Special Issues
Posted inSpecial Issues

Reptile rave

The annual Reptile Expo slithers through San Luis Obispo with exotic creatures, education, and enthusiasm
Avatar photo by Bulbul Rajagopal

Weaving through the Madonna Expo Center demanded a level of caution over the weekend of Oct. 14, especially with a roughly 4-foot-long black-throated monitor lizard relaxing on the floor. I had to watch my step—that’s the effect of the annual San Luis Obispo Reptile Expo. Hatched in 2017 under the watchful eye and thorough networking […]

Posted inSpecial Issues

Fostered friendship

Animal services providers highlight the benefits of fostering animals
by Taylor O'Connor

Learn more Visit sbhumane.org/foster to learn more about Santa Barbara Humane’s fostering opportunities, and countyofsb.org/1416/foster for Santa Barbara County’s fostering opportunities. Dori Villalon has fostered kittens, puppies, adult dogs, and other animals recovering from medical treatment or an injury to help get them ready for adoption while working with Santa Barbara Humane.  “For me I […]

Posted inSpecial Issues

Best Of NSBC 2023

Readers voted on their faves, and we’ve got all the winners for you
by Sun Staff

We asked you to kick the tires and light the fires, dear readers, and you responded. In our annual Best of Northern Santa Barbara County issue, we’re giving an “attaboy” to the eateries, drinkeries, businesses, and people that you said were alphas, top dogs, air bosses. We didn’t have room for any goon ups or […]

Posted inSpecial Issues

Education Today 2023: Filling the gap

Avatar photo by Bulbul Rajagopal and Taylor O'Connor

With school starting, it’s time for the Sun’s annual Education Today issue. One of the most pressing issues in education—other than the remaining impacts of COVID-19—is a teacher shortage. But there’s a program on the Central Coast that’s aiming to do something about it. The Ticket 2 Teach program is all about learning on the job and helping potential educators make their way toward the certifications they need to teach in local schools. Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal from the Sun’s sister paper writes about it [6]. Also in this issue, read about a new club sport that your child can learn all about outside of school [7].

Posted inSpecial Issues

Winning Images 2023

Feast your eyes on the people, places, animals, and more captured in this year’s photography contest
by Sun Staff

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then we’ve got 32,000 beautiful, captivating, intimate, and skillfully wrought “words” for you this week. For our annual Winning Images photography contest, intrepid photographers of all ages got behind their lenses to capture moments of drama, peace, and light in landscapes, animals, people, and everything in between. Give yourself plenty of time to feast your eyes on these incredible photographs.

Posted inSpecial Issues

It’s Pride Month

The Central Coast is celebrating the LGBTQ-plus community this June with events in SLO and Santa Barbara counties
by Taylor O'Connor and Adrian Vincent Rosas

As we roll into national Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ-plus community seems especially poignant following a year of anti-trans legislation across the country, attempts to ban gender identity and sexual orientation from sex education, and fights in local schools and cities over rainbow flags and crosswalks. In 2023, SLO and Santa Barbara counties are hosting Pride events all June long. For this year’s annual Pride issue, Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor has event details for you; and New Times Staff Writer Adrian Rosas from the Sun’s sister paper writes about trans visibility and what local organizations are doing to lift them up.

Posted inSpecial Issues

Summer Guide 2023

Camps, festivals, live music, arts, food and wine events—it’s all here
Avatar photo by Caleb Wiseblood

After a winter and spring of more rain than most of us have ever seen on the Central Coast, everyone’s ready for some warmth. Well, if the sun’s out, the fun’s out—and the kids are also out … of school. So if you’re looking for ways to celebrate that summer lifestyle; places to stick your […]

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Weddings Issue 2023

by Sun Staff

IIt’s always a beautiful day in one of the state’s most iconic destinations, and a wedding set in a vineyard or on the coast will never disappoint. While the location is a large part of planning a wedding, there are a lot of little things that can make or break the big day. For this […]

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