Goleta
Officials: Gap Fire containment Monday
Fire officials predict that the Gap Fire will be 100 percent contained Monday, which should give personnel the time to put out isolated hot spots and close the last 3 percent of the containment line, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
The fire, which has burned 9,443 acres in the hills and mountains above Goleta since July 1, poses an extremely low threat for expansion and so personnel levels have dropped to 47 people, officials said Tuesday.
Full containment has been delayed because a small area on the northeast side of the containment lines has proven difficult to reach.
Due to the large degree of containment and stability of recent fires, San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District has lifted its smoke advisory for fires burning in Santa Barbara and Monterey counties. But a smoke advisory for the city of Goleta remains until the air quality levels improve, according to Santa Barbara County.
Grover Beach
SM man suspected in theft of guns
An 18-year-old Santa Maria man was arrested Monday by Grover Beach police after the man was identified as a suspect in the alleged theft of handguns from a Grover Beach home, authorities said.
Craig Douglas Williams, who is on probation, was arrested at 3:15 p.m. at his home in the 1300 block of Ronald Place in Santa Maria, police said.
Two handguns, along with ammunition and holsters, missing from a Grover Beach home were allegedly found in the attic of Williams' residence, police said.
The guns were reported missing July 16 by Ronald Perkins of Grover Beach, who told police he believed Williams may have been involved in the theft, officials said. Williams had recently been to Perkins' home to visit Perkins' son.
Santa Maria
Woman named as suspect in cash theft
A woman caught by a surveillance camera allegedly taking a donation jar from the counter of a Santa Maria convenience store has been preliminarily identified by police as 26-year-old Disrene Yvonne Bumanglag Lopez.
Lopez's whereabouts are not known, police said, and she is wanted for questioning.
Police released surveillance video that showed a woman, identified by members of the public as Lopez, taking a jar from the counter of Santa Maria Gas, 1606 N. Broadway.
The jar was labeled as donations for the family of a recently deceased Santa Maria man, police said.
Anyone with information about Lopez is asked to call the Santa Maria Police Department, 928-3781, or Crime Stoppers at
1-877-800-9100.
Arroyo Grande
Thursday meeting to address well plan
The Huasna Valley Association will host a community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday to discuss proposed oil production in the Huasna Valley, according to an association spokesman.
Excelaron, an Australian oil company, is seeking permits to sink at least four test wells on a 160-acre parcel in Huasna Valley, east of Arroyo Grande, owned by former 4th District Supervisor Howard Mankins.
The last oil exploration activity on the Mankins property was in 1986.
Members of the Huasna Valley Association will present information about the proposed project and encourage audience members to ask questions during the meeting, the spokesman said. The meeting will be held at the Arroyo Grande Association Hall, 707 Huasna Road, at the intersection of Huasna Road and Highway 227 in the Village of Arroyo Grande. For more information, call 474-4850.
Arroyo Grande
Hospital earns gold seal for efforts
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital has remained fully accredited after earning an unconditional gold seal of approval from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
The hospital earned the seal of approval by demonstrating compliance with national standards for health care quality and safety during a recent three-day on-site visit by a team of commission surveyors, the spokeswoman said.
“The continued accreditation of our hospital without any conditional requirements demonstrates our continued commitment to patient safety and quality care,” said Rick Castro, hospital president. “We think of accreditation as confirmation of maintaining clinical excellence.”
In the past, the commission would survey hospitals every three years; however, surveys are now unannounced.
It evaluates and accredits nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare.
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital is owned by Catholic Healthcare West, which also owns Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria.
Grover Beach
City to celebrate new park pavilion
Residents are invited to help the city of Grover Beach celebrate a new shade pavilion at Grover Heights Park at 3 p.m. Friday.
The new shade pavilion was recently installed over the upper barbecue area at the park by the Grover Beach Rotary Club.
Led by Rotarian Bill Nicolls, who is also a member of the City Council, club members solicited donations and volunteer labor to complete the project valued at more than $20,000, said a city spokesman.
In recognition of the effort, the barbecue area will be officially named the Rotary Pavilion and will be available for drop-in picnicking as well as rented out for large group barbecues, the spokesman said.
Fabrication and installation of the pavilion was completed by Mike Nunno, with in-kind donations from Avila Sign & Design, brick mason Randy Fiser and Gary Cox of GT Electric.
Monetary donations came from nearly 30 local businesses and residents as well as the county and two county supervisors.
For more information, contact the Grover Beach Parks and Recreation Department at 473-4580.
- From staff reports
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