Tucked away in the back of Old Town Orcutt, in the middle of what was once pretty much nothing, rests Rooney’s Irish Pub. Rooney’s opened in the summer of 2010, mixing the Emerald Isle with Costal California. It’s no wonder they have grown to be one of the most widely recognized names in brewing and […]
MICHAEL McCONE
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Buellton’s bitter digital billboard debate takes over its city council race
Rarely since Moses and the burning bush has a sign been more influential to a people than the sign that appears will be the deciding factor in the upcoming Buellton City Council election. To a certain degree, that’s how influential the candidates are making it sound, anyway. At least five of the town’s eight City […]
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Visitors give Santa Maria revenue a bump
All the beans have been counted, and the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce and the Visitor and Convention Bureau say that transient occupancy tax collection is up 12.34 percent. That number means that during the 2013-2014 fiscal year, Santa Maria hotels collected $2.8 million in transient occupancy taxes from visitors passing through, according to a […]
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The price of growing: Santa Maria-Bonita says passing Measure T would help ease overcrowded classrooms
This may sound like a fairytale: There are no official arguments filed against a proposed bond that could cost local homeowners up to a collective $45 million. But it’s not a fairytale. It’s real politics. Matt Beecher, assistant superintendent of business services for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, wrote in an email to the Sun […]
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Santa Maria remembers 9-11
It wasn’t that cold, it wasn’t that early, but the attendance at the Sept. 11 commemoration ceremony held at the fire station on Cook Street in Santa Maria was dismal. The Santa Maria Fire Department invited the community of Santa Maria to gather city wide at any of the city’s five fire stations at 7:20 […]
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Santa Maria veterans speak out at a town hall meeting
“Veteran” is a word that tells many stories: of loss, duty, outrage, sacrifice, and heroism. It’s the only word that encompasses the simultaneous anger and gratitude many who attended a town hall meeting on Sept. 15 expressed. The Santa Maria Outpatient clinic opened its doors that day to veterans and their family members, other veteran […]
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Spotlight on: Heart & Sugar
Alexandra Thompson, owner
One night in Russia, a little girl fell asleep to the sound of the mixer in the kitchen, wondering what kind of cake her mother was making for her birthday. The excitement of that anticipation led Alexandra Thompson to carry with her a lifelong love of baking, which she now brings to the Central Coast […]
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Santa Maria business makes the top 500 for tax delinquencies
It’s been updated: The list of Top 500 Sales and Use Tax Delinquencies in California is out, and one former Santa Maria business has steadily crept up the list over the last few years. Despite closing in 2007, the Ashley Furniture Homestore, formerly at 1318 South Broadway, is listed as delinquent on its Sales and […]
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A Santa Maria fugitive was arrested in Texas
Half a continent away from Santa Maria, after skipping a Sept. 1 court date related to allegations of lewd acts with a minor, Clive Decomarmond was arrested in Texas on Sept. 5. After Decomarmond failed to show up for the start of his scheduled jury trial, a felony no-bail warrant was issued for his arrest. […]
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If you’ll permit me
Locals deal with the headaches of planning and development
Tony Vincent wants to provide a legacy for his family. He’s already built a house on the land he bought in the Los Olivos area. It took eight months. When he started the house, he also began a winery and tasting room. Two years have passed, and Vincent is still trying to wade his way […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
David Hull
What do a painter, a soccer coach, a Sunday school teacher, and a personal trainer have in common? They’re all the same guy. David Hull, 46, is all these things, plus an International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) competitor. Hull’s affiliation with the sport began when he started lifting weights in junior high school. Way back […]
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Spotlight on: Sharky’s
There’s a splash of sea green where the red and white of Kentucky Fried Chicken used to be on Main Street. That’s because Charlie “JR” Vest is setting out on a new voyage. Vest began his restaurateur career in 1966 when his father opened the family’s first Kentucky Fried Chicken. Forty-five years later, Vest is […]