Santa Maria

Last community meeting Wednesday

The last of four community meetings in 2009 to provide answers for Santa Maria residents on general city-related questions is scheduled for Wednesday.

Representatives from the police, fire, code compliance, utilities, and recreation and parks departments are expected to attend from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of the Edwards Community Center, 809 Panther Drive. The meeting will accommodate English and Spanish speakers.

For more information, call Community Outreach Coordinator Rosie Narez at 925-0951, Ext. 414.

Santa Ynez Valley

H1N1 to be topic of discussion

The H1N1 flu, commonly known as the swine flu, will be the focus of a Nov. 5 meeting at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, 2975 E. Highway 246, the Santa Barbara County Education Office announced.

Beginning at 7 p.m. in the school's Little Theater, Dr. Peter Hasler, medical director and interim health officer of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, will cover important issues about H1N1 flu. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Monica Escalera, school nurse for the Los Olivos and Ballard school districts, at 688-4025, Ext. 227, or losescalera@sbceo.org.

Sacramento

Language fluency bill to go into effect

Legislations signed last week by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger paves the way for California Native American tribes to develop criteria for language fluency and other qualifications for awarding a special American Indian Languages Credential.

Introduced by Assemblyman Joe Coto, AB 544 was backed by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. There are more than 100 different indigenous languages in California, according to Coto's office. However, the number of native speakers are dwindling. Each tribe will determine which candidates pass their oral and written fluency tests and pass the information on to the state Commission on Teaching Credentialing.

The bill goes into effect Jan. 1, 2010.

Santa Maria

Construction on Blosser Road to begin monday

Work is scheduled to begin next week on a Blosser Road reconstruction project that is expected to take three weeks, the city announced.

G. Sosa Construction is scheduled to begin the removal and reconstruction of the northbound outside lane of Blosser from Betteravia Road to Main Street beginning Monday, the city said. Construction will begin on Blosser Road at Betteravia and continue north toward Main Street.

Drivers should expect delays due to roadway lane closures during construction. Also, drivers are asked to use alternate routes when possible and obey all temporary construction traffic-control signs and flagmen.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works Office/Engineering Division at 925-0951, Ext. 225.

Santa Maria

Gang sweep leads to 12 arrests Friday

A multi-agency gang sweep in Santa Maria led to a dozen arrests Friday, the Santa Maria Police Department announced.

The sweep netted arrests on suspicion of parole and probation violations, weapons charges, drug sales, unlawful sexual intercourse, assault with a deadly weapon, under the influence of a controlled substance, and other miscellaneous violations. Names of the suspects were not given. Immigration holds were placed on three suspects to confirm their immigration status.

The blitz of 40 law enforcement officers - city police, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, county Probation Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and California Department of Corrections Parole - focused on members of the West Park criminal street gang, police said. In the past six months, West Park gang members have been suspected in several shootings including the death of a Santa Maria man Aug. 23. All three murder suspects are gang members, according to police, but the victim is not believed to have had any gang affiliations.

Additionally, West Park members have been connected to a rash of felony assaults, strong-arm and armed robberies, according to police. Members are also involved in drug trafficking and possession of firearms in their illegal activities, police said.

Police targeted 57 gang members or associates in one warrant search and 50 parole or probation searches - 49 gang members were contacted during the operation.

- From staff reports