There’s plenty of legal jargon that goes over Jake Furstenfeld’s head when he tunes in via Zoom to court proceedings tied to a Cuyama Valley groundwater dispute. This wasn’t the case, however, when the local rancher and others with stakes in a lawsuit over water rights for a critically overdrafted basin heard a judge’s tentative […]
Caleb Wiseblood
Posted inNews
Maribel Aguilera leads campaign contributions in 5th District supervisor race
Without holding a single fundraiser, Maribel Aguilera’s campaign for Santa Barbara County 5th District supervisor has raised $98,000 as of mid-February. Local farms, restaurants, nonprofits, law firms, and private individuals were among the contributors who clicked the green “donate” button on the candidate’s website. Her campaign filings show she raised about $86,000 in 2025. She […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe looks into accounting discrepancies with Royal Theater project
Discussing the Royal Theater project’s expenses often sparks heated exchanges between Guadalupe officials and city staff. That trend continued during the Guadalupe City Council’s Feb. 10 meeting, when staff postponed an agendized update from project manager Tom Brandeberry. “We don’t have a full presentation, … but I’m going to give you a status update,” Interim […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: February 19, 2026
• Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) recently introduced the Reef Safe Truth in Marketing Act, or Assembly Bill 1744. This legislation would make it unlawful to advertise or label a sunscreen product sold in California as “reef safe,” “ocean safe,” or any similar term implying environmental safety unless the product contains no chemical ultraviolet filters […]
Posted inGet Outside
Central Coast State Parks Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary
TRAILBLAZING Working for the Central Coast State Parks Association (CCSPA) brought Executive Director Sierra Emrick closer to the bluffs, tidepools, and 7-mile shoreline she already had ocean-deep feelings for since childhood. “I grew up in Los Osos, and Montaña de Oro was my ‘heart park.’ The park I just loved, and—I felt—raised me and taught […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Health & Wellness 2026
Outrunning leukemia: Celebrate Life 5K founder talks cancer, remission, and fitness
Fatigue and achiness were the first signs that something was wrong. Initially, international triathlete Siri Lindley just thought it was her age after a lifetime of pushing her body. But doctors discovered it was acute myeloid leukemia. For our annual Health and Wellness issue, Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood talks with Lindley about her cancer journey, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Celebrate Life 5K co-founder and cancer survivor retraces steps from near-terminal diagnosis to remission
No amount of medals or trophies could stack up against 12-time international triathlon winner Siri Lindley’s greatest victory: overcoming acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The average five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with AML is 29 percent, according to WebMD. The odds doctors gave Lindley after her diagnosis six years ago were much less, she said. […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria’s immigrant resolution stirs backlash from elected officials, advocacy groups
Of all the tangents Santa Maria leaders veered into while discussing a resolution to support immigrants, nostalgia for the 1950s was one of the most disheartening, an Oxnard official stated. “People need to really think more critically about romanticizing that era,” Oxnard City Council Member Gabe Teran said in a Facebook thread. Teran was referring […]
Posted inNews
County orders monthly audits of Sheriff’s Office overtime use
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will continue tracking overtime use at the Sheriff’s Office after a recent review showed that a few employees more than doubled their pay. “The current system really rewards overspending,” 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann said during the Feb. 10 board hearing. According to county staff, during the fiscal […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: February 12, 2026
• California gubernatorial candidate and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco will visit Lompoc on March 15 for a meet-and-greet event. Free and open to the public, the program is scheduled to take place on March 15, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Lompoc Elks Lodge, located at 905 E. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. After the […]
Posted inNews
Vikings of Solvang holds biannual blood drive under new leadership
The price of a cup of coffee can be a real pain for someone who’s about to donate blood, Solvang local Kim Jensen explained. “Drink a lot of fluids before you come, but don’t be drinking coffee. It’s hard to find a vein when you drink too much coffee,” said Jensen, referring to caffeine’s tendency […]
Posted inNews
Life skills: Fighting Back Santa Maria is expanding its youth outreach, including focusing on life after incarceration
Looking at Santa Barbara County’s probation routine for formerly incarcerated youth with a fresh pair of eyes, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley is also providing those juvenile offenders with a new face. “I believe, and research shows, that young people thrive when they have adults who care about them in their lives. So, getting another […]
