Putting years of combat and war behind them can be difficult for some veterans, but John Ferenz Sr., who turned 100 on Jan. 11, is different, in part because of his undying passion for music. It all began when he was 10 years old in New York City in the 1930s. A son of Czechoslovakian […]
SPENCER COLE
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Spy satellite launches from Vandenberg
A Delta IV rocket laden with a classified satellite from the National Reconnaissance Office successfully blasted into earth’s orbit on Jan. 12. The launch occurred just after 2 p.m. that day and was carried out by the U.S. Air Force and the United Launch Alliance (ULA)—a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and The Boeing Company—at […]
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Montecito area reeling and recovering from major winter storm
Much of the coast between Santa Barbara and Ventura remained crippled one week after a winter storm triggered major flooding and debris flows that destroyed more than 100 homes and damaged twice that number. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said on Jan. 14 that at least 20 people had died due to the storm. […]
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First responders scramble to respond to mudslides
The fires that scorched swaths of Santa Barbara County may have finally been extinguished or contained, but emergency responders are already reacting to what’s come next. Floods, debris flows, and rock falls, all are in play as heavy winter storms arrive over the next few years due to massive burnt areas from the Thomas and […]
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Santa Barbara County emergency responders rush to prepare for winter storms
The fires that scorched swaths of Santa Barbara County may have finally been extinguished or contained, but emergency responders are already reacting to what’s come next. Floods, debris flows, and rock falls, all are in play as heavy winter storms arrive over the next few years due to massive burnt areas from the Thomas and […]
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Spotlight on: Restaurant Week
Malei Weir, promoter
The start of 2018 marked the beginning of the annual California Restaurant Month, and the Santa Maria Valley is following suit by offering its own Restaurant Week. From Jan. 14 to Jan. 20, the region will host the seven-day event featuring deals at participating restaurants, breweries, and wineries. “The event dates were chosen to coincide […]
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Santa Maria man arrested for soliciting sex from minors
A Santa Maria man is being held on a $150,000 bail at the Santa Barbara County Jail for allegedly soliciting sex from minors. On Jan. 2, Santa Barbara County Sheriff deputies arrested Trevor Ferrel, 31, for arranging and eventually attempting to meet a minor to engage in sex acts, the office said in a statement. […]
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Santa Maria Police shoot and kill suicidal man
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident involving Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) officers shooting and killing an alleged suicidal man. On Jan. 7, just after 6 p.m., four SMPD officers fatally injured Alejandro Valdez, 27, of Santa Maria, outside his home at the 400 block of East Mill Street after he […]
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Spotlight on: 211 Santa Barbara County
Elisa Pardo, manager
On Dec. 16, a Santa Barbara man was stuck in his home while the Thomas Fire approached. His caregiver was unable to reach him and the record-setting blaze was threatening his neighborhood. So he called 211, an information and referral system that aims to connect citizens with health and human services. The hotline was answered […]
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Santa Barbara County law enforcement officials say their methods for battling sex and human trafficking are improving
View a video of Megan Rheinschild’s TedX talk. Santa Barbara County law enforcement, spearheaded by the District Attorney’s (DA) and Sheriff’s offices, ramped up their activity this past year to limit human trafficking in their jurisdictions, in part thanks to a $1 million-plus grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. “Human trafficking is the 21st […]
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News-Press fires employee for changing byline to anti-gay slur
A Central Coast newspaper came under fire to close out 2017 when it ran an article with a byline featuring an anti-gay slur. On Dec. 25, the Santa Barbara News-Press published a story by staff writer Paul Gonzalez about last-minute Christmas shopping in the city. The digital version of the story on the paper’s website […]
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Storm system could bring rain to Central Coast
A Pacific Ocean storm system laden with much-needed moisture could bring long overdue rain to parts of California’s coast and interior by the week of Jan. 8, according to state meteorologists and climatologists. “The [European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts] model is advertising a wet pattern next week, particularly across the burn areas of Santa […]