Your weekly dose of local news, arts, and culture. Our News Wire newsletter lands every Thursday with the stories shaping Northern Santa Barbara County
I really hate child molesters. Despise ’em, even. I’d love nothing more than to see them all neutered and worse. I could rant on and on about how depraved and horribly selfish it is to destroy a kid’s developing psyche for the sake of some twisted fetish, but condemning perverts does not a daring commentary […]
To the Santa Maria community: You may have recently seen activity regarding labor negotiations between SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and Dignity Health. As you may know, Marian Regional Medical Center and French Hospital Medical Center are Dignity Health hospitals on the Central Coast, which have technical and clerical staff employees represented by SEIU. Registered […]
The United States Postal Service has announced a plan to preserve post offices in small towns and rural communities across the country while the organization aims to achieve cost savings to return to financial stability. After listening to our customers and communities across the country who expressed a strong desire to keep their local post […]
I want my mom to die. Even knowing I’m experiencing completely normal emotions, I marvel at the sheer power of these words as they connect to the paper. I’m experiencing every emotion she feels, every pain that engulfs her body, every thought that delves to work its way into the limited thought capacity that remains […]
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the kind of Sunday made for being unproductive and lazing around in the sunshine. With no pressing obligations for the day, I decided to sit on the back porch and drink coffee. As I sat there, letting the rays of sun warm my face and listening to the steady […]
I oppose the Santa Maria Measure “U” Sales Tax Increase for the following reasons: The essential services of law enforcement and fire protection should be the top priority of the General Fund and not be exploited for more taxes. The levee and flood prevention is the responsibility of the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District. […]
The floodgates are open with the recent Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case. The recent GOP primary contest has shown us the power of unlimited corporate secret funding in politics. Needless to say, both the public and media need to be extra vigilant pointing out who is behind these massive waves of advertising […]
A couple of months ago, my husband and I took our dog, Sadie, to the Laguna Lake dog park in San Luis Obispo. A woman we know from around town was there with her dog, and as we walked up to her, she smiled bemusedly and asked, “Why does your dog look like a deer?” […]
Go to the library. That’s basically everything I set out to say to you today. It’s simple, really. Just go to the library. I don’t think I should have to make a case for why this is such a vitally important action for you to take, why an ongoing commitment to literacy, education, and access […]
After more than five years of discussion and debate, bridge barriers have been installed on the Cold Springs Arch Bridge to protect vulnerable persons considering suicide, as well as motorists and law enforcement who jeopardize their own safety and are impacted by witnessing fatal jumps from the bridge. The grid mesh barrier has been installed […]
Tupac said it best: California knows how to party. We’ve got beaches, wineries, ski resorts, and all sorts of delicious fruit. Our movies have the biggest stars and the loudest explosions. We live large, so it’s no wonder our state legislators are the highest paid in the nation, according to a recent report in The […]
In their opinion piece, “One Step Toward Fairness,” (March 25), the Santa Maria Times editorial writers unwittingly identified, arguably, the single largest problem in politics today. Namely, it is the idea that whatever services exist today, because they exist, the citizens have become accustomed to their availability and therefore have a “right” to have them […]
