And just like that, it’s September. Autumn is coming, which for the Central Coast means a scorching Indian summer, an influx of college students, and—everyone’s favorite—election season. Come November, North County residents will hire a new cast of city council members. And in case you’re not sure what your options are, we’ve got them covered. […]
BRENNA SWANSTON
Posted inNews
Rey, Chimney fires slow down, Soberanes Fire puts up fight
California: where rain is rare and fires are frequent. As predicted at the beginning of summer, fire season has hit the Central Coast hard this year, and flames are currently scorching Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties. The Rey Fire is hitting closest to home, and as of 5:54 a.m. on Aug. 30 […]
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California State Senate approves bill to expand overtime pay for farmworkers
On Aug. 29 the state Senate approved a bill to expand overtime pay for California farmworkers, who currently only receive overtime pay for shifts longer than 10 hours. Assembly Bill 1066 will provide farmworkers with a standard eight-hour workday and 40-hour workweek. The standards will be phased in from 2019 to 2022, with each year […]
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Plaintiffs file for class certification in suit against Plains All American
A proposed class of plaintiffs is seeking recompenses from Plains All American Pipeline, whose pipeline rupture last year caused the May 19, 2015, Refugio oil spill and allegedly injured thousands of nearby workers, residents, and property owners. The plaintiffs would include fishermen and fish processors, oil industry workers, small business owners, and landowners whose livelihoods […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Nipomo’s The Central Grill offers a strong, tasty menu
My first thought upon entering The Central Grill in Nipomo went something like this: “Eh, I can see what it’s going for.” It’s a huge restaurant space, filled with tables and chairs that, at around 2 p.m. on a Thursday, weren’t seating anyone. Though a theme wasn’t immediately apparent, the few personal touches scattered about […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Mad for Mad & Vin: The Landsby hotel’s Solvang restaurant hits the spot
Mad & Vin—the phrase translates from Danish to “food and wine,” but the restaurant of the same name has much more to it than that. Located in The Landsby hotel in Solvang, Mad & Vin offers an extensive and unique menu, including well-priced and well-portioned happy hour offerings. I recently caught the restaurant’s happy hour—which […]
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Save the Valley still trying to shut down Chumash Casino
Santa Ynez Valley-based land preservation group Save the Valley LLC is appealing a decision by the United States to remove a case by the group against the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians to federal court. The legal challenge began in 2015, when Save the Valley sought to intervene in a century-old case related to […]
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Juvenile mentorship program proposed for North County
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 23 to give the county Probation Department six months to evaluate the possibility of establishing a post-incarceration mentorship program for youth in North County. The topic initially came up in a grand jury report that called Los Prietos Boys Camp, a delinquent youth camp located in […]
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Exoskeleton technology comes to Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, helping injured Central Coast patients walk
When Larry Bartley fell out of a 30-foot tree in his backyard in Santa Barbara, his legs were pretty much the only things he didn’t break—and yet, they were unusable. Bartley sustained spinal cord injuries that essentially wiped out his body’s memory of how to walk. He had to start from square one. “I was […]
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The Lompoc transparency project: Council, public discuss openness in city government at special meeting
Dozens gathered at a round table-style discussion in Lompoc’s City Council chambers on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 9, for a special council meeting. The meeting’s agenda was simple: The assistant city attorney would summarize the Ralph M. Brown Act, and the attendees would discuss with their council members how to improve openness and public […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Diary of an Outside Lands virgin
I was up at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, forcing myself to chug a (poorly) homemade almond milk latte before embarking on the four-ish-hour journey from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco. It was time for Outside Lands. In case you live under a rock: Outside Lands (OSL) is an annual three-day music and arts […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Food Lands: The best of Outside Lands’ food lineup
Outside Lands—San Francisco’s music and arts festival—brings a few unique and colorful worlds together for three days each year at Golden Gate Park. Said worlds include: 1. The world of music; 2. The world of San Francisco; 3. The world of food and drink. Now when I first decided to attend OSL, I knew what […]