The Santa Maria City Council voted 4-1 on April 21 to raise water and sewer rates 5 percent annually for the next three years. The increase goes with the flow set by the city over the past 30 years, which have seen annual rate hikes of 5 percent. Starting on July 1, single-family households will […]
Rising water rates in Santa Maria are still relatively low
Posted inNews
Los Olivos mother coordinates earthquake relief effort in Nepal
Theodora Stephan has two daughters, Anita and Sunita Williams, whom she adopted from Nepal when they were children. She was able to bring them to the Central Coast through a humanitarian effort. Now, Stephan is part of another humanitarian effort, only this time she is trying to help bring relief to Nepal, which was struck […]
Posted inOpinion
Pay attention, people
Marching, protesting, and speaking out are one thing. Rioting, looting, and violence are another altogether. But if the dissatisfied recent echo that blasted through yet another U.S. city is any indicator of how people are feeling about the status quo, it’s explicitly clear: They’re unhappy, and they want things to change. Racism: It can be […]
Posted inOpinion
Deny Phillips 66 its rail spur permit
The only way to keep our county safe from fires and explosions caused by oil train derailments, with their accompanying clouds of oily, toxic smoke that sticks to everything and their groundwater pollution, is to prevent the huge increase in oil trains going through our county. And the only way to do that is to […]
Posted inOpinion
The Sheriff’s budget needs a closer look
During the recent budget and jail presentation by Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown to the county Board of Supervisors on April 6, I was shaking my head in disbelief. The supervisors could not make sense out of the disaster, and I’ve never seen all five board members so frustrated, but with good reason. Just […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Cameron Rea
On April 22, gymnast Cameron Rea signed to join Southern California United, an association that offers NCAA level training and competition for collegiate gymnastics. He plans to attend Allan Hancock College and eventually transfer to a CSU. He signed the pledge at KT’s All Star Gymnastics in the Santa Maria Town Center Mall. David Eckenrode, […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Former MLB player Steve Sax starts foundation to mentor youth
After spending 14 years playing Major League Baseball, Steve Sax is known worldwide as a legendary athlete. During the span of his career from 1981 to 1994, Sax played for the L.A. Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the Chicago White Sox, and the Oakland Athletics. Now, Sax has a different venue in which to use […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Passion in Paso: How regional wine producers are pushing the envelope to attract sophisticated palates
The merriest month in Paso Robles may well be May. Before the intense heat of summer sets in, two wine events are planned in this Northern San Luis Obispo County wine region: CABS of Distinction and the Paso Robles Wine Festival. With 32,000 vineyard acres and more than 200 wineries producing wines from more than […]
Posted inOpinion
Should businesses that have contributed to the creation of Superfund sites–through dumping hazardous materials–be held liable?
Mauricio Herrera student “Yes, they should. If you make the mess, clean the mess.” Antonio Ibarra student “Yeah. If they were the ones dumping, then yes.” Alicia Morales student “Well, yeah, I think that [the question] answers it. They contributed to it, so yes.” Adrian Novoa student “If they had permission, they shouldn’t be held […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
‘What’ is the problem
The University of California system has decided that my son is some sort of academic genius. He was accepted into both UCLA and UC Berkeley. Yes, I am a proud father, but since I know him so well, I find it a bit odd that the universities think he’s a genius. Sure, on paper, his […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
WonHeart gives Battles students musical tools to abate bullying
WonHeart facilitators Joelyn Lutz and Patrick Mahan improvised a rhythmic minor jam as Battles Elementary School third and fourth graders filed into the school’s cafeteria on a recent Friday afternoon. Even before they found places to sit, some kids were tapping their feet or bobbing their knees in rhythm with the bluesy beat. Though Lutz […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Leadership Lompoc Valley holds fundraiser for Lompoc Theatre Project
Leadership Lompoc Valley’s class of 2015 and board of directors named the Lompoc Theatre Project as its fundraising beneficiary this year. The public and Leadership alumni are invited to a fundraising event featuring live entertainment by Lompoc performing arts groups, wine tasting, and food on April 30 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the La […]
