After two productive meetings, progress on negotiations between the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors ad hoc subcommittee and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians hit a roadblock when the county canceled the scheduled Dec. 8 meeting. The county and tribe have spent more than a year attempting to reach agreeable terms concerning Camp […]
BRENNA SWANSTON
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The bully effect : Why kids bully, whom it hurts, and how to put an end to it
It started in first grade. Rachel* came home from school, stunned. That day, she’d seen a boy pin a female student against a wall, hitting her. It was scary. And when Rachel described the scene, concerned, her mother could hardly believe it. “In first grade,” her mom said, “kids are already trying to be mean?” […]
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Central Coast vintners propose new official grape varieties
Avid wine drinkers may start seeing some new grape varieties appear on labels from local wineries for the first time in five years, pending federal approval. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau proposed to amend wine labeling regulations by adding new grape variety names to the list of those approved for American wines, […]
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Santa Barbara area law enforcement responds to deportation concerns
With a Donald Trump presidency on the horizon, some of his campaign promises are sinking in with undocumented immigrants nationwide—including the estimated 40,000 in Santa Barbara County. In an interview on 60 Minutes, Trump promised a crackdown on “criminal aliens” and said he plans to deport 2 million to 3 million people who are in […]
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Santa Maria Police Department aims to make streets safer for cyclists
Santa Maria has never exactly been known as a bike-friendly city, but the police department is taking action to change that. Starting on Nov. 22, the Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) implemented new enforcement operations for bike and pedestrian safety. Enforcement will focus on collision-causing factors involving motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, according to a news […]
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Comfort from the sea: Nikka Fish Enterprise serves up some excellent seafood dishes in Lompoc
Nikka Fish Enterprise in Lompoc seems like the kind of place that should be really busy during lunch hour. It’s an attractive venue: A brick fireplace sits adjacent to a large bar area; tables and decorative wine barrels scatter the restaurant floor; one wood-paneled wall gives off a boat-like vibe, sporting a wall-length booth and […]
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Defining joint rules: Cities, counties, and federal government agencies grapple with state laws regarding marijuana
Thanks to the passage of Proposition 64 on Election Day, recreational marijuana is now legal in California. Well … mostly. Marijuana laws are notoriously confusing, since federal, state, and municipal governments never seem to be on the same page about what to allow and what to ban. For example, medical marijuana has been legal in […]
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Despite spike in countywide voter registration, turnout in Santa Barbara County remained modest
Needless to say, the 2016 general election was a doozy. The presidential race alone divided friends, sparked outrage, and elicited a ceaseless stream of social media rants. Voter registration numbers spiked, and political experts were poised to see a robust turnout at the polls on Election Day. But that didn’t exactly happen. Where Santa Barbara […]
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Offshore fracking in Santa Barbara Channel sparks another lawsuit
Environmental groups filed a lawsuit on Nov. 11 accusing federal agencies of failing to adequately analyze the potential risks and impacts of fracking and acidizing on Southern California’s offshore oil platforms, including those in Santa Barbara County. Back in February, two federal agencies released an environmental review stating that fracking and acidizing don’t significantly impact […]
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Central Coast Water Authority vies to reacquire state water suspended 35 years ago
Once upon a time, Santa Barbara County had a surplus of water. Sounds like a fairy tale, doesn’t it? Well, here’s the zinger: It’s not. Only a few decades ago, in 1981, the county asked California’s Department of Water Resources to set aside—or suspend—more than 12,000 acre-feet of state water per year, because it was […]
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New coalition opposes Chumash efforts to expand reservation
Santa Ynez Valley residents have long harbored frustrations with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ efforts to take Camp 4, a 1,400-acre land parcel, into federal trust. Community groups continually protest the fee-to-trust process, which would ultimately make Camp 4 part of the Chumash reservation—and now, they’ve taken the next step. Residents in early […]
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Cannabis Business Council vies to regulate marijuana in ‘smart, fair’ way
Marijuana is serious business. It’s not just that sketchy brown bag handed off under a high school lunch table (à la every ’90s after-school special ever) anymore—it’s a legitimate market, and local businesspeople are ready to start treating it that way. On Nov. 7, cannabis farmers and business owners launched the Cannabis Business Council of […]
