We sure did a lot of fighting this year! Maybe it was all that rain in January and March, filling up Northern Santa Barbara County’s streets with mud and debris, causing our reservoirs to spill over, and leaving us with repair needs—some of which have yet to be fixed. It made us grumpy for the…
Every year many of us make New Year’s resolutions that we sometimes keep; this year will be no different. Instead of sharing my personal resolutions, I will talk about those that voters should make and keep in the coming year. We need new leadership in our county, state, and country. The current crop of appointed…
In response to Michael Massey (“We need housing,” Dec. 21). I notice you have not addressed the traffic problem on the 101 freeway that has gotten exponentially worse in the past few years. I have realized we need more responsible housing projects, but this one is far too large! Alyx Michell Nipomo
Throughout 2023, galleries and other art venues across Northern Santa Barbara County proved to be not only familiar outposts for paint brush-happy locals, but hubs for traveling artisans as well. Some of my favorite exhibits in the Sun’s coverage area this year showcased artists hailing from settings far from the Central Coast, such as London,…
January kicked us off with a rush of floodwater, and the rain didn’t stop until April. Certain areas of Santa Barbara County are still dealing with the ramifications from all that water and concerned about what the rainy season ahead has in store. The tension that started the year continued throughout the year, with fights…
Santa Barbara County’s current ambulance provider, American Medical Response (AMR), can continue serving the community until July 2024 after a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge ruled in the company’s favor. Earlier this year, AMR sued Santa Barbara County for its decision to make the County Fire Department the new ambulance provider starting in March…
Ribbon cuttings for new eateries along the Central Coast weren’t in short supply over the past 12 months. When I looked back on the Sun’s food and wine stories of 2023, I was reminded of the contagious enthusiasm some of my interviewees exuded while gushing about their dreams of owning their own restaurant or tasting…
A local smoothie shop’s six-month journey toward displaying a new wall sign didn’t go as smoothly as its owner hoped, thanks to initial backlash from the Solvang Design Review Committee (DRC). Miguel Limon, owner of Sano Pecado in downtown Solvang, requested permission from the DRC in May to put up new signage at the juice…
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) highlighted new authority spelled out in this year’s annual defense policy bill that allows the Space Force to share more of the upkeep costs for their bases and launch ranges with the commercial space companies using military-owned ranges, according to a Dec. 21 statement. As a senior member…
With more than 64 percent of Lompoc Unified School District’s population considered socioeconomically disadvantaged and students in historically marginalized communities scoring below state learning standards in test scores, Connie Alexander and Audrey Gamble saw a need for additional educational support and services. Alexander and Gamble own and operate Gateway Educational Services, a tutoring center founded…
Neither of us are typically a “my favorite (fill in the blank) is” kinds of people. We might have current favorites of the moment, but how can we pick an overall favorite band, writer, visual artist, or even a favorite color for that matter? We can obviously tell you if we like something or not,…
