FRIDAY, MARCH 19 • The Santa Maria City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from 10 a.m. to noon at the Betteravia Government Center conference room, 511 East Lakeside Parkway. • The Lompoc City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from noon to 1 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors […]
Community Notebook 3.18
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State Parks officials defend a costly dune buggy
At the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, where off-road enthusiasts are welcome and park authorities have arresting powers, there’s a high premium on specialty vehicles that can quickly, but safely, maneuver through sandy terrain. Enter the Funco “Big 5,” a custom dune buggy employed by California State Parks to keep up with even the […]
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Run to prevent disaster
The Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross is asking the public for help in garnering funds by joining Plus3 Network, a social group that connects organizations and donors through personal fitness and donations. Now the general public will have another reason to keep their gym membership valid since those that record their […]
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Correction
In the Sun’s March 11 sports feature, “Training day,” Monte’ Nash’s coaching timeline at Righetti High School was misreported. Nash worked first as a strength and conditioning coach with Righetti’s football team in 2007, brought in by then-Warriors’ assistant coach J.T. Stone. Righetti head football coach Gary Wilson noticed a drop in the athletes’ 40-meter […]
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Hey, big spender!
Over the past decade, Pacific Gas and Electric Company spent more on political candidates, ballot measures, and lobbyists than Chevron Corporation, Philip Morris USA, or the Western States Petroleum Association, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission. In its report, “Big Money Talks,” the commission detailed the top 15 spenders in California between January 2000 […]
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The state deems three Santa Maria-Bonita elementary schools ‘low performing’
Santa Maria-Bonita School District officials are looking for answers regarding the inclusion of three district campuses on a California Department of Education list of “low-performing” schools. According to Department of Education records, Adam, Alvin, and Oakley schools are three of the more than 180 California elementary schools in need of state intervention because of poor […]
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Lucia Mar Unified School District sends preliminary layoff notices to dozens of staff members
More than 70 Lucia Mar Unified School District employees are going to be seeing pink soon. On March 2, the district school board voted 6-1, with board member Georgie O’Connor dissenting, to issue pink slips to dozens of credentialed and classified employees, including 50 teachers. The district oversees most schools in southern San Luis Obispo […]
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See Hancock program in 3D
Want to learn about Allan Hancock College’s applied design and media program? A public service announcement (PSA) produced by the program’s students is airing through April 2 on KCOY TV channel 12. According to Hancock officials, the PSA is the result of a competition among student groups within the college’s intermediate motion graphics class. The […]
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County education grants help local schools fund special projects
The Santa Barbara County Office of Education recently awarded grants for classroom projects to a handful of Santa Maria-Bonita School District teachers, the district announced in its monthly newsletter. The grants, which range from $500 to $1,000, will help teachers develop philanthropic, research, and learning projects for their students. • At Ontiveros Elementary School, students […]
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Nominate a great farmer
The 37th District Agricultural Association is accepting nominations for people who’ve made important contributions to Santa Barbara County’s agricultural industry until April 16. The winners will be announced at the group’s Agricultural Recognition Awards at the opening day ceremony of the Santa Barbara County Fair, held on July 14. Categories include Agri-Business Person of the […]
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Wine competition expands
The Central Coast Wine Competition, an eight-year-old event showcasing some of the finest wines produced locally, has announced that it’s expanding its geographical growing area. The competition will now include all of the Central Coast American Viticultural Area, spanning from Santa Barbara County to the San Francisco Bay Area, and Ventura County. The AVA includes […]
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Easter Bunny visits the mall
Everybody’s favorite bunny is hopping by the Town Center mall to visit with children starting March 19. The Easter Bunny will make his appearance at a springtime garden on the mall’s lower level Fridays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. until April 3 (excluding a daily break from 3 to 3:30). Visits are […]