Santa Maria

The City of Santa Maria is inviting the public to weigh-in on fee increases on new development projects. These one-time fees are meant to offset the cost of public services for a growing population. The public workshop is scheduled for October 6, which makes it the third public workshop this year regarding new development fees.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the allocation of over $42,000 to pay half of the cost of a Santa Maria Park Ranger. The new ranger will patrol the Santa Maria riverbed for unhoused residents.

More than 20 community members voiced their opinions this week at the Santa Maria City Council meeting, where council members were scheduled to consider forming an ad hoc committee on immigration. The council postponed discussion on the committee because one council member was absent.

In Santa Maria, the city council on Tuesday is scheduled to look at continuing a contract for emergency dispatch services with the City of Guadalupe. The contract ended over the summer and the City of Guadalupe has said they are ready to continue this partnership for the next three years.

On California’s Central Coast, Congressman Salud Carbajal is raising new concerns about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Carbajal recently toured the ICE processing facility in Santa Maria.

Fire officials say progress is steady on the Gifford Fire burning in California’s Central Coast. Since August 1st, the blaze has scorched more than 131,000 acres and is 95% contained.

Gifford Fire containment is increasing, but the fire is still burning in many areas across more than 132,000 acres. As firefighting efforts wind down, new challenges are emerging, including erosion prevention.

The Gifford Fire burning in the hills east of Santa Maria has now become California’s largest wildfire this year, surpassing the size of last month’s Madre Fire.

Evacuation orders and warnings remain in parts of SLO and Santa Barbara counties. Residents are urged to monitor for changing conditions. Hwy 166 is closed between Hwy 101 and New Cuyama.

An annual celebration of Oaxacan culture on the Central Coast has been canceled this year. Organizers say immigration raids have left local indigenous communities feeling unsafe.