JEREMY THOMAS
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Dirty laundry

Will more DUI cases involving a criticized and scrutinized Santa Barbara police officer come to North County?
by JEREMY THOMAS

On the surface, it seemed like a run-of-the-mill DUI case, just one of many heard in the Santa Maria courthouse on any given day. Except The People vs. Parker James O’Sullivan was different, not so much for the defendant involved, but because of the key witness for the prosecution, a Santa Barbara police officer named […]

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Taelor Griego

by JEREMY THOMAS

Righetti High’s Taelor Griego is a real double threat—something readily apparent to anyone who saw his key plays on both sides of the ball during the Warriors’ CIF run. Stepping in at running back in the Warriors’ first round playoff game against Downey (a 31-24 win at home on Nov. 18), Griego scored a key […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

High water mark

Santa Maria Swim Club’s Josh Prenot sets his sights on an Olympic spot
by JEREMY THOMAS

As one of the top swimming organizations in the country, the Santa Maria Swim Club has produced many a scholarship athlete over the years; none, however, have reached such lofty heights as 18-year-old Josh Prenot. Capping off a career full of accolades and world travels, Prenot will be training 30 hours a week for the […]

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Spotlight on: The Library Shop

by JEREMY THOMAS

With the holiday season in full swing, shoppers looking for a more literary approach to their gift giving can find it at the Library Shop inside the Santa Maria Public Library. While new and used books are the shop’s centerpieces, they’re not the only inventory available for purchase. The well-organized shelves also display unique items […]

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Emphasizing treatment over jail time, Veterans Court launches in Santa Maria

by JEREMY THOMAS

On Nov. 23, a new court calendar debuted for the justice system in Northern Santa Barbara County—one geared toward offering treatment for veterans suffering from mental and drug addiction issues as an alternative to incarceration. The previous afternoon, at an inaugural ceremony at Veterans Memorial Cultural Center, Santa Maria Superior Court Judge Rogelio Flores joined […]

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Spotlight on: Cold Spring Tavern

by JEREMY THOMAS

Tucked away on a winding, sycamore-forested stretch of road off Highway 154, the Cold Spring Tavern looks like it somehow transported to this century straight from the sepia-colored photographs of another time. Established in 1886 and originally known as the Cold Spring Relay Station, the ivy-covered log cabin once thrived as a stagecoach stop for […]

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Santa Maria City Council passes ordinance aimed at barring placement of a convicted sex offender

by JEREMY THOMAS

In an effort to block the relocation of a sexually violent predator to Santa Maria, City Council members passed an emergency ordinance on Nov. 15 that bars convicted sex offenders from living within a 2,000-foot radius of schools. Placer County Superior Court Judge James Garbolino has recommended Tibor Karsai, a 58-year-old convicted rapist and registered […]

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The Great Turkey Hunt

Join Sun staffers–one meat-loving photographer and one vegetarian writer–on a pre-Thanksgiving search for food on the run
by JEREMY THOMAS

Dawn peeks its way through the thick fog, illuminating the oak tree-laden hills bordering the Santa Ynez River and the communities of deer, wild boar, and quail that call it home. Ducked low behind sage and underbrush, I watch quietly as Marco Valdivia, my guide on this hunting foray, motions me to stay put and […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Down from the mountain

A Los Alamos cycling coach looks to field interest in competitive mountain biking at local high schools
by JEREMY THOMAS

Though he’s made his name as a road racing coach, Los Alamos’ David Tonello now wants to give North County high school teens, boys and girls alike, the opportunity to race mountain bikes. Tonello is busy forming a composite Northern Santa Barbara County High School Cycling League for cross-country mountain biking enthusiasts, with a goal […]

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Water wars

Solvang residents balk at new water rates they claim unfairly favor commercial businesses
by JEREMY THOMAS

Beginning with their Dec. 1 bills, many Solvang residents will be paying more for their water, and some contend the city’s new rate schedule creates an unfair disparity between homeowners and commercial businesses. The Solvang City Council unanimously decided on Oct. 10 to enact the rate increases, reporting that those with the smallest water meters […]

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Santa Barbara County drills for oil tax

by JEREMY THOMAS

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is contemplating adding an initiative to the 2012 ballot to tax crude-oil production, which officials say could generate more than $3 million in annual revenue for county coffers. With a 3-2 vote on Nov. 8, county supervisors approved moving forward with the proposed severance tax. The wording of […]

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