Lompoc’s little rebate program for local residents seems to be backfiring. After the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office charged City Councilmember Steve Bridge with a litany of offenses, including committing fraud on the energy and conservation rebate program applications, the city is taking a closer look at things. As part of the city’s annual […]
Opinion
Posted inLetters To The Editor
It’s not wise to cut the Sheriff’s Office’s budget
First let’s stipulate that the primary duty of government is to ensure the safety of the public and provide a robust utility infrastructure and a serviceable road system. Public safety includes a police function, district attorney, jails to house those convicted of violating the laws, fire protection, and emergency medical service. Everything else government does […]
Posted inOpinion
Ricardo Valencia is best for supervisor
I’ve studied all the candidates running for Steve Lavagnino’s seat on the Board of Supervisors. I am voting for Ricardo Valencia in the June 2 primary. Ricardo’s campaign is powered by dozens of energetic volunteers, and like Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, he is funded by hundreds of small donations […]
Posted inCanary
Angry Andy
Andy Caldwell sure likes to make a big stink about things! His e-blast before the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ April 21 meeting was dramatic. “HUGE attack on Sheriff Brown and Law and Order at Tomorrow’s BOS MEETING,” the subject line screamed. “Unfortunately, Chair [4th District Supervisor Bob] Nelson put an item … on […]
Posted inOpinion
Santa Maria City Council’s appointment process is seriously flawed
Ricardo Batalla was chosen to represent the voters of District 1 on the City Council by Mayor Alice Patino and Councilmembers Gloria Flores and Maribel Aguilera at the April 7 council meeting. I wish Mr. Batalla, father of three and director of youth development at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA, the very best. He will […]
Posted inOpinion
Help keep Oceano Dunes free of vehicles forever
A federal court recently ruled that the California Department of Parks and Recreation violates the Endangered Species Act by allowing motorized vehicle use that harms shorebirds at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The ruling also restricts that use. Since Tuesday, April 14, big signs at the Oceano beach vehicle ramp alert beach drivers […]
Posted inOpinion
Claims of voter fraud are fraud
The June 2 election is fast approaching. All eligible California voters will receive a mail-in ballot the first week in May. Now is the time to make sure you will receive your ballot in a timely fashion. To make sure your voter registration is up to date, to change your registration information, or, if you […]
Posted inOpinion
Power plays
How much power does a local government have to change existing uses? Turns out, local governments think they have a lot of power. They seem to have the power to kick people out of their homes, the power to force property owners to change the use of their properties, the power to kill people’s livelihoods, […]
Posted inOpinion
Sinking ship: Politicians are swamping the state’s financial future
If I were a state or local government employee in California, I would be concerned about my future retirement plan. Many local governments are suffering budget deficits; we read about these budget shortfalls regularly as revenue (tax-based funds) decreases and expenses increase. The Independent Institute’s website says, “Legislative analyst Gabe Petek, in his overview of […]
Posted inOpinion
The surprising freedom of an electric car
As a mother of two young kids, I didn’t expect my first electric car purchase to bring me this much joy—or this much peace and quiet. But our new Hyundai IONIQ 5 has done exactly that. First, the silence. No engine roar, no rattling—just smooth, almost magical acceleration. My kids actually asked if the car […]
Posted inOpinion
We still have more work to do to protect the Earth
When I attended the very first Earth Day in 1970 as a college student, the air was choked with smog, Rachel Carson had alerted us to the harms caused by DDT, and the heartbreaking massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara polluted miles of ocean and killed thousands of birds. Environmental consciousness was […]
Posted inOpinion
Vacancy problems
The most problematic property in Orcutt continues to be a thorn in the side of developer Michael Stoltey, who didn’t get his wish granted by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on April 7. Supes declined to agree to the proposed tax exchange from the city of Santa Maria for annexing the Richards Ranch […]