Talley Farms is known for shipping wholesale crops across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Particularly bell peppers, of which the company can expect to ship up to 12,000 boxes per day at peak season, according to Andrea Chavez, manager of Talley Farm’s Fresh Harvest program. But did you know they also sell directly to […]
Spotlight on: Talley Farms Fresh Harvest
Posted inNews
Lompoc residents question council member at transparency forum
A small crowd gathered in the Grossman Gallery at the Lompoc Public Library, where Lompoc City Councilmember Jim Mosby—donning a cowboy hat, jeans, boots, and a button-down over a T-shirt—stood at the front of the room. Before him, binders and stacks of government documents spread over a fold-out table. Mosby was about halfway through his […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District approves student voter registration proposal
On April 12, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District unanimously approved a proposal that makes the voter registration process easier for high school seniors. According to AB 30, a bill passed in 2009, 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote as long as they turn 18 before the next election. Under the new proposal, teachers […]
Posted inNews
SLO Coastkeeper drops water quality lawsuit against Santa Maria
On April 14, nonprofit San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper dropped its lawsuit against Santa Maria challenging the city’s management of storm-water drainage from its landfill. SLO Coastkeeper sued Santa Maria in federal court on Nov. 4, 2015, alleging the city’s discharge permit wasn’t adequate to prevent rainwater from carrying pollution from the landfill into nearby streams. […]
Posted inNews
Lawsuit alleges police illegally entered the home of a Lompoc woman
A woman in Lompoc is suing the Lompoc Police Department (LPD) after she said officers entered her home illegally, according to a lawsuit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court on April 8. The lawsuit, which was filed in Santa Maria’s Cook Division, stems from an incident on April 9, 2014, when Jari Blake said […]
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Orcutt Union School District hikes teacher salaries, ending negotiations
Never say never—that’s what we’ve learned from the salary negotiations between Orcutt Union School District and the Orcutt Educators’ Association (OEA). After months of discussion, a seeming stalemate, and intervention from a state mediator, the district and OEA finally reached an agreement on April 13: The district will grant its faculty a 6 percent pay […]
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Santa Maria-Bonita School District hires superintendent
Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) announced its selection of Luke Ontiveros as new superintendent on April 13, following a months-long search to fill the position. SMBSD Board President John Hollinshead told the Sun the board was most impressed with Ontiveros’ collaborative leadership style, which makes him receptive to suggestions from other administration and staff. “That’s […]
Posted inOpinion
The most wonderful time of the year
I love a sense of the incongruent. Irony. Those situations that make you laugh at the absurdity. For instance I chuckled when I got a press release from Santa Barbara County Association of Governments announcing an April 21 unmet transit needs meeting that would give people a chance to suggest new bus routes or service […]
Posted inOpinion
You’ve been warned
Santa Maria had more teen pregnancies than any city in America when I moved here in 1960. I taught contraception in my biology classes at high school and Hancock College. I started Planned Parenthood, which was very small and controversial at first. Now it’s is a very busy place with about 25 excellent employees. I […]
Posted inOpinion
Porter has community passion
I support Bruce Porter for county supervisor for our county’s 3rd District. I’ve worked with Bruce over the years in a number of nonprofits, to include the Red Cross and Rotary. He has an amazing passion for our community and its citizens, and has dedicated countless hours in volunteer time to work hard for the […]
Posted inOpinion
The experience that matters
Having known Joan Hartmann for the past six years, it’s obvious why Supervisor [Doreen] Farr selected Joan four years ago to serve on our county’s Planning Commission. In 2008 Joan provided the leadership for the Measure E campaign to amend Buellton’s general plan. Buellton voters now enjoy final say in any developments that would expand […]
Posted inOpinion
A poet in your pocket
The written exchange between John Adams and his wife, Abigail, are true treasures of American history. But the native New Englander, away from home for months at a time in Philadelphia and Washington trying to preserve a young republic for future generations, also wrote at length to his oldest son, John Quincy, who himself would […]
