Spotlight

The city of Santa Maria announced the appointment of Larry Appel as its new director of community development beginning June 8. Appel replaces Kirk Lindsay, who retired in December 2008 after seven years.  He has served for the last two years as deputy director of planning services with El Dorado County Development Services Department. Appel […]

After 14 weeks of classes, Women’s Economic Ventures graduated 91 participants in its Self-Employment Training Course from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties on May 18. Of those graduates, 14 came from the group’s Spanish and English SET courses in Santa Maria.  The graduates will go on to fulfill their dreams of owning their own businesses, […]

A new metaphysical and new age bookstore, Wisdom Island, has moved into Nipomo. The bookstore specializes in astrology software, fountains, feng shui elements, sacred statuary, incense, candles, tarot cards and oracles, jewelry, crystals, greeting cards, and more. Owners Kalua Kuhnle and Sampa Tacorda serve Hilo Hawaiian coffee and exotic teas and offer a relaxed atmosphere […]

The Northern Santa Barbara County United Way announced the hiring of Donna Polizzi to help the organization with fundraising and public relations. Polizzi boasts more than 20 years of experience in PR, advertising, media buying, commercial production, and event marketing. She’s a 22-year resident of the Central Coast and lives in Orcutt with her husband […]

Homeowners who want to learn about alternatives to foreclosure are invited to attend a free foreclosure prevention seminar put on by the People’s Self-Help Housing Corporation in Santa Maria on May 20. The bi-lingual workshop takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Building at Los Adobes de Maria II, 1148 W. Boone St. Brian […]

The Santa Barbara Foundation announced the creation of a new fund to provide grants for food, shelter, and medical care assistance to nonprofit groups in the community. The Community Economic Recovery Fund will award grants of up to $50,000 in emergency relief for established organizations that assess needs and provide basic services to people who’ve […]

Children can enjoy a free day of pony rides, bounce houses, community booths, live entertainment, and a petting zoo at Nipomo Recreation Association’s annual Kids Day event on May 16. The fun takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nipomo Community Park. Other entertainment includes a magic show, Little Bits Preschool, Spirit […]

Quick and tasty Chinese cuisine is headed for Lompoc. Hayes Commercial Group announced that Panda Express, a fast-food chain specializing in wok-cooked gourmet-style food, will be moving into a location at 1405 North H St. on March 31 of 2010. The group announced the sale of the property to CFT Development, which will redevelop the […]

Local businesses and agencies in Santa Maria will be distributing applications and conducting formal job interviews at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center, which hosts its sixth Teen Job Fair on May 7.  The fair is sponsored by the Families for the First Decade Project Collaborative and will take place at the center, located at […]

Local and family-owned propane marketer Delta Liquid Energy recently announced that its newly constructed rail facility in Santa Maria is now fully operational. The site, which will be used to import propane from Texas and Canada, includes more than 300 feet of private railroad track, a propane storage capacity of 90,000 gallons, and an office […]

The Los Angeles Regional Census Center, comprised of 19 counties in California—including Santa Barbara County—is looking to hire help for its 2010 census counts. The 26 local census offices in Southern California will open in the fall of 2009 to direct field operations for the region’s population count. The focus of the Regional Center is […]

Overland Security Services manager Edward Zemaitis of Santa Maria was recently awarded the Certified Protection Professional certification from ASIS International. Zemaitis joins a fraternity of fewer than 5,500 industrial security professionals who’ve qualified for CPP certification, indicating he’s met the organization’s required experience in the protective security field and has successfully completed a rigorous examination. […]