Out of more than 360 chapters across California, Santa Maria High School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) was ranked No. 1 in the state for 2024. According to Santa Maria High School FFA Chapter President Kayce Van Horn, students involved in the high school’s FFA chapter build a variety of life and leadership skills through […]
Emma Montalbano
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Ticket to ride: Santa Maria’s regional bus service accelerates toward zero-emission fleet, additional Central Coast routes
Ride SMRT For more information, including a ride guide, route maps and schedules, fare information, and other rider tools, visit the Santa Maria Regional Transit website. Without a car of her own, lifetime Santa Maria resident Faith Collar relies on public transit nearly every day to get to and from Allan Hancock College. She’s been […]
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SEEAG expands its education and outreach efforts with new office in Orcutt
It takes about nine months for a lemon to go from a flower to a harvestable fruit. That’s one of Caitlin Paulus-Case’s favorite lessons to teach students, helping them put into perspective how much time and effort goes into the food they consume. “By the time that it reaches your fridge, just the amount of […]
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Modern couples ditch roses and traditional arrangements, opting for more unique blooms and designs
Find inspiration To take a look at the florists’ past designs for weddings, parties, and more, visit @frugal_and_foraged and @flowercarriage on Instagram. Roses are red. Violets are blue. Florists must keep up with the wedding trends too. Right now, that includes bolder designs that are unique and new, with more natural flower choices shining through. […]
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Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum returns cultural artifacts to Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Two baskets; a steatite stone model of a Chumash tomol, or plank canoe; and an early 1900s photograph of Santa Ynez Chumash ancestors. These four culturally significant items were recently returned to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians by the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum in compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and […]
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Santa Maria solidifies coordination efforts with counties, Caltrans to strengthen homelessness response in riverbed
Find support The Good Samaritan Shelter aims to offer emergency, transitional, and affordable housing as well as other support services for those in need across the Central Coast. To find out about the services, visit goodsamaritanshelter.org. The Santa Maria River runs through multiple jurisdictions, including those belonging to Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, […]
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Concussion Navigation Services offers early rehabilitation to patients for faster and more complete brain healing
In the past, health care practitioners advised patients with concussions to “rest and wait.” Now, research suggests this might not be the most effective approach after all. According to Stacey Ritter, a certified athletic trainer and founder of Concussion Navigation Services, patients recover faster and more fully by participating in physical, cognitive, balance, and visual […]
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Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center brings the classroom to nature for some local students
A little more than 70 students from Guadalupe go hiking somewhere in the local community every Wednesday. As part of its after-school program, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center takes up to 80 children from Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School and Mary Buren Elementary School on hikes each week. According to Joey Nichols, Dunes Center director of education, […]
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Family Counseling and Trauma Healing Center combines ketamine-assisted psychotherapy with EMDR to speed up recovery
Learn more To read more about eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, visit the EMDR international association’s website at emdria.org. For more information on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, head to ketamineresearchfoundation.org. Psychology Today’s website offers search function for local therapists—including EMDR and ketamine-assisted therapies—at psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/ca. Some patients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or other mental health […]
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Local school districts work to uphold students’ right to education amid concerns about ICE entering campuses
ICE information The local coalition, 805 Immigrants, operates a regional alert system to notify community members of confirmed ICE activity. Individuals can sign up by texting “alerta” or “alert” to (805) 870-8855. Federal laws entitle every child, regardless of immigration status, to a public elementary or secondary education, according to the United States Department of […]
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Allan Hancock College starts new program in Guadalupe for local students to earn college credits
Enrollment in Allan Hancock College’s new classes in Guadalupe more than doubled in just one week, as word quickly spread about the chance to earn college credit closer to home. The community college partnered with the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District to offer classes in Guadalupe, allowing local high school students the opportunity […]
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Encampment risks: Those living in the Santa Ynez Riverbed are at risk for human trafficking, something local officials want to tackle
See something, say something To learn more about efforts to combat trafficking and exploitation across the county, visit kingdomcauses.org/httaskforce. To report possible cases of human trafficking, contact 911 for emergencies or email humantrafficking@sbsheriff.org for nonemergencies. The struggle to survive in a Santa Ynez Riverbed encampment can be brutal. “In order to have a tent to […]