April 30 – May 7, 2026

Apr 30-May 7, 2026 / Vol. 27 / No. 10
Beauty, death, suffering, monsters—all play into Joe Cerny’s new artistic passion of crafting wearable masks with the help of a 3D pen. The Lompoc resident creates characters you can hide behind, if you want, or hang on your wall. Though not all are inherently creepy, Cerny’s creations often lean that way as he aims to […]

Cover Story

Lompoc is auditing its rebate program after fraud allegations

Rebates for turf landscaping and water leak detection are under the microscope in Lompoc, including those received by the current city manager. The city plans to pay for a third-party audit of applications to water and energy conservation rebate programs going back at least two years. On April 21, City Council members continued a discussion…

Phone app controversy inspires changes to Solvang’s ethics code

Skateboard pro Robby Hargreaves’ 60 seconds of airtime at a Solvang City Council meeting in February prompted city officials to take a multi-month deep dive into a cellphone app developed by Mayor David Brown. The local owner of Solvang Skate Shop approached the public comment podium that night to ask about a new scavenger hunt-style…

Santa Barbara County passes ‘symbolic’ ICE safeguard policy package

Whether a new Santa Barbara County initiative helps alleviate or worsen residents’ concerns about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity was up for debate at the Board of Supervisors’ April 21 meeting. “We have people out there who are becoming constitutional scholars on both sides on what is lawful and what is not,” 4th…

Political Watch: April 30, 2026

• Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) introduced a bill package in mid-April that aims to improve health care access for Californians. The package includes three separate bills that put new policy mandates on health insurance companies and osteopathic physicians across the state. Assembly Bill 1703, for example, would ensure that all osteopathic physicians serving patients…

License to love

Lompoc’s little rebate program for local residents seems to be backfiring.  After the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office charged City Councilmember Steve Bridge with a litany of offenses, including committing fraud on the energy and conservation rebate program applications, the city is taking a closer look at things. As part of the city’s annual…

It’s not wise to cut the Sheriff’s Office’s budget

First let’s stipulate that the primary duty of government is to ensure the safety of the public and provide a robust utility infrastructure and a serviceable road system. Public safety includes a police function, district attorney, jails to house those convicted of violating the laws, fire protection, and emergency medical service. Everything else government does…

Ricardo Valencia is best for supervisor

I’ve studied all the candidates running for Steve Lavagnino’s seat on the Board of Supervisors. I am voting for Ricardo Valencia in the June 2 primary.  Ricardo’s campaign is powered by dozens of energetic volunteers, and like Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, he is funded by hundreds of small donations…

Cypress Gallery hosts an artist reception for its duo exhibit

The latest show at the Cypress Gallery, titled Evolving, is made possible by the work of C. Wood and Chuck Klein. They’ll meet with the public on May 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. for a reception at the gallery. Wood’s work is nonrepresentational. Life is short, so she wants to keep trying new styles.…

DTF St. Louis is a twisty mystery filled with promiscuity

DTF St. LouisWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2026 Where’s it showing? HBO Max  I heard Jason Bateman talking about this series on his podcast Smartless as it was being made, so when DTF St. Louis hit HBO streaming, I thought I was ready for what was to come. I’d seen the trailer, I knew the…

Netflix’s Breakdown: 1975 offers a brief look at the best films of that era

Breakdown: 1975What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Netflix Morgan Neville (Lorne, Man on the Run) directs this documentary he co-wrote with Alan Lowe (Mr. November, Lorne) that examines the year 1975 through the lens of the risk-taking movies released that year: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Shampoo,…


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