Groundwater, garbage, and oak trees—all three were major topics of concern at a public meeting on the potential Los Flores Ranch integrated waste management facility on July 23. About 30 community members and city staffers met at the Santa Maria Public Library to review and comment on a draft environmental impact report for the […]
Adventures in wasteland
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Offshore drilling in state waters is a no-go
Voting against a budget provision that would have permitted the first offshore drilling of state waters in 41 years, the California Assembly on July 24 upheld the long-standing lease approval authority of the State Lands Commission. Commission chair Lt. Gov. John Garamendi called the attempt by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to bypass the commission a […]
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Correction
In the Sun’s July 23 School Scene, Roger Welt’s title was misidentified. He is Allan Hancock College’s retiring vice president of student services. Also, Welt said he plans to explore consulting and teaching options at other schools. News Briefs is compiled by News Editor Amy Asman from staff reporting and local and national media. […]
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Where the pot plants grow
On July 24, a joint investigative team comprised of 30 Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Forest Service officers found a large, illegal marijuana grow in an isolated canyon in the Los Padres National Forest. Authorities eradicated more than 25,000 marijuana plants worth an estimated $75 million, according to information released by the […]
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Santa Barbara County uses federal stimulus money for construction projects
The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department has received a total of $866,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for bridge and road repairs in all five supervisorial districts, the Board of Supervisors announced on July 24. The recently awarded projects—which carry an overall joint price tag of approximately $2.6 million—include bridge maintenance […]
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Santa Maria moves forward with Area 9 environmental impact report
The city of Santa Maria is one step closer to developing an almost 900-acre property west of A Street. The City Council voted 4-1 on July 21, with Councilwoman Hilda Zacarias dissenting, to advance $100,000 to help fund the project’s environmental impact report. The property, dubbed Area 9 by city staffers, would most likely […]
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Top Santa Barbara County aide to step down
Gil Armijo, executive staff assistant to Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joe Centeno (5th District), is planning to resign from his position in response to a legal stand-off with the District Attorney’s office. In an e-mail to the Sun, Armijo said he has been “diagnosed with a disabling medical condition” stemming from “extensive legal harassment” […]
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Central Coast Explorers celebrate academy graduation
After two weeks of grueling drills and disciplined learning, more than 30 young recruits have graduated from the annual Central Coast Law Enforcement Explorer Academy. Each year, dozens of young people attend the academy to learn about law enforcement as a profession. The academy is sponsored by a coalition of local law enforcement agencies, […]
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BOCH welcomes executive director
Bringing Our Community Home, the nonprofit devoted to ending chronic homelessness, has appointed John Buttny as its executive director. Buttny was the group’s interim executive director following the resignation of Executive Director Roger Heroux on Feb. 21. Buttny previously served as BOCH’s project coordinator and as staff to the six Project Working Committees […]
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Meet the Red Cross’ new boss
The Red Cross, Santa Barbara County chapter, announced the appointment of Louise Kolbert as its new CEO. According to the chapter, Kolbert is the most experienced person to ever serve as CEO. She’s held many leadership positions in the American Red Cross over the past 30 years, including building senior consultant at the […]
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PathPoint elects board chair
PathPoint announced that Barbara Steveson has been elected as the new chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. Steveson is a certified financial planner who joined the board in 2007. She’s associated with Blakeslee and Blakeslee, an independent financial planning firm, and has worked in the Santa Maria branch since 1993. With […]
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Get a taste of Old Town Orcutt
Wine and food lovers are invited to sample “A Taste of Old Town Market,” an event boasting free food, prizes, wine tasting, and fun. Local vendors will offer tastes of their goodies at Old Town Orcutt on July 31 from 2 to 6 p.m., and on Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., […]