Posted inOpinion

Where there is smoke, there may be freedom

Los Osos

If safety is the biggest community concern in Nipomo, then the eradication of Mexican cartel marijuana should be on the top of the list. Regulating a cooperative of local growers defies organized crime and puts the money back in the pockets of our community. It takes forward-thinking vision, the ability to see through narrow-minded anti-marijuana […]

Posted inOpinion

Otters don’t need the ‘help’ they’ve been getting

San Luis Obispo

Just like clockwork, every year is a crisis for sea otters, and this year is no different. Why? Crisis is good for business. Last week’s crisis was the lack of taxpayer funding to pay for more research. This week’s crisis is a three-year average decline in the spring population survey. Oh my! The truth is […]

Posted inOpinion

Tap into churches for taxes

Nipomo

Churches should pay taxes. As a tax-paying, responsible citizen, I was opposed to Proposition 8. I made up 10 crude signs against this proposition, which I put up around Nipomo Mesa. These were countered by 100 fancy “YES on Prop. 8” signs financed by a powerful distant organization: the Mormon Church. Why do we permit […]

Posted inOpinion

Help continue to improve Orcutt

OTORA president

The Old Town Orcutt Revitalization Association (OTORA), by working with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, Supervisor Joni Gray, and Santa Barbara County Public Works, was able to help acquire more than $300,000 in federal stimulus monies to build our “model intersection” at Clark Avenue and Gray Street in Old Town Orcutt. The project […]

Posted inOpinion

Yeah, we kind of like him, too

Santa Maria

Each time I pick up the Santa Maria Sun, I am delighted to see the ongoing versatility displayed by your Editorial Intern Henry Houston. The subject matter of his Community Corner is as varied as his Athlete of the Week. It was interesting to read about lawn bowling several weeks ago. To my surprise, after […]

Posted inOpinion

Allow me to do the job you didn’t

Paso Robles

Wow. Four full columns on the state Senate candidates. (“Here we go again,” July 22). Looks impressively in-depth. But it breaks down like this: one full column on two third-party candidates who got single-digit vote totals in the primary; one and a half columns on how much the election is costing; and a column and […]

Posted inOpinion

Do your homework before donating money

Solvang

Much has been written lately about what should be expected of our local humane society. However, no one has mentioned what should be expected of all nonprofit humane societies. Many elderly people, such as myself, will leave humane societies monies and/or property in our wills. However, most people automatically assume that all nonprofits are honest. […]

Posted inOpinion

Check out this hypocrisy in politics

Arroyo Grande

In a letter in the Santa Maria Times, Steve McCoy (“Short memory for Democrats,” July 16) claims “one of the unsaid platforms of the Democratic Party is to avoid responsibility at all costs,” taxing the hardworking “to pay for many who don’t want to work all that hard.” I hear this a lot from those […]

Posted inOpinion

That ad misleads readers

Santa Maria

I like your paper. I read it weekly. That’s why I’m so disappointed in the paid advertisement you recently ran across from your opinion page. Why? Because it is nothing more than Andy Caldwell bashing John Laird. He paid you to bash John Laird in what looks like an op-ed piece when, in truth, it […]

Posted inOpinion

We need John Laird, no bull!

Santa Maria

Spike, the antithesis of a lap dog (in the July 22 issue), who is “no liberal or conservative leg-humper,” is indeed an extremely right-wing conservative leg-humper! The placement of the political ad, though it appears to be an editorial-type new column in the Sun, is in reality a strong partisan attack piece. The person who […]

Posted inOpinion

We have to act to protect our health

Oceano

Property owners in Oceano Beach, especially near Pier Avenue where Oceano’s air quality was monitored, are at risk of losing our quality of life and property values. ODSVRA activities, particularly traffic dragging dust from the beach, are a growing concern in our neighborhood. These activities are an unabated nuisance that creates a health hazard and […]

Gift this article