The California Nature Art Museum (CalNAM) is hosting two entry-level classes led by local artist Katherine Taylor, who’ll teach students how to make paper mosaics. On Jan. 29, the class will be geared toward adults ages 14 and older. It’ll be held at the museum from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Taylor will help students plan […]
Madison White
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc Valley Art Association accepts submissions for upcoming show
Artists in Santa Barbara County are invited to submit up to three pieces to the Lompoc Valley Art Association’s show, Art of Renewal, by Jan. 26. The exhibit is all about using repurposed materials to create something new. “This event celebrates both creative ingenuity and environmental responsibility, inviting local artists and art lovers to join […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Hapi Nani offers teas and spices blended right in Santa Maria
Growing up in India, Harpreet Sangha has fond memories of accompanying her grandmother to buy garam masala, a northern Indian spice blend that’s added to almost every dish. Sangha remembers her grandmother talking about her family’s health with the vendor so he could customize their blend. “Depending on if we had runny noses or if […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe Union opens new campus for TK, preschool students
For some students and teachers in the Guadalupe Union School District, the start of a new year also means a new school. The eight classrooms at the Guadalupe Early Learning Center will be filled for the first time on Jan. 14 when students return from winter break, Superintendent Emilio Handall told the Sun. Serving up […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: January 8, 2026
• State Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) recently appointed state Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) to chair the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee for the remainder of the 2025-26 legislative session. “Sen. Laird brings deep experience, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility to the Budget Committee,” Limón said […]
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Volunteers at the Five Cities Repair Café are here to fix
Get to fixin’Five Cities Repair Café’s next event is scheduled for Feb. 21 at Grover City Grange—located at 370 S. 13th St. in Grover Beach—from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Visit repaircafe5cities.org for more information. Email fivecitiesrepaircafe@gmail.com to inquire about volunteer opportunities. A loose screw. A disconnected wire. A ripped seam. Sometimes all it takes to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
In Santa Maria, a former art teacher opens a small business to continue expressing his creativity
Marty McLaughlin’s favorite part of his career as an educator was teaching first grade. It’s how he spent the bulk of his time as an elementary school teacher, rounding out a tenure of more than 20 years in the Santa Maria and Orcutt districts. Having studied art in college, he returned to teach the subject […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Chumash Casino hosts comedian Felipe Esparza
Actor and comedian Felipe Esparza will be playing the Chumash Casino Resort on Jan. 23 during his At My Leisure world tour. His stand-up starts at 8 p.m. in the Samala Showroom. After overcoming substance abuse, Esparza found stand-up comedy and began performing when he was 18 years old. His routines comment on cultural identity […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
PCPA presents a new musical, Woven
On Jan. 17 and 18, the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) is bringing back its InterPlay reading series with the new musical, Woven. The story, written by Jessica Smith Campbell, is a fresh take on Homer’s The Odyssey told through Penelope’s perspective. She faces witches and goddesses, testing her resilience while Odysseus is away on his […]
Posted inFood & Drink
A Lompoc jam maker’s hobby is now a vibrant business
Rachel Alcocer’s peach cobbler jam flew off her metaphorical shelves this year. It’s one of her seasonal flavors, and she can only make it when peaches are growing on her tree. “I like to do the seasonal fruit in the area,” Alcocer said. “I like to do the stuff that’s available to me because it’s […]
Posted inNews
Cities receive grants for bicycle safety workshops
Thousands of students in Santa Barbara County will continue receiving bicycle education and free safety equipment thanks to grants from the state. Buellton is one of five cities in the county that won funds from the California Office of Traffic Safety for this year’s grant cycle. Buellton’s funds total more than $47,000. The nonprofit MOVE […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Take a look at the creative communities that shined in 2025
I’m amazed by how locals foster so many arts communities in northern Santa Barbara County. Creative circles come to life in small towns and bigger cities, rounding up eager residents and seasonal visitors. There’s not nearly enough space to capture all the impactful work we saw in 2025. I think back to the Lompoc muralist […]
