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Hours after our so-called “perfect baby girl” was born, not only was she put to the test, but so was our idea of perfection. My husband and I were moments from dressing Sienna Dorothy in a pink velour onesie, tucking her in an infant car seat for the first time, and gingerly driving her home, […]
Marian Medical Center is a hub of activity. Groups of people flow in as others stream out. Some are on their way to cheer up a loved one who’s in for a short stay. Others are rushing to greet the latest edition to this world. Still others are there to say their goodbyes. All of […]
On Dec. 18, 2011, the last convoy of U.S. troops left Iraq, ending a war that spanned almost nine years and two presidencies. President George W. Bush, with the approval of U.S. Congress, ordered troops to invade Iraq in 2003 to search for weapons of mass destruction and free the Iraq people from the oppressive […]
A lot happened this year. Yes, we at the Sun tend say that every 365 days, but this year really packed a punch. Everyone knows times have been hard, and the news reflects that: A handful of prominent city leaders, including a legendary actress, passed away. Two incredibly saddening murder trials either came to a […]
The world we live in is far from perfect: Economies continue to falter, people continue to go hungry, and crime continues to rear its ugly head. It’s enough to make you wish iconic comic book figures like Superman and Batman could jump out of their storybook pages and make everything better? While that might be […]
Dressed in a light blue jumpsuit, Frank Godinez is led into the Inmate Reception Center at Santa Barbara County Jail. Once locked inside, he turns around, stoops low enough for the guard to remove his handcuffs through a slot in the door, and approaches the jailhouse phone. Brow furrowed, his voice carries tinges of anger […]
This Christmas, 17-year-old Jennie* will spend the day at the same place she did last year: in a room surrounded by a few of her favorite possessions and with strangers who have become her new family. Like many of the other girls in the Changing Faces group home, she will never have another typical childhood […]
Sun photographer Steve E. Miller and I are standing in a labor and delivery suite at Lompoc Valley Medical Center. And, in this case, the term “suite” really does apply. It’s a large space—about the size of a living room—with polished wood paneling and ambient mood lighting. Hanging on the walls are pastoral paintings of […]
Dawn peeks its way through the thick fog, illuminating the oak tree-laden hills bordering the Santa Ynez River and the communities of deer, wild boar, and quail that call it home. Ducked low behind sage and underbrush, I watch quietly as Marco Valdivia, my guide on this hunting foray, motions me to stay put and […]
Imagine circumstances force you to again live with your parents, to return to your childhood home: You lost your job, were evicted; your friendships have unraveled; the world seems hostile. Instead of understanding your plight, your father and even your mother insist your behavior caused these problems, you are to blame, you aren’t thinking clearly, […]
People react to change in different ways. Some embrace it, while others view it with suspicion. Reactions of all types kicked into high gear after the recent cluster of retirement announcements within Santa Maria city management. Fire Chief Jeff Jones announced he would be retiring Dec. 19, Chief Deputy City Clerk Pat Perez will step […]
If there were a reality television show called “America’s Next Top Farmer,” Brenda Farias would definitely be a contender for first place. The 29-year-old is the executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. Based in Santa Maria, the office acts as a USDA liaison for farmers in Santa Barbara and Ventura […]
