On July 7, the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department proved the old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” when it received the 2008 Gold Excellence Award from the Solid Waste Association of North America for Integrated Waste, in recognition of the county’s waste management program. SWANA’s national awards program recognizes excellence in […]
County gets gold for waste
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County supervisors search for spay/neuter task force members
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is now accepting applications from residents interested in serving on the newly created spay/neuter task force, established to make recommendations to the board concerning the countywide spay/ neuter ordinance discussed earlier this year. Applicants must be residents of Santa Barbara County who are 18 years old or older. […]
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Santa Barbara County cracks down on jury service no-shows
Contemplating skipping out on jury duty? Beware: The Santa Barbara County Superior Court recently implemented a tougher program, penalizing people who willfully fail to appear for jury duty. The program is designed to systematically track down county residents who don’t respond to their jury duty summonses and to enforce state-approved penalties, including fines or even […]
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Pending highway construction requires Measure A funds, SBCAG says
On July 17, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) was reminded that timely completion of three big highway construction projects in Northern Santa Barbara County depends on the passage of Measure A in November. SBCAG board members were told at the meeting in Santa Maria that county staff was making “steady progress” on […]
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Leadership Project gets mixed reviews
Up until about a year ago, Santa Barbara County managers fell into one of about 200 different classifications with 77 pay ranges. The payroll process was a tangled web of employment categories and scheduled, automatic pay raises. Then came the Leadership Project, unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors in June of 2006. The idea […]
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Nowhere to go
Over the last dozen months, the soaring rate of home foreclosures has had a crippling effect on the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. Families have been forced out of their homes, men and women have lost their jobs, and bank accounts have shrunk considerably. Humans, however, aren’t the only ones suffering from the […]
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Money to burn
On the afternoon of July 1, Goleta residents Elaine and Jerry Smith were about to leave for a concert and picnic on the beach. They had just listened to a small blurb on the news about a fire burning in the hills above town, but didn’t give it much thought. “We knew that the fire […]
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CLUBS & MEETINGS
ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. of SANTA MARIA, a nonprofit business and professional organization, meets the second Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., in the downstairs conference room at United Way, 1660 S. Broadway. Info: 352-0026 or 937-4071. ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. OF THE CENTRAL COAST meets at noon the second and fourth Monday of every month at […]
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SPIRITUAL
BAHA’I interfaith worship services are the second Sunday of each month. Info: 489-4172. Children’s classes are the first Saturday of each month. Info: 937-9451. Study circles about The Life of the Spirit are ongoing in Santa Maria. For questions, dates, and times: 614-0963. Info: 937-9451. BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH holds worship services Sundays with Holy Communion […]
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FARMERS’ MARKETS
SANTA MARIA 100 S. Broadway at Main, Wednesdays, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Features local beekeepers’ honey and bee pollen, breads and pastries, plants and flower bouquets, fresh fruits and vegetables. ORCUTT Corner of Clark and Bradley, Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fresh honey, flowers, and eggs, along with fresh fruits and vegetables. […]
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BARBECUES
THE PEOPLE OF GREATNESS COMMUNITY CENTER holds a barbecue and summer boutique fundraiser July 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1503 N McClelland St., Santa Maria. Cost is $300. Info: 922-0400. ONGOING FILIPINO COMMUNITY OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY barbecues Filipino food at the Smart and Final parking lot, N. Broadway on Saturdays […]
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HEALTH
SANSUM CLINIC offers a “Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Nutrition” class July 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. The clinic is located at 1225 North H St., Lompoc. Info: 737-8700. ONGOING ARTHRITIS FDN. is a low impact, sit-in-chair exercise program held every Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the […]