After owning and operating Old Town Market in Orcutt for 16 years, Mark Steller received a text message from his landlord in late April informing him that the building where the store is located had been sold. Steller broke the news in a post on the market’s Facebook page that said the store’s closure is […]
ZAC EZZONE
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Sovlang looks at district elections
The city of Solvang is moving toward implementing district elections after receiving a letter from a Malibu-based attorney that claims the city’s existing at-large voting system is racially biased. In the letter, attorney Kevin Shenkman said he represents the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and its members who live in Solvang. Citing U.S. Census Bureau […]
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County letter to governor pushes back on reopening criteria
During the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 5, county Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said the county was on track to reopen businesses at an accelerated pace. A week later, Do-Reynoso had a different message for supervisors. During the board’s meeting on May 12, Do-Reynoso said that the state released additional […]
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Farm, grower groups push back on proposed regulations designed to restore water quality
Since 2004, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board has issued multiple agricultural orders that are used to record data on water quality conditions and impose regulations on farmers throughout the region. But a draft of the most recent order, which was released in February, has agricultural groups concerned it could permanently change farming […]
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United Way, foundations work together to provide relief during pandemic
During the Thomas Fire in late 2017 and the debris flow that followed, United Way of Santa Barbara County and the Santa Barbara Foundation formed a partnership to provide financial assistance to individuals and nonprofits in need. Earlier this year, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizations restarted this partnership along with the […]
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County officials eye reopening businesses faster than state’s pace
Santa Barbara County officials believe the county is in a prime position to start easing COVID-19 restrictions and reopening businesses, based on testing capabilities and other data trends. On May 4, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that some retailers, such as bookstores and music shops, could begin reopening on May 8 with modifications like curbside pickup. […]
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Country Oaks Care Center owner talks operation changes amid COVID-19
As a center that’s home to people most at risk of experiencing health issues related to COVID-19, Country Oaks Care Center has been forced to make a lot of changes to how it operates over the last month and a half. Public health orders have prohibited visitors from entering skilled nursing facilities that provide care […]
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Some in the wine industry continue to oppose cannabis in the Santa Ynez Valley
The same week the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved the largest cannabis project to come before the board so far, a coalition of residents pushing back on the new industry sued the county over its March approval of a different farm. During its April 21 meeting, supervisors approved plans for a 50-acre cannabis […]
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Grand jury report highlights overcrowding in multiple county detention centers
During a review of 20 local detention facilities, the Santa Barbara County grand jury found that many of the issues associated with these sites could be solved with additional funding. “The majority of the findings and recommendations stem from the lack of funding, funding that is essential to add staff where needed, funding to upgrade […]
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Lompoc weighs Fourth of July event amid COVID-19 pandemic
Although it’s still months away, Lompoc officials are debating whether to cancel the city’s Fourth of July event this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Without a clear end date for local and statewide stay-at-home orders, city officials are concerned it may not be possible to hold an event that people can attend in […]
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State studies listing Central Coast mountain lions as threatened, endangered
Over the next year, officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will review the status of mountain lion populations on the Central Coast and farther south to decide whether the animals should be protected under the California Endangered Species Act. This move started in June 2019 when the Center for Biological Diversity […]
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Library committee nears the end of its work addressing funding, inequities
For years, the amount and source of library funding has been among the most contentious topics discussed during Santa Barbara County’s annual budget process. About a year and a half ago, the county Board of Supervisors tried to solve this continuous problem by enlisting a group of stakeholders to review and address two issues in […]