Gov. Gavin Newsom is looking for a new Central Coast representative to serve on the California Coastal Commission, and Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties nominated a few familiar faces for the position on March 16. Santa Barbara City Councilmember Meagan Harmon stands out as the only nominee to receive support from groups […]
Kasey Bubnash
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Coastal Commission decision to eliminate off-roading ends 40 years of uncertainty
For South County Chambers of Commerce President and CEO Jocelyn Brennan, the California Coastal Commission’s March 18 decision to end off-roading and most other vehicle access in the Oceano Dunes felt bittersweet. While Brennan said she’s concerned and sad for the South County business owners who depend on off-roading tourists to stay afloat, she’s simultaneously […]
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Guadalupe opposes proposed campground at Oso Flaco Lake
Guadalupe likes Oso Flaco Lake the way it is, and the city is taking an official stance against a recently proposed project that it says would turn the quiet slice of nature into an off-roading hub. At a meeting on March 9, Guadalupe City Council voted 4-1 to formally oppose State Parks’ draft public works […]
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Redistricting Commission hires Strumwasser & Woocher amid threat of lawsuit
A petition aimed at blocking the hire of an attorney chosen to represent Santa Barbara County’s Citizens’ Independent Redistricting Commission proved unsuccessful in court on March 9, despite concerns that the attorney in question doesn’t qualify for the job. The Coalition of Labor, Agriculture, and Business (COLAB) filed a petition in the Superior Court […]
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COVID-19 relief funding offers Central Coast localities a chance to get creative in addressing homelessness
A Motel 6 that was turned into emergency homeless shelter space and supportive housing in Paso Robles is one of several fast-paced and unconventional efforts to address homelessness on the Central Coast amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But it’s one of the few that will remain when the pandemic is over. While the coronavirus and resulting […]
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Sheriff’s Office data shows spike in serious crimes in 2020
Serious crimes in Santa Barbara County jumped by 18 percent between 2019 and 2020, according to crime statistics recently released by the Sheriff’s Office. That means last year’s rates of serious crime were 3 percent higher than the preceding 10-year average. Although Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said it’s hard to know what factors […]
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County approves second phase of plan to address homelessness
A recent conversation regarding Santa Barbara County’s efforts to address homelessness repeatedly came back to the area’s lack of affordable housing and its struggles to keep up with growing homeless encampments. At a special meeting on Feb. 23, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the second phase of its Community Action Plan […]
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Painted rocks bring the community together in Nipomo
Before the pandemic hit, Nipomo resident Lynn Borges had an abundant social and work life. Despite her age—she describes herself only as “old, old, old”—Borges kept herself busy with two part-time jobs, attended art classes through an adult education program twice a week, and she’d often spend afternoons with her grandkids after picking them up […]
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Cannabis grow near Buellton approved
It’s been about a year and a half since Castlerock Family Farms first applied to operate a cannabis grow on a ranch just outside of Buellton, and despite two appeals and concerns about how cannabis odors will impact neighboring communities and businesses, the project is moving forward. At a hearing on Oct. 6, the Santa […]
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County cannabis tax revenue doubled in the last year, but challenges still exist
Applications for cannabis grows and storefronts continued to pour into Santa Barbara County during the first quarter of fiscal year 2020-21 along with a significant increase in tax revenue—all despite this year’s pandemic-induced economic downfall. Still, county leaders and staff say there are a number of issues related to the emerging industry that have yet […]
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Orcutt school district has no stance on proposed cannabis dispensaries
Several cannabis companies are vying for retail space in Orcutt, and although some community members had hoped the local school district would weigh in on proposed dispensary locations, that’s not going to happen. For now, anyway. “At this time, the district is not looking at taking up this issue,” Orcutt Union School District Superintendent Holly […]
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Carbajal reintroduces Central Coast Heritage Protection Act
Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) reintroduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act on Feb. 11, a bill that would prohibit development and oil drilling on 250,000 acres of land in Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument. If approved, the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act would designate hundreds of thousands of acres […]