Ronald Schram, a veteran law enforcement officer with nearly 40 years of experience, was named interim police chief of the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District on Aug. 14 at a Hancock board of trustees meeting. The hire came less than a month after the district’s previous chief, Paul Grohowski, resigned after seven months on […]
Hancock appoints interim police chief
Posted inNews
Buellton City Council to loosen its grip on recreational vehicle parking
Buellton resident Roger Ayala was left without a choice. After a city letter informed him earlier this year that a new addition to an old city ordinance would make it illegal for him to park his ’92 Winnebago Sunrise Itasca in his driveway, he thought he’d have to sell it. Without affordable storage options available […]
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Deputy shot and killed suspected robber in Orcutt
An unnamed Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office deputy shot and killed a suspected bank robber just before 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 22. The Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported robbery at CoastHills Credit Union on Clark Avenue in Orcutt at 9:14 a.m., according to a press release. The suspect had reportedly fled from the bank […]
Posted inOpinion
Correcting the record
Last week I welcomed Santa Maria Valley representatives to correct the record if I made any unfair assumptions about them after invites to Santa Maria’s first Pride event went unanswered but for a few. I didn’t hear back from any of them, but I did hear back from Sheriff Bill Brown. I had also gotten […]
Posted inOpinion
Trump is keeping his promises
Donald Trump is keeping his promises. The job market’s heating up, wages are rising, businesses are investing in the U.S., the stock market continues to break records, trade policies and agreements are improving, American citizens are safer and more secure, new technologies are coming to the forefront, and yes, the wall is still going to […]
Posted inOpinion
Government works best with trust
Water providers on the Central Coast should find ways to work together for the interests of their constituents. Most communities on the Central Coast have government agencies overseeing their water supplies. In this water-challenged time, people want the reassurance, security, and knowledge that the essential water services they depend on will be there when they […]
Posted inOpinion
Bill Cirone: Public education leader and champion
It was with much reflection that I read of the retirement of Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone. His retirement has made me reflect on our many years of service as the two of us started off in the county during a similar time frame. I had just started working in a small […]
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‘Hancock Promise’ offers high school graduates first year at AHC free
High school students graduating from the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District who immediately enroll to Allan Hancock College will receive a year of free tuition and fees starting with the Fall 2018 semester. The school’s newest program, known as the Hancock Promise, will save incoming students an estimated $1,200 in tuition and fees each […]
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Political Watch 8/24/17
• Local and state representatives signed a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke urging him and the Department of the Interior to protect and preserve California’s National Monuments at the behest of state residents and the business community. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), along with Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa […]
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County supervisors agree on response to grand jury report on water management
With the Lake Cachuma reservoir at less than 50 percent capacity and the county still in a declared state of emergency due to the five-year drought, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously directed staff to continue exploring alternative water sources on Aug. 22. The decision came in response to a June 13 grand […]
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Local businesses, representatives voice support for Carrizo Plain
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke is expected to issue a recommendation on Aug. 24 that could possibly reduce the size of or rescind the designation of as many as 21 national monuments, including the Carrizo Plain, and the affected business community is making its voice heard. Last week, more than 130 businesses in San […]
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Amber Alert issued for child abducted after fatal shooting
The Santa Maria Police Department issued an Amber Alert for a child who was reportedly abducted on Aug. 21 after a fatal shooting at 230 North College Drive. The alert was issued just after 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 22. Daniel Morozov, 9, is 4-foot-5 with brown hair and eyes, according to the alert. He is […]