Buellton recently received $425,000 in state funding to take a big step in connecting the Santa Ynez Valley through outdoor recreation. “We live in the valley in particular because we love the outdoors, but we’re not walking and biking because we don’t have the infrastructure to support that, and people really want that,” Santa Barbara […]
Taylor O'Connor
Posted inNews
Dangermond Preserve now permanently protected
More than 24,000 acres along the Gaviota Coast will be permanently kept safe from development thanks to a $15 million conservation easement between the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, The Nature Conservancy, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. “The 24,000 acres we are talking about here are a globally important biodiversity hot spot and a […]
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Freshman year
In Gregg Hart’s first session as an Assembly member, he tackled floods, oil, housing, homelessness, and more
From helping manage record-setting storm damages to raising the benchmarks for Big Oil, Gregg Hart jumped right into his role as the Assembly member for the 37th District, representing Santa Barbara County and southern SLO County. “I feel like my first year was very successful, particularly as a new legislator,” Hart told the Sun. “The […]
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Santa Maria expects to save $12 million with solar agreement
Santa Maria stepped toward clean energy and dollars saved as the City Council voted 4-0 (with Councilmember Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez absent) to approve a 20-year contract to construct and operate solar power infrastructure at eight city-owned sites—generating expected savings of more than $12 million throughout the contract’s lifespan. The wastewater treatment plant, civic center, police department, […]
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The Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Museum launches new World War II exhibit to honor local veterans
Shelley Klein embarked on a journey gathering stories from local Santa Marians about their personal or family history in World War II and received more than she expected for a new exhibit at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Museum. “I told my board, ‘I think I bit off more than I could chew.’ It’s […]
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Holidays in shelters
Good Samaritan Shelter provides a variety of events this holiday season for individuals experiencing homelessness
Good Samaritan’s holiday events • Toy Drive: Dec. 19 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Stowasser Buick GMC, 600 Betteravia Road • Parade of Lights: Dec. 2 at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road • Christmas in the Country display, a drive through holiday experience: Nov. 24 to Dec. 25 at […]
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Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approves Housing Element
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission recently voted 4-1 (with 2nd District Commissioner Laura Bridley dissenting) to approve the county’s Housing Element update, which will go to the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 5. The Housing Element is a process each jurisdiction in the state is required to go through every eight years to address […]
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State, regional water boards’ nitrate policies face lawsuits
California environmental nonprofits and local agriculture organizations recently filed lawsuits against the state and regional water boards over nitrate regulations, but for different reasons. Agriculture wants a better balance between the need to grow food and need to protect water quality, while environmental groups want to see a limit to nitrates’ use in agriculture. Nitrates […]
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Santa Barbara County supervisors approve $18 million for County Fire
After deciding to switch to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department as the county ambulance provider, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 (with 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino dissenting) to approve an $18 million investment to cover startup costs as the county fire department gets ready to take over ambulance services on […]
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Solvang Skate Shop owner shares plans to start a nonprofit to promote skateboarding access
Robby Hargreaves started skateboarding when he moved to the Central Coast. Landing in Vandenberg Space Force Base with his family, he had a skateboard but no place to skate, he said. “We didn’t have a skate park and my parents didn’t feel comfortable with me at 14 going to Lompoc skate park and staying there,” […]
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Close to home
With the only substance abuse treatment center that caters to veterans on the Central Coast shuttered, LA is the nearest option
Alcohol slowly progressed into a necessity for Samantha Bloomer, she said. “My sister died in June 2021 from the same disease, and that still—even in my head I didn’t want to drink—but that compulsion and the obsessive behavior continued with it, and I drank to avoid the pain,” Bloomer said. The Orcutt native spent 10 […]
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ExxonMobil withdraws pipeline replacement application
After finding that the potential impacts associated with constructing a new pipeline were “unnecessary,” Pacific Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, withdrew its application to replace lines 901 and 903, Julie King, an ExxonMobil Corporation spokesperson told the Sun in an email. “The company is focused on safely restarting the pipeline and is working with […]
