Two days before Lompoc City Councilmember Steve Bridge’s arraignment in late 2025, one of his peers on the dais asked him to step down from his role as an elected official. When Bridge—who pled not guilty to forgery, identity theft, and misusing city funds—showed no sign of resigning, Councilmember Jeremy Ball motioned for the council […]
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Santa Barbara County explores alternatives to emergency call boxes
Established in 1987, Santa Barbara County’s emergency call box network once included more than 350 roadside phones across the region. With 47 of those phones remaining, the county continues defying a statewide trend of dismantling public call boxes and is on track to become “a call box island,” Transportation Planner Peter Williamson said. During the […]
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Lompoc modifies RV parking rules, increases penalty for camping in public
In another attempt to iron out parking regulations, the Lompoc City Council decided that RV owners with permits are exempt from a 72-hour parking ban. “It exempts RV owners with RV parking permits from the city’s ordinance that requires you to move your vehicle every 72 hours,” City Attorney Jeff Malawy said at the Aug. […]
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Developer pitches 26 apartments for Buellton’s Avenue of Flags
Ahead of submitting an official project proposal, the owner of a vacant 0.7-acre lot in Buellton gave city leaders a glimpse into his hopes for the property. Located north of Hotel Hygge and south of Farmhouse Motel, 560 Avenue of Flags was at the center of a conceptual review hearing, which took place during the […]
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The Grapevine brings new residential elder care, hospice options to Santa Maria
From the outside, the one-story home at 1130 Grapevine Road in Santa Maria appears to be just that: a nice house neighboring others in a suburban neighborhood. Past the front door, there are six bedrooms, a spacious kitchen, and a living room stocked with board games, puzzles, magazines, and coloring books within the city’s newest […]
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Sheriff’s Office pins timecard arrests to increased oversight
Arrested in early August, Jeffrey Koeller is the second Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office employee to face embezzlement charges this year. Both Koeller and Segun Ogunleye—arrested in late January—worked for the Sheriff’s Office as custody sergeants, and were charged for fraudulently claiming and receiving earnings of $93,000 and $175,000, respectively, for hours they did not […]
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AI to assist Santa Maria Police with nonemergency calls
It doesn’t get sick. It never gets tired. It won’t go on vacation. It’s artificial intelligence. Hyper, an AI responder, will soon start its residency at the Santa Maria Police Department to answer incoming calls on the nonemergency phone line, (805) 928-3781. For a three-year service period, the city will pay around $305,000. At the […]
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County paves the way for asphalt refinery’s reboot
Defunct for more than five years, an idle asphalt refinery is on track for revival thanks to a recent Santa Barbara County permit transfer. On Aug. 12, the county Planning Commission greenlit a change of owner, operator, and guarantor on a permit to process crude oil into asphalt at a Santa Maria Valley-based 1930s-built refinery […]
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Political Watch: August 20, 2026
• State Sen. John Laird’s (D-Santa Cruz) Senate Bill 917 passed the California Legislature on Aug. 13. Laird designed the measure to expand opportunities for small wineries seeking to sell wine and offer tastings at certified farmers markets. The bill advanced to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration. Sponsored by the Family Winemakers of California […]
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For more than 50 years, the Central Coast Corvette Club has stirred up good times
When Donna W. moved to California from Indiana, her first thought before even contemplating purchasing a home was, “Can we buy a Corvette?” The Indiana weather hadn’t been suited for convertibles, but things were different in the Golden State. Donna—who insisted on being identified by her last initial—discovered the Chevrolet sports cars from a TV […]
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Age-restricted: Santa Maria follows the county’s lead by passing protections for senior mobile home parks
A goal to preserve affordable housing for more than 1,000 senior residents—specifically tenants of five mobile home parks in Santa Maria—prompted the city to recently refresh its zoning standards. Ahead of the new rules tailored to limit these parks’ eligibility to convert from 55-and-older to welcoming all ages, none of the five parks’ owners expressed […]
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Santa Maria City Council votes for a pay raise
For the sixth time in four decades, City Council members in Santa Maria got a bump in their salaries. They’ll make an extra $341 per month starting in December. The Santa Maria City Council voted 3-2 on Aug. 4 to approve the increase. Mayor Alice Patino will earn around $2,298 per month and the rest […]
