I am profoundly moved by United States soldier Aaron Bushnell who recently burned himself to death in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. I feel deeply grieved but also all the more determined to preserve life. Aaron Bushnell self-immolated, saying he could no longer be complicit in the U.S.-backed genocide against the Palestinian […]
Letters To The Editor
Posted inOpinion
A reasonable commute, affordable home, dignified life
In making the argument that exclusive neighborhoods ought to remain socioeconomically segregated to preserve elite class bragging rights, John Donegan somehow manages to be both breathlessly condescending toward the less fortunate and also woefully ignorant of the types of housing policies that produce thriving communities (“Beverly hillbillies,” Feb. 29). Donegan ignores a mountain of sociological […]
Posted inOpinion
Nuclear power, weapons, and war need to go
March has a way of coming in like a lion. On March 1, 1954, the U.S. military conducted a test explosion, called Castle Bravo, of a hydrogen bomb in the Bikini Aoll. This robbed the Bikini people and other Marshallese of their homeland and way of life and left them with extremely high rates of […]
Posted inOpinion
Left turn signals are neither safe nor sane
About every four minutes of every day, at nearly all controlled traffic signals in Santa Maria, two and sometimes four vehicles traveling toward each other nervously swerve to avoid a collision. This game of automobile chicken plays out in all controlled traffic signal left turn lanes. This is neither safe nor sane. You and your […]
Posted inOpinion
The Oceano beach death is on the ODSVRA
On Jan. 10, 2024, a man was found dead on the beach at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (ODSVRA) by State Parks rangers. The next day his car was found in the ocean. On Jan. 18, the Sun published a letter by Oceano resident Mary Martin: “Too many risks in Oceano.” What else […]
Posted inOpinion
America doesn’t need to start over; it just needs tweaks
I have never understood the MAGA movement. Make America great again? America has always been great. I should know. I have been to at least 50 countries and all 50 states. While America may need to be tweaked once in a while, as democracy is dynamic, she does not need to be destroyed, as Trump […]
Posted inOpinion
Biden vs. Trump
I am responding to John Donegan’s letter in the opinion section of Feb. 1 (“Ruling Donald Trump stricken from the ballot is a big deal, so don’t take it lightly”). It seems he has been confused by MAGA Republican propaganda. He said inflation had been running rampant the last three years. Not true. After COVID, […]
Posted inOpinion
Costco should cut ties with Citibank
I worry about the climate. Lots of folks do these days. So I was really disappointed to learn that Citibank is one of the biggest lenders to fossil fuel companies. Since 2016 Citi has invested a whopping $332 billion in this industry, ever worsening the livability of our planet as we fight a barrage of […]
Posted inOpinion
Reelect Joan Hartmann
In my 11 years as an administrator with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, I had the opportunity to work with many members of the county Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Joan Hartmann is among the very best. As a county administrator in the past and as a current 3rd District resident, I find that […]
Posted inOpinion
Hartmann gets Santa Ynez
I love calling the Santa Ynez Valley home because residents show up to support each other. But it is evident that much of our workforce can’t be part of that because of the high cost of living here. At the College Elementary School District in Santa Ynez, our school board and superintendent continually ask, “How […]
Posted inOpinion
County rooster rules will do more harm than good
Not all animal advocates are cheering for Santa Barbara County’s newest rooster restrictions (“Rooster rules,” Jan. 25). In fact, a good number of us—particularly those of us who run hands-on rescues and animal sanctuaries—vehemently oppose rooster bans and restrictions. These sweeping rooster restrictions—touted as an anti-cockfighting measure—promise to hurt more animals than they could ever […]
Posted inOpinion
The Oceano Airport doesn’t serve Oceano
As a concerned lifelong resident of Oceano, I perceive a disparity in the treatment and resources allocated to our community compared to other oceanfront towns. Specifically, using 60 acres of our precious coastal land for an airport is frivolous and unfair to our community. I believe that this property holds immense potential for the benefit […]