Plant aheadVisit centralcoastcactus.org for more info on the Central Coast Cactus and Succulent Society. The nonprofit’s 18th annual show and sale will take place at Nipomo High School on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., respectively. Nipomo High School is located at […]
Caleb Wiseblood
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
From the Sunset Strip to Old Town Orcutt, Faultline keeps moving and grooving
When the opportunity arose for five Central Coast rockers to perform at Los Angeles’ Whisky a Go Go earlier this year, sound check fell just a few weeks after the band’s youngest member celebrated her 21st birthday. Orcutt local Milania Jubilee was 20 when she became Faultline’s lead vocalist in 2025, after wowing her bandmates—four […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local musician and piano instructor selected for Carnegie Hall performance
Prolific pianist and Allan Hancock College faculty member Adea Badivuku is joining one of her longtime collaborators for a July 8 performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. Earlier this year, Badivuku and Santa Barbara-based violinist and composer Deniz Caglarcan performed as a duo at New York’s Golden Classical Music Awards Competition, where they won […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Philharmonic Society presents intimate concert with Suri Kim
As part of its next Music at the Library program, the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society will present an intimate afternoon of music performed by featured artist Suri Kim, on Saturday, Aug. 1, at 3 p.m., at Shepherd Hall in the Santa Maria Public Library. Admission to the concert is free. The Music at the Library […]
Posted inNews
County lawsuit ends with $1.2 million penalty for Foods Co. parent company
Questionable and inconsistent calorie counts on some food products’ packaging were at the heart of a multi-year civil suit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. That suit concluded in early June when Judge Thomas Anderle ordered the Kroger Company, which owns Foods Co. stores in Lompoc and Santa Maria, to pay $1.25 million in […]
Posted inNews
Solvang discusses copyright protections for city assets
Over the past four months, conversations surrounding Solvang Mayor David Brown’s tourism app—an independent business venture not affiliated with the city—warranted his recusals from several public hearings. His latest departure from the dais was during the Solvang City Council’s June 22 meeting, when his peers took part in a discussion about increasing copyright protections for […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: June 25, 2026
• In response to the California Senate’s passage of the 2026-27 budget, Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement on June 15. “The California State Senate remains committed to our communities, which is why this budget prioritizes the needs of Californians. This Senate vote brings us one step closer to protecting health care, child […]
Posted inNews
Solvang officials submit to new financial reporting after phone app backlash
Complaints from some Solvang officials about being blindsided by Mayor David Brown’s new side venture prompted an update to the City Council’s ethics code. While Brown informed city staff about his plans for Solvang Passport—a mobile phone app he created that promotes specific tourism destinations and businesses in town for a monthly fee—in late 2025, […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe moves cannabis tax measure toward November ballot
Based on a unanimous Guadalupe City Council decision, voters will likely see a new cannabis business tax measure on their November election ballots. With a 5-0 vote, the council approved the ballot addition’s first reading on June 9. If its second reading passes, constituents will decide whether Guadalupe should impose new taxes on the gross […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: June 18, 2026
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) reintroduced the Alan S. Lowenthal Blue Whales, Blue Skies Act with fellow U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), according to a June 10 press release. The bill would create a new federal program encouraging commercial shipping companies operating off the Pacific coast to reduce their vessel speeds to […]
Posted inPride
PCPA pairs performances with pre-show Pride Night festivities
Dressing for the occasion takes on a whole new meaning during the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) Pride Night events. Audience members are encouraged to don attire that may get them mistaken for cast members, Event and Development Coordinator Lolly Tolan explained. “You can’t go wrong with a cowboy hat and bolo tie,” Tolan (whose pronouns […]
Posted inNews
Farmhouse sues Buellton over motel reversion mandate
Less than a month after becoming enforceable, Buellton’s new housing restrictions on motels along Avenue of Flags now face a civil lawsuit that one property owner warned city officials was inevitable. Farmhouse co-owner Kerry Moriarty was vocal about his intentions to sue the city during public hearings focused on Buellton’s motel reversion ordinance, enacted in […]
