Category Archives: General

County Lines The Santa Maria Airport received a $199,450 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday.  The announcement from U.S. Rep. Lois Capps reported that the money will pay for the design aspect of the airport's apron refurbishment.  This apron is basically the aircraft parking lot where planes can wait, refuel and where passengers …

Clubs From Across Country Visit Annual Event Triumph sports car owners across the country are congregating in Santa Maria for a weekend of fun-filled driving, competition and camaraderie dubbed Triumphest.  Drivers started gathering at the Radisson hotel on Thursday afternoon, washing and polishing every make, model and year from Triumph TR2s to TR8s. Bone stock …

A small plane with three people on board flipped on its back Friday afternoon while attempting to land at the Santa Maria Public Airport. The pilot and passengers aboard the fixed-wing, single-engine Lionheart plane managed to walk away from the crash with only minor injuries, according to the airport's general manager Chris Hastert. The crash …

Santa Barbara County's general election ballot is set, with many incumbents campaigning to keep their seats on North County special districts, but the level of competition varies. While some races didn't see enough candidates to fill available seats, others, like the Vandenberg Village Community Services District and the Santa Maria Public Airport District, saw more …

The skies above the Santa Maria Public Airport were filled with smoke, black-and-yellow parachutes and the rumble of radial engines Sunday afternoon as the 26th annual Thunder Over the Valley air show wrapped up. A highlight for many spectators was the display of aerial teamwork by the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team, whose members …

Believe it or not, the weather gurus say there is a 10-percent chance of rain today. Rain means clouds, and clouds sometimes produce lightning and thunder. But we’re not talking about that kind of thunder today. We’re talking about the kind that has stirred the emotions and imaginations of North County folks for many years …

Golden Knights to showcase aerial maneuvers during weekend show See the show Thunder Over the Valley Air Show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Sunday at the Santa Maria Public Airport with displays by the Golden Knights at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. both days. Admission is $12 for adults, $3 for …

Skies were clear and the wind was in our favor Thursday afternoon as I climbed into the rear seat of Capt. Jim Bergman's AT-6 Texan, a single-engine advanced aircraft used to train military pilots in the 1940s and '50s. After locking my harness, and pointing out the escape lever and the parachute release, "Capt. Jim," climbed into …

As the Nov. 4 general election approaches, residents looking to run for special district seats around Santa Barbara County rushed to get their candidate paperwork submitted before the 5:00 p.m. deadline Friday. A number of candidates joined the ballot in the last week of the filing period, with the Cuyama area's special district elections seeing …