County 3-19

The Department of Labor has put Lompoc mining operation Celite on notice that it might be violating health and safety standards and causing serious injury or illness among its employees. Celite’s attorney has denied there is any basis to the safety concerns, but pledged to cooperate with federal mine safety regulators. Celite mines diatomaceous earth. The company has been downsizing in recent months.

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UCSB presented its Long Range Development Plan at yet another public forum on 3/17, eliciting a litany of criticism from members of the public and most of the Goleta City Council. Many positive comments were made about UCSB’s contribution to the community, but all the councilmembers, save Eric Onnen-who called UCSB’s growth model conservative, suggested that more attention be paid to the impact of campus growth on the community. (/ucsb319)

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The California State Parks system on 3/10 announced its purchase of 39 acres near Old Mission Santa Ines from the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. The land, which includes historic mills, will continue to be managed by the trust, but the transaction nonetheless indicates that the Solvang site is on its way to becoming a full-fledged state park.