Sacrifice is a calling only the brave can hear. I’ve seen bravery in the still innocent eyes of an Air Force para-jumper, who drops from helicopters on a thin cable to bring home fellow airmen. I’ve seen bravery in the slumped shoulders of soldiers who disappear into the jungle at dusk, so that we could […]
Taylor Saugstad
Posted inOpinion
Have the courage to speak out loud and clear
My heart is breaking as the damage created by an undemocratic Republican Party under President Trump continues to destroy this country to the point of I do not recognize it anymore. A mere shell exists today of the America that was. The evildoers will soon think nothing of removing opposition to the point of physical […]
Posted inNews
Solvang considers spending $8 million on a new City Hall building
The former home of Thrifty Ice Cream was briefly on a short list of spots Solvang officials are eyeing for potential City Hall expansion. “What if we just retrofit the Rite Aid?” Solvang City Councilmember Elizabeth Orona said after City Manager Randy Murphy informed the council that some departments—including Public Works, Community Development, and Parks […]
Posted inOpinion
Proposition 50 is not about saving ‘democracy,’ so please quit saying it is
Proposition 50 has very little to do with democracy; it is quite the opposite. The California representatives in the House are currently 43 Democrats and nine Republicans. This is 83 percent Dem and 17 percent GOP, yet California’s registered voters are only 45 percent Dem, 25 percent GOP, and 30 percent “other.” This is nowhere […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Stroll through the Queen of Arts fair for goods made by small businesses
If you’re interested in shopping for holiday gifts, spending the day enjoying beer and wine, or checking out work by local artists, stop by the Queen of Arts market in Solvang. The Elverhoj Museum of History and Art is holding its annual artisan craft fair on Nov. 7 from 3 to 6 p.m. and Nov. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Temporary refuge: C.A.R.E.4Paws will offer boarding for pets living with struggling families
About a year ago, C.A.R.E.4Paws was offering its services to a shelter for the unhoused, when a woman staying at the shelter asked for help to take care of her dog who had become pregnant, and would eventually have 10 puppies. The woman wasn’t in a state to be able to care for either the […]
Posted inOpinion
What really drove the LA fires?
”Total garbage.” That’s how wildfire scientist Jon Keeley describes studies blaming climate change for Los Angeles’ catastrophic 2025 fires. Every summer and fall, Southern California braces itself for fire season. On June 2, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department officially declared the start of high fire season, suspending all burn permits and ramping up resources […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor
The Five Cities has a historic opportunity for water security
In May of 2017, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) mandated the SLO South County Waste Water Treatment plant to begin planning for possible relocation of the Oceano facility by May of 2047. The CCC has legitimate concerns that the treatment plant could be compromised by climate change-induced sea level rise and creek flooding. It also […]
Posted inOpinion
Get ready to vote in the upcoming special election
The League of Women Voters urges all eligible voters to get ready to vote in the upcoming special election on Nov. 4 by registering to vote, studying fact-based information on Proposition 50, and casting an informed vote. Vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be sent to all active registered voters in early October, […]
Posted inOpinion
Mail-in ballots are at risk of being hijacked
We have an upcoming election aimed at combating rigged elections. Our ballots and envelopes are mailed to everyone, unsecured, and are returned to unmanned ballot boxes. The instructions advise, “It’s OK to re-seal (the envelope) with tape.” The ballot instructions for voting advise, “If you make a mistake, mark an X over the oval filled […]
Posted inOpinion
California’s high utility bills are caused by fighting climate change-impacted wildfires
What do the Gifford Fire and our exorbitant electricity rates have in common? It’s hotter and drier now, exacerbating both wildfires and the cost of electricity. Global warming, better known as global heating, has raised the frequency, size, and price tag of wildfires. In the early 1980s, the annual cost to Cal Fire to suppress […]
Posted inOpinion
Stop wringing your hands and do something!
We all know by now that the Republican Party is flailing. It has become a cult of spineless sycophants, kowtowing to a dictator, with no concern for its constituents. That’s not even debatable. So why is there no consistent protesting going? Big national, international rallies are great, but what are we doing between these events? […]
