John Denver, Sisyphus, and a survivor Twinkie. This assortment of characters has all the makings of the worst joke ever told. Or the best assortment of short stories ever published. You’ll have to be the judge. I can’t believe that the cold, clinical measurements and algorithms of science and math could ever be applied to […]
News
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Benefits of Being Thrifty On the Central Coast
The ribbon has been cut, opening a new thrift store with the lofty goal of benefiting the homeless and the poor of the Central Coast. Free hot dogs and sodas weren’t the only benefits attributed to the grand opening of the Central Coast Rescue Mission’s thrift store on 306 N. Broadway in Santa Maria, although […]
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Santa Maria, Guadalupe to receive millions in state funding for water treatment plants
The cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe announced earlier this month that they are planning to use a little over $9 million, awarded by the state, to help fund two major projects in the Santa Maria Valley area. In Santa Maria, $4.8 million will go toward expanding the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The city of […]
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Deadline for hands-free cell phones approaches
Starting July 1, Californians ages 18 and older, will be required to switch from using hand-held wireless phones to hands-free devices while driving a car. According to a press release from the California Highway Patrol, there are two acts going into affect in July. The first law prohibits all drivers from using handheld wireless phones […]
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County supes put out fireworks’ fire
Waving sparklers and other non-explosive fireworks in honor of Independence Day is now a thing of the past in Santa Barbara County following the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors June 17 decision to ban all fireworks in unincorporated areas of the county. The board voted 4-1, with 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone dissenting, to […]
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Delta II rocket carries ocean reading satellite to space
A satellite intended to collect information about the ocean’s topography successfully launched aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base Saturday. The Delta II rocket launched from Space Launch Complex-2 at 12:46 a.m. Saturday, carrying the OSTM/Jason-2 satellite into an 830-mile near-circular orbit. Col. Steve Tanous, 30th Space Wing commander, was the spacelift […]
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How to become a professional wino
Get out the wine glasses. The decade-old wine program at Allan Hancock College is offering several new classes to students and members of the public interested in learning about making wine and growing grapes. An Introduction to Winemaking/Enology will be offered from 6 to 9:05 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning Aug. 27 at the college’s Solvang […]
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AHC geology students tour American southwest
Earlier this month, a handful of Allan Hancock students embarked on a 15-day tour of the Colorado Plateau that included several national parks in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nevada. Led by Robert Meyer, a geology and physical science instructor at Allan Hancock College, and four other staff members, the students explored and studied sections of […]
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Santa Ynez has new summer savings certificates
Tourism is great for the local economy, but it can get expensive for the people doing the touring. To help out, the Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association (SYVVA) has announced a first-ever 10 percent savings offer for mid-week summer visitors. “Gas prices and the economy can take a toll on vacation budgets,” SYVVA president Mike […]
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Marian Medical Center president earns Healthy Prestige award
Falling ill during the summer months can put a damper on vacation plans, but local healthcare managers are confident in their abilities to get people back under sunny skies. They have reason to be. After all, the president of Marian Medical Center and CHW Central Coast Service Area, Charles J. Cova, has become a Fellow […]
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County employees agree to mandatory vacation
Union members negotiate work furlough to save jobs
During the 2008 holiday season, while most workers will be counting down the hours until they get a few blissful uninterrupted vacation days, about 2,000 county employees will be off from work, spending a full two weeks away from their desks. It seems like a good deal, but first impressions can be deceiving. “It was […]
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Where it’s tat
Renowned tattoo artist Jimmy Coffin sets up shop in Santa Maria
At first glance, tattoo artist Jimmy Coffin looks nothing like a savvy businessman. He looks more like the byproduct of a torrid love affair between a sea-worn sailor and a punk rock princess with a strange affection for cowboy hats. But don’t judge Coffin based on his appearance, because beneath the straw-colored hat and ink-soaked […]
