Former social services workers charged with fraud

Santa Barbara:

Two former Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services employees, Trueman George Beach and Summer Ann Mastagni, were arrested Feb. 29 and charged with felony Welfare fraud, MediCal fraud, embezzlement and perjury. Beach and Mastagni allegedly defrauded the county social services department of $61,550 in cash aid, food stamps, child care and MediCal services. Both were booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail.

 

Property owner gets rid of neighbors’ mailboxes

Montecito:

A number of Montecito residents got an unwelcoming morning surprise Feb. 26, when they woke up to find their mailboxes being removed. The incident took place on the 200 block of East Mountain Drive. Some residents living in the area had used the mailboxes for 40 years, but the property owner, whose land the mailboxes were on, chose to have the group of mailboxes removed. Neighbors said they received a notice but thought it was spam mail.

 

Caltrans campaigns against litter

Central Coast:

The Central Coast division of Caltrans held its second annual Great American Clean-up Day March 4. The anti-litter campaign included local highway cleanup by Adopt-a-Highway groups. Crews cleared debris and trash from varying highways.

“This campaign is a great way to show Caltrans’ efforts,” said Rich Krumholz, Caltrans director. Caltrans spends more than $50 million a year removing trash from California highways. In 2007, it picked up enough trash to fill 43,638 trash bags.

 

Huge wave injures three people

Santa Barbara:

Huge winter swells brought on by recent storm activity sent three people to the hospital and forced authorities to rescue nearly 20 surfers on Feb.26.

The incident took place at 3 p.m. at Marina 1 in Santa Barbara.

Several people who were watching the waves and walking the sidewalk near the marina were slammed through a railing and across large rocks after being hit by a large wave.

The wave also damaged one of Sterns Wharf’s sewer systems. The three people were hospitalized and rescue continued throughout the day.

Wanted man arrested following chase

Santa Barbara:

Police arrested two men on Feb. 25, who were suspected of being involved in a gang-related stabbing that occurred earlier this year. One of the suspects, Xavier Alvarez, 24, was spotted by an officer, who was patrolling Carpinteria Street. When the suspect saw the officer, he took off, and ran into a residence in the 900 block of Quinientos St., where the second wanted man, Steven Fields, 25, lived. They were both booked into the Santa Barbara County jail and charged for violating parole and assault with a deadly weapon.

Working smoke alarms: free pizza

Countywide:

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department will be teaming up with Dominos Pizza to promote fire safety March 7.

Firefighters will be following along a random route with pizza deliveries and will offer customers a deal that’s hard to refuse: a free pizza if their smoke detectors are working.

If a home does not have a smoke detector, Dominos will provide one. The Solvang Dominos Pizza, located at 1655 Mission Drive, will be participating in the event.

For a list of other participating Dominos, visit www.sbfire.com.