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Santa Maria Fire Department sees improvements from new dispatch center and internal changes

Anyone in Santa Barbara County who calls for emergency fire or medical help receives the quickest response possible from firefighters thanks to the new regional dispatch center. It’s the same story in Santa Maria, and this year, the city’s Fire Department also made changes to improve efficiency. “You’re getting the closest unit down to the […]

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Santa Maria residents produce and star in award-winning Filipino film

In the Philippines, umbag means punch. It’s also the title of an independent Filipino-American movie produced by a Santa Maria resident, Rose Dumadara Koerner. Unlike traditional executive producers, she was also involved in many more of the nitty-gritty details.  After being displeased with the first cut of Umbag, which follows two estranged sisters who go […]

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Train Dream is a poetic rumination one life’s ups and downs

Train DreamsWhat’s it rated? PG-13What’s it worth, Anna? Full priceWhat’s it worth, Glen? Full priceWhere’s it showing? Netflix Co-writer and director Clint Bentley and his screenwriting partner Greg Kwedar (Jockey, Sing Sing) adapt Denis Johnson’s novella of the same name to the big screen. The film debuted at Sundance in January and had a two-week […]

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Conflicting interests

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office’s contract with a rental car company for its law enforcement vehicle fleet gives a whole new meaning to the company’s slogan: “Enterprise. We’ll pick you up” … in handcuffs.  Since 2021, the Sheriff’s Office has rented its fleet from Enterprise at a cost of $3 million with an additional […]

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Wayward is psychological mystery involving a troubled teen academy and a shady head teacher

WaywardWhat’s it rated? TV-MAWhen? 2025>Where’s it showing? Netflix Created by and starring comedian and musician Mae Martin, Wayward tells the increasingly familiar story of “camps” created for “troubled teens” whose surface-level purpose is to whip kids into compliance and discipline the rebellion out of them. In reality, these camps are absolute cesspools of abuse, neglect, […]

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