On Nov. 1, just as it had played out in a previous hearing, the board voted 4-1, with 3rd District Supervisor Doreen Farr again opposing, to approve an all-out ban on new medical marijuana storefronts in unincorporated territory. But the latest development came without the contention of previous hearings on the issue, during which a […]
MATT FOUNTAIN
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Police investigate Santa Maria street clashes
Police are still investigating what may have led to two large brawls, which happened separately in mid-October, sending one man to the hospital with a stab wound. Investigators are searching for another man who fired shots in a Santa Maria neighborhood. While officials suspect both incidents may have been gang-related, nobody—including the victim—is talking, said […]
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Vandenberg launches its last rocket of the season
Vandenberg Air Force Base’s launch of a Delta-2 rocket during the early morning hours of Oct. 28 was a bittersweet moment for those on the ground who have followed the trustworthy program over the years. Disappointment that it could be the reliable-yet-older rocket program’s last contracted launch was mixed with optimism about the brand-new Earth-observing […]
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Task force concludes there’s no oil on the Montebello
After 11 days of testing, the multi-agency task force assembled to assess the threat posed by the sunken S.S. Montebello has concluded there are no visible signs of oil in the ship’s hull. “Our No. 1 objective for this mission was to determine what threat, if any, the Montebello poses to the waters and shorelines […]
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Risky business
A task force takes on the Montebello threat
When you’re dealing with anything beneath 900 feet of water, nothing is simple. That goes double when that something is a 90-year old crumbling shipwreck, potentially holding millions of gallons of crude oil next to a marine sanctuary. When the Sun last checked in on the ongoing saga of the S.S. Montebello—the World War II-era […]
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Santa Maria police officer hired as new Atascadero police chief
The troubled Atascadero Police Department has found its new chief after it made it through nearly a year without a permanent leader. City Manager Wade McKinney announced on Oct. 18 the appointment of Jerel Haley, a long-serving lieutenant with the Santa Maria Police Department. According to McKinney, Haley was selected following an extensive national recruitment […]
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Vandenberg announces Delta II rocket launch delay
The launch of a Delta II rocket has been pushed back to address some technical problems, NASA officials announced earlier this month. The rocket—which will propel an Earth Observing System satellite into orbit—has been rescheduled for Oct. 27 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. A hydraulic system leak was detected during systems testing, according to a […]
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Air of contention
State Parks reacts to air regulators’ intention to impose fines for dunes dust
People on the sidelines of the fight to reduce airborne dust around the Oceano Dunes have fallen into one of two groups: those who think regulators are overstepping their bounds, and those who think they aren’t doing enough. Seldom has this divide been more obvious than on Sept. 28, when the San Luis Obispo County […]
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Hundreds check out new Quality Life Services Building
Capping off nearly four years of planning and construction, VTC Enterprises proudly unveiled its new Quality Life Services Building in Santa Maria on Sept. 29. Approximately 250 people gathered to see the new facility, a brightly colored, 18,300 square-foot building, which is expected to house programs for occupational training, work experience, and other services to […]
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A federal grant will help complete the airport extension project
The second and final phase of the Santa Maria Public Airport runway extension project will soon be underway thanks to a major federal grant. On Sept. 22, Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) announced she secured a nearly $7.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program to complete the airport’s extension project. The […]
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SLO shooting victim taught in Lompoc
An Arroyo Grande woman is dead, and the alleged perpetrator—her adult son—was arrested after a brief standoff with police in San Luis Obispo on Sept. 17. Karen Shumey, 65, was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound in downtown San Luis Obispo. Shumey was a longtime eighth grade history teacher at Vandenberg Middle School. At […]
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No Amgen Tour for Lompoc–this year
Lompoc city officials won’t pursue playing host to a segment of the Amgen Tour of California for 2012 after all, following a lack of support by the majority on the City Council. But the issue of bringing the internationally renowned bicycle tour to the city will likely come up again very soon. On Sept. 6, […]
