Cover Story
Building trades unions provide specialized training, negotiate living wages, and create local opportunity, but the community, they say, is unsupportive
Initially, the pressure to go to college overshadowed Santa Maria High School 2016 graduate Lizbeth Hernandez’s true passion. She attended Fresno State University after high school, but, “It didn’t work out,” she said. “I knew college wasn’t going to be great for me. It just didn’t seem that I wanted it.” Now, she’s an apprentice…
Planning Commission approves cannabis project on Williams Ranch
A cannabis project located about 2 miles west of Buellton is moving forward after the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission rejected an appeal filed by a nearby vineyard operator. Last August, John Wagner of Peake Ranch Winery appealed the county Planning Department’s decision to approve a land use permit for the Castlerock Family Farms cannabis…
Rockfish are on the menu straight out of the Pacific Ocean
A Pacific rockfish by any other name is cod, snapper, and any one of the more than 70 species that swim about in the waters between Alaska and Baja California. There are red ones, blue ones, black ones, and yellow ones. Olive ones and striped ones. Those species with giant ugly, bulging eyes and those…
Santa Barbara County-based artists encouraged to apply to the inaugural Awards for Responsive Works
If you’ve been working on any art projects since the early days of quarantine back in March, you just might be eligible for a new countywide stipend. The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission is currently accepting submissions for consideration into its newly launched artist awards program. The deadline to enter is Aug. 3, and up…
Globetrotting landscape photographer Nic Stover hosts a variety of virtual workshops
During the run of COVID-19 mitigation measures, beginning in mid-March, San Luis Obispo-based photographer Nic Stover has had his fair share of ups and downs. While he was able to develop a successful series of online photography tutorials, Stover—like many professional artists—was still hit hard financially over the course of quarantine. “The pandemic absolutely gutted…
PCPA Plays On expands free summer programming online
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) is expanding its PCPA Plays On program, a selection of free, virtual theater-arts-based classes for both youth and adults. Part of the new programming includes Community Enrichment, a series of workshops and virtual tours organized by Kitty Balay, PCPA’s director of engagement, which kicked off on July 8 with “The…
Lompoc cancels annual Mother Son Luau due to COVID-19 concerns
The city of Lompoc Recreation Division officially canceled the 2020 Mother Son Luau, the annual two-night dance party originally scheduled to take place on July 24 and 25 this year. The event has been canceled “as a precautionary measure due to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak,” according to a press release from the city. All other…
Wildfire and pandemics
Like a wildfire, this pandemic is now at a point where those fighting the emergency are either going to successfully put out the numerous spot fires and prevent a disaster, or lose control and move into a defensive posture where they are struggling to care for the many victims who will overwhelm our capabilities. As…
CANARY: Disconnected
Well, it’s official. The apocalypse is back in full swing! Indoor activities are mostly off-limits, and the state is closing down again. Gross! I don’t want to write about this, again. I’m tired of it. You’re tired of it, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tired of it, believers and nonbelievers are tired of it. We’re sick and…
Two Lompoc City Council members are on the receiving end of apparent disdain from the rest of the council
In August 1920 a woman’s right to vote was ratified and became public law, and later women were guaranteed the right to serve in elective positions in local, state, and federal governments. Since then, many have been elected and served as council members and as mayor in Lompoc. I have worked with and for women…
A recent meeting gave Orcutt residents the chance to weigh in on a future cannabis store
The process of selecting the owner and location of the single cannabis retail store that’ll operate in Orcutt recently kicked off with a virtual community meeting. Santa Barbara County officials held the meeting on July 9, which included an overview of how the decision will be made and a chance for residents to provide input.…
Political Watch: July 16, 2020
• On July 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state would hire 858 more firefighters and six California Conservation Corps (CCC) crews through October, according to a press release from his office. “Even in the midst of a global pandemic, the state of California hasn’t taken its eye off the threat of wildfire,” Newsom…
Lompoc sues Mission Hills Community Services District over 20-year old annexation agreement
Lompoc, a city looking for new housing, is taking legal action to try to move forward a development that city officials said is being held up by a 20-year-old agreement. In 2000, the city of Lompoc and the Mission Hills Community Services District entered into an annexation agreement that states the land slated for a…
Santa Maria, Lompoc to reopen aquatic centers
The cities of Santa Maria and Lompoc each recently announced plans to reopen their respective aquatic centers, with modifications. Santa Maria’s Paul Nelson Aquatic Center is slated to open on July 20, though only partially and in accordance with county public health guidelines. “The rescheduling is going to look completely different than we’ve had in…
Public health, agricultural officials discuss COVID-19 mitigation
At the Santa Maria City Council’s July 7 meeting, County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso presented findings from a demographic study conducted by the county that compares Santa Maria COVID-19 cases to those outside of Santa Maria. “We were able to denote that, countywide, 18 percent of our cases as of June 11 represent…
Lompoc City Council approves pay raises for police officers
Amid nationwide and local calls for redistributing funds from police departments, the city of Lompoc recently approved pay raises for its officers. During its meeting on July 7, the City Council approved an agreement with the Lompoc Police Officers’ Association that includes a 2 percent salary increase for the union’s members. According to a staff…
County shifts COVID-19 testing recommendations, asks cities for help
At a Santa Barbara County Public Health Department press conference held on July 10, county officials asked only certain county residents to seek COVID-19 testing at community based testing sites. “In order to ensure the community has access to testing, we have heavily promoted the broad use of these sites,” Nick Clay, Santa Barbara Emergency…
