The Santa Maria Planning Commission is recommending the City Council approve a land-use alternative during its Nov. 7 meeting that would include annexing 1,000 acres of agricultural land to be used for development in the city’s general plan, said Ken Hough, executive director for the Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN). The city’s general plan […]
Taylor O'Connor
Posted inNews
Mitch Torina shares his priorities and goals as interim principal for Santa Ynez Valley Union High School
Five years after retiring from the Santa Barbara Unified School District, Mitch Torina got a call from the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District asking for a few extra hands on campus, he recalled. During the turmoil the school district faced last spring semester, the district superintendent reached out to local administrators for administrative […]
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Waiting for change
Santa Ynez Valley High School still hasn’t found a new principal since controversies caused its last to resign
Charley Hrehor has had three principals in her four years at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. “I can hardly believe it either,” the high school senior said about the changing leadership. “I don’t know the exact reasons why our former principals have chosen not to come back, but from what I’ve witnessed, it would […]
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Conservative group requests book bans in Santa Maria-Bonita School District
Calls to support banning and censoring books in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District were sent out to local residents for a second time in the past month, prompting community members to plan to stand against book bans at the Oct. 25 school board meeting. We the People of The Santa Maria Valley—a conservative group affiliated […]
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Lack of referrals cause local veterans health care provider to close
After operating as the only substance use treatment facility exclusively for veterans on the Central Coast since 2019, Legacy Village shut its doors on Oct. 17. “It’s terrible that we’ve had to close the doors, but the worst part about it is the veterans that are out there still struggling. When they finally say, ‘I […]
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Orcutt salon and spa celebrates 20 years in the community
Sheila Gibilisco grew up in the San Fernando Valley and was a massage therapist for the movie industry. She would work on movie sets to help the actors and crew members rejuvenate and recover after long days of filming. When her son was in first grade, Gibilisco and her family moved up to Orcutt, and […]
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Fostered friendship
Animal services providers highlight the benefits of fostering animals
Learn more Visit sbhumane.org/foster to learn more about Santa Barbara Humane’s fostering opportunities, and countyofsb.org/1416/foster for Santa Barbara County’s fostering opportunities. Dori Villalon has fostered kittens, puppies, adult dogs, and other animals recovering from medical treatment or an injury to help get them ready for adoption while working with Santa Barbara Humane. “For me I […]
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Santa Maria City Council green-lights Alvin Newton Apartments
The Santa Maria City Council took another step toward bringing the city’s Downtown Specific Plan to fruition by approving 82 new apartments on Main Street and Broadway during its Oct. 3 meeting. The council voted 3-1, with Councilmember Carlos Escobedo dissenting and Gloria Soto absent. “Over the years, the city entered in a [request for […]
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CASA serves more babies and infants in part to increased substance use
More than 90 children are waiting for an advocate to help them go through the court system due to reports of abuse or neglect, said Kim Davis, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Santa Barbara County. “We have one of the longest waiting lists we’ve had, and we’re working really hard to recruit […]
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The Santa Barbara County Office of Education receives a grant to help develop dual language immersion programs
Over the years, Santa Barbara County families have become more interested in enrolling their children into dual language immersion programs—where students split their day learning in two languages and eventually become bilingual, Dr. Carlos Pagán said. “It just opens the door for more jobs, for more communities, to explore, and to travel. Learning a second […]
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Board of Supervisors deny North Fork Ranch frost ponds project
After nearly five years going through the planning and appeals process, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 (with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson and 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavganino dissenting) during its Oct. 10 meeting to uphold denial of a proposal to build 15 acres of new water reservoirs in the Cuyama […]
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Supreme Court upholds decision for Twitchell operators to release water for steelhead
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request from the operators of Twitchell Dam to hear a case regarding water releases from the dam for steelhead trout preservation. This decision upheld a 9th Circuit District Court of Appeals ruling stating that dam operators—the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District—need to […]
