Letters To The Editor

I was saddened to learn that Helen Thomas’ June 27 Hobnobbing With Helen column would be her last. I have been a member, volunteer, and board member of local nonprofits for over 20 years and Helen Thomas was a welcome and valuable contributor to all of them. Her smile, notebook, and camera were ubiquitous, a […]

“My doctor said if I want to stay slender, I should reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet!” reads a typical cigarette ad from the ’50s. Another: “After ten months … medical specialists report no adverse effects from smoking Chesterfield.” It wasn’t until 1964 that the Surgeon General’s report announced that cigarettes cause cancer. […]

A letter was printed (June 21) in a coastal newspaper from Ralph Bush of Arroyo Grande. Ralph criticized Democrats harshly for constantly “attacking” Donald Trump. “I can’t understand where all the hate comes from.” Ralph wrote. “What if President Obama had been subjected to all the investigations as Trump is about how he won …?” […]

Lompoc needs more income, and it will not get it through more cuts, as explained by the city’s professional finance staff. It needs the millions of dollars the sales tax can generate. The council was responsible for shelving the sales tax in 2017 and instead took the funds to place it on the ballot and […]

I saw on local news earlier this month that Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) was one of the few Republicans to support an extension of the state’s paid family leave program. On behalf of all working moms, I want to extend a big thank you to Mr. Cunningham for supporting this. Going back to […]

Allan Hancock College is a widely and deeply appreciated asset to our community. It offers opportunities leading to successful and satisfying lives for so many. But why has it allowed its name to be associated with controversial efforts that may risk the economic future of its students and the health of their families? The college […]

The May 15, 2019, Lompoc budget workshop was another seance in budget perfidy. The “triad” of Lompoc City Councilmembers Jim Mosby, Dirk Starbuck, and Victor Vega were at it again, nickel-and-diming the budget to get it cut so it will be balanced—again at the cost of city services—but refusing to directly consider a 1 percent […]

Many spoke at a recent Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors hearing on ExxonMobil’s proposal to restart oil production off the Gaviota Coast. Among them was Andy Caldwell of COLAB (Coalition of Labor, Agriculture, and Business). He said that if the oil doesn’t come from local sources, companies will still find a way. “It will […]

Let me remind Jan Lipski (“We need solutions,” May 9) that both houses had a Republican majority for two years under President Barack Obama and for two additional years under the current administration, and no legislation was passed on immigration reform even though a majority of voters agreed that it was needed.  The complicated mess […]

Let’s put this in perspective: The fine levied by Judge James Herman against Plains All-American Pipeline, based in Houston, for the 2015 Refugio Oil spill was $3.3 million. Plains’ revenue during the last quarter was $8.79 billion. That comes out to more than $4 million per hour. In one hour, Plains made more money than […]

Karen Garcia wrote an excellent article on the personal heartbreak that is the result of immigration policies and enforcement that has been given the wink and nod for more than 40 years (“After deportation,” April 25). Congress needs to do something about this now. Actually it should have been done yesterday. President Trump has offered […]

When will the Central Coast really get going on protecting our climate? Some folks are doing everything they can. Most of us, though, are either picking at climate solutions or pretty much ignoring this catastrophic and looming problem. We are still burning fossil fuel like it is going out of style. With our mega pickups […]