Santa Maria Sun / News

Cover Story

With tight living spaces and work that's not conducive to social distancing, H-2A farmworkers are at risk

Even before the days of stay-at-home orders and record-breaking numbers of unemployment applications, our nation struggled with domestic labor shortages in the agricultural sector. As American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall wrote during 2019’s mid-summer harvest season, “Farmers and ranchers in every state tell me that the shortage of labor is the greatest limiting factor on their farms.”  According to Claire Wineman, president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Co... [ Read Article ]

• Local organizations call on Santa Maria to pass eviction moratorium policies
• Residents near Lompoc continue fight against wind project
• Santa Barbara County firefighters released from quarantine after negative COVID-19 test
• Commission recommends more stringent permit process for cannabis cultivation
• Cities, county weigh tax relief amid COVID-19 pandemic
• Cities and the county begin to weigh financial implications of COVID-19
• Political Watch: April 2, 2020

• Local grocery stores designate morning shopping hours for those most impacted or at risk as a result of COVID-19

• An ag panel discusses present challenges, potential for the future

Santa Maria Sun / Opinion

Commentary

Why our for-profit health care system is unprepared for this current crisis

Every family in America has a horror story to tell around our current health care system. You know what it is. The high cost. The inability to be seen. The denials. The long waits for appointments. The cost of the cure. Many, who have cancer, have gone bankrupt trying to save a life. We all know this, but little has been done to cure our ailing health care system.  Big hospitals have bought out small ones. Medical c... [ Read More ]

• Canary: CANARY: Up to no good

• This weeks letters