One on Santa Barbara County’s seemingly never-ending legal battles has finally come to a close—for now, at least. On April 4, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it reached a $1.2 million settlement with 49 small parties for the Casmalia Resources Superfund Site, a now-defunct hazardous waste disposal site in Santa Barbara County. This is […]
Casmalia dump case reaches a settlement
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Los Alamos and Orcutt school districts hear wedding bells?
They say that waiting is the hardest part, and the Orcutt Union and Los Alamos school districts are finding that to be true. Though the California State Board of Education approved an insurance waiver request from the Los Alamos School Board on March 11, the two districts won’t be able to merge until the Santa […]
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Floatopia sinks again
For a second straight year, the massive Isla Vista beach party— which caused a major stir in 2009—was successfully thwarted by the preventative measures of local government and law enforcement. On March 30, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department announced it would be stepping up patrols in the student neighborhood of Isla Vista in Goleta […]
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County looks to restructure departments
In a cost-cutting move, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is considering the formation of a new Community Services Department, unifying a diverse range of public services under one umbrella. Instructed by the board to restructure county government, County CEO Chandra Wallar recommended consolidating the county Department of Parks, Housing, and Community Development; the […]
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What Kids are Reading
THE FOUR QUESTIONS by Lynne Sharon Schwartz illustrated by Ori Sherman recommended for kindergartners to adults “On a certain night each year when the dark of winter is passing and the world is warming up for the green of spring, Jews in all lands gather to celebrate a joyful holiday: Passover, or Pesach.” So begins […]
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Discovery Corner
Political theorist, diplomat, and inventor Benjamin Franklin was no stranger to kites. This witty man, who was also a founding father of our nation, was known as a polymathic person because of his incredible skills in many disciplines. He was fond of chess, music, and, of course, inventions! When asked what the use of a […]
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Youth Corps head back to school
Tyneka Smith might just be entering college, but she and her fellow Community Action Commission (CAC) Youth Corps peers are going back to junior high, minus the awkward school dances. The group received a $1,400 grant from the Fund for Santa Barbara’s Youth Making Change to develop The Good Life program at Arellanes Junior High […]
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Hobnobbing With Helen
Folks at Marian Medical Center’s (MMC) Foundation were watching the weather reports very carefully the weekend before Monday, March 28, the date for their annual Leland Simas and Felix Fly, M.D. Memorial Golf Tournament at the Santa Maria Country Club. Several days of pounding rains made people nervous, even when those people—like Sister Janet Corcoran […]
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A merrier Christmas to come
For the past 51 years, Operation Kids Christmas (OKC) at Vandenberg Air Force Base has provided more than a thousand underprivileged children a special time during the winter holidays. The event recently inspired Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services-Defense employees in Santa Maria and Vandenberg to present a $14,533 check to the current Air […]
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You know the drill
Skyrocketing oil prices are doing more than providing fuel for a rash of “pain at the pump” stories; they’re also being used to pressure the Obama administration into reopening oil-drilling operations off the Central Coast. On March 29, Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced three bills in Congress that, […]
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Marian Medical Center opens a new rehabilitation center
Northern Santa Barbara County residents recovering from heart surgery or various other medical procedures now have a facility in which they can rehabilitate. Located across the street from Marian Medical Center, in what used to be a car dealership, the Marian Health and Wellness Center offers cardiac/pulmonary rehab services, as well as physical, occupational, and […]
Posted inOpinion
If you transformed into a car, what would you be?
Veronica Garcia student “A Jetta. It’s a car that I would personally drive. And they’re little, cute, and gas efficient.” Lauren Gomes student “I’d be a Chevy Camaro because they look sleek, but they are also powerful. Plus, they’re pretty.” Alexis Lemus student “An ’89 Acura Integra. It’s as old as I am, and it […]