Cover Story
Teachers union, Santa Maria-Bonita district are back at the bargaining table after months of tension over in-person plans
When Adam Elementary PE teacher and mother Desirae Felix heard that teachers were being asked to teach from their classrooms at the start of the school year last fall—despite students still being at a distance—her mind immediately went to who was going to watch her own kids. As a member of the Santa Maria Elementary…
THE SUNLIT NIGHT
THE SUNLIT NIGHT Where’s it playing? Hulu What’s it rated? R David Wnendt directs Rebecca Dinerstein’s screenplay based on her novel about Frances (Jenny Slate), an aspiring painter who takes a job helping Nils (Fridtjov Såheim), a famous artist, create a barn installation in Norway. Frances is tired of her everyday life. Her parents are…
Guadalupe Cafe dishes out chocolate-covered strawberries and other holiday treats just in time for Easter
Like nearly every small business last year, Guadalupe Cafe faced its share of challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only six months after its grand opening (in September 2019), the cafe closed its doors in response to the crisis and didn’t reopen for to-go orders and outdoor dining until May 2020. “After the state order…
Shot primarily in Santa Maria, a new feature-length film, ‘Coast,’ premieres at Santa Barbara film festival
”I wrote this script 10 years ago. It’s strange to have to talk about it now, since so much time has passed,” Cindy Kitagawa said, referring to her screenplay for Coast, a locally produced, feature-length film. “It was the first script I ever wrote, and I did years of rewrites all while we worked to…
Wildling Museum hosts Zoom talk with Chuck Graham, author of ‘Carrizo Plain: Where the Mountains Meet the Grasslands’
On Wednesday, April 14, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang will host its next virtual program via Zoom, Chuck Graham: Hidden Wonders of the Carrizo Plain, from 4 to 5 p.m. A local photographer and author, Graham recently released his new book, Carrizo Plain: Where the Mountains Meet the Grasslands. During the…
35th annual I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival goes virtual to benefit the Children’s Creative Project
The I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival is adopting a virtual platform for its 35th annual event, scheduled for Saturday, May 29, through Monday, May 31. This year’s festival will incorporate a variety of sponsored chalk drawings on driveways by artists of all ages, from local students to professional artists. Photos of the artworks will…
NIMBY alert
Whenever there is a development project, you know they’ll be there. Hitch in their giddy-up, all discombobulated over housing—especially higher density housing. The NIMBY opposition is predictable. I can make the arguments for them. They don’t even need to waste their breath telling the world. We already know! Don’t you realize that there will be…
Stop dangerous drilling
More than 7 million Californians live within 1 mile of an oil or gas well. Of those, 362,000 live in Santa Barbara County, the majority in low-income communities or communities of color. Living near oil and gas wells is linked with an increased risk of cancer, asthma, high-risk pregnancies and learning disabilities in children, as…
No more trucking!
Last year, on the first day of spring, an oil tanker truck crashed on Highway 166 east of Santa Maria, spilling 6,700 gallons of crude oil and fuel into the Cuyama River. The driver was speeding and is finally being prosecuted by the Santa Barbara County district attorney. ExxonMobil recently revived plans to send 70…
Let’s take real steps to disrupt racist rhetoric and narratives by educating ourselves and inserting our voices
Born and raised in the United States, I have never pledged allegiance to any other flag but ours. This country is my home. I am that person who sings patriotic songs on road trips, and if we’re driving together, there is a high likelihood that, at some point, our windows will be down, and we’ll…
Leadership Santa Maria Valley class unveils mobile observatory, children’s bedtime story as legacy projects for community
Local residents will be able to access a new mobile observatory and have the opportunity to purchase a Santa Maria-themed children’s bedtime story, thanks to a collaborative project between Leadership Santa Maria Valley class of 2020 and the city Recreation and Parks Department. The mobile observatory, which was unveiled March 20, is part of the…
Political Watch: April 1, 2021
• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on March 25 that the state will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in the coming weeks. Starting April 1, individuals who are over 50 will be eligible to make an appointment, and then on April 15, anyone over the age of 16 will be eligible. “We remain focused on equity as…
Carbajal says border facilities are improving, but work remains
After a recent visit to a border facility that temporarily houses unaccompanied minors, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) said he noticed a large improvement in conditions when compared to facilities he visited in the past. However, Carbajal and local immigration justice advocates both say there is still work to be done. “I can tell…
County to discuss 119-home development proposed for Orcutt
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission is slated to consider a 119-home development proposed for the eastern edge of Orcutt this month, but neighbors have yet to come to an agreement with the developer over several key details of the project. Project applicant Ernie Mansi, CEO of Oxnard-based real estate development firm Aldersgate Investment, hopes…
Santa Barbara County seeks grant funding to patrol Santa Ynez riverbed
Drivers are damaging private property and the environment in the Santa Ynez River and areas bordering Lompoc, according to residents’ complaints to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. “These vehicles cause various types of damage including damage to ecosystems, damage to fence lines where cattle have gotten loose, and we have also had instances where…
SMBSD seeks to address inequities between student groups
Mixteco-speaking and English learning students in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District are behind their peers in certain subjects, according to data presented at a recent school board meeting. The data was introduced at a March 24 school board study session centered on equity, where board members and district officials discussed how they can work to…
