Santa Maria to celebrate Earth Day

SANTA MARIA — The Santa Maria Utilities Department is holding a free event to celebrate Earth Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Recycling Park at the Santa Maria Regional Landfill, 2065 E. Main St., Santa Maria. City customers may go there during that time to receive free household-friendly recycling containers. To ensure safe traffic flow, access to the distribution booth will only be possible after entering the landfill site via the scalehouse. This event also features no-contact pickup.

Participants can receive the following free items: Fourteengallon recycling container (for larger recyclables, cardboard, magazines, and cereal boxes), six-gallon recycling container with handle (ideal for recycling paper, cans, glass, and can easily fit underneath a sink or in a

TRAFFIC, CRIME & FIRE BLOTTER

Help sought in finding homicide suspec t

LOMPOC – The Lompoc Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating a suspect wanted in connection to a March 26 homicide.

Police are looking for Omar RicardoDircio, 37. There is an active warrant for his arrest.

“Please do not approach or attempt to apprehend him, as he may be armed and dangerous,” police said Tuesday.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts or the case is urged to call the Lompoc Police Department.

Police responded at about 7:20 p.m. Sunday to the 300 west block of North Avenue in Lompoc for a report of a victim being shot. When officers arrived, they located a male victim lying on the ground. The male victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The male victim was identified as Ivan Lopez Lopez. Detectives responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

— Neil Hartstein

Pedestrian killed during hit-and-run incident

SANTA MARIA – A male pedestrian was struck and killed pantry), reusable shopping bag made from plastic bottles, and a countertop kitchen pail to help collect food waste and minimize odors until deposited into the outdoor organics container for service.

— Kira Logan

Monday night when he was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle near the intersection of Betteravia Road and Oakley Avenue.

The driver of the vehicle did not stop and was last seen traveling westbound on Betteravia Road in Santa Maria. Police responded to investigate the 8:30 p.m. accident.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead on scene. He was identified, but his name is being withheld pending proper notification to his next of kin.

The suspect vehicle is described as a dark-colored sedan. If you have any information, you’re asked to contact the Santa Maria Police Department Traffic Bureau. This investigation is ongoing.

— Neil Hartstein