George Hobbs, the plain-spoken and sometimes controversial mayor and councilman in Santa Maria for almost 30 years, died Sunday. He was 86.

Hobbs was first elected to the City Council in 1960, then became mayor in 1966 and served until 1974. He was elected again that year to the council, and served as a member until 1980, when voters returned him to the mayor?s post, which he held until 1994.

For complete story, see Tuesday's Santa Maria Times.