All you people out there who worked hard all your lives to live in a single-family neighborhood or think you’re safe from increased congestion in a homeowners association (HOA) managed development, get ready for a relatively new state law that can impact your quality of life. On June 10, the Lompoc Planning Commission debated a […]
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Reach or overreach?
Local governments have been making and/or crossing some interesting boundaries lately. Lompoc is trying to prevent the too-long arm of the state from taking away the city’s control over where it puts new housing, which hasn’t really been happening in the city of arts and flowers. “Last year we built zero homes,” Mayor Jim Mosby […]
Posted inOpinion
New federal mail rules will prevent voters from exercising their rights
Earlier this month, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a proposed rule that would erect barriers to mail voting. The proposed amendments create unnecessary barriers to voting that could prevent eligible voters from receiving and returning their mail-in and absentee ballots and could disenfranchise eligible voters who are unable to vote in person. Under […]
Posted inOpinion
Hikers and bikers need separate trails
With only a fast-approaching rattling noise from behind to warn me, I leapt off the trail to my right to avoid being struck by the mountain biker sailing by me. He was first in a group of what would be eight young adult riders who would go by in quick succession, none with warning bells. […]
Posted inOpinion
Belted and suspended
Budget cuts are hitting Santa Barbara County. One reality is an almost $10 million cut to the Public Health Department that’s closing pharmacies and other services in both North and South counties. If you need to use the county-run pharmacy, you’ll have to run to Lompoc. It’s the middle ground—so at least it’s not just […]
Posted inOpinion
The Oceano Dunes is paid for by your gas taxes
A common argument for continuing driving and off-roading on the Oceano beach and dunes is that if vehicles go away, then the off-highway vehicle (OHV) funds that protect the snowy plover will go away too. Probably, yes, some of it will go away. But so would the biggest threat to the snowy plover and the […]
Posted inOpinion
Oceano Airport deserves facts, not guesswork
The recent letter from the Oceano Beach Community Association calling for Oceano Airport to be converted into a vertiport is putting the cart before the horse (“The Oceano Airport needs to evolve,” June 4). Before Oceano abandons another public asset, we should examine the facts. The authors, who have no aviation experience, argue that the […]
Posted inOpinion
Why don’t the people vote?
No interest in a primary election? Not enough Vote for Me flyers from candidates? Does it take massive advertisements from and about candidates to alert the voters to vote? Are voters unaware unless there is a contest generating ads on radio, TV, or in our mailboxes that there is an election and they should care […]
Posted inOpinion
Deficits and taxes
The Paul Nelson Aquatic Center’s potential six-month closure really got Santa Maria residents interested in what the city is doing with its budget! With 120 public comment letters submitted prior to the City Council’s discussion about the next two-year budget cycle on June 2, the city had no choice but to listen. The meeting was […]
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It will be another few weeks before we learn our next leaders, candidates for local, state, and federal races
As everyone who pays attention to California politics knows, elections are never resolved on Election Day. It’s always weeks and sometimes months before the final tally is complete. But initially, it appears that Democrats are satisfied with the pitiful condition of our state and county as they continue to support politicians who couldn’t care less […]
Posted inOpinion
Noise is pollution, too
The recent weeks of quiet, with no roar from dune buggies, brought forth a realization. Living 2 miles from the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, parts of Oceano and the Nipomo Mesa bear an undiscussed, invisible physical toll. When coastal wind carries engine roars into our yards and homes, it does more than disturb […]
Posted inOpinion
USS Arizona holds part of Arroyo Grande history
There was something terribly morbid and terribly wrong about the report of FBI Director Kash Patel’s VIP snorkeling dive on USS Arizona. It’s yet one more example of this administration’s casual indecency. I take it personally, and this is why. Two sailors who died on the Arizona were from my hometown, Arroyo Grande, population 1,090 […]
