Author: Nick Welsh

Uncategorized By | Thu Jun 22, 2006 | 12:00pm

Capps Blasts War Debate as Sham

Lois Capps, Santa Barbara’s Democratic congressmember, dismissed as “a disgrace” the first debate allowed by the Republican-controlled House majority since the war in Iraq started three years ago. Capps voted against a Republican resolution rejecting a set timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, echoing charges leveled by many Democrats that the maneuver was an election year ploy hatched by Republicans to force Democrats into one of two black-or-white positions rather than engage in actual debate and discussion.

By | Thu Jun 22, 2006 | 12:00pm

Contaminated Sands Appeal Rejected

The California Coastal Commission unanimously rejected an appeal filed by four Santa Maria residents against a plan to dispose of two million tons of contaminated sands from Unocal’s former oil fields near the Guadalupe dunes in San Luis Obispo County to the Santa Maria landfill, located about 100 yards from the Santa Maria River. The appellants complained that they’d never been given a chance to comment on the Environmental Impact Report prepared for the shipment of sand – 100 to 150 dump truck trips per day for as many as four years – past their homes.

By | Thu Jun 15, 2006 | 12:00pm

‘CONDO-MANIA’ APPEALED

Affordable-housing advocate Mickey Flacks and Santa Barbara Community Action Network (SBCAN) filed an appeal to block the Santa Barbara city Planning Commission’s recent approval of a proposal to tear down a 10-unit apartment complex at 85 N. La Cumbre Rd. and replace it with eight upscale condos and one below-market unit.

By | Thu Jun 15, 2006 | 12:00pm

Commuters’ Crash Pad

The City Hall powers-that-be saw fit to hold a grand opening celebration for downtown’s Granada Garage several months after it opened for business. After much grazing and mingling, Mayor Marty Blum and all the city councilmembers – with the exception of Brian Barnwell – gathered for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for a parking structure that went up after three false starts, lawsuits, redesigns, record winter rains, and the fatal heart attack of its chief engineer, George Gerth.

By | Thu Jun 15, 2006 | 12:00pm

LEVY PROJECT FUNDED

Embattled developer Bill Levy pulled a last-minute rabbit out of his hat late Monday, notifying City Hall that he’d obtained a $115 million loan to begin – and hopefully complete – construction on a private redevelopment project to transform the lower three blocks of State Street into a glimmering oasis of upscale Ritz-Carlton timeshare condos.

Uncategorized By | Thu Jun 15, 2006 | 12:00pm

JUDGE BOUNCED IN VASQUEZ CASE

Superior Court Judge George Eskin (pictured left) was recused from presiding over the felony child endangerment trial of Sylvia Vasquez – a popular preschool teacher accused of locking her adopted children in cages – because of an alleged conflict of interest.

Angry Poodle By | Thu Jun 15, 2006 | 12:00pm

Bit by a Dead Dog

TALKIN’ LOUD, SAYING NOTHING: You may not be able to teach old dogs new tricks, but the good news is that sometimes you can’t always fool them with the same old ones. A case in point is George Bush‘s notable failure to gain traction last week by yanking the old Marriage Protection Amendment out of mothballs. In this case, Bush sought to explain how the homosexual threat to the sanctity of marriage had grown so dire that the Constitution itself needed to be changed.

Angry Poodle By | Thu Jun 08, 2006 | 12:00pm

Calling All Dogs

SILENCE IS GOLDEN: It’s all over, I suppose, but the shouting. The June primaries have officially ended, meaning our telephones, mailboxes, and TV screens can enjoy a few moments of respite from political solicitations. The big story, as always, is who didn’t vote. That’s most of us. Presumably the democracy we are so eager to export to Iraq is the democracy we see fit not to exercise right here at home. But who needs a lecture?

By | Thu Jun 08, 2006 | 12:00pm

NUCLEAR TERRORISM CONSIDERED

In a victory for anti-nuclear activists, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) must consider the environmental consequences of a potential terrorist attack on a proposed nuclear fuel storage area at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County. The court rejected the NRC’s longstanding contention that the prospect of a terrorist attack is too speculative to fall under the jurisdiction of the National Environmental Policy Act. Jane Swanson of Mothers for Peace hailed the decision as a monumental victory, noting it could have significant nationwide impact at a time when the Bush administration is plugging nuclear energy.

Angry Poodle By | Thu May 25, 2006 | 12:00pm

Dog of Another Color

BEWARE OF FALLING SKY: I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t found the time to watch the remake of The Poseidon Adventure-that great water-logged disaster epic from the ’70s. Neither, it turns out, have my friends working at the News-Press. They’ve been too busy living their own version of the disaster movie, the big difference being that their turmoil is real. If and when the News-Press runs aground, it’s bad news for the whole town.

Load More

Login

Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription

Not a member? Sign up here.