Cover Story
Artists, community members, celebrity guests collaborate on virtual variety show to benefit Lompoc Theatre Project
“From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be an actor,” PCPA alumnus Mark Herrier said, recalling his reaction to a production of The Music Man he saw when was 10 years old, at the historic Lompoc Theatre. Herrier’s fond nostalgia for the long-dormant venue wasn’t the only thing that inspired him to join…
Gretchen Voelcker, owner of Luna Hart Wines and winemaker at Piazza Family Wines, discusses a fulfilling career in the wine industry
Specializing in small-batch, handcrafted varietals, winemaker Gretchen Voelcker believes the best way to produce wine is with minimal human interference. This Central Coast local plans to discuss her winemaking style and other topics during an upcoming virtual panel. As part of Buttonwood Farm Winery and Vineyard’s Women in Wine series, the event will be hosted…
Easy target
Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley is sure keeping environmental polluters in check! She’s saving the world, one working man at a time by throwing the book at people who drive too fast on Highway 166. Everyone, be wary! Actually, Dudley’s only got her eagle eyes on one guy—the driver of a tanker truck…
Should more ag land be sacrificed for the proposed Bailey Avenue annexation?
Extending the boundaries of the city of Lompoc west to Bailey Avenue has been the dream of politicians, some property owners, and developers for several decades. But there are two opposing arguments, one supporting and another objecting to westward expansion of the city. Supporters of an annexation point out that going back over 50 years,…
A coalition of local business owners is demanding change to COVID-19 restrictions
As the end of the workday nears on March 16, people holding protest signs began to gather outside of Santa Maria City Hall. One man carried a camping chair with an American flag printed on the canvas and set it up among the growing crowd. A woman held a white sign with “We are essential”…
Bikers Against Child Abuse continues supporting victims amid the pandemic
When Santa Maria mother Nancy’s daughter, Sarah, was 9 years old, she told her mother something that would immediately turn their worlds upside down: Sarah’s paternal grandfather was sexually abusing her. (Nancy and Sarah’s names have been changed to protect their anonymity.) “I was obviously not prepared for that,” Nancy said. Nancy believed her daughter’s…
Political Watch: March 25, 2021
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Chico) introduced the Funding Our Roads and Ecosystems Sustainably Together (FOREST) Act on March 16. The bill aims to fund forest road infrastructure. According to Carbajal’s office, while the National Park Service receives nearly $300 million to maintain 13,000 miles of roads, the…
Santa Ynez Valley Youth sports gets a free pass on banner fees
On March 22, the Solvang City Council unanimously approved waiving a $350 banner fee for Santa Ynez Valley Youth Football League and Cheer as the youth program picks up again after its 2020 athletic year was canceled due to COVID-19. The council moved the request further up the agenda that evening as Brenda Messer, vice…
Vaccination disparities by race and ethnicity, region persist
Despite the Public Health Department’s ongoing outreach efforts, vaccination disparities in Santa Barbara County remain stark, public officials say. While about 48 percent of Santa Barbara County’s residents are Hispanic or Latino, this group makes up just 22 percent of those vaccinated as of March 19. White people make up 43 percent of the county’s…
Tri-counties nominate locals for vacant Coastal Commission seat
Gov. Gavin Newsom is looking for a new Central Coast representative to serve on the California Coastal Commission, and Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties nominated a few familiar faces for the position on March 16. Santa Barbara City Councilmember Meagan Harmon stands out as the only nominee to receive support from groups…
Charges filed against tanker truck driver after crash caused oil spill
Nearly a year after a tanker truck overturned on Highway 166, causing thousands of gallons of crude oil to spill into the Cuyama River, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced on March 19 that it’s filing charges against the truck’s driver. But environmentalists say the root of the problem runs deeper than one…
Coastal Commission decision to eliminate off-roading ends 40 years of uncertainty
For South County Chambers of Commerce President and CEO Jocelyn Brennan, the California Coastal Commission’s March 18 decision to end off-roading and most other vehicle access in the Oceano Dunes felt bittersweet. While Brennan said she’s concerned and sad for the South County business owners who depend on off-roading tourists to stay afloat, she’s simultaneously…
PCPA announces in-person, outdoor theater camps for ages 8 to 17
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) will host Young People’s Project on the Green, an in-person, outdoor theater camp opportunity for kids and teens. The camps’ workshops are described as COVID-19 compliant and will run from April 12 through 17 (for ages 8 to 12) and April 19 through 24 (for ages 13 to 17). Early…
Central Coast Film Society holds multimedia competition for high school students
The Central Coast Film Society is now accepting submissions from high school students across four counties (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and Monterey) into its new multimedia competition, The “Never Stop Creating” Student Challenge. Submissions are due no later than April 15, and the contest’s categories include filmmaking, screenwriting, photography, podcasting, and the “highlight…
