With funding from California’s recently adopted budget, health care providers in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will see increased training to better support mental health patients. Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness Department Director Toni Navarro told the Sun the $5 million given to CenCal Health will strengthen services in non-specialty care areas. Her […]
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County Planning Commission cleans up ‘discrepancy’ in oil well ban
Members of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission recently revisited some language tied to the proposed ban on drilling new oil and gas wells due to a staff oversight. “In April, we should have identified this amendment,” County Long Range Planning Division Manager Alex Tuttle said at the commission’s July 1 meeting. While the commission […]
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Political Watch: July 8, 2026
•Authored by State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), Senate Bill 963 passed the California Legislature on July 2, which advanced the proposed legislation to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his consideration. If signed, SB 963 will require the California Coastal Commission to provide permit applicants with a complete list of any additional information needed within 30 […]
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A Lompoc floral shop celebrates one year since moving into a new location
When Blake Lane was studying psychology and anthropology in college, he didn’t anticipate a future cutting stems or delivering bouquets. His mom opened Bella Florist and Gifts during the early 2000s, but Lane took the lead on business operations in 2012. “Creativity has always been in my life, and the arts have always been in […]
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Blue world: Fishers, scientists, and tribal leaders weigh in on Point Sal conservation area
The coastal waters west of Santa Maria and Guadalupe are special, scientifically speaking. They’re defined by the Point Sal headland, a rugged coastline with access only via a strenuous 11-mile round-trip hike. Though the waters are pristine on top, a biodiverse habitat is active beneath the surface. Cliffs running east to west create a protected […]
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Board of Supervisors sides with arbitrator in Del Cielo rent dispute
While alleging that a third-party mediator abused his authority, a local mobile home park owner appealed to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to overturn the ruling in an arbitration case. Following an eight-hour, in-person hearing in early 2026 and opportunities for written rebuttal, arbitrator John Derrick deemed $24 as an appropriate rent increase […]
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A $45 million Department of War grant fuels Manzanita Charter upgrades
Within the next few years, hundreds of Lompoc students will reap the benefits of a new gymnasium, library, and kitchen at Manzanita Public Charter School. The first of three phases began in June as contractors prepared the site. Construction is expected to take three years. Lompoc Unified School District owns and operates the charter school’s […]
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Buellton boosts wastewater fees for homeowners
No matter how often any given Buellton resident flushes their toilet, the monthly, fixed sewer rate for a single-family home increased by 95 percent between fiscal years 2025 and 2026—from a flat fee of $30.45 to $58.96. July 1 marked the beginning of the next chapter in Buellton’s five-year plan to improve its wastewater reserve […]
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Political Watch: July 2, 2026
•U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) recently secured $375,000 and $1 million in federal investments for the city of Lompoc and the city of Atascadero, respectively. Both investments support local emergency preparedness projects designed to protect against the threat of wildfires and prepare for other natural disasters. While the Lompoc funds will go toward the installation […]
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Central Coast Cactus and Succulent Society holds 18th annual showcase and fundraiser
Plant aheadVisit centralcoastcactus.org for more info on the Central Coast Cactus and Succulent Society. The nonprofit’s 18th annual show and sale will take place at Nipomo High School on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., respectively. Nipomo High School is located at […]
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Going home: A push to return Native American remains and belongings back to tribes
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series. The second part is scheduled to run July 9. Some of the shelves at UC Berkeley and other institutions are kept from public view, but Kathy Marshall has seen them. “When [I] visit schools and universities, [I’m] just like, I bet none of these kids […]
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County lawsuit ends with $1.2 million penalty for Foods Co. parent company
Questionable and inconsistent calorie counts on some food products’ packaging were at the heart of a multi-year civil suit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. That suit concluded in early June when Judge Thomas Anderle ordered the Kroger Company, which owns Foods Co. stores in Lompoc and Santa Maria, to pay $1.25 million in […]
