Caleb Wiseblood

On Oct. 6, the city of Santa Maria issued a formal notice canceling the City Council 's regular meeting scheduled for that evening.

For the second year in a row, dozens of employees of a local credit union spent one of their days off on a team building project, so to speak.

With a tax bump to consider on the Nov. 3 ballot, Santa Maria's registered voters will determine the fate of some local playgrounds, pickleball courts, and public pools, according to City Manager David Rowlands.

•Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 2257—authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara)—into law.

To make up for years of letting some Guadalupe residents' unpaid water bills slide, the city ramped up its monthly shutoff average from 10 customers to 90 this October.

Warning: The photos on the following pages will bring a smile to your face. They're adorable! Readers from Santa Ynez to Lompoc to Paso Robles submitted more than 300 images of their non-human companions as part of this year's competition. A panel of in-house judges narrowed them down to the top three in each of five categories—including Best Dressed! Contest entry fees raised more than $1,000 for the SLO Beaver Brigade, an organization advocating for and educating about the environmental benefits of beavers. Winners get a gift card from issue sponsor Lemos Feed and Pet Supply. Flip through these images only if you're ready to feel warm fuzzies!

Despite having a soft spot for animals, U.S. Army service member Matthew Petersen said he rarely approached the stray dogs he observed while recently deployed in Kuwait.

As part of her “group home mom” role at a residential care facility in Santa Maria, Jaime Staine has experienced dealing with occupants of varying temperaments.

With four consecutive two-year terms in office behind him, Mayor Ariston Julian told the Sun this year's election is his first facing an opponent.

The Board of Supervisors' newest addition will either be Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera or Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board member Ricardo Valencia