A few weeks ago, I said, “The local government budget is usually the last thing anyone thinks of or is even interested in. The last Lompoc budget document was 189 pages of numbers, staffing charts, service descriptions and explanations of how much funding it takes to run the city. “Even though it is a tedious […]
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Details, decals
What’s better than a cop with little to no mental health training responding to someone in crisis? That same cop rolling up in a random, unmarked sedan! During a June 15 meeting, the Santa Maria City Council approved mid-cycle budget amendments that will tack on an extra $2 million to the Police Department’s nearly $30 […]
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When it comes to mockers, COVID-19 may have the last laugh
Many thanks to Rita Casaverde’s Sun commentary (“Jordan Cunningham mocks COVID-19 restrictions,” April 15) calling out Jordan Cunningham’s sardonic efforts at making fun of COVID-19. When I think of the hundreds of thousands who have suffered family deaths, illnesses, and long-term side effects due to COVID-19, I find Cunningham’s remarks beyond the pale. While he […]
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Is drug use a victimless crime?
On June 4, in Indianapolis, Crystal Martin admitted before a court to giving her 3-year-old son, Johnathan Johnson, two 100mg pills of Zoloft, an antidepressant drug, before leaving him unsupervised to play near a creek, where he was found face down in 4 feet of water. Three Heritage Ranch residents were recently charged by San […]
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Wake up!
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed. Wake up, the confusing Blueprint For a Safer Economy is dead! The Blueprint is dead. Dead! And California Gov. Gavin Newsom is singing it high, singing it low to let everyone know how well the state did to get the COVID-19 pandemic to […]
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Oceano should elect a new council
Dozens of county residents offered public comment at the June 8 Board of Supervisors meeting on the formation of a second Oceano Advisory Council (OAC) to be called Vitality Advisory Council of Oceano (VACO). It was approved. Most VACO supporters sounded like this: “My name is, I support VACO, the current OAC doesn’t represent me […]
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Lompoc voters will finally get to decide whether to tax local cannabis manufacturing
On June 1, the Lompoc City Council decided on a rare 5-0 vote to allow voters to decide whether or not to tax manufacturers of cannabis products in Lompoc. But first a brief history lesson. The council first considered this idea on March 20, 2018; here is how the discussion went according to the minutes […]
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Discriminatory sensitivity
If a federal agency told you one of your policies was discriminatory, would you keep it? Well, if you’re Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino, the answer is, “Hell yes!” “For the feds to say we’re being discriminatory really, really bothers me,” she said. Yeah, it totally sucks when your city passes an ordinance that potentially […]
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We must prevent deadly mental decline
What do we do about crazy people? The recent murder of a local police officer and shooting of another by a person whose mental illness had allegedly been previously reported to law enforcement highlights the difficulty of responding to reports of mental illness. On May 10, 2021, Edward Giron killed SLO Police Detective Luca Benedetti […]
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When tragedy strikes, let’s come together instead of drawing more dividing lines
On May 20, I attended the funeral service for SLO Police Detective Luca Benedetti, who was tragically shot and killed while serving a search warrant on May 10. Along with our community, I grieve for Detective Benedetti’s wife and two young girls, who will now grow up without their dad. It’s heart-wrenching. The details of […]
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Delay, delay
One Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge isn’t taking any of the Santa Barbara County Coalition for Responsible Cannabis’ guff. Judge Thomas P. Anderle was the one giving the guff in a May 25 ruling on the coalition’s lawsuit against the Busy Bee’s Organics cannabis project, which the county approved in early 2020. Among the […]
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Lompoc’s recent budget hearing yields some surprises and many concerns for the city’s financial future
The local government budget is usually the last thing anyone thinks of or is even interested in. The previous Lompoc budget document was 189 pages of numbers, staffing charts, service descriptions, and explanations of how much funding it takes to run the city. Even though it is a tedious read, you should show some interest […]
