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 […]
Letters To The Editor
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Affordable housing is a foundation for strong communities
A crucial concern that directly impacts our citizens’ well-being lies in the heart of our community: affordable housing. As the CEO of the SLO County Housing Trust Fund, a nonprofit affordable housing revolving loan fund, I want to share the significance of this challenge and advocate for its role in shaping our community’s future. Here’s […]
Too many risks in Oceano
Before the last big storm, heavy rain and high tides were predicted by the weather forecasts. The disastrous washout on Oceano Beach, on Dec. 28, 2023, should not have been a surprise. Several trailers and vehicles were dragged into the ocean where they lost all their contents: provisions, pots and pans, plasticware, trash. The debris […]
Trump simply should not be elected again
This month marks three years since the Jan. 6 insurrection—a direct attack on our democracy, our freedom to vote, and a preview of how far Donald Trump is willing to go to cling to power. Jan. 6 was the violent and deadly culmination of a months-long criminal conspiracy after the 2020 election, when Trump attempted […]
The Dana Reserve development is too big
In response to Michael Massey (“We need housing,” Dec. 21). I notice you have not addressed the traffic problem on the 101 freeway that has gotten exponentially worse in the past few years. I have realized we need more responsible housing projects, but this one is far too large! Alyx Michell Nipomo
We are doing nothing to prevent further harm in Gaza
Like many people, I have been disturbed by the events in Gaza. I always viewed the occupation of Gaza as wrong, but I did not understand the extent of the harm imposed upon Palestinians until the recent events unfolded. I am ashamed of being European because European governments are doing absolutely nothing, and I am […]
America’s on a dark path
So now the Biden administration has bypassed Congress to provide military support to a religious state in a street fight with the terrorists of Hamas, who are funded by a religious republic, but that same administration is somehow unable in a similar manner to provide military support to the democratic secular state of Ukraine in […]
Classical economics breeds greed
John Texeira’s letter (“Bidenomics led to inflation, increased costs for consumers,” Nov. 16) is an attempt to gaslight us about how our economy is doing. Inflation is down to about 3 percent. Europe is still dealing with 8 or 9 percent. Much of the inflation we have now is price gouging. We are at near […]

