A change in lifestyle can be triggered by the smallest events. For Elaine Bumanglag, it was a tick bite. She told the Sun she got into candle and soap making as a way to pass the time while dealing with Lyme disease. “I was misdiagnosed for over 10 years,” she said. “But after they finally […]
SPENCER COLE
Posted inNews
EPA to host public meeting on Casmalia Superfund site
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a public meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6, to take public input on a proposed plan to treat ground and surface water, along with contaminated soil at the Casmalia Resources Superfund Site. Agency officials will present the plan at Orcutt Academy Charter School at 3491 Point Sal […]
Posted inNews
Lawsuit alleges Santa Barbara County and Marian Medical Center wrongfully detained woman
A San Luis Obispo County couple’s lawsuit against Santa Barbara County, Marian Medical Center, and a Ventura hospital hit a roadblock earlier this year after Judge Timothy Staffel ruled in favor of the hospital and county. Cynthia and Gary Hayes, through their attorney, Jude Egan, claimed the medical centers and county exposed Cynthia to excessive […]
Posted inNews
Former 4th District Supervisor Joni L. Gray passes away
Several current Santa Barbara County supervisors expressed their grief over the weekend following the sudden passing of former Fourth District Supervisor Joni Gray. Gray reportedly collapsed in court on Nov. 19. She was then transported to Marian Regional Medical Center where she died three days later. She was 75. “I was shocked to hear of […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: Marian Regional Medical Center
Mark Allen, chief operating officer
Marian Regional Medical Center recently added two new state-of-the-art devices to its heart program’s resources. On Nov. 14, the hospital announced Marian’s Sue J. Sword Heart Center will now offer a new type of heart device—one they described as “the world’s smallest pacemaker,” for patients with slow or irregular heart rhythm, otherwise known as bradycardia. […]
Posted inNews
Lawsuit targeting county Housing Authority says excessive home inspections violate Fourth Amendment
In a cramped 323-square-foot apartment off G Street in Lompoc lives the architect of a lawsuit who says her case contesting governmental warrantless home inspections is but one of thousands. Marsha Waldau, gray haired and bespectacled, peers up from the stack of case files and documents obscuring the wood surface of her kitchen table from […]
Posted inNews
Santa Barbara Supervisor Janet Wolf won’t seek re-election
After more than a decade of continuity, the seat for Santa Barbara County’s 2nd District supervisor is now a question mark. Supervisor Janet Wolf announced on Nov. 16 that she would not seek re-election next year, citing a desire to spend more time with family. Her move to step down could change the political balance […]
Posted inNews
Tourist killed crossing street in Lompoc
A Hungarian tourist was killed on Nov. 17 in Lompoc after she was struck by a car while crossing North H Street. According to the Lompoc Police Department (LPD), the pedestrian was struck in the middle of the roadway. The tourist’s injuries were so severe she was flown to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The driver […]
Posted inNews
Murder suspect killed by Lompoc officers in shootout
Gunfire shattered a quiet Sunday morning in Lompoc on Nov. 19. In just under an hour, two men were dead, one from an officer-involved shooting. According to Sgt. Kevin Martin with the Lompoc Police Department (LPD), a city patrol unit responded to reports of a homicide victim in the Santa Ynez riverbed at just after […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: Santa Barbara County Food Bank
Paul Wilkins, director of operations
The holiday season is in full swing, and the Santa Barbara County Food Bank will be accepting turkey donations for its entire duration. However, this year’s annual drive for Thanksgiving dinner’s most popular centerpiece has thus far fallen short of expectations, by a couple thousand turkeys. “We have just under 10 percent of what we […]
Posted inNews
Veterans find life after service at Space X
Since its founding in 2002, SpaceX has sought to “revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.” In the meantime, the company aims to provide a work environment friendly to all backgrounds. And one group the company’s officials take great pride in including in their vision is military […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc Police tell residents to call to report crimes
The Lompoc Police Department (LPD) sent out a gentle reminder to its citizens on Nov. 8—if you see suspicious activity, call 911. Or, at the very least, call the department’s main office line at 736-2341. LPD Police Sgt. Kevin Martin told the Sun the effort was a response to several instances of suspicious or potentially […]