Runners of all ages are invited to take part in McKenzie Junior High’s Invitational cross-country meet at the Jack O’Connell Park in Guadalupe on Sept. 19. Third through sixth graders will run a one-mile loop on park grass, seventh and eighth graders will run two miles, and all other entrants can run or walk […]
JEREMY THOMAS
Posted inNews
Phased out?
Use of a toxic strawberry pesticide continues as state lawmakers debate a replacement
Nearly five years after an international treaty banned the ozone-depleting fumigant methyl bromide from manufacture, the chemical is still being used as a pesticide on strawberries on the Central Coast. Stockpiles of the toxic gas are legal for growers to use on strawberries in the United States—the result of an “essential use” exemption from […]
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Vandenberg’s Joint Space Operations Center wins an award
The Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Aug. 26 received the Omaha Trophy in the global operations category for 2008, recognizing the facility’s operational flexibility and technical imagination. It marks the third year in a row the JSpOC was selected as a trophy recipient. One of the center’s major roles […]
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Farm organization endorses tax reform
Stressing the multiple benefits of maintaining family farms and ranches, a coalition of California farm organizations has endorsed tax-reform legislation that would exclude farm assets from the federal estate tax. The Family Farm Preservation Estate Tax Act, H.R. 3524, would exempt farm and ranch assets from estate taxes as long as the property remains […]
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State tax rates adjusted
The Franchise Tax Board released the 2009 state tax brackets, indexed each year by adjusting them to reflect changes in the California Consumer Price Index. Filing requirement thresholds, standard deduction, and certain credits were adjusted, along with income tax brackets, based on the deflation rate of -1.5 percent. The standard tax deduction will […]
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Share career info at Hancock
Local employers are invited to sign up for Allan Hancock College’s Career Exploration Day, taking place this year on Oct. 2. Businesses will be able to share information on careers and meet with more than 1,000 high school and college students to excite them about employment opportunities within local companies. Exhibit registration forms […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Juan Campos
Lompoc’s Juan Campos is proof that some things get better with age. The 49-year-old turned heads in the Aug. 8 debut of the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department’s Tri-the-Bull Triathlon, an event consisting of a quarter-mile swim at Pioneer Valley High School, a 10-mile bike ride, and a 3-mile run along Bull Canyon […]
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It’s not all academic
Orcutt Academy’s new athletic director leads an expansion of the charter school’s sports program
Heading into its second year of operation, Orcutt Academy is a small organization with big expectations. Along with adding four more fall sports, school administrators tapped Chad McKenzie to help propel the school’s sports program to new heights as its athletic director. “Everything’s fresh and exciting,” McKenzie said. “The athletes here are happy […]
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Warriors get wet
Righetti High School is celebrating its new swimming pool and P.E. facility with a grand opening at the school, 941 E. Foster Road in Santa Maria, at 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 9. For more information, call 937-2051, Ext. 2702. Sports Shorts is compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the […]
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Take me fishing
Boys and girls ages 6 to 12 years old can learn the basics of fishing for free at the third annual “Take Me Fishing” event on Sept. 20. Kids can also take part in a casting contest, fish printing activities, and a GPS treasure hunt, and learn about lake life. Fishing poles and tackle […]
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Punt, pass, and kick
Young football fans will have the opportunity to test their football skills against their peers at the NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition. The free event will be held Sept. 17 at Hagerman Sports Complex from 5 to 7 p.m. The competition is open to ages 8 to 15. Registration takes place on site […]
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Los Flores Ranch Park is open
The City of Santa Maria and the Department of Recreation and Parks announced the hours of operation for Los Flores Ranch Park. The park will be open Thursday for equestrians only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with last entry at 5 p.m. The park will be open to everyone Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays […]
