By now, everyone probably knows about Santa Maria’s brand-new, state-of-the-art library. But what people probably don’t know about is the brand-new library shop. Located just outside of the main library and next to the library cafe;, The Library Shop is an enhanced version of the old Friends of the Santa Maria Library bookshop. What used […]
News
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Hobnobbing with Helen
Great food, a celebrity guest, and exciting auction items—Allan Hancock College’s seventh annual Joe White Memorial Dinner had it all. Held on the evening of Aug. 23 at the Santa Maria Fairpark, the event is the Hancock College Boosters’ major fundraiser for the Athletic Department. The dinner attracted close to 400 friends and fans. It […]
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Santa Maria needs a Block Grants Advisory Committee member
The city of Santa Maria is looking for someone to fill an unexpired term on the Santa Maria Block Grants Advisory Committee, ending in July 2010. Applications will be accepted until 2 p.m. on Sept. 25. Members of the Block Grants Advisory Committee assess the community’s needs, conduct public workshops and hearings, review applications for […]
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New Lompoc Valley Senior and Community Center project is finally online
Staffers and volunteers at the Lompoc Valley Senior and Community Center can start packing up their boxes. On Sept. 3, the Lompoc City Council voted 4-0, with councilman Will Schuyler absent, to allocate more than $300,000 in funding to begin designing a new center at a new location on West Ocean Avenue in Lompoc. The […]
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Government officials question the safety of artificial turf in California
The artificial turf played on by children, teens, and professional athletes in California might be getting a government-mandated makeover, thanks to a recent lawsuit filed by the California Attorney General’s Office. The lawsuit alleges that three major producers of artificial grass—FieldTurf Tarkett, Astro Turf, and Beaulieu Group—“have knowingly and intentionally exposed individuals within the State […]
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U.S. Department of Transportation halts funds to all states
On Sept. 5, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that, effective Sept. 8, the Federal Highway Administration will delay financial reimbursements from the Federal Highway Trust Fund to all states. In the past, DOT had estimated it would remain solvent until summer 2009. However, tax receipts have been dropping sharply in recent months due […]
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Better late than never
The launch of the Delta II rocket carrying a GeoEye 1 satellite was rescheduled for Sept. 6 due to Hurricane Hanna affecting the availability of key launch personnel at Cape Canaveral, according to a press release from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 2 around noon that day. The […]
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Schools are waiting on the budget, but doing okay
Diligent preparation has worked well for local schools��”but they can’t wait much longer
The budget for the state of California is usually enacted in the beginning of July. That was two months ago. Now, things are getting a little sticky for government agencies across the county, for agencies that are counting on that money. Imagine working hard and then not getting paid for two months in a row. […]
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Counties court Paso for facility approval
The San Luis Obispo County city is key to plans for a tri-counties prisoner re-entry facility
On Sept. 18, officials from Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and San Benito counties will go before a review panel of employees from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Their joint mission: to convince the state to fund the construction of a tri-counties prisoner re-entry facility in Paso Robles. In exchange for bringing […]
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The wheels on the bus are spinning again
One way to tell that school has started up again is the addition of yellow buses on local roads and highways. On Aug. 25, Student Transportation of America (STA), the organization that manages school buses in the Santa Maria area, announced that its more than 6,000 employees are trained and ready to go back to […]
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AHC students: Get ready for a big ‘Bow-WOW!’
Allan Hancock College students will have something to bark about during the college’s annual Bulldog Bow-WOW! orientation event on Sept. 3 and 4. New and current students who attend the event will be able to learn about the college’s academic programs and other student services while also enjoying free music, entertainment, and food. Students will […]
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Political Watch
• OMG! Texting while driving has gtg, according to the California Senate, which voted 25-14 to approve a bill banning the activity on Aug. 22. Only two Republicans backed the legislation. One was Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria), citing that the ban is an unnecessary infringement on personal behavior. However, supporters of the bill say […]
