Most of the oil produced in and around the Santa Maria Valley is considered “heavy.” It’s not refined into gasoline or jet fuel. Rather, it’s often used to make products like asphalt—but maybe not for very much longer. “That’s what we specialize in, as most of the oil production onshore in Northern Santa Barbara county […]
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Santa Maria City Council appoints Ricardo Batalla to 1st District
Abraham Lincoln’s decision in 1861 to appoint three of his political opponents to his cabinet should have helped steer Santa Maria officials’ approach to filling a recent City Council vacancy, in resident Gale McNeeley’s view. “Mayor Patino, you can be the Abraham Lincoln of Santa Maria. I know you don’t look like him, but you […]
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Political Watch: April 16, 2026
• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) recently led 10 colleagues in strongly opposing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule limiting the application of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, under which states and tribes would effectively be unable to regulate many of the water quality impacts of hydropower dams within their lands. The […]
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County Behavioral Wellness Department combines services at a new Lompoc outpatient clinic
Seeking mental health help and resources for substance use disorder can be daunting. The county is trying to make the process a little easier at the Lompoc Behavioral Wellness Service Center. Adults and youth in the valley can now access resources for mental health and substance use all under one roof. The county’s new Lompoc […]
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County declines tax exchange offer tied to proposed Orcutt annexation
Going against an independent arbitrator’s opinion, Santa Barbara County recently rejected a property tax exchange offer from the city of Santa Maria after a year of negotiations. Mediation between the county and the city over the agreement—necessary for the Richards Ranch development project in Orcutt to move forward with a 44-acre annexation application—began during the […]
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Santa Maria-Bonita sites transition to community schools
About 90 percent of Santa Maria-Bonita School District students fall into at least one high-needs category. They might be a foster youth, a special needs student, a second language learner, or part of a low-income household. The district aims to better support students with a holistic approach called community schooling, made possible by more than […]
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In-N-Out pitches Buellton location three years after rejected bid
A popular burger chain is trying again to win Buellton’s blessing for a new drive-through proposal. In 2023, In-N-Out’s plan to bring a new restaurant to town—on McMurray Road next to a McDonald’s—fell through after the Buellton City Council nixed it due to traffic congestion concerns. With a new address in mind, at the corner […]
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Political Watch: April 9, 2026
• As co-chairs of the California Legislative Central Coast Caucus, Assemblymembers Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) and Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) and State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) drafted a joint letter to urge the Trump administration “to stop its expansion of drilling off California’s coast.” The March 27 letter was addressed to Bureau of Ocean […]
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Shaping impact of new train tracks on local estuary is one QR code away
Results from a community survey will help determine how local agencies approach replacing a coastal railroad bridge in the Lompoc Valley. “What makes this community engagement process really unique is that it’s starting super early,” said Sophie Bartley, Central Coast region project manager for LegacyWorks, one of the groups spearheading the initiative. Replacing the 100-plus-year-old […]
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Caught on camera: New evidence based on bus video footage led to mistrial, guilty plea in deadly forklift crash case
Nearly two years after pleading not guilty to vehicular manslaughter, Santa Maria resident David Baskett agreed to plead guilty to killing a local resident while driving a forklift. Baskett’s March 24 plea followed new evidence that Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Ryan Clausen said contradicted what the 83-year-old originally told Santa Maria Police Department […]
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Historical landmark policy complicates Pea Soup Andersen’s demolition
Pea Soup Andersen’s future demolition hinges on how Buellton decides to preserve parts of the more than 100-year-old building. Designated by elected leaders as an official city landmark in 2020, the restaurant has been closed since early 2024. That year also marked its centennial. For Buellton to approve the shuttered eatery’s demolition, staff told the […]
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SBCAG wants more people to use its guaranteed ride home program
Thousands of people commute on public transportation every day in Santa Barbara County, but there even more who could make the switch. For some, fears of delayed buses or family emergencies mean residents drive themselves to work. But officials want more of the workforce to use public transportation and vanpool to reduce traffic congestion. An […]
