• Was it all too good to be true? On July 22, Assemblyman and Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) released an e-mail alleging California Democrats had “double-crossed” Republicans over cuts to corrections listed in the “Big 5” budget agreement. “Throughout budget negotiations we insisted that Republican votes would never be provided for a […]
Political Watch 7-30
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Community Notebook 7-30
TUESDAY, AUG. 4 • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular board meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office Conference Room, 3757 Constellation Road, Vandenberg Village. • The Santa Maria City Council has its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 110 E. Cook St., Santa […]
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Hobnobbing with Helen
The hills were alive with the sound of music. I refer to the hills around the Addamo Estate Vineyards on Clark Road and the music of Chef Anthony LoRusso, known as the “singing chef.” Chef LoRusso entertained about 130 guests, who paid $100 a ticket for a fundraiser, on July 19, from 4 to […]
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Easter Seals helps people understand disabilities
Parents and teachers now have a new, online teaching tool to help young people learn about children and adults with disabilities in the form of the Friends Who Care program. Developed by Easter Seals, a nonprofit provider of disability services, the free program is designed to help children better understand what it means—and how it […]
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Adventures in wasteland
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 […]
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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, […]