Spotlight

  Bringing Our Community Home, the nonprofit devoted to ending chronic homelessness, has appointed John Buttny as its executive director.   Buttny was the group’s interim executive director following the resignation of Executive Director Roger Heroux on Feb. 21. Buttny previously served as BOCH’s project coordinator and as staff to the six Project Working Committees […]

  The Red Cross, Santa Barbara County chapter, announced the appointment of Louise Kolbert as its new CEO.   According to the chapter, Kolbert is the most experienced person to ever serve as CEO. She’s held many leadership positions in the American Red Cross over the past 30 years, including building senior consultant at the […]

  PathPoint announced that Barbara Steveson has been elected as the new chair of the organization’s Board of Directors.   Steveson is a certified financial planner who joined the board in 2007. She’s associated with Blakeslee and Blakeslee, an independent financial planning firm, and has worked in the Santa Maria branch since 1993.   With […]

Wine and food lovers are invited to sample “A Taste of Old Town Market,” an event boasting free food, prizes, wine tasting, and fun.   Local vendors will offer tastes of their goodies at Old Town Orcutt on July 31 from 2 to 6 p.m., and on Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., […]

United Staffing Associates’ Vice President of Human Resources/Operations Jeannine Young received the 2009 Suggs Distinguished Employee Award from the Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo. The award was established in honor of former SLO Rotary Club president Gary Suggs to recognize superior Rotarian employees. It distinguishes Young for demonstrating the highest level of ethical standards […]

To help those in need, Spencer’s Fresh Markets is asking shoppers to join it in its support of 211 SLO Hotline. As part of its “Give a Buck, Get a Buck” program, Spencer’s will give shoppers who donate $1 to the hotline a $1 off coupon toward their next purchase of $10 or more. The […]

The Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce will cut the ribbon for the grand opening of Autoprofessionals’ new location in Orcutt on July 24 at noon at 3415 Orcutt Road. Barbecue tri-tip sandwiches will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Autoprofessionals is a AAA-approved facility with ASE-certified technicians. Owner Roger Thornhill first opened the […]

The Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Red Cross announced the appointment of David Almeida as its new board chair. Almeida began volunteering with the county’s Red Cross in 2004 and has worked on numerous local disasters since, including the La Conchita landslide, the Zaca Fire, the Gap Fire, and the Jesusita Fire. He’s actively […]

Santa Maria businesses can train supervisors to prevent sexual harassment with a two-hour course presented by United Staffing Associates. Enrollment is open for the two-hour class, led by 20-year human resources veteran Betsey Nash. The course includes a PowerPoint presentation, interactive student materials, proof of attendance, and certificate of completion. An online version of the […]

Businesses that have suffered property damage as a result of the Jesusita Fire have until July 20 to apply for a Small Business Association Federal Disaster Loan. Low-interest loans are available in the disaster-declared counties of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo and are available to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit […]

Women’s Economic Ventures recently named Elena Brokaw and Doug Halter to the group’s Board of Directors. Brokaw currently serves as director of the Community Services Department for the city of Ventura, where she oversees cultural services, recreation programs, social services, and golf. She previously served as manager for the Cultural Affairs Division, where she oversaw […]

Carpinteria City Councilman and Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association Executive Director Joe Armendariz will be the guest speaker at the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon on July 21. Armendariz will talk about the financial crisis and solutions to the problems faced at this critical time in the state’s economy. He also represents […]