In ancient Egyptian times, cats were revered as kings. And man has always loved dogs, giving them a place of honor since long before Lassie saved Timmy again and again from the abyss of the well. These days, however, many dogs and cats are stuck in a rut, facing loneliness during the holidays. You can […]
Happiness is a warm cat
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Credit where it’s due
In the Santa Maria Sun’s Holiday Guide that debuted on Nov. 19, Neal Breton of SLO Art Supply played the menacing holiday monster, while Rachel Krauss played the ingénue in distress. News Briefs is compiled by Sun staffers from staff reporting and local and national media. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, […]
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Santa Maria approves a new bike plan
The Santa Maria City Council on Nov. 17 approved a bike plan that will add 139 new miles of bike paths, lanes, and routes and fill in gaps in the city’s existing bike path network. The Bikeway Master Plan, which will become effective in December, will connect neighborhoods to the downtown area, parks, and schools, […]
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Sen. Abel Maldonado nominated for lieutenant governor
At a press conference in Los Angeles on Nov. 24, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he has nominated Sen. Abel Maldonado as California’s lieutenant governor. If confirmed by the Legislature, the Santa Maria Republican will replace exiting Lt. Governor John Garamendi, who was recently elected to Congress. “[Maldonado] is more than just a strong leader […]
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Life in the fast lane
Comcast customers in Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Orcutt can now surf the web faster than ever as the cable and Internet provider announced it’s upgrading from broadband to wideband. As part of the deployment, Comcast is launching two premium speed tiers to its residential and business class customers. The residential tiers include Extreme 50, offering […]
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Motionz is five
Motionz owners Mary and George Majoue recently celebrated the laser tag arena’s five-year anniversary at Town Center Mall. Since opening Motionz on Nov. 12 of 2004, the Majoues have developed a loyal staff of associates, who are put through an intensive selection process before being hired. Motionz is located on the second floor of the […]
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Find real home cooking
Nonprofit housing organization Habitat for Humanity has collected the best recipes from its members and friends in the North County community, compiling them into a cookbook. Boasting 200 recipes—including appetizers, main dishes, and desserts—the cookbook is available at the Habitat Office and ReStore at 2053-B Preisker Lane in Santa Maria. It costs $9.95 including tax, […]
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Syngenta buys Pybas Seeds
Swiss seed company Syngenta recently announced the acquisition of Santa Maria-based Pybas Vegetable Seed Co., Inc. Syngenta will expand in the North American lettuce market and broaden its lettuce development portfolio in Europe and Asia, according to the company’s website. Pybas Seeds, at 2330 A St., unit B, in Santa Maria, is an organic breeder […]
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Help local students at donorschoose.org
A Lompoc High School teacher is using the online education charity donorschoose.org to encourage people to help provide his students with visual arts materials and resources. Eleventh-grade teacher Andy Newbre recently created his project, titled “Digital Videography,” on the website. “I started my digital photography/videography program three years ago and it has blossomed to include […]
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Start the New Year with new AHC classes
The Allan Hancock College spring 2010 credit schedule is now available online at hancockcollege.edu. According to a press release from the college, there are nearly 1,200 classes being offered, many of which begin the week of Feb. 1. The spring schedule contains a complete list of semester-length and Fast Track/Term classes, along with more than […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Maddie Mastrup
The current hasn’t always flowed to the benefit of Maddie Mastrup, but that never slowed her—it only made her stronger. She’s overcome any adversity facing her to the point where adversity now cowers in fear of her ability to improve beyond the highest expectations. “I started swimming when I was about 9,” Mastrup said, soaking […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
West Coast Xtreme places third in tourney
The eighth grade girls’ basketball team from West Coast Xtreme took home third place honors in the Newbury Park Basketball Association fifth annual Fall and Winter Basketball Classic on Nov. 14. The team opened the two-day event with a 28-27 win over North Star. They lost to Ventura Elite in the semi-final, but came from […]