FRIDAY, FEB. 18 • The Lompoc City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from noon to 1 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Conference Room, 401 E. Cypress Ave., Lompoc. MONDAY, FEB. 21 Happy President’s Day! TUESDAY, FEB. 22 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting […]
Community Notebook – 2.17
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To Sac and back
The native son has returned.In January, Abel Maldonado—California’s second-ever Latino lieutenant governor and Santa Maria’s most famous politician—surrendered his position as the state’s second-in-command to Democrat Gavin Newsom after a dogged campaign effort. Many Californians will recall that Maldonado was resolute in his path to the lieutenant governorship. In November 2009, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger […]
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Cupcakes speak louder than words
Solvang’s Blake Colvin was a chemotherapy patient from age 8 to 10, and she was once thought to be terminally ill, so she knows the pains of the treatment process. Because of her personal experience, she’s dedicated much of her free time to bettering the lives of those facing similar battles. It began with Cupcakes […]
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SLO Regional Transit Authority is seeking financial backing from county government
Fasten your seat belts; it’s going to be a bumpy financial ride. On Jan. 25, in a back conference room in the San Luis Obispo County Government Center, some of the county’s top financial experts listened as Regional Transit Authority Executive Director Ed King pleaded his case: The agency, whose buses connect SLO to Santa […]
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Walmart clears final hurdle for Lompoc store expansion
Nearly four years after Walmart told the city of Lompoc it wanted to expand its existing store, the city’s Planning Commission has given the retail giant the go-ahead. On Feb. 9, the Lompoc Planning Commission voted 3-1, with commissioner Kate Griffith dissenting, to approve Walmart’s development plan for its 721 W. Central Ave. location. Commissioner […]
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Denny’s hate crime case advances in court
A hearing has been scheduled to determine whether Curtis Martin—the 24-year-old parolee who in September 2010 allegedly attacked a Santa Maria Denny’s employee for “being gay”—is mentally competent to stand trial. The hearing has been placed on the docket for March 28. According to court documents, Martin has been charged with attempted murder, committing a […]
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Financial advisor wins award
LPL Financial recently recognized Robert T. Bruno, an independent financial advisor at Bruno Strategic Wealth Management in Orcutt, as a top financial advisor, naming him to the LPL Financial Patriot’s Club. The distinction is based on a ranking of all registered advisors supported by LPL Financial, and is awarded to less than six percent of […]
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Diani Companies get LEED certified
The Diani Companies announced the completion of their new LEED silver certified corporate office, an 11,000-square-foot facility in Santa Maria. The company achieved the LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water, and material use. The U.S Green Building Council established the certification to encourage the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings nationwide. The […]
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Santa Lucia Bank records losses
Santa Lucia Bancorp, the parent company of Santa Lucia Bank, posted its fourth quarter earnings for 2010, reporting a net loss of $1.2 million. The figure compares with a net loss of $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2010, and a net loss of $2.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2009. For the […]
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Order pizza, save music
Marco Polo’s Pizza in Santa Maria, now under new ownership, will be holding a fundraiser for local schools on Feb. 22 and 23. A percentage of all pizzas ordered on those two days will go toward “Keep the Music Playing in Santa Maria,” an event to raise money for school music programs. Marco Polo’s has […]
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Money for young Dick Tracys
Students or graduates of Allan Hancock College prepping for a career in investigative law, look no further for scholarships. The Edwin O’Neill Law Enforcement Scholarship is here for backup. Anyone who wants to apply for the two-year, $10,000 scholarship must meet the qualifications of having an A.S. or A.A. degree from Allan Hancock College, or […]
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Teach the children to read
Christmas is coming late—or early—for California: Bruce Larkin, owner of Wilbooks, Inc. and author of more than 900 children’s books, has pledged that his company will donate 10,000 books to elementary schools in 2011. “Children need to enjoy all of the great opportunities that our country offers,” Larkin said in a statement. “I owe my […]