If you can’t take the heat, get out of the classroom—at least, that was the mantra at Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) schools on Tuesday, Sept. 27. According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday hit 99 degrees in Santa Maria, where the average temperature for Sept. 27 is 74 degrees. It doesn’t […]
BRENNA SWANSTON
Posted inFood & Drink
The cutest cupcakes in town: Daisy Delights brings gourmet baked goods to Nipomo
Who doesn’t love a good cupcake? Seriously—they’re adorable. They’re tasty as hell. They come in all these creative gourmet flavors. They make it possible to eat an entire cake by yourself and feel like it was an OK decision. So whenever a cupcake bakery opens up nearby, it’s a joyous occasion—as it was when Daisy […]
Posted inNews
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County provides classes for the diabetic, food-insecure
Santa Maria residents who struggle with both diabetes and food insecurity now have opportunities to educate themselves on their condition, through the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County‘s Healthy Eating for Diabetes program. The program begins with a series of four weekly classes, which educate attendees on diabetes, nutrition, and cooking. Those who attend three of […]
Posted inNews
The alpaca life: Lompoc couple runs one of California’s few carding mills, selling yarn for a living
View more photos from the Goehrigs’ ranch. Mette and Tom Goehrig trudged across one of their pastures, parting a mob of nosey alpacas. “They’re like potato chips,” Mette said of the animals. “You can never have just one.” At least, that’s how it’s been for the Goehrigs their 20-acre farm is home to 43 alpacas […]
Posted inNews
Vandenberg fire ‘remains significant and unpredictable’
A vegetation fire at Vandenberg Air Force Base, called the Canyon Fire, has escalated rapidly, causing launch delays and drawing efforts from hundreds of local firefighters. The flame started on Saturday, Sept. 17, on South Base, initially affecting 50 acres near Arguello and Santa Ynez Ridge roads, according to Vandenberg’s public affairs office. As of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
In defense of the Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte: Confessions of a ‘basic white girl’
I used to be one of them. It started with the smallest of triggers: a yellowed leaf on the tree outside, or a 15 percent chance of scattered showers in the weather forecast, or a promisingly puffy cloud—that’s all it took. In 30 seconds flat, I’d be at the front of the line in Starbucks, […]
Posted inNews
Chumash, Santa Barbara County resume negotiations for proposed reservation land
After a six-month hiatus, Santa Barbara County’s ad hoc subcommittee has resumed public negotiation meetings with representatives from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The meetings—which were temporarily suspended after their seventh session in March—aim to draw up mitigation agreements regarding Camp 4, a 1,400-acre parcel the Chumash plan to take into federal trust […]
Posted inNews
English learner students to receive better service from California schools
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement with the California Department of Education (CDE) and the state Board of Education regarding California’s failure to provide proper instructional language services to English learner (EL) students. In May 2015, the DOJ found that California did not adequately monitor its public schools’ provision of language instruction to […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria candidates present on mobile home issues at forum
Congressional, state Legislature, and Santa Maria City Council candidates gathered at the Casa Grande Mobile Home Park Clubhouse on Sept. 12 to brief voters on their campaign platforms, answer questions pertaining to mobile home parks issues, and—last but not least—indulge in ice cream. The event opened with 24th District congressional candidates Salud Carbajal and Justin […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Orcutt’s Hang Out Thai has good eats and good reads
Are you craving Thai? If not, you should be. And if you are, I’ve got good news for you: Hang Out Thai in Orcutt. It’s been around for nearly 10 years, but I just had my first meal there recently. I became a fan of the place as soon as I stepped inside: It was […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Pork chop and me, a love story: How the new and improved Bacon & Brine in Solvang is basically perfect
Have you ever taken the first bite of a meal and nearly cried from happiness? I have. It’s happened a handful of times: at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, on a few occasions in Europe, and—most recently—at Bacon & Brine in Solvang. Previously a take-out sandwich joint, Bacon & Brine opened its revamped restaurant on Aug. […]
Posted inNews
Losing United Airlines will not affect Santa Maria airport’s business park plans, according to manager
Santa Maria airport will make progress as usual with plans for its long-awaited airport business park, despite losing service from its only major airline, United Airlines. When the airport began working with United about a year and a half ago, the carrier offered service to and from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). But last May, […]