Solvang City Attorney Chip Wullbrandt wore a bowling shirt to the last City Council meeting, explaining that it had been a long day. “First, I’ll apologize for not having more formal wear this evening. I’ve actually been here at City Hall all day,” Wullbrandt said during the Oct. 28 meeting. “We’ve been working on trying […]
William D'Urso
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The local Salvation Army changes the way it asks for money
Patricia Torres began her charitable work with the Salvation Army 14 years ago, serving hot lunches to the broke, homeless, or down on their luck. She’s been in Santa Maria the last six years at the organization’s 200 Cook St. location. But the Salvation Army and its mission have seen a dramatic drop in Red […]
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Guadalupe starts fresh with a new city administrator who will help finish its current development projects and contribute to the future
Guadalupe will begin November with a new city administrator to help set them up for the new year. The City Council selected Todd S. Bodem, one of five semi-finalists for the position, which begins Nov. 1. The selection was made in mid-October after what the city called a nationwide search. The hiring of Bodem comes […]
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Marian hospital, the county Sheriff’s Office, and Vandenberg Air Force Base attempt to address deficiencies in mental health services
In his office at Marian Regional Medical Center, Dr. David Ketelaar described a mental health crisis. He may not be a psychologist or psychiatrist, but he’s seen what happens when people with mental health needs or even emergencies wind up at the hospital’s emergency room: A patient comes into the emergency room with a physical […]
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Carbajal introduces legislation to help fund local infrastructure
U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) wants to expand financing options for local municipalities, and on Oct. 22 he introduced legislation that could do just that. He announced the bill, the National Infrastructure Corporation Act, at the 11th North American Infrastructure Leadership Forum hosted by CG/LA Infrastructure in Washington, D.C. The event traditionally draws big […]
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Solvang residents give feedback on bike lane master plan
The Solvang City Council passed the Santa Ynez Valley Master Bike Plan on for further consideration and development on Oct. 14, but it wasn’t without its detractors. Public Works Director Matt van der Linden introduced the item to City Council, saying that the bike plan has been under development with the Santa Barbara County Association […]
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Entrepreneur goes green with a new recycling business in an uncertain industry
Edgar Adolfo Arroyo Garcia slides up the door of his shipping container, planted in the parking lot of Roy’s Liquor and Market off Guadalupe Street in Guadalupe. His gelled pompadour wiggles as he shoves the door upward, but his hair holds steady in the cool morning breeze. Inside, bags are stacked to the top, bulging […]
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Carbajal tours Raytheon, talks defense budget
Nestled in a corner just north of the Lompoc Airport, Raytheon’s satellite sensors get assembled in cleanrooms before taking frequent trips to space on military hardware. U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) toured the factory on Oct. 9, donning a hairnet and white cleanroom suit. He was there to look at the company’s “wafers,” or […]
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Downtown Guadalupe gets a coffee shop featuring fresh roasted beans
Jose Martinez and Ruben Dorado originally came to Guadalupe to add new territory to their cleaning business. They had already established themselves in Santa Barbara and wanted to grow the North County presence of their business, U.S. Cleaning Company. When they got to town, they found two things: a building for a good price and […]
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Dispensary applicants in Solvang have one building to choose from
Solvang dipped a toe into the marijuana industry last year when the City Council voted to welcome in medical dispensaries. The catch, Mayor Ryan Toussaint said, is that the city ordinance relegates potential dispensaries to just one area called the “Allowable Zone” and there’s only one building in the location that’s willing to host a […]
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The city of Guadalupe weighs its future and how to build it
At the edge of Guadalupe’s downtown, plywood and two-by-fours stand nailed together—the skeletal structures of new homes, a glimpse of a future not yet realized. They skirt a downtown with local markets, a coffee shop, a pizza parlor, and boarded-up buildings. The city’s closed Royal Movie Theater still has sun-bleached and faded Coke cans displayed […]
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County supes give themselves a raise
The Santa Barbara County supervisors voted 4-1, with 2nd District Supervisor Gregg Hart dissenting, to increase their pay and other benefits at their Oct. 8 meeting in Santa Maria. The raise aims to track the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area, which describes the cost of goods and what consumers pay for […]