Come Nov. 4, all eyes will be on California when eligible voters cast their ballots containing only one item—Proposition 50. The measure would authorize temporary use of new state congressional district maps through 2030, directing the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to resume its map-drafting duties in 2031. Spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Proposition 50 is […]
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SpaceX authorized to double Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently signed a decision allowing aerospace company SpaceX to increase rocket launches out of Vandenberg Space Force Base. The uptick is necessary to meet commercial and federal space launch requirements, according to the decision. SpaceX can increase Falcon 9 launches from 50 to 100 per year, including up to five […]
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Lompoc tightens its overnight parking rules
Prior to a new Lompoc ordinance, the city’s municipal code stated that a vehicle parked on a street for more than 72 consecutive hours was subject to being towed. Steering clear of the original rule was easy for more overnight parkers than members of the Lompoc City Council assumed, City Attorney Jeff Malawy explained. “The […]
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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 […]
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The Central Coast Weavers Guild offers diverse handmade goods at its 18th sale and showcase
D’Elin Lohr’s fascination with weaving began in high school. It was the late 1960s when there was a resurgence of the craft. Lohr then took classes with a friend at UC Santa Barbara, further developing a love for textiles and fashion. Weaving a communityThe Central Coast Weavers Guild is holding its annual sale and showcase […]
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Political Watch: October 30, 2024
• Reports of private jet purchases and U.S. Coast Guard helicopter reassignments caught the attention of U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-California) who scrutinized Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for recent travel habits on two separate occasions. On Oct. 20, Carbajal criticized Noem for using tax dollars to purchase “a pair of luxury Gulfstream G700 […]
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County Superior Court denies Sable Offshore’s petition of $18 million fine
Between various state agencies’ ongoing legal battles with a Texas-based oil producer, at least one chapter of the Sable fable came to an end in mid-October. While Sable Offshore Corp. is currently seeking more than $300 million in damages from the California Coastal Commission for delaying its restart work on the Santa Ynez Unit, the […]
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County to build more infrastructure to help fuel its fleet with electricity
More electric vehicle chargers are coming to Santa Barbara County in the next few years for county and public use, with plans to install at least 180 new chargers by June 2028. “We’re doing the best that we can to make charging stations available and to make them sustainable for us right now,” county Energy […]
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Board of Supervisors approves conditional modifications to cannabis odor ordinance
Santa Barbara County’s path toward enforcing new restrictions on cannabis greenhouses is one step shorter—thanks to a recent conditional green light from the California Coastal Commission. In March, the county Board of Supervisors adopted a plan requiring cannabis growers with indoor cultivation operations to follow new odor mitigation protocols, set to go into effect in […]
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Political Watch: October 23, 2025
• Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed new state legislation that was partly based on a 2024 Santa Barbara County grand jury investigation, according to Assemblymember Gregg Hart’s (D-Santa Barbara) office. Authored by Hart, the Forensic Accountability, Custodial Transparency, and Safety (FACTS) Act of 2025 requires medical investigations of all deaths that occur in county jails, […]
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Local life coach and overnight pet sitter’s nomadic journey takes her off the beaten path
As much as she loves cats and dogs, Sarah “Bolty” Bolton doesn’t own any pets. She prefers “the cool aunt” role over full-time pet parent, which led her to start her own pet-sitting business, the Central Coast resident explained. “Pet-sitting is a way that I’m able to get my fill of puppy love and kitty […]
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‘Hoof pursuit’: The Santa Maria Police Department’s mounted unit just got two more officers
One of Santa Maria’s Town Center East shopping plazas felt like the Old West to two police officers who chased down a suspected shoplifter outside of Big 5 Sporting Goods last summer. “We were actually in a hoof pursuit,” Santa Maria Police Department officer Jessica Rubio recalled, while sitting on her patrol horse named Buddy. […]
