Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series. The second part is scheduled to run July 9. Some of the shelves at UC Berkeley and other institutions are kept from public view, but Kathy Marshall has seen them. “When [I] visit schools and universities, [I’m] just like, I bet none of these kids […]
Going home: A push to return Native American remains and belongings back to tribes
Posted inNews
County lawsuit ends with $1.2 million penalty for Foods Co. parent company
Questionable and inconsistent calorie counts on some food products’ packaging were at the heart of a multi-year civil suit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. That suit concluded in early June when Judge Thomas Anderle ordered the Kroger Company, which owns Foods Co. stores in Lompoc and Santa Maria, to pay $1.25 million in […]
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Lompoc changes zoning designations to make way for more housing
Three Lompoc properties along Ocean Avenue could be the sites for future housing developments thanks to the City Council’s decision on June 16. Council members approved zoning changes that turned commercial designations into high-density residential uses. In May, the city Planning Commission approved zone changes for around 3.88 acres of vacant land at 1308, 1316, […]
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Solvang discusses copyright protections for city assets
Over the past four months, conversations surrounding Solvang Mayor David Brown’s tourism app—an independent business venture not affiliated with the city—warranted his recusals from several public hearings. His latest departure from the dais was during the Solvang City Council’s June 22 meeting, when his peers took part in a discussion about increasing copyright protections for […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: June 25, 2026
• In response to the California Senate’s passage of the 2026-27 budget, Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement on June 15. “The California State Senate remains committed to our communities, which is why this budget prioritizes the needs of Californians. This Senate vote brings us one step closer to protecting health care, child […]
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Secret Solvang tour guides show visitors and locals the best spots in town
From the professionalsFor more information about booking Secret Solvang tours, visit secretsolvang.com. Follow @secretsolvang on Instagram and TikTok for all the behind-the-scenes fun. Email info@secretsolvang.com with questions. Secret Solvang, an infamous Instagram and TikTok page, went viral for revealing all the charming bits of a town that some people view as two-dimensional. “I think people […]
Posted inOpinion
The state supersedes local control when it comes to ADUs and your quality of life
All you people out there who worked hard all your lives to live in a single-family neighborhood or think you’re safe from increased congestion in a homeowners association (HOA) managed development, get ready for a relatively new state law that can impact your quality of life. On June 10, the Lompoc Planning Commission debated a […]
Posted inOpinion
Reach or overreach?
Local governments have been making and/or crossing some interesting boundaries lately. Lompoc is trying to prevent the too-long arm of the state from taking away the city’s control over where it puts new housing, which hasn’t really been happening in the city of arts and flowers. “Last year we built zero homes,” Mayor Jim Mosby […]
Posted inOpinion
New federal mail rules will prevent voters from exercising their rights
Earlier this month, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a proposed rule that would erect barriers to mail voting. The proposed amendments create unnecessary barriers to voting that could prevent eligible voters from receiving and returning their mail-in and absentee ballots and could disenfranchise eligible voters who are unable to vote in person. Under […]
Posted inOpinion
Hikers and bikers need separate trails
With only a fast-approaching rattling noise from behind to warn me, I leapt off the trail to my right to avoid being struck by the mountain biker sailing by me. He was first in a group of what would be eight young adult riders who would go by in quick succession, none with warning bells. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Residents learn a variety of skills in tuition-free Community Education courses at Hancock
In a lifelong learning class, Nick and Deborah Carpenter crafted pieces of jewelry that can also last a lifetime: their wedding bands. The couple has spent the past two decades exercising their creative muscles in tuition-free arts courses at Allan Hancock College, they told the school. While shaping their rings, the Carpenters engaged with other […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc invites the community to its 73rd Flower Festival
The annual hometown tradition and quintessential Lompoc experience returns to the valley from June 25 to 28. This year’s Flower Festival in Ryon Memorial Park also recognizes the country’s milestone birthday with a theme titled America in Bloom: 250 Years. “It is a long-standing community event honoring the region’s deep roots in the flower-growing industry,” […]
