Several lightning-sparked fires in the area have caused the U.S. Forest Service to close a portion of the Los Padres National Forest in Northern Santa Barbara County. The “Lightning Complex Fires” started on Aug. 15 in a remote area of Los Padres National Forest, approximately 18 miles east of Santa Maria. As of press time, […]
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Stroll down memory lane with missiles at Vandenberg Air Force Base
On Aug. 18, in front of a crowd of more than 150 family members, airmen, and civilians, five men who worked on Vandenberg Air Force Base’s first-ever missile launch answered questions and reminisced about the Golden Age of missile defense systems. Darrell Cummings, Larry Newton, Dave Norlund, Dick Parker, and Phil Payne were the guests […]
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Searching for intelligent life
Santa Marians turn out for the first-ever science and UFO symposium on the Central Coast
On Aug. 16 and 17, a handful of scientists and academics—accompanied by a crowd of several hundred people—descended on the Historic Santa Maria Inn. Their mission: to discuss and debate the existence of extraterrestrial life, alien or otherwise. Far from a top-secret military debriefing, the Central Coast Science and UFO Symposium welcomed people from different […]
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After-school programs circle the wagons
A possible threat to Proposition 49 funding is uniting providers around the state
While the legal tussle between the governor and the state controller has been the most visible budget battle in recent days, another skirmish has been brewing beneath the threats of a lowered minimum wage and Superior Court proceedings. This lesser-known fight is still mostly saber rattling for now—and will likely remain so until California’s budget […]
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Locals seek to preserve the golden years
Despite an ailing economy, area organizations are banding together to care for Santa Barbara County’s seniors
In 2006, Santa Maria resident Abigail Garcia went to visit an ailing friend of the family. The woman had been sick for some time and was living in a skilled nursing facility where she could receive around-the-clock medical care. The visit, though only about an hour long, made a powerful impact on Abigail, whose then-84-year-old […]
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You oughta stay in pictures
Lured by beckoning tax incentives in other states, the film industry is leaving California in search of bigger profits
Movie production has always meant big money: money for the actors, money for the moviemakers, money for pretty much anyone who touches the camera, script, costumes, or equipment. What isn’t as obvious is that the industry also spreads the wealth. Production creates jobs. In other words, it opens doors for taxpayers and consumers to dole […]
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Are you ready to go back to school?
It’s that time again! Local elementary, middle, and high school students are packing their backpacks and heading back to school. The Santa Maria-Bonita School District opens first on Aug. 18, followed by the Orcutt Union School District (seventh graders start on Aug. 19, other students start Aug. 20), and the Guadalupe Union School District and […]
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They’ve gone union
On Aug. 13, at a conference in the Windy City, the Santa Maria Elementary Education Association announced its affiliation with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). The affiliation, organization members said, will encourage greater cooperation to meet the needs of working teachers, students, and their families. The agreement brings together […]
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Political Watch
• Lompoc resident Robert Cuthbert, who’s running as a 33rd State Assembly candidate, recently released a statement in response to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision to make statewide job and pay cuts until the state’s budget impasse is resolved: “The governor’s following through with his threat to eliminate 10,000 temporary and part-time workers, and to pay […]
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Girl Scouts go for the gold
Superheroes save planets, soar through the sky, fight evil, and still manage to lead pseudo-normal lives. With a lot of the public’s attention now focusing on heroes of the big screen, it’s time to remember the role models that exist in our own community. That’s where the Girl Scouts of Troop 50778 shine. This year, […]
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Hobnobbing with Helen
Roy Allen is Alzheimer’s man in Santa Maria. This effusive, personable fellow is determined to get out the message on the diseases that rob millions of people of years of life: Alzheimer’s and dementia. These disorders of the brain tax and wear out caretakers as well. For the first time in four years, the local […]
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Santa Maria DMV halts Saturday service due to state budget cuts
As of Aug. 16, 53 Department of Motor Vehicles offices—including the Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara offices—will suspend service on Saturdays because of the delayed state budget and staffing restraints. For more information and service updates, visit www.dmv.ca.gov.
