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Political Watch: December 18, 2025

• The House of Representatives recently passed U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal’s (D-Santa Barbara) legislation to rename a post office in Goleta for Frederick Lopez, a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Marine Corps with a 30-year career of distinguished service. ā€œGeneral Lopez represents the best of the Central Coast and of our nation’s armed forces,ā€ […]

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Oak Folk Studio combines kid-friendly yoga, improv, painting, and more in Orcutt

Movement and mindfulness go hand in hand at Oak Folk Studio, where self-expression takes on many forms for many ages. Since its soft opening in November, the eclectic Orcutt venue has hosted kid-friendly classes in art, performing arts, and yoga. ā€œI feel like they all kind of weave together,ā€ founder, owner, and instructor Katlin Majewski […]

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Food patrol: The county aims to tackle unpermitted streetside vending with the help of a task force

Tensions were sky-high the night Lompoc Mayor Jim Mosby went viral on TikTok for protesting a taco stand located behind a Conserve Fuel station. ā€œThis is not legal,ā€ Mosby told sidewalk vendors on the corner of North A and North H streets. ā€œWhere’s the refrigeration? What are your temperatures? You have no health permit.ā€ He […]

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Lompoc City Councilmember Steve Bridge pleads not guilty to felony charges

Charged with embezzlement and misuse of city funds, Lompoc 1st District Councilmember Steve Bridge showed no intention of stepping down from the dais after one of his peers called for his resignation. ā€œI will be found not guilty. Therefore, I’ll continue to support and represent every member of the community and District 1,ā€ Bridge said […]

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Political Watch: December 11, 2025

•U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California), and 27 other members of the California Democratic congressional delegation recently signed a joint letter to condemn the Trump administration’s 2027-2032 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which includes six lease proposals off the coast of Northern, Central, and Southern California. Addressed […]

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Topped out: After two decades of serving the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Garrett Huff is now in charge

Memories of sitting at the bottom of a pool flow back when Templeton resident Garrett Huff reflects on practicing for water rescue missions early in his career as a paramedic and firefighter. ā€œWe had to do what they call dunker training,ā€ Huff explained. ā€œYou’re strapped into a [simulated] helicopter, and they push it into the […]

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Political Watch: December 4, 2025

• U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-California), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) recently filed a dozen Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the Department of Justice while seeking records of ā€œvarious episodes of potential executive branch misconduct or corruption,ā€ according to Schiff’s office. One of the FOIA requests asks for records related […]

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Taylor Elementary School’s bilingual education specialist scores county accolade

While completing her teaching credential, Gloria Sevilla worked as a student teacher at Taylor Elementary School in Santa Maria, where she eventually returned to take on the role of bilingual education specialist. Her duties range from in-class instruction to essentially working as a case manager for bilingual students with disabilities, she explained in an email […]

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Santa Barbara County District Attorney charges Lompoc council member with eight felonies

Fraud. Forgery. Identity theft. Allegedly fabricated, a series of counterfeit invoices for construction work is at the heart of the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s case against a Lompoc City Council member. On Nov. 19, District Attorney John T. Savrnoch filed eight felony charges against Councilmember Stephen Bridge, including two counts of grand theft of […]

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