Santa Maria children can learn about plants, animals, and outdoor activities in their area through the Wildlife Explorers program: a returning Santa Maria Department of Recreation and Parks opportunity that expanded this year for more kids to join, Recreation Supervisor Rudy Gutierrez said. “We were really looking for opportunities to engage the youth in the […]
Taylor O'Connor
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Supervisors approve controversial Santa Ynez greenhouse project
Solvang-area resident Steve Decker can finally move forward with building his greenhouse—despite neighbor disputes and frustrations—after nearly two years of going through the planning and appeals process. “We are happy to see that Planning and Development has fully developed our project to meet—or exceed—the Santa Ynez Community Plan,” Decker said at the Jan. 25 meeting. […]
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County public school students receive COVID-19 test kits
The state of California delivered 56,700 COVID-19 test kits to the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) on Jan. 10, and the education office completed its distribution to school districts so families can test their students at home, Internal Services Administrator Debbie Breck said. “It’s really helpful to have the kits available to send […]
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A new California organic waste law will change how residents organize their trash
Greasy banana peels, old lettuce heads, chopped-off jalapeño stems, coffee grounds, and bread crusts from all California kitchens have a new destination. As of Jan. 1, a new state law requires schools, businesses, restaurants, and households to recycle their organics—and local governments have to oversee the new recycling program—to mitigate climate change. It’s the biggest […]
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The annual Santa Barbara County homeless Point-In-Time Count needs volunteers
After a pause in 2021, the annual Santa Barbara County homeless Point-In-Time Count is returning with the goal of getting 300 to 400 volunteers to participate in the data-gathering process, Housing Program Specialist Jett Black-Maertz said. During the last 10 days in January, counties across the nation participate in the Point-In-Time Count, when the U.S. […]
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High school district denies liability in abuse lawsuit
Former Pioneer Valley High School math teacher Michael Cardoza was sentenced to 16 years in prison after being convicted in 2008 of child molestation and oral copulation with a minor. Thirteen years later, survivor James McDaniel is asking for damages in a recently filed lawsuit accusing the school district of failing to protect its students. […]
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COVID-19 surge limits visitation at county hospitals
Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reyonoso reported a record-breaking 1,325 COVID-19 cases on a single day (Jan. 8) in her pandemic update to the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 11. She told supervisors that the county had 6,513 active COVID-19 cases, 87 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, and 10 were in the […]
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Santa Barbara County receives climate change resilience grant
Santa Barbara County plans to create hubs in North County to serve as safe refuges in case of climate-related emergencies with the help of a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) grant. “Essentially they call it a feasibility grant, it’s everything except for actually building [community resilience hubs]. It’s the outreach, development of a tool kit, […]
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Catalytic converter thefts more than tripled in 2021
Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise in Santa Barbara County with 276 reported thefts in 2021 within the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, an increase from 76 thefts in 2020 and nine in 2019, according to the Sheriff’s Office. “It’s an easy score; it’s such an easy thing to steal. We’ve seen the […]
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Santa Barbara County nonprofit C.A.R.E.4Paws invites pet owners to its mobile pet clinics in the new year
C.A.R.E.4Paws has been a staple way for pets in low-income families to receive critical care, but the pandemic caused a service jump with a record 20,000 medical procedures in 2020, a significant uptick from 2019’s 18,500, said Isabelle Gullo, executive director and co-founder of C.A.R.E.4Paws. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of pet owners […]
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Endangered Guadalupe-Nipomo dunes plants receive recovery plans
The La Graciosa thistle—a plant in the sunflower family—and the Nipomo Mesa lupine—an herb in the legume family—are endangered plants only found in the coastal dune ecosystem of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex. And both now have blueprints for recovery, said Kristie Scarazzo, a botanist with the Ventura office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. […]
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The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum opens for the first time since the pandemic with children’s winter camps over the holiday break
Parents wanting to fill their child’s time during winter break with a fun and educational opportunity should look toward the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum’s winter camps. Normally offered in the summer, the two science-based camps give children the chance to be with kids their own age and learn about robotics or space, Program Manager […]
