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HOLIDAY GUIDE 2021
Although social distancing, masking, and the weird haze of COVID-19 are still around, the holiday season of parades, tree lightings, and Santa pictures is back! Find out what will make the Central Coast holiday season a little brighter in our annual Holiday Guide, which starts with Solvang’s marketing arm talking about how Julefest is celebrating…
BINGEABLE: KUNG FU (2021)
BINGEABLE: KUNG FU (2021) Where’s it playing? HBO Max What’s it rated? TV-14 Based on the 1970s TV series Kung Fu, which featured David Carradine as a Shaolin monk wandering the Wild West and righting wrongs, armed only with his martial arts skills, this updated version set in the present centers on Chinese American Nicky…
NEW FLICKS: SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS
NEW FLICKS: SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Where’s it playing? Disney Plus What’s it rated? PG-13 Co-writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton (The Glass Castle, Just Mercy) helms this fantasy action-adventure that begins with the story of Xu Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung), who a thousand years ago discovered the mystical 10 rings, which grant…
Central Coast baker fulfills lifelong dream with Proof and Gather
Proof and Gather breads and pastries are hot commodities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. From farmers’ markets and weddings, to direct-to-consumer channels and wholesale accounts, business is bustling for proprietor Kaitlin Munoz, and she couldn’t be happier. Born and raised in Lompoc, Munoz began her baking career as a child, whipping up…
PCPA’s ‘The Secret Garden’ boasts a charming cast and spirited mise en scène
Before a single performer appears on stage, I’m already invested in PCPA’s spellbinding, and possibly foreboding, set design for The Secret Garden. My brain is brewing with anticipation over scenic designer Jason Bolen’s The Shining-esque maze imagery—what could this mean? Is The Secret Garden even darker than I remember? (I watched the 1993 film years…
Oceano’s Great American Melodrama presents its traditional winter production, ‘The Holiday Extravaganza’
The Holiday Extravaganza premiered at the Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville in Oceano on Nov. 18. This traditional three-act winter production is scheduled to run through Dec. 31, with evening and matinee performances offered throughout the week (check americanmelodrama.com for ticket availability and prices). This annual production opens with a one-act version of Charles Dickens’…
Solvang Fine Art hosts ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening reception
Although Solvang Fine Art opened its doors to the public with a soft opening in October, the gallery will hold an official grand opening reception and ribbon cutting ceremony on Dec. 10, from 4 to 8 p.m. Guests can look forward to enjoying free refreshments during the event, as well as an opportunity to meet…
Buellton’s annual Winter Fest opens the holiday season
Holiday activities will extend from morning to night for Buellton residents and visitors during the town’s annual Winter Fest celebration, said Kathy Vreeland, executive director of Buellton’s Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a fun community activity and just a way to gather,” Vreeland said. “Last year was tricky [since] we were heading into another shutdown, but…
Santa Barbara County set to open North County jail in December
After a five-year delay, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Northern Branch Jail in Santa Maria on Nov. 18, with many county agencies and community members attending. Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown spoke at the event, highlighting that the jail will bring enhanced safety and convenience for…
Rezoning decision helps green-light future housing development at Hi-Way Drive-In property
A local nonprofit is one step closer to developing new low-income housing where the Hi-Way Drive-In currently stands. On Nov. 17, the Santa Maria Planning Commission approved a proposed zoning change, from commercial to residential, for the property. The proposal is moving forward to City Council for final approval, which will determine whether or not…
Supervisors approve regional dispatch center, despite sheriff opposition
Fire chiefs from across Santa Barbara County attended the Nov. 16 Board of Supervisors meeting in support of the regional dispatch center presented by county Fire Chief Mark Hartwig. “The story that I will talk about here this morning is more about cooperation, partnership, and regionalization as it is about dispatch,” Hartwig said. “This is…
As the city’s representative in county government, I’m never not thinking about Guadalupe
Guadalupe—the little town with the big heart—enjoys the world-renowned Guadalupe Dunes, distinctive downtown architecture and murals, excellent cuisine, and, above all, wonderful people. The rich agricultural lands have drawn wave after wave of different ethnic groups to work the fields—and each has left their distinctive mark on the city. Even though Guadalupe is on the…
Hartmann has helped Guadalupe
Regarding the “Representation” opinion piece (Canary, Nov. 11), I’d like to correct a misrepresentation of Supervisor Hartmann’s support for the community of Guadalupe. While I am neutral on how the new supervisor districts should be drawn, I do take issue with Supervisor Hartmann being too stretched to be effective for Guadalupe. Here are a few…
Thorny issues
Do we actually think the Northern Branch Jail will open in December 2021? I can’t even count then number of stories the Sun has run about when Santa Barbara County’s newest $110 million to $120 million detention facility is going to open. First it was September 2018, then it was August 2019, then May 2020,…
Political Watch: November 25, 2021
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House on Nov. 19, according to a statement. This act will cut down on the cost of living for working families on the Central Coast and across the country while making investments to address climate change, according…
