Walk the walkFor all things Lompoc Art Walk, scan the QR code or visit the lonelyploversocialclub.com. Follow @thelonelyploversocialclub on Instagram for updates. Check out the event in downtown Lompoc on the first Thursday of every month. Start at the Cypress Gallery (119 E. Cypress Ave.) at 5 p.m. There’s nothing to do in Lompoc. Right? […]
Crafting community: Lompoc’s monthly Art Walk brings artists, businesses, and residents together
Posted inNews
County declines tax exchange offer tied to proposed Orcutt annexation
Going against an independent arbitrator’s opinion, Santa Barbara County recently rejected a property tax exchange offer from the city of Santa Maria after a year of negotiations. Mediation between the county and the city over the agreement—necessary for the Richards Ranch development project in Orcutt to move forward with a 44-acre annexation application—began during the […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria-Bonita sites transition to community schools
About 90 percent of Santa Maria-Bonita School District students fall into at least one high-needs category. They might be a foster youth, a special needs student, a second language learner, or part of a low-income household. The district aims to better support students with a holistic approach called community schooling, made possible by more than […]
Posted inNews
In-N-Out pitches Buellton location three years after rejected bid
A popular burger chain is trying again to win Buellton’s blessing for a new drive-through proposal. In 2023, In-N-Out’s plan to bring a new restaurant to town—on McMurray Road next to a McDonald’s—fell through after the Buellton City Council nixed it due to traffic congestion concerns. With a new address in mind, at the corner […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: April 9, 2026
• As co-chairs of the California Legislative Central Coast Caucus, Assemblymembers Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) and Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) and State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) drafted a joint letter to urge the Trump administration “to stop its expansion of drilling off California’s coast.” The March 27 letter was addressed to Bureau of Ocean […]
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Shaping impact of new train tracks on local estuary is one QR code away
Results from a community survey will help determine how local agencies approach replacing a coastal railroad bridge in the Lompoc Valley. “What makes this community engagement process really unique is that it’s starting super early,” said Sophie Bartley, Central Coast region project manager for LegacyWorks, one of the groups spearheading the initiative. Replacing the 100-plus-year-old […]
Posted inOpinion
Vacancy problems
The most problematic property in Orcutt continues to be a thorn in the side of developer Michael Stoltey, who didn’t get his wish granted by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on April 7. Supes declined to agree to the proposed tax exchange from the city of Santa Maria for annexing the Richards Ranch […]
Posted inOpinion
Community members should not let themselves be silenced
On March 12, the Santa Maria Sun newspaper published a signed opinion column by Roy Reed about the election for Santa Barbara County District 5 supervisor (“Know before you vote”). At first glance, it seemed like a simple, straightforward opinion. Still, when you read it carefully, it reveals something deeper: the power of language to […]
Posted inOpinion
The beauty of protest and finding community
She was small, thin, elderly, and perhaps not in the best of health. And yet she was standing in a crush of people waiting to join the protest march. I was wearing my yellow day-glo traffic vest and feeling a bit like the maître d at a wildly overbooked restaurant: “Watch your step, thank you […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Brick and Builds Festival returns to Solvang
What better place to celebrate the Danish-made toys, Legos, than in the Danish Capital of America? On April 18 and 19 festivalgoers have the opportunity to watch builders use their imaginations to create wonderous scenes out of the small, colorful bricks. “This immersive weekend celebration brings together professional builders, Lego Master Builders, and brick enthusiasts […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Ynez Valley Community Theater presents Annie
Cast and crew members of the Santa Ynez Valley Community Theater will bring Annie to life at the Solvang Festival Theater on April 17 and 18. See their months of hard work in action during the musical’s two-night run, supported by Buellton’s Arts and Culture Committee. “This is more than just a play—it’s a celebration […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Drama is a cringe-inducing black comedy ride through premarital jitters
Helmed by Norwegian writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself, Dream Scenario), The Drama examines a transitioning relationship as Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) and Emma Harwood (Zendaya) plan their wedding while second-guessing their commitment to one another and struggling with self-doubt. (105 min.) The DramaWhat’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it […]