Sep 26 – Oct 6, 2024

Sep 26 - Oct 6, 2024 / Vol. 25 / No. 31
Santa Maria’s long-term vision for its revamped downtown is getting ready to start construction next year. The City Council recently approved an agreement with The Vernon Group that lines out development on three of four lots that will change the face of the intersection at Broadway and Main. With the aim of bringing more housing […]

Cover Story

Dreams and dread

Maya Restaurant has seen every iteration of Santa Maria in its nearly 60 years of business. From its vibrant, charming early years to the vacant lots, Santa Maria has been home to the Paredes family.  “The times are changing, and it’s time we keep up with those times to keep our home thriving,” said Tere…

Political Watch: September 26, 2024

• Bipartisan legislation to reduce wildfire risk, written by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), was unanimously approved by the House Natural Resources Committee, according to a Sept. 19 statement from Carbajal’s office. The Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act would reduce procedural steps for removing hazardous vegetation near power lines—cutting red tape to allow for…

Who’s got the dough?

Maintaining a city is hard. It costs money. It requires people. They need public safety services, recreation, parking, walkable spaces, city streets, and more—all of which require infrastructure, maintenance, and money. Lots of it.  So why would a city willingly agree to reduce the fees it charges housing developers to pay for all of that…

Totalitarianism, fascism, and authoritarianism are not games

 I don my team’s colors and make sure things are tucked in right. It’s game day.  Off to meet with my fellow participants to strategize where to be to watch the game. We all compare our newest gear and are energized by the prospect of the past and future meetups of our team. We all…

The Sun’s North County coverage is appreciated

Thanks to the Santa Maria Sun for its continuing coverage of events germane to Lompoc. Your Sept. 19 issue alone has three pieces of import, not to mention the cover.  Your reporting that encompasses the entire North Santa Barbara County is much appreciated.  Keep it coming! Barry Marks Lompoc

Buellton and Solvang ask voters to approve bed tax increases

Tourism brings in nearly half of Solvang’s general fund revenue, but those dollars aren’t stretching as far as they once were, City Manager Randy Murphy told the Sun.  “Ultimately, inflation impacts on everything post-COVID is crazy. We renewed our contract with the sheriff’s department, and that cost went up 30 percent. We are paying about…

SLOPOKE presents 14th annual Art of the West Show in Solvang

Artworks from more than 30 participating artists will be on display during the 14th annual Art of the West Exhibition and Sale, scheduled to open on Friday, Sept. 27, and run through Sunday, Sept. 29, at Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang.  The three-day exhibition of landscapes, seascapes, wildlife portraits, sculptures, photographs, and other media…

The Substance is a gory, satirical exploration of beauty standards and youth obsession

The Substance What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria Writer-director Coralie Fargeat (Revenge) helms this dark comedy/body horror film about fading celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), who takes a black-market cell-replicating drug that promises to create a separate,…

BINGEABLE: Kaos

Kaos What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Netflix Created by Charlie Covell (The End of the F***ing World), this darkly funny series finds an increasingly paranoid Zeus (a delightfully droll Jeff Goldblum) fearing the end of his reign when he notices a wrinkle on his forehead and interprets it as a harbinger…

BINGEABLE: The Perfect Couple

The Perfect Couple What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Netflix Uber rich power couple Greer (Nicole Kidman) and Tag (Leiv Schreiber) seem to have it all—a sprawling estate on Nantucket, healthy grown children, booming careers, and more money than God. Perfection cracks quickly, though, when their son Benji’s (Billy Howle) impending wedding…

Lompoc City Council tables electric rate increase

Concerns about how proposed utility rate increases would impact small businesses and/or residents with low- or fixed-incomes halted the Lompoc City Council’s vote on making the needed changes.  “For me, personally, I know we have to do this, but I’m just having some struggle. I wish there was more nuance. I know it’s just a…


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