• The Office of National Drug Control Policy recently awarded a $125,000 grant to Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People, a group dedicated to improving the lives of people in the Santa Ynez Valley. It was one of around 600 grants distributed through the Drug-Free Communities Support Program to address youth substance use. According to a press release from U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ office, the funding is part of an effort to involve and engage local communities to prevent substance use among youth. The Drug-Free Communities program provides funding over a series of years to community coalitions that facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts. Mary Conway, People Helping People’s coalition director, said the organization is in its eighth year of grant funding. Grant money has gone into programs focused on education and changing county/city drug policies. For instance, People Helping People works with local schools to teach seventh and eighth graders basic life skills as well as resiliency against drug and alcohol abuse, and it works with high schools to mentor at-risk students and help them graduate.
• Did you miss one of the League of Women Voters’ forums? They will be aired on Public Access TV Channel 25. On Oct. 20 and 27 at 1 p.m. you can catch the first part of the Santa Maria City Council candidates forum. The second part will be broadcast on Oct. 21 and 28 at 8 a.m. The Santa Maria-Bonita School District and Santa Maria Joint Union High School District school board candidates forum will also run in two parts: The first will be on Oct. 22 and 29 at 8:30 p.m. and the second will be on Oct. 23 and 30 at 6:30 p.m. To check out the pros and cons of Measure P, tune in on Oct. 24 and 31 at 4:30 p.m. for part one and Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. for part 2.
• California state superintendent of public instruction Challenger Marshall Tuck has outraised incumbent Tom Torlakson heading into the final stretch of an ideologically charged race, according to The Sacramento Bee. Tuck reported $761,390 in campaign contributions for the filing period of July 1 to Sept. 30, compared to Torlakson’s $617,183. The Bee reports that Tuck raised large amounts from Silicon Valley and other business execs, while Torlakson’s support comes from organized labor. In a field poll released last month, Tuck held a slim lead over Torlakson, with more than 40 percent of voters undecided. According to The Bee, Tuck has galvanized support over a June court ruling declaring California’s teacher tenure and dismissal rules unconstitutional.
This article appears in Oct 16-23, 2014.
