We must continue to support President Trump now as we have for the past four years. He had every right to encourage his supporters to rally peacefully before Congress to support and promote important Republican issues now. When the president was at Walter Reed Army hospital to treat his case of COVID-19, his supporters rallied […]
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
There are several ways you can keep adoptable animals safe this winter
It always happens when the economy is in trouble—animal shelters fill up as people face a financial crunch. The current inflationary period, plus all those pandemic pets whose owners can no longer keep them, is just the latest example. And the Santa Maria Animal Center on Foster Road is no exception. On Saturday, Dec. 3, […]
Posted inOpinion
Disadvantaged advantage
What’s the advantage of being labeled a disadvantaged unincorporated community? You might get a new fire station, but if you’re looking for water or sewer service, you might be out of luck. And if you desperately need flood control help, well, bonne chance! While the county is required to catalog infrastructure deficiencies in certain unincorporated […]
Posted inOpinion
Los Olivos’ sewage treatment plan is a problem, not a solution
Los Olivos is a small, dusty, Western town, while Washington, D.C., is a former swamp in north Virginia. Unlike Washington, Los Olivos neither needs nor wants a big government “solution” in search of a problem. The Los Olivos Community Services District board is ignoring its original plan, endorsed by voters and county regulators, for a […]
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It will take something more than a fence to keep trespassing homeless individuals out of private property in Lompoc
For several decades, a homeless encampment has existed near and under the H Street bridge on the north end of Lompoc. Until the last five years or so, the homeless largely stayed to themselves and didn’t bother anyone. Now they are everywhere, including the shopping center that occupies the northeast intersection of Central Avenue and […]
Posted inOpinion
Policy over politics
Santa Barbara County 2nd District Supervisor Gregg Hart took his leave from the governing body on which he’s served for the past few years, stepping into the halls of the state Legislature during the first week of December and making room for Laura Capps to take his seat on the dais. She was sworn in […]
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Americans with Disabilities Act is a godsend
God bless those who brought the ADA to the forefront and passed this law. I did not know that mental disabilities were also is part of the disabilities act. Thank you for your story (“Neglected disabilities,” Nov. 24). I am one who has suffered mental disability for 63 years. It is very difficult with doctors […]
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The predicted Republican tidal wave of change in both houses of Congress fizzled out
On Nov. 8, voters delivered their verdict on the first two years of the Biden administration. Conventional wisdom pundits had predicted a “red tsunami”: The GOP only needed to flip a net of five seats to seize the majority in the House, and one seat in the Senate. Most observers had projected that they would […]
Posted inOpinion
Poop city
Solvang is in deep doo-doo. Technically, it’s not deep yet, but it could be if it actually rains. On Dec. 3, the city’s Julefest Parade hits the streets complete with horses and their accompanying excrement—a steamingly hot topic at the Nov. 28 City Council meeting, where they talked about the most boring topic of them […]
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Try to think positively and give thanks beyond Thanksgiving
Last week was Thanksgiving. The day represents a couple of things; one is that we give thanks for having a warm, dry place to sleep and food to eat. We are also thankful for the health and well-being of our families and wish that there hadn’t been as many tragedies over the last 12 months. […]
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We still have a long way to go to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
I remember how things were when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. People with physical disabilities could not get on buses because they couldn’t climb the stairs or the bus couldn’t carry a wheelchair. It was hard to cross city streets because there were no curb cuts. Those with hearing impairments received […]
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Avoid a holiday tragedy for you and those around you
The holiday season comes with family gatherings, social time with friends, and office parties. These events can lead to life-altering consequences, like drunken driving. When I was 16 years old in 1992, a drunken driver hit me. I had a four-month coma, broken bones, paralysis, and brain injuries. My gait and speech are affected, and […]
