Santa Barbara County

$266M worth of marijuana destroyed

A three-day, multi-agency marijuana eradication effort at six separate growing sites resulted in the destruction of nearly 22,000 plants, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department announced Monday.

The campaign, involving about 30 personnel from the Sheriff's Department, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, concluded last week. It began after reports were received over the past two months from citizens and sheriff's helicopter patrols, according to sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Erik Raney.

Most of the sites were in Los Padres National Forest, and evidence indicates that Mexican nationals were living at several of the sites and tending the plants, Raney said.

The seizures follow another large operation on July 6, in which about 62,000 plants were eradicated east of Twitchell Reservoir.

Raney estimated the combined street value of the plants destroyed in both operations at $266 million.

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Santa Ynez

Vandalism leads to arrest of 20-year-old

A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of vandalism after a report of the sound of a window breaking at 1988 Old Mission Drive shortly after 1:10 a.m. Monday.

While answering the call, a Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputy saw a man acting suspicious near Pine Street and Mission Drive and told other deputies to be on the lookout for the suspect.

Soon after, Guy DiNuzzo was seen in some bushes in a home's front yard.

DiNuzzo was booked into the Santa Maria substation of County Jail on suspicion of four counts of felony vandalism, three counts of miscellaneous vandalism, one count of throwing an object at a moving vehicle and one count of commercial burglary.

DiNuzzo is being held on $20,000 bail, deputies said.

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Grover Beach

Authorities seek help with theft case

Police are looking for anyone who has any information about the theft of a green 2005 Lexus early Monday morning from Sierra Body Shop on South Fourth Street.

The Police Department received a call shortly after midnight from a neighbor of Sierra Auto Body saying a prowler seemed to be inside the fenced area of the body shop, according to Lt. Jim English.

Officers found no one, English said, but nearly six hours later, at 5:45 a.m., a garbage truck driver called the department to report that the gate to Sierra Auto Body had been knocked down and a running truck was parked near the gate.

An investigation indicated that someone apparently had climbed the fence, taken a customer's truck from the yard, used it to ram the yard gate and then drove off with a green 2005 Lexus, English said. The Lexus also belonged to a customer.

He asked anyone with information about the crime to call Det. Juan Leon at 473-4511.

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Santa Maria

Parents invited to school orientation

Parents of incoming ninth graders are invited to attend Santa Maria High School's annual Freshmen Parent and Student Orientation meeting at

6:30 p.m. Thursday in the school's cafeteria.

Information will be presented about the block schedule, attendance and school policies, educational programs information regarding the California High School Exit Exam, and extra-curricular activities at Santa Maria High School.

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Lompoc

Annexation may be put on hold

With City Councilman Mike Siminski still recovering from a respiratory illness, the Lompoc City Council's scheduled discussion tonight of the proposed annexation of 804 acres to build nearly 1,000 houses may be delayed.

Although the annexation request remains on tonight's agenda, the Houston-based oil company Plains Exploration & Production (PXP) has asked that the issue be continued because of Siminski's absence.

PXP initially planned to build up to 1,300 homes on 339 acres, but has reduced the size of the proposed development to 960 homes on 213 acres, according to a company representative.

The property is about three miles north of Lompoc.

The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 100 Civic Center Plaza.

- From staff reports