Santa Lucia Bancorp, an Atascadero-based bank with a branch in Santa Maria, recently released results for the first quarter of 2010, reporting a net loss of $696,000 to common shareholders. The company also announced that its net interest margin fell to 4.35 percent for the period ending March 31, compared with 4.65 percent for the […]
Santa Lucia reports first quarter loss
Posted inNews
PostNet celebrates small businesses
National Small Business Week kicks off May 23. To celebrate, locally owned copy and print center PostNet is launching a host of special promotions throughout the month. From now through May 31, small businesses in Santa Maria can get $25 off print jobs of $100 or more, $20 off full color banners, and $200 off […]
Posted inNews
Boutique opens in Santa Maria Inn
Forget Me Not Boutique recently opened in the Historic Santa Maria Inn. The shop specializes in one-of-a-kind items, from clothing to accessories. Owned by sisters Donna De La Cruz and Lisa Villareal, the boutique offers a unique inventory for men and women. Forget Me Not Boutique is located at 801 S. Broadway in Santa Maria. […]
Posted inNews
Fesler students travel the ‘Road to College’
More than 250 students at Fesler Junior High School got to walk the halls of all the California State University colleges on May 6 as part of a virtual tour led by college students and CSU officials. Students boarded a specially equipped tour bus filled with 30 laptop computers to explore career interests and learn […]
Posted inNews
Red Cross encourages families to be safe
Families from all over Santa Barbara County are invited to learn about natural disasters and disaster preparedness on May 22, Safe Kids Day. Presented by the American Red Cross, Santa Barbara County Chapter, the event will feature fun activities that teach children about the science behind natural disasters, as well as how to prepare for […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Tevin Lemon
Nipomo High School pole vaulter Tevin Limon just keeps raising the bar on his own records. At the Pac-7 league track and field finals on May 6, the sophomore set a new school mark by vaulting 14 feet, 4 inches, smashing his personal best by 10 inches. “I’ve been working on really shooting up in […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Catching air
It’s a beautiful, clear May morning, and I’m soaring thousands of feet over the Pacific Ocean. I’m at the controls of a lightweight four-seater Cessna 172, along with my flight instructor for the day, Jon Stamets. Below, I see the white-capped breakers off Avila Beach and the coastline stretching for miles in either direction. Headset […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Youth basketball program tips off
The 1 Dream Foundation, a student mentoring and education organization, announced the formation of a comprehensive youth basketball program open to sixth and seventh grade boys from throughout the Central Coast. As part of the program, two youth teams will practice and compete in tournaments throughout California. Tryouts are free and will be held at […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Hancock’s infield is golden
Western State Conference officials named Allan Hancock College’s entire starting infield as Gold Glove winners for the 2010 season, recognizing the foursome as the conference’s best defensive players at their positions. First baseman Skyler Ellis, second baseman Chris Mallory, shortstop Dalton Rouleau, and third baseman Peter Straka all received the honor. The award was the […]
Posted inOpinion
No-tax groups are really un-American
No-tax groups are not against taxes, only those for services they don’t like: those that help others than themselves. I don’t like my taxes going for our troops being killed and maimed in useless, unwinnable wars. I don’t like supporting churches with my taxes. I don’t like supporting large airports I will never use, and […]
Posted inOpinion
This is democracy
Several thousand years ago, the Greeks decided to institute an idea of one of their popular philosophers, Democritus. They finally concluded that even though the idea of government run by the people was a wonderful idea, the major weakness was that the people rapidly ran the government into bankruptcy by voting in every luxury they […]
Posted inOpinion
Humans have blown their time on Earth
The massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst man-caused disaster—ever. We never learn. The oil mess off Santa Barbara in 1969 woke us up locally—but not the rest of civilization. I had hoped we could control our technology, but apparently we can’t. Why do we call ourselves Homo sapiens—meaning “man wise”—when […]