Goleta

Two seriously hurt in Hwy. 101 collision

Two people were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Tuesday afternoon after three vehicles collided in the southbound lanes of Highway 101 near the Glenn Annie/

Storke roads offramp, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The California Highway Patrol also responded to the accident.

The two people taken to the hospital suffered major injuries, County Fire Captain Eli Iskow reported Tuesday afternoon. Three other people involved in the collision were reportedly not injured and declined medical treatment, he said.

The collision resulted in a Ford Mustang ending up nearly on top of a Honda sedan, Iskow said. The third vehicle involved, a Jeep, received only minimal damage, he said.

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It was not known late Tuesday in which vehicle those injured were traveling, and an update on their condition, and the cause of the accident, was not available at press time.

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Santa Maria

Suspect sought in alleged hit-and-run

A suspected hit-and-run driver remained at large Tuesday night after allegedly crossing into oncoming traffic and striking another vehicle, the Santa Maria Police Department reported Tuesday.

The driver of a 1989 Acura Integra, driving eastbound on Betteravia Road approaching Mahoney Road, crossed over the painted center divider into the westbound lanes and struck a 2004 Nissan pickup driven by Sergio Garcia, 31, of Orcutt, according to police reports.

Garcia was not injured in the collision, police reported.

The unidentified driver of the Acura fled the scene on foot before police and emergency rescue personnel arrived at the scene, according to reports.

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Santa Maria

Two arrested in brother's stabbing

An alleged fight early New Year's Day between three brothers resulted in one of them being stabbed in the back, Santa Maria Police officials reported.

Officers responded to a call in the 600 block of West Lemon Street, where they discovered Jose Uribe with serious stab wounds to his back, according to police reports. He was taken to Marian Medical Center where he was reported to be in stable condition Tuesday afternoon, police reported.

Uribe's two brothers, Juan Uribe, 28, and Jesus Uribe, 27 were arrested at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday. The two were taken into custody without incident, police reported. The age of Jose Uribe was not available Tuesday evening. All three brothers are residents of Santa Maria, police reported.

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Santa Barbara County

Rainfall, winds expected this week

The National Weather Service is calling for significant rainfall and strong winds Thursday through at least Sunday across Central and Southern California.

A strong zonal flow is expected to bring a series of Pacific storms into the region, forecasters reported, with the potential for an extended period of rain, likely the most significant amount of precipitation across the greater region since January 2005.

Tuesday night, the forecast called for the first in the series of storm to bring moderate-to-heavy rainfall to areas north of Point Conception Thursday afternoon and evening.

A second and considerably stronger storm system is forecast to bring higher rainfall totals and stronger winds to much of Central and Southern California starting Friday morning, and strengthening in intensity Friday afternoon and into Saturday morning, according to the forecast reports.

A third weather system is expected to bring more threat of rain Saturday night into Sunday. The forecast Tuesday night indicated that this third storm will carry less moisture. Snow levels are expected to drop to approximately 5,500 feet, reports said.

The estimated rainfall totals for Santa Barbara County range from 3 to 6 inches across the coastal areas and up to 10 inches across portions of the Santa Ynez Range, according to reports.

In addition, these strong Pacific storms are expected to trigger a large westerly swell into the coastal waters Friday through Sunday, bringing the potential for high surf conditions across all west-facing beaches.

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Santa Maria

Police accepting Wish donations

The Santa Maria Police Department will be among organizations and businesses in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties that will be accepting toys, other donations and volunteer applications today for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The Santa Maria Police Department is at 222 E. Cook St. In Santa Barbara, Alpha Floral at 1015 De la Vina, Unit D, will also be accepting donations for Make-A-Wish.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation describes its mission as one of granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

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SLO County

Clark Center gets $3,500 grant

The Clark Center for the Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande has received $3,500 as part of more than $30,000 doled out by the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation as part of its Art Inspires! grants for nonprofit arts organizations.

The Clark Center, a community facility on the campus of Arroyo Grande High School, will use its grant to develop a database management plan, among other uses.

Other organizations that received grant funding from Art Inspires! included ARTS Obispo, Mozart Festival Association, SLO Little Theatre and SLO Symphony.

The funds are part of a three-year grant received by the Community Foundation through The James Irvine Foundation's Communities Advancing the Arts Initiative, now in its final year.

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Central Coast

Does the IRS have your money?

Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, has announced that hundreds of Central Coast residents might have tax refunds coming to them.

Approximately 115,478 taxpayers nationwide are owed refunds from the Internal Revenue Service, with at least 350 unclaimed checks in California's 23rd District, according to Capps' office.

The refund checks, averaging about $950, can be delivered as soon as taxpayers update their addresses with the IRS.

The IRS currently has $110 million in undeliverable tax refund checks. In most cases, the checks can be claimed simply by updating the taxpayer's mailing address with the IRS, according to Capps' office.

Refund checks are normally returned as undeliverable when a taxpayer moves without updating his or her address with either the U.S. Postal Service or the IRS.

A complete list of undelivered tax refund recipients from the 23rd District can be viewed at www.house.gov/capps or www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html.

- Staff reports