The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors directed the Public Health Department during its June 16 budget hearing to look into potential ways to keep afloat a program serving infants and new families. Santa Barbara County’s budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year is $1.48 billion, a 6.4 percent increase from the previous year. About 34 […]
Taylor O'Connor
Posted inNews
Pipeline takeover
ExxonMobil-affiliated companies take ownership of the Plains oil pipeline, environmentalists concerned for future
Santa Barbara County’s ongoing discussion about what to do with the oil pipeline that spilled oil onto the Gaviota Coast continues with ExxonMobil’s proposal to take over ownership. While the county Planning Commission approved the application in a 3-1 vote, environmental groups vowed to appeal the decision to the Board of Supervisors, citing concerns that it will eventually lead to the pipeline’s restart. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor writes about the conversation and what comes next.
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Rescue shelter holds Pony Parties for children to spend quality time with farm animals
As someone who’s worked with animals and as an agriculture teacher her whole life, Julie Hilton wanted to share this lifestyle with others. In 2021, Hilton and her two daughters opened up Hoofprints—a farm animal rescue center that teaches children and youth how to work with the animals. “Ideally, it’s just basic animal care: how […]
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New Cuyama gets a new joint County Fire and Sheriff’s station
After three years of construction and working out of temporary facilities, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Office celebrated a new joint station opening in New Cuyama to serve the community and the surrounding Cuyama Valley. “It represents more than emergency services, but pillars of safety, resilience, and unity for the New Cuyama […]
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County supervisors approve nonexclusive ambulance services agreement
Santa Barbara County 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson shared his recent experience calling 911 as an example of the need for changes to a county ordinance governing ambulance services. “Last Friday [June 2] I was at the scene of someone overdosing and was able to call 911 and had AMR [American Medical Response] and County […]
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The Rainbow House Inc. celebrates Pride Month with a drag brunch fundraiser for education, health kits, and nonprofit general funds
Support with a show The Rainbow House’s Drag Brunch on June 24 serves food at 10:30 a.m. and then the show runs from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Craft House at Corque—420 Alisal Road, Solvang. General admission tickets are $125 and VIP are $225 and are available at therainbowhouseinc.com. Pride-themed banners will hang […]
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State grant supports Santa Maria Hi-Way Drive-In housing development
The California Department of Housing and Community Development awarded more than $4 million in grant funding to People’s Self Help Housing to support farmworker homeownership at its Hi-Way Drive-In housing project. “What this award will translate into is essentially down payment assistance that will make their first mortgage smaller, and the size will become the […]
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The Santa Maria-Lompoc branch of the NAACP hosts its fifth annual Juneteenth celebration
June 19, 1865, marked the end of slavery in the United States, with Texas ending slavery two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. “[Former slaves] celebrated the end of a very brutal and horrific time in their lives where they were treated less than,”said Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt, the Santa Maria-Lompoc NAACP branch president. “We continue the celebration […]
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Foam legacy
A firefighting substance used at the Santa Maria Public Airport decades ago contaminated its water, soil
Cleaning chemicals used decades ago seeped into the soil and groundwater at airports across the state, including Santa Maria’s, Santa Barbara County 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson told the Sun. “We know more than we did 40 years ago. I don’t think anyone intentionally polluted our groundwater, but there is a chemical down in the […]
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Lompoc adds overdose rescue kits at all public facilities
With the highest fatal opioid overdose rates in Santa Barbara County, Lompoc city officials installed opioid rescue kits throughout public facilities to potentially help save lives, Mayor Jenelle Osborne said. “Deaths were slightly higher than the rest of the county; that’s a sign to me that we have an issue and we’re not talking about […]
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Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley hosts educational opportunities for parents, students about substance use
Educational opportunies Visit fbsmv.com, like Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley’s Facebook page, or follow them on Instagram @fbsmv to stay up to date with the nonprofit’s parent and youth education and substance use prevention programs. Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley formed in 2003 as the Drug and Alcohol Coalition to educate the community’s youth on […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
It’s Pride Month
The Central Coast is celebrating the LGBTQ-plus community this June with events in SLO and Santa Barbara counties
As we roll into national Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ-plus community seems especially poignant following a year of anti-trans legislation across the country, attempts to ban gender identity and sexual orientation from sex education, and fights in local schools and cities over rainbow flags and crosswalks. In 2023, SLO and Santa Barbara counties are hosting Pride events all June long. For this year’s annual Pride issue, Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor has event details for you; and New Times Staff Writer Adrian Rosas from the Sun’s sister paper writes about trans visibility and what local organizations are doing to lift them up.
