biodynamic looks at a farm as if it was a living organism—self-contained and self-sustaining,” Candelario said. “It’s the […]
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Sheriff’s Office arrests 38 in years-long Santa Maria Valley gun and drugs investigation
Police arrested 49-year-old Jose Munoz in Santa Maria on May 26 on an outstanding warrant for selling methamphetamine, capping a years-long investigation by county and federal officials into the sales of guns and drugs in the Santa Maria Valley, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. Munoz was one of 38, most of whom […]
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Spotlight on: One Way Board Shop
Dan and Dave Pankratz
When Dan Pankratz and his brother, Dave, started One Way Board Shop more than 15 years ago, all they had was less than $500 in cash. Now the brothers have a one-stop shop for all things skateboarding as well as an indoor skate park for area youth to learn the tricks of the sport. What […]
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Opportunity flows: The years-long drought is bad news for many, but some Central Coast entrepreneurs are seeing green
For all intents and purposes, you can forget about that El Niño now. It was the largest El Niño ever recorded. But what was thought to be a “Godzilla” weather phenomenon actually turned out to be pretty much a dud in many ways for California, according to Bill Patzert, a climatologist at the NASA Jet […]
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Spotlight on: Community Action Commission
Matthew Regan, spokesman
The Community Action Commission (CAC) of Santa Barbara County will be hosting a Champions Dinner on June 2 at Solvang’s Hotel Corque that will honor Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) and local philanthropists Jackie and Fidenzio Brunello. The Goleta-based nonprofit offers 22 services to low-income families throughout the county, most notably its Head Start and […]
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Santa Maria Valley groundwater decreases, nitrates increase, according to Twitchell Management Authority
Not that you couldn’t have already guessed, but a new report issued by the Twitchell Management Authority on May 24 shows that the drought caused a slight dip in groundwater in the Santa Maria Valley Management Area in 2015. Production of the report is a stipulation of a 1997 lawsuit against Santa Maria by the […]
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Santa Barbara supervisors move forward with North County Jail despite a nearly $15 million shortfall
Construction for the North County Jail might actually end up happening after the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the project during a special meeting on May 23, despite bids exceeding the estimated cost by at least $14.75 million. It’s the latest and most significant step taken to build the jail […]
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Spotlight on: Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce
Glenn Morris, president
When taking a drive through Northern Santa Barbara County, one thing becomes clear: This place is freakin’ beautiful. From mountains, hiking trails, and wineries, to ocean scenery just a short distance away, North County has a little bit of everything. Heck, we even have tri-tip. Santa Maria may not attract as many tourists as its […]
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Can’t-abis: Santa Maria issues injunction against a ‘dispensary’ operating in the city
On May 17, an injunction was filed in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court Cook Division against David Melena, a food truck owner and a medical marijuana events promoter who Santa Maria city officials believe was operating a dispensary within city limits. Last month, on April 17, Melena sponsored the Central Coast Cup, essentially a […]
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Voter registration surges in the 24th District
Voter registration for California’s 24th Congressional District rose by 11 percent since Jan. 1, according to a report issued May 17 by Political Data Inc., a Los Angeles-based firm that keeps track of such statistics. The report compared voter registration between Jan. 1 and May 1 from the 2012 and 2016 voting cycles. Democratic Party […]
