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Santa Barbara and SLO Counties work through barriers to provide COVID-19 vaccine to farmworkers
Santa Barbara County is one of eight counties in California that has already carried out pilot programs to vaccinate their farmworker populations. The county launched its trilingual, tri-cultural pilot program on Feb. 28, providing vaccinations for nearly 500 farmworkers in Santa Maria. Jackie Ruiz, Santa Barbara County Department of Public Health spokesperson, told the Sun…
Put those morning and afternoon grumbles to rest with Enjoy Bagels + Sweets in Buellton
Riddle me this: What’s black and white and bread all over? Answer: the newspaper-themed wrappers at Enjoy Bagels + Sweets of course. There’s an intentionally urban feel to this hidden gem in Buellton, tucked away behind the corner of an O’Reilly Auto Parts on Highway 246. “It’s absolutely perfect for a New York-style bagel shop,”…
Woven Narratives at the Ann Foxworthy Gallery showcases abstract, contemporary tapestry art by Michael F. Rohde
”As you view these pixelated portraits in this exhibit, allow yourself to sit with the image for a few moments before scrolling on,” states the preamble to the Ann Foxworthy Gallery’s current virtual exhibition. The formal intro goes on to recommend that viewers slightly squint their eyes a bit, “to reveal the persona woven into…
PCPA concludes InterPlay programming with a virtual reading of Tanya Saracho’s ‘Fade’
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) will stream two live readings of Tanya Saracho’s Fade, the first on Friday, March 19, at 7 p.m., and the second on Saturday, March 20, at 1:30 p.m. The plot of this comedy follows a growing friendship between Lucia, a Mexican-born novelist, and Abel, a Latino janitor. Admission to stream…
The Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library holds $1 Book Sale
Starting on Thursday, March 18, the Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library will hold a special $1 Book Sale on the second floor of the Santa Maria Town Center. The sale is scheduled to run through Sunday, March 21 (from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and from 1 to 7 p.m.…
The Wildling Museum presents upcoming Zoom panel, Art Through the Window
On Wednesday, March 24, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang will host a virtual artist panel, Art Through the Window, with guest speakers Holli Harmon and Nicole Strasburg, from 4 to 5 p.m., via Zoom. Harmon and Strasburg are the two artists behind the museum’s current duo of window installations, The Nature…
Orcutt resident calls for change to logos that he says depict Columbus ship
A local man says there’s a shameful historical reference wrapped up in the city of Santa Maria and the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District’s (SMJUHSD) logos and is advocating for the emblems to be changed. Earlier this month, Orcutt resident Scott Fina sent separate public comment letters to the Santa Maria City Council…
Santa Barbara County moves into red tier, allowing for more reopening
Santa Barbara County is officially back in the red tier for the first time in five months, allowing more schools and businesses to reopen. The move up in California’s reopening system comes just a few days after the passage of the federal American Rescue Plan, which will bolster vaccination, school return, and business recovery efforts.…
Carbajal co-chairs the recently launched New Dem Immigration Task Force
The New Democrat Coalition made up of more than 100 Democratic legislators who are committed to pro-economic growth, pro-innovation, and fiscally responsible policies, virtually launched the New Dem Immigration Task Force on March 11. The task force, co-chaired by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), is a commitment to building a fair and inclusive…
Politics over policy
The Blueprint for a Safer Economy is so dumb. And here’s why. The requirements outlined in the state’s COVID-19 regulations “blueprint” just changed. And they will change again. So what’s the point of a system that makes it impossible to compare your status from next week to one month ago? Umm, politics. I mean, I’m…
Students need district’s help
Only after constant pleas from youth requesting the school board to adopt a new grading system to address the record amounts of F’s given during distance learning did the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) finally decide to do something. This whole ordeal is about understanding that students are human and that they…
OHV use may be harmful to Oceano’s economy
For nearly 40 years, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has been operating the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, as permitted by the California Coastal Commission in 1982. As permitted, street-legal vehicles have been allowed to drive up and down a 2-mile stretch of beach extending from Grand Avenue in Grover Beach, across…
Chumash Museum and Cultural Center will celebrate history of those who lived on local land for thousands of years
Construction of the Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center is well underway, a project that Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn called a long-anticipated dream. But teaching others about the tribe’s culture and history, Kahn told the Sun, is nothing new for the Santa Ynez Chumash people. “The tribe had, in the 1970s, a traditional ‘tule…
Political Watch: March 18, 2021
• President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act into law on March 11. It will provide direct relief to Americans, resources for school reopenings, and funding to set up community vaccination sites nationwide. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement later that day praising the act. “With this infusion of federal stimulus,…
Guadalupe opposes proposed campground at Oso Flaco Lake
Guadalupe likes Oso Flaco Lake the way it is, and the city is taking an official stance against a recently proposed project that it says would turn the quiet slice of nature into an off-roading hub. At a meeting on March 9, Guadalupe City Council voted 4-1 to formally oppose State Parks’ draft public works…
