Stories that shaped 2011
With the rip of a calendar page, a new year begins today — chock full of events and stories yet to unfold and be told.
It’s a time of natural optimism, of resolutions and hopes for better days ahead, but also a time to reflect on the year that was.
Like every year, 2011 was full of triumphs and tribulations, disasters and accomplishments, murder and mayhem, politics and civic activity, gains and losses, coming and goings.
It’s all too much to fit into a single edition, but below we excerpt many of the stories that resonated with our news-gathering staff during the year.
So as you ring in the New Year, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to bid farewell to the old one.
Hospital takes shape
Much of the work on the new Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria was completed in 2011. The 235,000-square-foot, four-story hospital tower will feature 191 private rooms, an expanded emergency department, 20 critical-care beds, a 21-bed neonatal intensive care unit and state-of-the-art surgical services.
He adds, "It's an interesting parallel with safety in aviation -- aviation is a piece of cake compared to the oil and gas industry. If they can't get the part for the plane, then they don't fly. You do need things, though, like crew-resource management
Having a father, two brothers, a nephew and son who all work in the oil/gas industry, I have a long history of standing for safety in the industrial realm. If I am trusted and voted in as your county commissioner, I promise to work hard to find venues