KRISTINA SEWELL

The investigation into Lompoc High School’s principal, Alfonso Garagarza, has been mysterious and kept tightly under wraps. While the reason for the investigation remains unclear, a recent development has taken place in the case. Two months after Garagarza was put on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, the Lompoc Unified School District education board announced […]

The debate over the constitutionality of Proposition 8—the 2008 California ballot initiative that bans gay marriage—has been ongoing and heated, with both sides volleying arguments and appeals back and forth. On Feb. 7, the issue inched a step closer to the U.S. Supreme Court when a federal appeals court ruled the ban unconstitutional because it […]

Santa Maria is a city that continues to expand—and quickly—to accommodate a growing population. For the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD), this means making room for more students. In 2004, taxpayers authorized the allocation of Measure C bonds to provide more facilities for students. In an effort to use the Measure C […]

On Feb. 21, Santa Maria Listos program officials planned to graduate their first class before the Santa Maria City Council at its evening meeting. Listos, which is the Spanish word for “ready,” is an emergency preparedness program that began in 2009. It’s designed to help people with limited English-speaking capabilities. Several city staffers and locals […]

On Feb. 6, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) issued a notice that signals its intent to sue the United States Army Corps of Engineers. According to the department, the Corps has failed to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act with the adoption of a new national policy that requires the removal […]

As it stands now, approximately 3,700 feet of the Bradley Canyon Extension Levee remains incomplete—but not for long. With help from the office of Congresswoman Lois Capps, the city of Santa Maria successfully advocated for levee repairs to protect approximately 20,000 properties from flooding. On Feb. 8, Capps announced that the U.S. Army Corps of […]

U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ (D-Santa Barbara) campaign committee recently accused Republican Congressional candidate Abel Maldonado of inflating his fundraising totals. According to a recent press release from Capps’ campaign committee, Maldonado loaned $250,000 to his political campaign on Oct.1, 2011, only to immediately withdraw the loan the following day. Capp’s campaign consultant Bill Carrick said […]

While the fallout from the state’s decision to disband community redevelopment agencies continues to rage and animosity between state and local governments persists, the city of Guadalupe found a ray of hope in the middle of this chaotic storm. On Jan. 24, the Guadalupe City Council approved two resolutions that will make the city the […]

Two years ago, on the night of Sept. 9, 2010, the city of San Bruno, Calif., looked like a battle zone. With a deafening roar and a geyser of flames that could be seen for miles, a natural gas line explosion decimated a residential neighborhood near Skyline Boulevard and Interstate 280 in San Bruno. The […]