Feb 6-16, 2025

Feb 6-16, 2025 / Vol. 25 / No. 50
On Feb. 8, more than 150 wines from about 30 vintners will settle down in Solvang for the 11th annual Solvang Southern Exposure Garagiste Festival. Many of those wines come from wineries without tasting rooms, including those from Pars Fortuna Wine. Winemaker Kira Malone released her first vintage in late October and will be pouring […]

Cover Story

Slingshot examines isolation and space madness

Slingshot What’s it rated? R When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Paramount+ with SHOWTIME Mikael Håfström (Evil, 1408, Escape Plan) directs this psychological sci-fi thriller about a trio of astronauts—Capt. Franks (Laurence Fishburne), John (Casey Affleck), and Nash (Tomer Capone)—on a mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan, that requires several chemically induced hibernation cycles on the multi-year…

On Call offers a gritty look at police work

On Call What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime Created by Tim Walsh and Elliot Wolf, this police procedural follows Long Beach Police Department veteran Traci Harmon (Troian Bellisario) as she trains her rookie partner, Alex Diaz (Brandon Larracuente). Harmon is a no-nonsense, by-the-book officer, which puts her at odds with…

Local school districts work to uphold students’ right to education amid concerns about ICE entering campuses

ICE information The local coalition, 805 Immigrants, operates a regional alert system to notify community members of confirmed ICE activity. Individuals can sign up by texting “alerta” or “alert” to (805) 870-8855. Federal laws entitle every child, regardless of immigration status, to a public elementary or secondary education, according to the United States Department of…

Political Watch: February 6, 2025

• On Jan. 29, one day after President Donald Trump moved to freeze funding for a range of federal programs, the president’s budget office rescinded the order, according to the Associated Press (AP). Trump’s move had prompted “widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country,” AP News reported. Locally, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) issued…

Zapped!

Testy and zesty. That’s a good way to describe some of 3rd District county Planning Commissioner John Parke’s exchanges on Jan. 29.  With cannabis odor on the agenda and potential ordinance changes set to come back—again—to the commission, he managed to take over the entire discussion. His insistences left commission chair, 2nd District Commissioner Laura…

All people deserve dignity

In response to “Encampments return to Santa Maria Riverbed” (Jan. 30): I understand that Japan removes homeless people from the street, provides a livable detention area with basic needs. Basically, they are incarcerated. They are cleaned up (from addiction) and given an opportunity to improve their ability to thrive and return back into society. If…

A small group of us could change a lot of things

This is to thank Gary Freiberg for his opinion piece in the Sun reminding us of the power of the people (“The price is wrong,” Jan. 30).  Yes! Let’s start with having fewer eggs (or none at all until prices come down). Buy some nuts at the farmers market. Walnuts are shaped like our brains,…

Santa Maria Airport displays Valley Art Gallery’s latest exhibit

The Valley Art Gallery is currently showcasing a collection of artworks by its new featured artist, Adria Chalfin, whose diverse pieces range from mixed media to copper repoussé. The display debuted at the Santa Maria Airport in early February and is scheduled to remain on view through Sunday, April 6. A graduate of CalArts, Chalfin…

Safer wind farms for all

Whether you are for or against wind farms off our coast, or on land for that matter, we all want them safer for the planet. With the idea of minimizing bird mortality, I have a couple of suggestions. To minimize deaths during the day, the blades as well as their support structure could be painted…

Companion is a thought-provoking horror gem

Companion 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, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande First, it would be better for you to go into his movie cold, and we highly recommend you do, so stop reading and just…


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