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A quick explainer on the Nov. 8 election’s seven propositions
Every election cycle brings a new slew of state propositions—some of the most confusing yet consequential items on Californians’ ballots. We know how hard it is to sift through the stacks of mailers, editorials, and slanted advertising that’s pushed out for or against each measure, so the Sun put together this no-nonsense primer on each…
NEW FLICKS: THE GOOD NURSE
NEW FLICKS: THE GOOD NURSE Where’s it playing? Netflix What’s it rated? R Assemble, true crime nerds! Netflix has graced us with a full-length dive into the story of nurse Charles Cullen, convicted of killing 29 patients and suspected of killing hundreds more. Eddie Redmayne stars as the seemingly quiet and caring killer, and Jessica…
Bus stop dispute puts Santa Maria development on hold
The Santa Maria Planning Commission wants to require an apartment building developer to fund a new bus turnout in the area but is waiting on a price tag. Although city staff estimated that the turnout would cost between $40,000 and $50,000, commissioners opted to delay voting on the project until staff lands on a specific…
New Santa Ynez airport board candidate added after elections debate
Christian Maurer is running for the Santa Ynez Valley Airport Authority board of directors after fellow airport authority members nominated him by petition and the agency rescheduled its elections, following some debate about the airport’s voting bylaws. “I thought it would be interesting to get more involved with day-to-day decision-making and future planning,” Maurer said.…
Santa Maria high school district candidates address community concerns
School safety, transportation issues, and mental health help were discussed by three out of four Santa Maria Joint Union High School District board of education candidates during an Oct. 19 community forum. The school district is divided into five trustee areas, with areas 4 and 5 up for reelection this year. The League of Women…
Political Watch: October 27, 2022
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced a new $159,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Guadalupe Union School District to improve school safety and protect students, according to an Oct. 24 statement from the congressman’s office. In 2018, Carbajal supported the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act, which…
Marian Regional Medical Center’s Extended Care Center celebrates 35 years in the community
Marian Regional Medical Center’s Extended Care Center started with a few nuns and 10 patients who needed extra care after hospitalization. Now, the center serves 95 patients at a time and is celebrating its 35th anniversary, Jill Ledbetter said. The skilled nursing facility serves community members who need some assistance with daily tasks like bathing,…
Judy Frost is best for county school board
In this time when there has been so much going on with schools, I felt compelled to write a letter in support of someone who I know personally and someone who is currently serving on the Santa Barbara County board of trustees—Judy Frost. Judy has spent the past four years representing trustee area 5. She…
Santa Barbara Humane by the numbers
When members of the public make inaccurate statements about our local animal shelters, dogs and cats pay a high price. Numbers tell the story best, not inflammatory statements and misinformation. Despite recent statements from the public reported by your newspaper (“Potential Santa Maria animal services contract sparks controversy,” Oct. 20), Santa Barbara Humane does an…
Get all the facts on Santa Barbara Humane
It’s really important we get the story about local animal adoptions right. The recent Santa Maria Sun article regarding Santa Maria animal services (“Potential Santa Maria animal services contract sparks controversy,” Oct. 20) missed the mark. Due to challenges, turnover, and a rising number of animals at Santa Barbara County Animal Services, a request for…
Jim Mosby is not Lompoc’s public safety candidate
The election is coming up in just a few weeks, and our local election is so important! You’ve probably seen former Councilmember Jim Mosby’s signs around town as he attempts to reinvent himself as the “public safety” candidate. Ironically, this is the same former official who decimated our public safety sector when he was the…
Questionable bias
If the little notes the Sun has received are any indication of how people are feeling about the upcoming election, then Santa Maria is apprehensive, to say the least. And, no surprises here, Etta Waterfield, who is seeing her way out of her Santa Maria City Council seat, is a favorite target of these, umm,…
Central Coast winemakers celebrate their harvest and international acclaim
Fall is crush time for California’s wine industry. The Santa Barbara County Vintners Festival was Oct. 8 in Solvang. In San Luis Obispo County, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance celebrates Harvest Wine Month throughout October, while its rising-star sister, the San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective, rolls out Harvest on the Coast in November.…
The Melodrama’s ‘Scary Poppins’ is back onstage for a fourth time, in celebration of spooky season
I saw her before the play even started, hanging out in the eaves, waiting to make her entrance. You know the one—flying in on the wings of an umbrella out of the sky to save the day for a family in need with a playful wink and a stern nod. That’s part of the magic…
Los Alamos Theatre Group presents ‘Audition: A Los Alamos Story’
The Los Alamos Theatre Group’s latest original musical, Audition: A Los Alamos Story, premieres at the Los Alamos Depot Bar on Friday, Nov. 11. Performances of the new production are scheduled to run through Sunday, Nov. 20. Audition: A Los Alamos Story features 13 actors, who will perform about a dozen original songs. Tickets to…
Paint Jam USA holds watercolor workshop in Los Olivos
Zaca Mesa Winery in Los Olivos will host a Paint and Sip event with Paint Jam USA on Sunday, Nov. 6, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Participants of the class, led by instructor Jana Brody, will paint a fall watercolor scene. Admission to the class includes all materials needed to complete the painting and a…
Santa Maria Airport showcases artworks by Stephanie Palomarez
The Valley Art Gallery is currently showcasing art by local artist Stephanie Palomarez at the Santa Maria Airport. The exhibit debuted at the beginning of October and is scheduled to remain on display through Monday, Dec. 5. The showcase includes acrylic and watercolor paintings as well as silk screen prints by Palomarez. “For me, art…
