Category Archives: General

Rotary Honors Outgoing President

The Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary club recently honored outgoing president Chris Hastert following another successful year. During his presidency, the club accomplished many community-related efforts including the review of 37 community funding requests for local nonprofit agencies. The club was able to fund 33 of those organizations with a total of $38,370, which is 99 …

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District Builds Fire Station at Airport Location in 1969

In the 1930s, Santa Barbara County operated its first fire station in the area near Solomon Peak and the Newlove Hill area. It was moved to Waller Park around 1950, and in 1961 the engine and crew were moved to 1025 Sabre St., across Skyway Drive from the airport. In 1969, the Santa Maria Public …

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DC-10 Air Tanker Fights Fresno Fire from Santa Maria

Plane Delivers 11,600 Gallons per Flight One of the nation’s largest aerial firefighting tankers has been flying out of Santa Maria Public Airport the last two days to battle a wildfire burning in the Sierra National Forest northeast of Fresno. The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 made its second flight from Santa Maria to the Aspen Fire …

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Amelia Earhart Honored at Library Event

Aviator’s History given to Raise Awareness about Library Resources Patricia Lynn, a local pilot, strapped on an aviator’s hat and goggles, tied a red scarf around her neck and wore a brown jacket Wednesday, in honor of the woman she was dressed to portray — celebrated aviator Amelia Earhart. Lynn participated in Altrusa International of …

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Thunder Over the Valley Canceled

Officials Cite Lack of Funding The 2013 Thunder Over the Valley Air Show has been canceled, a victim of federal budget cuts and, to an extent, its own success, its organizer said Monday. Mike Geddry Sr., chief executive officer for the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, said he was “devastated” by the decision, but that …

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Santa Maria Airport Sweetens Incentives for Carrier

Board Approves $1 Million in Support Package 2013-07-14T00:30:00Z SM Airport sweetens incentives for carrierBrian Bullock/bbullock@santamariatimes.com Santa Maria Times The Santa Maria Public Airport is upping its ante in the game to land commercial passenger service to a Midwest hub. The airport has enhanced its Airlines Support Program in the hope of enticing a carrier to land …

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Allegiant Giving away Plane Tickets

Allegiant recently kicked off its Dodge High Fares campaign and is giving away a free round-trip ticket each week through August at dodgehighfares.com. In the Dodge High Fares campaign, Allegiant is asking Santa Maria residents to tell the company what they would dodge with a free vacation. Allegiant also reported that since it first arrived …

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Junior Firefighter Camp Lets Kids Reach New Heights

Local 2020 Rescues Annual Event from Budget Cuts 2013-07-12T00:45:00Z Junior Firefighter Camp lets kids reach new heightsBrian Bullock/bbullock@santamariatimes.com Santa Maria Times Seventy-five feet nearly straight up probably never looked so high to 8-year-old Owen Rich, one of 35 local children participating this week in the Santa Maria Fire Department’s Junior Firefighter Camp. The 110-foot ladder …

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‘Old Timers of Santa Maria’ organized over dinner in 1923

89th annual Pioneer Picnic This year’s picnic is slated for Saturday, July 13, at Pioneer Park on west Foster Road.  For information, call Jane at 937-4405, Karen at 922-9295 or email the Santa Maria Pioneer Association at tsmvpa@gmail.com. The Pioneer Association, originally named “The Old Timers of Santa Maria,” was organized at a dinner meeting …

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Despicable Sight Over Central Coast

There were only happy smiles, and no alarmed screeches, as a giant, one-eyed, yellow, alien-looking creature sailed over the Central Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. The unusual sight was the Despicablimp, advertising the movie “Despicable Me 2,” in theaters next Wednesday. Even blimps need an energy boost sometimes, and the aircraft stopped to gas up …

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