The City of Santa Maria and the Department of Recreation and Parks announced the hours of operation for Los Flores Ranch Park. The park will be open Thursday for equestrians only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with last entry at 5 p.m. The park will be open to everyone Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays […]
Los Flores Ranch Park is open
Posted inNews
Meet your mayor
Sitting in a Starbucks on North H Street, a steaming cup of coffee nestled between his fingers, Lompoc’s new mayor, Mike Siminski, was still in a bit of a daze. Within 15 minutes of sitting down, two fellow Lompocans came to congratulate the longtime city councilman on his new position. “I just wanted to […]
Posted inOpinion
Why not expand Medicare?
Let’s have real health-care reform, and let’s use a popular, efficient, and successful program that has a track record: Medicare. Medicare is not padded, like private insurers, with profit, exorbitant executive salaries and perks, cost of advertising, and the payroll of staffs of actuaries, agents, salespeople, and lobbyists. Here’s the proposal: Expand Medicare in […]
Posted inNews
There’s no issue like Best Of!
Click your heels and look inside for our ninth annual tribute to top local business, services, people, and more. CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR VIRTUAL PUBLICATION!
Posted inOpinion
If you were writing an autobiography, what would be the title?
John Allen engineer “I never really thought of it. I guess, Too Much Work.” Robert Blotzer rock-n-roller “Wiggle It. It would be about when I was pulled over by the police, and when they gave me the ticket, I wiggled it in front of them.” Ashley Saint’Onge receptionist “AshleyLand, Inc. It was an idea that […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Best of Santa Maria Valley 2009 – Virtual Publication
Click here to view the Best of Santa Maria Valley 2009 Virtual Publication
Posted inOpinion
Don’t listen to the blood-sucking leeches
In writing this letter, I would hope to clear the minds of skeptics who fear a government-run, single-payer health-care system. I’ve used both private and government-run health care programs. In evaluating the two, I can only conclude that the private sector leaves much to be desired. While I was enrolled and covered under the […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch 8-27
• The California Department of Conservation recently released draft regulations to implement comprehensive oil spill prevention legislation penned by Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara). In a release to the media, Nava said he created Assembly Bill 1960 in response to the high number of spills at local oil drilling companies, namely Greka Oil and Gas, […]
Posted inNews
Community Notebook 8-27
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 • 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 bos-agenda.sbcgov.net. • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular board meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office […]
Posted inNews
Hobnobbing with Helen
Combine a beautiful courtyard with a bountiful buffet, an enchanting PCPA musical, and enticing silent auction items and—voila!—you have a winner. Solvang’s lovely Theaterfest grounds were the site of the Santa Maria Youth and Family Center’s annual fundraising party on Aug. 9. The center has perfected the formula for success. They combine good […]
Posted inNews
Two arrested at base protest
A monk and a nun walk onto an Air Force base. No, seriously. In the early hours of Aug. 23, as protesters chanted “Stop the tests!” outside Vandenberg Air Force Base, Father Louis Vitale and Sister Megan Rice crossed the thick blue demarcation line onto base property. Neither of them had permission. The […]
Posted inNews
The lost art of reading
It once seemed, for many people, that nothing could beat the leisurely pleasure of perusing the morning paper, or the magical enjoyment of snuggling under the covers in preparation of a favorite bedtime story. But now—as technology and culture continue to evolve at a dizzying pace—it seems people are more likely to reach for […]