Big changes are coming, or already have come, to Santa Maria’s Grogan, Armstrong, and Buena Vista parks. Each park is somewhere in the renovation process as the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department works to achieve its longtime goal to replace or improve at least one park each year. The playground at Grogan Park, which […]
Kasey Bubnash
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Chumash Education Department recognized by Commission for Women
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Education Department was honored with a service award from the Santa Barbara County Commission for Women during a supervisors meeting on Nov. 7. The Commission for Women works to recognize organizations that help shape Santa Barbara County, particularly those that advocate for women in need, according to a […]
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Allan Hancock College faculty and staff donate Thanksgiving food to single-parent students
Turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie—about 75 single parents who attend Allan Hancock College received everything necessary for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 21 at the ninth annual Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) Turkey Event. The food was paid for through monetary donations given by college faculty and staff, according to Hancock spokesperson Jessica […]
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Allan Hancock College joins the Santa Maria Public Library and Discovery Museum to provide free makerspace projects
Creativity is not bound by age, race, or socio-economic background at Allan Hancock College, the Santa Maria Public Library, and the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, where free events called “makerspaces” give all locals the opportunity to learn new skills through making. From simple arts and crafts projects to computer coding and 3-D printing, makerspace […]
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Lompoc begins construction on sidewalk and crosswalk improvement projects
A $160,000 grant that was recently awarded to the city of Lompoc will be used to make walking to school safer for local students. Construction on Lompoc’s Sidewalk Infill Project, which includes adding sidewalks and improving crosswalks near schools, started on Nov. 27. The project is expected to last a little more than a month, […]
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Convicted felon arrested for possession of meth pipe and rifles
A Santa Maria man was arrested by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 23 after deputies allegedly found a methamphetamine pipe and assault rifles in his car. Barry Pardo, 52, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an assault weapon, high capacity magazines, and drug paraphernalia after deputies stopped him for speeding and […]
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Solvang Elementary School District fills twice-vacated seat on board of trustees
The Solvang Elementary School District appointed a local health care provider and U.S. Army veteran to its board of trustees at a board meeting on Nov. 14, a seat that has been vacated mid-term twice this year. Benjamin Olmedo, a physician assistant for the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic, lieutenant with the U.S. Public Health […]
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Solvang Elementary students present science and technology research
Some of Solvang’s budding scientists had the opportunity to present research projects involving science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to their classmates and community members at Solvang Elementary School on Nov. 15. Solvang Elementary fourth and fifth graders, also known as the All Are Scholars Academy, have been researching STEM related topics all year through […]
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Santa Barbara County law enforcement agencies change emergency response protocol to battle opioid overdose deaths
Opioid overdoses caused more than 33,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2015 alone, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC estimates that opioids—ranging from heroin to prescription painkillers—cause nearly 91 overdose deaths in the country each day. The CDC’s website labels the misuse of opioids as a […]
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Guadalupe teacher placed on administrative leave after allegations of lewd conduct surface
A teacher with the Guadalupe Union School District was recently placed on administrative leave after he was arrested on suspicion of engaging in lewd conduct in San Luis Obispo. James Ungricht, a math teacher at Kermit McKenzie Junior High School, was arrested after Cal Poly San Luis Obispo police investigated reports of the suspect committing […]
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Etta Waterfield announces bid for re-election
Santa Maria City Councilmember Etta Waterfield announced her bid for re-election on Nov. 20 in front of the Santa Maria Public Library, where a group of roughly 40 supporters and colleagues gathered to hear the councilmember speak. “The desire to make a difference still burns within my soul,” Waterfield told the crowd, which included Mayor […]
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Santa Maria’s 4-H SNAC clubs provide nutritional education to low-income families
It can be especially difficult for low-income families to find healthy foods and to make time for beneficial physical activity. In a 2016 health assessment of Santa Barbara County, 28 percent of surveyed adults said they were obese, and 24 percent rated their health as being fair to very poor. The 4-H Student Nutrition Advisory […]