JEREMY THOMAS
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The rural jurisdiction

Facing unique challenges, Santa Barbara County seeks to make inroads in fighting crime against farmers and ranchers
by JEREMY THOMAS

Navigating his dusty pickup truck along the winding highways and washboard byways in some of the county’s most remote backcountry, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputy John McCarthy certainly gets around. It’s all part of the job. As the only full-time deputy manning the department’s Rural Crime Unit, McCarthy is tasked with tackling the county’s breadth […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

It’s a blast

Water-powered jetpacks are as close as it gets to personal (and safe) human flight
by JEREMY THOMAS

Like most comic book-obsessed kids, I always wondered what it would be like to be Superman. The thought of lifting off the ground and soaring, experiencing the pure freedom of flight, was—and still is—the stuff of many a daydream. At Jetlev Southwest in Newport Beach, which offers training sessions in water-propelled jetpacks, I came about […]

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Panel recommends upgrades to Vandenberg’s missile defense

by JEREMY THOMAS

A study released by the National Research Council on Sept. 11 cautioned that the nation’s missile defense system, which includes ground-based interceptors at Vandenberg Air Force Base, is flawed and in need of improvements. According to researchers, the current Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system—comprised of four interceptor missiles in silos at Vandenberg and 26 in […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Flag man

A Nipomo entrepreneur turns an oft-overlooked aspect of auto racing into a business enterprise
by JEREMY THOMAS

Unless you happen to be the lead driver heading down the home stretch of an auto race, you probably don’t think much about the checkered flags the flagmen wave to signal a victory. But if you’ve ever seen the exhilarating finish of any NASCAR or international racing event, you’ve probably seen one of Tony Otto’s […]

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SBCAN welcomes a new director

by JEREMY THOMAS

The Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN), a nonprofit organization advocating for social and economic justice, has named Ken Hough as its new executive director. Hough, a board member of SBCAN for two months, replaces Joyce Howerton, who retired after almost three years on staff with the organization. Hough previously worked for the Santa Barbara […]

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CHP: Driver killed in Maldonado crash was under the influence of meth

by JEREMY THOMAS

A driver killed in a July collision involving the wife of congressional candidate Abel Maldonado was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the crash, according to the California Highway Patrol. CHP spokesman Chuck Jones said toxicology reports on 32-year-old Joseph Scott Scheurn revealed “above a reportable amount” of the drug in Scheurn’s […]

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Field study

With help from local farm workers, UC Riverside researchers develop a clearer picture of pesticide exposure
by JEREMY THOMAS

A team of scientists at the University of California in Riverside is hard at work analyzing samples collected from farm workers and strawberries in Santa Maria to better answer two important questions: How much pesticide are workers exposed to during the typical workday, and how is the chemical residue processed by the body? For three […]

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A BevMo! store is coming to Santa Maria

by JEREMY THOMAS

Concord-based beverage superstore BevMo! is planning to open its first location in Santa Maria, according to documents filed with the city. On Sept. 4, the Santa Maria City Council was set to decide on whether to approve two liquor licenses for the proposed 10,000-square-foot BevMo! store at 1309 S. Bradley Road, in the Costco shopping […]

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Muscled out

Financially troubled Santa Maria gym evicted after landlord says owners failed to pay months worth of rent
by JEREMY THOMAS

A small crowd gathered at the locked doors of the Santa Maria Athletic Club on the morning of Aug. 23. Several gym members—decked out in fitness gear and ready for their daily workouts—shrugged their shoulders; others shook their heads. “I’ve still got about $50 worth of stuff left in my locker,” one man explained. “How […]

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