Commentaries

Response times are very important when defining adequate emergency medical/fire services; the National Fire Protection Association established nationwide consensus standards, NFPA Standard 1710, for those services. For example, the standard specifies that a fire engine with four members is expected to arrive at a medical or fire emergency four minutes after dispatch 90 percent of […]

In 2018, California voters were dupped by animal rights activists into passing Proposition 12, which required farmers who raise laying hens to allow them to “roam freely”; it went into force in 2022. The theory was that this would be more humane and “free them from confinement.” Several other states also adopted this new idea […]

After more than two years of listening to virtue-signaling NGOs, climate apocalypse-shaming hipsters, politically driven energy opportunists, and just plain ignorant-of-the-facts state and local political “dignitaries,” I’ve just about had it up to here!  I’m sick of digging myself out of the political mire on both sides and witnessing the shameful justification of a toxic […]

In July 2023, a local media outlet reported on progress of a wind farm project south of Lompoc: “Strauss applied to the federal agency for the incidental take permit [to kill birds] in March 2023, with a BayWa representative saying an oversight led to the delayed application,” (Noozhawk, “Strauss Wind Energy Project Seeks to Operate […]

We are all mourning the devastating fires in Los Angeles. The opportunity and responsibility to prevent and stop wireless facility-caused fires in Santa Barbara County is missing in the proposed wireless ordinance. On Feb. 4, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors are planning to vote on amendments to the county wireless ordinance that will […]

There is a lot of criticism in the media concerning the response to the catastrophic fires in LA County in mid-January, but is it all justified? Was it the fire department’s response or the result of politicians making bad decisions? First there was the water supply. A retired Orange County fire chief correctly pointed out […]

The Santa Ynez Valley, long celebrated for its rolling hills, picturesque vineyards, and historic small towns, is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Across Buellton, Solvang, and neighboring communities, development is accelerating at a pace unseen in decades. More than 630 new residential units and more than 245,000 square feet of commercial and institutional projects are in […]

Every day, as part of their daily duties, first responders encounter serious trauma, life-threatening medical emergencies, and fires that displace or injure families. When they arrive, they may appear calm and disassociated with the chaos surrounding the event. They really aren’t—they are trained early in their careers to take a deep breath, assess the situation, […]

If San Luis Obispo County genuinely cared about the natural habitat of the Arroyo Grande Creek, it would oppose the Wildlife Habitat Protection Plan (WHPP) recently released by State Parks’ Off-Highway Vehicle Division. Vehicle crossings of the creek on Oceano Beach cause significant environmental harm, and the WHPP does nothing to mitigate these ongoing issues. […]

As organizations committed to both the health of our region’s ecosystems and the well-being of our communities, we feel compelled to respond to San Luis Obispo County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding’s recent editorial regarding the Lopez Dam lawsuit (“‘Environmental groups are threatening South SLO County’s water security,” Dec. 19). While we respect the supervisor’s […]

As the San Luis Obispo County supervisor representing South County, I am deeply concerned about the recent lawsuit and court decision against the county regarding the county’s operation of Lopez Dam. This lawsuit is a judicial end run around the county’s years-long administrative process with the state and federal agencies that are responsible for regulating […]