The Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce will close June 30, according to a June 10 Facebook post from the chamber, which blamed the City Council’s decision to “abruptly and drastically cut funding.” “This is more than a budget cut. It’s the potential loss of a vital community pillar,” chamber President/CEO DeVika Stalling wrote. “We are […]
Reece Coren
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local photographer Kayla Marie highlights the planet’s natural beauty with her shots of beaches, sunsets, mountains
Picture perfect Kayla Marie has been photographing Santa Barbara County’s landscapes since she was 9 years old. Now a mother of two young children, she shares her pictures, hoping to inspire the next generation. Find her photos on Instagram under @_kayyyyylaaaaaaa_. Find her portfolio online at kaylamariephotography.smugmug.com. Growing up in Pismo Beach, a young Kayla […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Coast Range steakhouse chef and owner Steven Fretz introduces nonalcoholic drink menu
Sip, sip, hurray Coast Range is located at 1635 Mission Drive in Solvang. For menus and more information, including details about its nonalcoholic cocktails, find it on Instagram @coastrangerestaurant, or visit coastrange.restaurant. After he drank himself into the hospital with cirrhosis last November, Steven Fretz had to be revived. The doctors gave him two choices: […]
Posted inNews
Salud Carbajal proposes law to help mitigate rocket launch noise impacts
Shaking windows and a sonic boom awoke Orcutt and Lompoc residents around 7 a.m. on June 8, when SpaceX Starlink group 15-8 launched the Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Once a relatively rare occurrence, rockets are launching from the Vandenberg base with increasing frequency. With each launch comes a sound loud enough […]
Posted inNews
Local volunteers organize mobile vaccine clinic for unhoused pet families inside Santa Maria riverbed
Walking along dirt paths in the Santa Maria Riverbed, there’s not much to see but dry brush and the occasional jackrabbit. In the distance, a group of people appear among the bushes. A man in bright mint green scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck rips open a bag of plastic syringes and grabs a […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local nonprofit displays local high school students’ illustrations highlighting Mexican identity, fight for social justice
Beating heart To see the digital gallery and learn more about Corazón del Pueblo and its programs, visit corazondelpueblo.org. The nonprofit is located at 120 E. Jones St. in Santa Maria. A black ball gown decorated with yellow and white flowers depicted by a Righetti High School student was the one she dreamed of wearing […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
PCPA offers summer performing arts classes for kids ages 8 to 18
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) will host three week-long camps this summer at its Severson Theatre on the Allan Hancock College campus, located at 800 S. College Drive in Santa Maria. Campers will learn how to build confidence and find their voice while socializing and exploring the whimsical, musical world of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Ynez author releases Central Coast-based novel featuring characters based on real chefs
Santa Ynez Valley-based author Jamie Baker released his new novel, You Ate It, on May 25. The 368-page novel addresses school shootings, vigilante justice, drug addiction, sex, and politics. You Ate It tells the story of a teenager named Michael who has a big idea that makes him rich and lands him in Silicon Valley. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Offensive lineman-turned winemaker wins Vinter of the Year, celebrates Flying Goat Cellars’ 25th anniversary
Flying high Flying Goat Cellars will celebrate its 25th birthday on June 21, with Full of Life Flatbread and Bob’s Well Bread, along with music by Angie and the Nightmares, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the winery. On Aug. 15, winemaker Norm Yost will be honored as Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance’s 2025 Vintner […]
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Santa Barbara County Fire Department announces high fire season recommendations
Wildfire season is here. Don’t want your home to burn down? The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has tips it hopes will help you evade disaster. In the first quarter of this year, the Palisades Fire tore through Los Angeles County, burning more than 23,000 acres of land and destroying more than 6,000 structures. Aiming […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Youth ARTS Alive returns for ninth summer of providing free art classes
Art’s alive! Starting June 16, Youth ARTS Alive will offer free summer classes for children ages 8 to 18 every Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The classes are held at three locations—the Minami Community Center, the Newlove Community Building, and the Grogan Community Center—and culminate with a Visual and Performing Arts […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Alma Rosa annual charity walk through the vineyards raises more than $250,000 for mental health
The 2025 Alma Rosa Winery Peace of Mind charity walk raised more than $250,000 to support research on and community services for mental health. On the morning of May 17, more than 250 local community members participated in Alma Rosa’s sixth annual Peace of Mind: 10,000 Steps in the Right Direction walk. Participants were greeted […]
