

Cover Story
Beyond bars: County supervisors approve North County jail expansion set to cost more than $165 million
The county Board of Supervisorsā decision on the Northern Branch Jail expansion will impact future boards, sheriffs, county staff, and community members, Sheriff Bill Brown said at the April 1 meeting.Ā In a 3-2 vote (with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson and 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino dissenting), the board decided to build 1.5 newā¦
Patti Robbinsā contemporary paintings envelope Gallery Los Olivosā April display
Gallery Los Olivos presents Pizzazz, a solo exhibition of contemporary still life paintings by local artist Patti Robbins, currently on display and scheduled to remain up through Wednesday, April 30. This new showcase opened at the beginning of the month. According to press materials, Robbinsā portfolio features reimaginings of āeveryday objects with daring perspective andā¦
More than 60 craft breweries converge at Lagerville in Buellton
Ville of goods Lagerville takes place on Saturday, April 12, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., located at 45 Industrial Way, Buellton. VIP ticket holders get early access, starting at 11:30 a.m. Find more info on the festival by visiting lagerville.beer or figmtnbrew.com. When it rains, it poursāas did the featuredā¦
Santa Barbara County upholds Richards Ranch appeal, deems application complete
Richards Ranch in Orcutt continues to move forward with two separate project applications for the same site, thanks to a recent Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors decision. On April 8, the board unanimously voted in favor of Richards Ranch, upholding the developerās appeal of the county Planning Departmentās decision and subsequent Planning Commission voteā¦
Buellton Planning Commission refurbishes ADU policy to meet state standards
A state agency is calling for Buellton to carve out more elbow room than past years for homeowners seeking to retrofit their property with an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). In 2022, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) reviewed Buelltonās ADU ordinanceālast updated in 2020āand singled out a few restrictions as inconsistent withā¦
Lompoc City Council supports undocumented residents with formal resolution
After filling Lompocās City Council chambers for three meetings in a row, Voces Sin Fronteras received an answer to its request for support for the cityās undocumented immigrants.Ā On April 1, the City Council unanimously directed staff to draft a resolution highlighting that support and reiterating existing city policy to abide by state laws restrictingā¦
Cypress Gallery brings handmade masks, crafts, and interactive art to Lompoc
Solo round Santa Barbara-based artist Mitra Clineās solo exhibition at Cypress Gallery opened in early April and will remain on display through Sunday, April 27. Visit lompocart.org to find out more. The gallery is located at 119 E. Cypress Ave., Lompoc. Often latched behind Mitra Clineās bicycle, the local crafterās mobile art studio has aā¦
The Residence is a juicy whodunit
The Residence Whatās it rated? TV-MA Whatās it worth, Anna? Full price Whatās it worth, Glen? Full price Whereās it showing? Netflix Writer Paul William Daviesāinspired by journalist Kate Anderson Browerās 2016 book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White Houseācreated this TV miniseries about the innerworkings of the U.S. presidentās living quartersā¦
A Body in the Snow examines the hoopla surrounding Karen Readās murder trial
A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read Whatās it rated? TV-14 When? 2025 Whereās it showing? Max The Karen Read case is all the rage in the true crime world right now, and this five-part series dives deep into the hazy events of the early morning hours of that January morning inā¦
Locally made surf film 300 Waves screens April 14 in the Bay Theatre
300 Waves and Rock to the Pier Whatās it rated? Not rated When? Monday, April 14 (5 p.m. doors, 5:30 screening; $10 at the door or online at my805tix.com) Whereās it showing? The Bay Theatre of Morro Bay Local surfers can expect a nostalgic stoke next Monday when the Bay Theatre screens Leslie Girvinās surfā¦
Political Watch: April 10, 2025
⢠U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) joined a group of House Democrats asking for answers after five regional Head Start offices were shut down, including the regional office in San Francisco that serves Central Coast residents, his office said in a press release. The closures came after the Department of Health and Human Servicesā¦
Santa Barbara County continues to support Racial Equity Grant to advance anti-racism work
Barbareno Chumash Tribal Council; 805UndocuFund; Collective Cultures Creating Change Lompoc; Gateway Educational Services; Healing Justice Santa Barbara; Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, Santa Barbara; NAACP Santa Maria-Lompoc; and the Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara. These are the organizations the Fund for Santa Barbaraās Racial Equity Grant (REG) committee chose to receive moneyā¦
Vicious cycle
Iām so confused.Ā Why didnāt we build the Northern Branch Jail bigger the first time around? The original projectāoriginally set to cost $80 million in 2012 but ballooned to $120 million by the time it was finished in 2021ābuilt a jail with 376 beds and space for 32 medical and mental health beds. Now, justā¦
Animal Services ultimately helps people too
Pets matter to people. Over 80 percent of Americans see pets as part of their family. But when they need help with their companion animals, the people most affected are those struggling with poverty, homelessness, and crime. So when we help people with pets, we are helping our neighbors. For many families, a pet isā¦
Disproportionate power deserves a response
We face the greatest threat to democracy and our constitution in our lifetime, if not in the history of the republic, and the Democratic āleadershipā is AWOL! A coup has usurped judicial and legislative roles, consolidating them all in the executive branch. Meanwhile, past presidents are mute; the Senate minority leader has become an enabler;ā¦
Santa Mariaās Betteravia Gallery presents New Muralism: Valley Visions
In collaboration with the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, Betteravia Gallery is showcasing a collection of expansive textile panels that āreflect the vibrant landscapes, cultures, and commercial hubs of the Santa Maria Valley,ā according to press materials. The opening reception for the new exhibit, titled New Muralism: Valley Visions, will be heldā¦






