THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY presents a screening of the film The Aviator on Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. in the Shepard Hall, 421 S. McClelland, Santa Maria. Info: 925-0994, Ext. 117, or dhildinger@ci.santa-maria.ca.us. THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY presents a free movie night featuring a screening of The Aviator on Nov. 4 at 6 […]
Special Events
Posted inNews
Hospital provider pays out in discrimination suit
Catholic Healthcare West (CHW)—which owns Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria and dozens of other hospitals throughout the nation—has agreed to a landmark settlement in a lawsuit alleging it imposed discriminatory hurdles to employment for immigrant job-seekers. The Department of Justice announced on Oct. 19 that the hospital provider—the eighth largest in the nation—agreed to […]
Posted inOpinion
If money weren’t an issue, who would you be for Halloween?
Shane Soden student “Iron Man with actual armor and weapons.” Kimo Sario student “Avatar with the dragon.” Janna MacKiewicz student “Lady Gaga in ‘Bad Romance.’” Ulises Serrano student “Optimus Prime from Transformers.”
Posted inNews
Two hearts, one mind
On a winter day in 2000, Santa Maria resident Susan Friesen took her family to a McDonalds in Santa Clarita for lunch. The Friesens had temporarily relocated to Southern California because their oldest daughter, 6-year-old Shivan, was awaiting a heart transplant at the UCLA medical center. “The girls were playing in the playhouse,” Susan recounted […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc wine center a no-go?
The developers of a proposed Lompoc wine and entertainment center—which many locals hoped would be a catalyst in revitalizing Old Town—now say the project may be abandoned. Lompoc business partners John Linn, Nick Gonzalez, and Ruben Solorzano have put more than $135,000 into the project in the past year for equipment and repairs, but repeated […]
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Pacific Capital is in danger of being de-listed
Pacific Capital Bancorp—parent company of Santa Barbara Bank and Trust—has until April 6, 2011, to get its stock price to a minimum of $1 per share or it could be de-listed from the Nasdaq Global Select Market. The company hadn’t closed a day of trading above $1 since Aug. 25, with a price of about […]
Posted inNews
Feed the hungry this holiday season
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is working overtime this holiday season to feed more than 150,00 families and seniors living in the county. Through Dec. 31, the foodbank locations will station food collection bins in local grocery stores and hold special events to encourage people to donate during these especially busy months. “Now more […]
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Santa Barbara County beaches reopen with warnings in wake of fatal shark attack
Vandenberg Air Force Base’s Surf Beach reopened Oct. 25 after a three-day closure, the result of a shark attack that claimed the life of a 19-year-old UCSB college student. The attack occurred Oct. 22, just before 9 a.m. According to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, Lucas Ransom, a chemical engineering major from Romoland, Calif., and […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Meet and greet
Come meet your favorite local artist or author. A Central Coast author-artist fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 6 at Shepard Hall in the Santa Maria Public Library. Meet the creators of many gift items, ranging from books and jewelry to soft sculpture and Ukrainian eggs. All items will […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Locals dance for Paula Abdul
A team of local dancers was headed to Los Angeles after being asked to audition for a CBS television show called Live to Dance, hosted by Paula Abdul. Dellos Performing Arts Center in Arroyo Grande was asked to submit videos of its competitive dance teams for consideration, so it sent videos of its Senior Hip […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Going to the birds
Birds from all over the world will converge on the Wildling Art Museum and will hang around through the holidays. Well, not really. Images of birds will hang on the museum’s walls. But the images will be from all over the world. The exhibition is called “Birds in Art” and is a traveling art show […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Destination: Nojoqui Falls
How many times have you blindly passed something beautiful and not even known it was there? I realize I’ve done it a million times. If you travel south on Highway 101 and have never been to Nojoqui Falls Park, you’re missing out on something, too. There’s an inconspicuous sign on the 101 that announces the […]