A decade after three fires scorched swaths of the Los Padres National Forest, plans are finally being laid to repair the damage. The forest and its nonprofit partner, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), announced on Jan. 10 it would accept proposals for a third round of funding available to the Los Padres through the […]
SPENCER COLE
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Santa Maria Police release few details on shooting death of 13-year-old
The Santa Maria Police Department declined to share additional details about a shooting on Feb. 3 that left a 13-year-old dead. Leonardo Navarro, 13, died of his wounds at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital two days later. On Feb. 5, the department said the investigation into the incident was ongoing. On Feb. 6, Sgt. Michael McGehee […]
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Lompoc correctional officers’ union rep opposes budget cuts
A spokesperson for the union representing federal correctional officers at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Institution added his voice to calls being made by similar union representatives across the country opposing proposed cuts to the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) 2018 budget. “This an issue,” Justin Bender of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3048 told […]
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Santa Maria Police arrest one, seek second separate robbery suspect
The Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) made one arrest related to burglaries at local businesses and issued a request for the public to assist in locating another suspect for a separate case of armed robbery. On Jan. 25, the department announced it had identified and arrested a suspect of several robberies that occurred one month […]
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Sheriff’s Office mum on which drug Maple High School students took on campus
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office released minimal details regarding an incident at Maple High School in Vandenberg Village on Jan. 26 that resulted in six students being transported to a nearby hospital after they took an unidentified controlled substance. On Jan. 27, the office announced the students were treated and released to their families and […]
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Santa Barbara County supervisors pass resolution opposing federal offshore oil leases
In a move that echoed past decisions, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution formally opposing new offshore oil leases in federal waters along the California coast on Jan. 30 at the board’s regular meeting. The vote split along party lines, with liberal Supervisors Joan Hartmann, Janet Wolf, and Das Williams voting […]
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Murky future: Santa Barbara County is at crossroads following Trump administration’s proposal to expand leases for offshore
Bright blue waves crash against the cliffs beneath Highway 101. Light dances off the water’s glittering surface with each successive surge. Surfers carve through the liquid azure field as the sun reaches its zenith. Down on the beach below, a family places the finishing touches on a sand castle. An older couple armed with binoculars […]
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Spotlight on: Skincare by Alanna celebrates four-year anniversary
Alanna Silva, owner
A little more than four years ago, Alanna Silva opened her own business. Fast forward to the present, and she is celebrating nearly a half decade of operation, with plans to stay in business for many years to come. “I made so many mistakes in the beginning,” she told the Sun, “but I think I’ve […]
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Lompoc Police say car thefts not a trend
If you visit the Lompoc Police Department’s website or use its smartphone app, you’ll notice five of the last six reports concern car theft. While the number may seem high for such a short span of time (10 days), Sgt. Kevin Martin told the Sun they were no cause for alarm. “As far as the […]
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County slowly lifts evacuation orders for Montecito
Santa Barbara County lifted evacuation orders for parts of Montecito on Jan. 23, primarily for the western side of the exclusion zone that emergency responders put in place in the days following the winter storm that brought rains and mudslides that battered the wealthy oceanside community. “We are fully prepared to take care of those […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Cream of the crop: Nite Creamery brings nitrogen-blasted sweets and nightlife to Santa Maria
When Nino Eng, 24, moved to Santa Maria from Long Beach to be closer to his now wife, one thing that caught him off guard was how limited his options were to grab a bite at night. “We’d always want to go somewhere but everything would be closed by 8 o’clock,” he told the Sun. […]
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Spotlight on: Tourism Grants
Jennifer Harrison, director Santa Maria Valley Visitor Bureau
For some local businesses, the new year is starting off on the right foot. On Jan. 8, nine nonprofits received a combined $22,000 from the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor and Convention Bureau, the first of two grant cycles for the calendar year. The grants were awarded to benefit local tourism, according […]