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OUTDOORS 2021
More people than usual are hitting the lakes to fish during the pandemic, locals say Cachuma is a great place to start BY MALEA MARTIN Ross Godlis has lived in Santa Barbara County since the ’70s, and before that he attended UC Santa Barbara in the late ’60s. When he wasn’t “living with a nose…
Lompoc local Jayde Stamm offers unique cakes, cookies, and other baked goods through CBJ Studios
I’ve seen every episode at least 10 times,” said Lompoc baker and entrepreneur Jayde Stamm, professing his fandom for the subject of one of his themed cookie sets, based on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Many of Stamm’s desserts tackle pop culture, from film, television, and literature—Jaws, The Office, Friends, Harry Potter—to music—Beyonce, Drake, and other…
Healing Justice Santa Barbara offers virtual programming to celebrate Black History Month
Comedy, dance, music, spoken word, and visual arts were among the submission categories open to applicants of an upcoming exhibition, Black is Beautiful, hosted by Healing Justice Santa Barbara (HJSB) in celebration of Black History Month. Leticia Resch, a co-organizer of HJSB, took on the role of creative director for this virtual showcase, which is…
City of Santa Maria seeks local artists to beautify utility boxes
The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is currently accepting applications from local artists who would like to help beautify five different traffic signal control boxes located throughout town. Artists are encouraged to pitch artworks based on themes that tie to Santa Maria’s social, cultural, and/or historical identity. Applications (with templates for artists’…
PCPA revives virtual InterPlay program with four new play readings
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) is bringing back its InterPlay program with four upcoming play readings set to stream live through Zoom, over four consecutive weekends. PCPA Literary Associate Emily Trask expressed her excitement for the program’s return in recent press materials. “I’m thrilled that, by popular demand, our InterPlay series will be returning to…
Ever-changing shades
Great news, everyone! California residents eligible for the next phase of vaccines can now make appointments to get vaccinated! Well, actually, just kidding! According to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department’s top peeps—Dr. Van Do-Reynoso and Dr. Henning Ansorg—only part of that phase (aka 1B) is actually eligible for vaccines, and they’re only eligible…
Carbajal has acted in businesses’ favor
I was surprised to read Keri McMillan’s recent condemnation of Congressman Salud Carbajal over his votes regarding the pandemic (“Dear Congressman Carbajal, now is your chance,” Feb. 4). McMillan is rightly upset that she has lost business revenue because of shutdowns, but I believe she is pointing her finger in the wrong direction. First, Carbajal…
On that day this year, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force at the United Nations
Who wouldn’t appreciate a family physician whose name is Dr. Good? He was of the “old school,” arriving at our home or our hospital bed, his stethoscope around his neck and his black medical bag in his hand. He treated our entire family for everything from colds to flus to broken bones to meningitis. We…
Cardiologist Dr. Alex Harrison encourages community members to stay on top of their heart health, even during the pandemic
Valentine’s Day may be over, but Dignity Health is celebrating hearts for the entire month of February in recognition of American Heart Month. The health care company wants to empower people to take preventive heart care seriously, as heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the U.S. and worldwide, according…
Political Watch: February 18, 2021
• Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) and cosponsors Social Compassion in Legislation and the Center for Biological Diversity introduced Assembly Bill 534, the Whale Entanglement Prevention Act, on Feb. 10. If approved, the bill would require the California Dungeness crabbing community and other trap fisheries to use ropeless gear by Nov. 1, 2025. Supporters of the…
Renovations on the Solvang Festival Theater could begin in September
Solvang Theaterfest has plans to update seating, lighting, and sound at the Solvang Festival Theater in time for a shorter 2022 season. The restoration includes new lighting poles, a remodeled ticket booth, a sound/lighting booth, new stairways and ADA access, and a higher sound wall. According to a staff report presented at the Feb. 1…
Santa Barbara County opens up vaccine to those 65 and older
Santa Barbara County is now in phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, meaning those aged 65 and older can register to get their shots. But others included in that phase—agricultural workers, teachers, child care providers, and emergency services personnel—will have to keep waiting. “This expanded eligibility means that the local health providers, pharmacies, hospitals,…
Carbajal reintroduces Central Coast Heritage Protection Act
Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) reintroduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act on Feb. 11, a bill that would prohibit development and oil drilling on 250,000 acres of land in Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. If approved, the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act would designate hundreds of thousands of acres…
North County jail to open later this year
The long-awaited Northern Branch Jail Project is close to completion and is expected to open in mid-2021—nearly two years after the original target date for occupancy. John Green, senior project manager for the new jail, told the Sun via email that the jail is estimated to reach substantial completion by April 2021 and be ready…
