Miguel Socias server “Michael Jackson. I used to like him, but after he started to fade away, I stopped listening to him. When he died, though, it was a sad day for musicians everywhere. Joe Ballantyne architect “River Phoenix. He was so young, and had so much talent—a waste of talent.” Allyssa Hendrickson student “Heath […]
Out of all the celebrity deaths, who will you miss the most?
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Political Watch 12.31
Hilda Zacarías, Democratic candidate for the 33rd District Assembly seat, has been endorsed by California List, a political network that works to elect more Democratic women to state government. Founded in 2002 by Bettina Duval and other politically active women, California List currently has more than 1,500 Californians as members. The organization seeks to strengthen […]
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Community Notebook 12.31
FRIDAY, JAN. 1 • Happy New Year! TUESDAY, JAN. 5 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx#current. • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular […]
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Hobnobbing With Helen
The All America City has an all-American heart. This is a lesson that wasn’t learned, but relearned in 2009 as Santa Marians dug deep into their recession-hit wallets and managed to find almost as much cash this past year as they did the previous year for nonprofits and charitable causes. PCPA was perhaps the most […]
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Humanity’s appetite
Roll over Martha Stewart, there’s a new cookbook in town, and the Santa Maria Valley isn’t big enough for the both of you. Habitat for Humanity has compiled, published, and is selling cookbooks to raise funds to build homes in the area. The recipe book offers something for everyone at $9.95 before tax. Pay $12.95 […]
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Jackson trial terrorism concerns prompted Santa Maria police to seek federal help
Fears over potential terrorist acts during Michael Jackson’s trial on child molestation charges led the Santa Maria Police Department to enlist the aid of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an FBI report revealed. According to files on the pop star made public on Dec. 22, local police requested the FBI’s involvement in 2004, concerned the […]
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Hazmat incident proves to be a false alarm
As the Santa Maria Airport was being evacuated because of a possible bomb scare, more law enforcement officials responded to a potential hazardous material incident on Highway 135 near Lakeview Junior High School. On Dec. 23, members of the California Highway Patrol closed down Orcutt Road and one lane of Highway 135 to inspect a […]
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Good thing Santa didn’t go through airport security this year
The hustle and bustle of holiday travel came to a standstill on Dec. 23 after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials at the Santa Maria Public Airport reported to local law enforcement agencies a “suspicious item” in a suitcase, according to a press release from the city of Santa Maria. Members of the Santa Maria Police […]
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Local agent joins CornerStone
CornerStone Real Estate of Santa Maria recently announced the addition of Cynthia DePriest to its sales team. DePriest has more than 13 years of real estate experience and has earned numerous awards and accolades for her achievements. She previously worked at Century 21 Advantage, where she had been employed since 1996. DePriest has been a […]
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Lori family opens mortuary
The Lori family, owner and operator of mortuaries for 35 years, is bringing its experience to the Santa Maria area by opening up a new downtown location. The family plans to offer funerals, cremations, worldwide shipment, burial insurance, and monument sales. Plus, the mortuary’s doors are always open for inspection. The Lori Family Mortuary is […]
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Rice Ranch reorganizes
Rice Ranch Ventures Acquisition Fund announced that it’s purchased Lehman Brothers’ interest in Orcutt’s Rice Ranch, northern Santa Barbara County’s largest master planned community. As a result of financial backing from Rice Ranch Ventures and its managing development firm, Western Pacific Land Group, Rice Ranch has secured favorable long-term land development and construction financing for […]
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American Principle hires VP
American Principle Bank, a San Luis Obispo-based bank that serves residents of northern Santa Barbara County, announced the hiring of Mark A. Crawford as its new executive vice president and chief credit officer. Crawford boasts more than 25 years of experience in the financial industry, including employment in the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal […]