Thank you for publishing another well-informed and well-written piece by John Ashbaugh (“Don’t be afraid to talk about climate change during the holidays,” Dec. 5). The statement by Trump’s nominee for secretary for energy, Chris Wright, “There is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition, either,” is just wishful […]
Letters To The Editor
We’re cutting down an oak forest in Nipomo
The Dana “Reserve” is an oxymoron, since it reserves nothing. More than 3,000 native California quercus agrifolia, which have lived free in the land of their ancestors for millennia, are to be sacrificed on the altar of lucre. Take a deep breath, and it is air they have filtered. Walk beneath their canopy, take a […]
Things for my kids to be grateful for when times are tough
You have a roof over your head, and if you didn’t, you’d go to Big 5 and buy a tent because you are a survivor. You have enough to eat and relatively clean water to drink. You have people who love you, and even if you didn’t, you could still give love to the best […]
Take action to protect the Equal Rights Amendment
Women and girls in the United States still lack guaranteed equal rights. The consequences are evident in ongoing battles against unequal pay, workplace harassment, pregnancy discrimination, domestic violence, and more. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) became the 28th Amendment over four years ago and will update the Constitution to provide nationwide protection against discriminatory federal […]
Congressman Carbajal should not obstruct Trump’s agenda
Salud Carbajal sent out a letter to his constituents (that’s us the people) making it clear he intends to continue to obstruct President Trump’s agenda. Clearly, he can’t appreciate how soundly a majority of the people rejected the Democrat agenda. I encourage everyone send a response similar to the response I sent to him: I […]
Don’t forget about history
The “America must do all it can to prevent nuclear war in the Middle East” (Oct. 10) author assumes Jews arrived in the Middle East in 1947. No mention is made of the Jewish kingdoms of Judea and Samaria 2,000 years ago. Yes, this is before the existence of British Palestine in the 19th century. […]
SLO County should reconsider Dana Reserve
On Nov. 14 at 9 a.m., at the Board of Supervisors chambers, the San Luis Obispo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) was scheduled to consider annexation of the Dana Reserve project. Prior county decisions have justified overriding 19 unmitigable impacts, the largest number in county history. Below are four key reasons to reconsider approving the […]
More cities should do what Ojai just did, and outlaw ‘torture breeding’
Bravo to Ojai for adopting a groundbreaking new law—an ordinance protecting companion animals from unethical breeding—making it the first U.S. city to ban “torture breeding.” This cruel practice involves intentionally breeding animals to have distorted physical features—such as grotesquely flattened faces and disproportionately long spines—which lead to a lifetime of suffering. Ojai’s law will […]
Alice Patino is good for Santa Maria
Mayor Alice Patino has been serving the community of Santa Maria since 2000. As a city official for 24 years, she has a proven track record of supporting public safety. Under her leadership, backing, and approval, Mayor Patino has facilitated adding two new fire stations, relocating a fire station, and adding a second fully staffed […]
Vote Lydia Perez for Lompoc mayor
Everyone recognizes that Lompoc is a community with immense potential. From its beautiful natural surroundings, historical richness, and vibrant cultural life to its agricultural prowess and dedicated residents, Lompoc has all the makings of a thriving city. However, despite these desirable assets, we’ve seen the city struggle with a lack of active leadership on its […]
Americans love to hate
Nov. 5. It’s coming at us fast. The divisiveness is dragging us down. I keep hearing that, “our bipartisan bill”; to be perfectly clear, the only bipartisan cooperation that I see is to protect the insider trading that’s going on among our elected officials, both sides being complicit in this. But, I digress. The election. […]
Give Lompoc a continued bright future: reelect Mayor Osborne
As a 30-year resident of Lompoc, I am writing to support the reelection of Mayor Jenelle Osborne. She has turned the town around with her dedication to security and improved work conditions for all. She has balanced the budget and taken part in most city-related associations. So let’s give Lompoc a continued bright future by […]

