Several businesses on Betteravia Road in Santa Maria celebrated grand openings this year, including a fast food joint that helped solidify Mayor Alice Patino’s nickname for the street, “chicken alley.” When Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers opened during the spring, it joined the likes of Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and El Pollo Loco, each with a location on […]
State of the City highlights new Santa Maria businesses, future developments
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St. Joseph High School student receives national academic recognition
St. Joseph High School student Paige Beal said she always wants to seize her moment and be present in life. “For me, I see so many people on electronics these days; some people close to me spend [a lot] of time on their electronics, and they regret it, and they say they wished they experienced […]
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Oso Flaco Lake remediation project will target ‘persistent and pernicious’ DDT pollution
Nearly a decade after researchers found more DDT pesticides in Oso Flaco Lake than in any other water body in the state, local stakeholders are finally zeroing in on a project they say will help fix it. The Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District (RCD) is partnering with Teixeira Farms on a remediation project to […]
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Political Watch: November 3, 2022
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Dianne Feinstein (D-California) announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded more than $68.2 million to 21 California schools and districts to replace 177 existing school buses with zero-emission models, according to an Oct. 26 statement from Padilla’s office. This funding comes from the EPA’s Clean School […]
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Bus stop dispute puts Santa Maria development on hold
The Santa Maria Planning Commission wants to require an apartment building developer to fund a new bus turnout in the area but is waiting on a price tag. Although city staff estimated that the turnout would cost between $40,000 and $50,000, commissioners opted to delay voting on the project until staff lands on a specific […]
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New Santa Ynez airport board candidate added after elections debate
Christian Maurer is running for the Santa Ynez Valley Airport Authority board of directors after fellow airport authority members nominated him by petition and the agency rescheduled its elections, following some debate about the airport’s voting bylaws. “I thought it would be interesting to get more involved with day-to-day decision-making and future planning,” Maurer said. […]
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Santa Maria high school district candidates address community concerns
School safety, transportation issues, and mental health help were discussed by three out of four Santa Maria Joint Union High School District board of education candidates during an Oct. 19 community forum. The school district is divided into five trustee areas, with areas 4 and 5 up for reelection this year. The League of Women […]
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Political Watch: October 27, 2022
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced a new $159,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Guadalupe Union School District to improve school safety and protect students, according to an Oct. 24 statement from the congressman’s office. In 2018, Carbajal supported the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act, which […]
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Marian Regional Medical Center’s Extended Care Center celebrates 35 years in the community
Marian Regional Medical Center’s Extended Care Center started with a few nuns and 10 patients who needed extra care after hospitalization. Now, the center serves 95 patients at a time and is celebrating its 35th anniversary, Jill Ledbetter said. The skilled nursing facility serves community members who need some assistance with daily tasks like bathing, […]
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A quick explainer on the Nov. 8 election’s seven propositions
Every election cycle brings a new slew of state propositions—some of the most confusing yet consequential items on Californians’ ballots. We know how hard it is to sift through the stacks of mailers, editorials, and slanted advertising that’s pushed out for or against each measure, so the Sun put together this no-nonsense primer on each […]
Posted inOpinion
Judy Frost is best for county school board
In this time when there has been so much going on with schools, I felt compelled to write a letter in support of someone who I know personally and someone who is currently serving on the Santa Barbara County board of trustees—Judy Frost. Judy has spent the past four years representing trustee area 5. She […]
Posted inOpinion
Santa Barbara Humane by the numbers
When members of the public make inaccurate statements about our local animal shelters, dogs and cats pay a high price. Numbers tell the story best, not inflammatory statements and misinformation. Despite recent statements from the public reported by your newspaper (“Potential Santa Maria animal services contract sparks controversy,” Oct. 20), Santa Barbara Humane does an […]
