Why are gas prices in California higher than the rest of the United States? The political class in Sacramento blame the oil companies, saying that they are “profiteers.” But it is those same politicians who are driving them out of business to “save the planet.” So, who is really to blame? Maybe a recent decision […]
Opinion
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Ridiculousness
In Lompoc, there are more than 2,700 children under 2 years old and only 186 child care spaces available in the city. “This translates to the potential unmet need for 93 percent of children ages 0 to 2,” according to a needs assessment from the local school district, adult school, and First 5 Santa Barbara […]
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Math and signs
At least one person made a salient point at a recent Santa Barbara County ad-hoc committee meeting about farmworker conditions, specifically when it comes to the concept of implementing a $26 minimum wage for farmworkers in the county. “Say I’m Driscoll’s. I could buy from Santa Barbara County, I could buy from our neighboring counties, […]
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Democrats are paying now for their 2020 deal with the devil
Many Democrats may not realize that their loss in 2024 was sealed by two Faustian bargains that they struck in 2020 to win that election. A “Faustian bargain” is, in its broadest sense, the making of a deal that promises immediate rewards, but at a painful cost that must be paid later. Going into the […]
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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 […]
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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. […]
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Legal shenanigans
Protecting seniors means discriminating against everyone else, according to Nick Ubaldi with Harmony Communities, the company that’s now managing Del Cielo Mobile Estates—the once 55-and-older mobile home park in Orcutt. I say once because Ubaldi said it is no longer. Not only is it now an all-ages community, Ubaldi said in a statement, the park […]
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The election is over, now can we all just get along?
The 2024 general election is over; some candidates won and others didn’t. Some of the several measures on the ballot passed and others didn’t. The political signs are almost all gone and so are the spam calls urging your support for another two years. The months leading up to an election are interesting to watch; […]
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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 […]
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The Santa Ynez Valley needs responsible development, not to cater to out-of-town developers
The Santa Ynez Valley has long captivated residents and visitors alike with its stunning landscapes and vibrant community spirit. However, as we face an onslaught of development projects, the need for a critical examination of these changes is more pressing than ever. While growth can be beneficial, we must be wary of the motivations behind […]
