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A much-needed mental health crisis unit is ready to open on the Central Coast, but it’s caught in the state’s approval process
After years of planning and preparation, Marian Regional Medical Center’s new Behavioral Health Outpatient Unit is ready to open, and local health professionals say it’s needed more than ever after the trauma of the past pandemic year. But red tape at the state level is road-blocking the unit from accepting patients just yet, leaving hospital…
Ragtag opens its doors in downtown San Luis Obispo and hopes other wineries will follow suit
Just a little ways north, downtown San Luis Obispo has hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, historic buildings, and parks. It also has loads of tourists, which dwarf the city’s 47,000 population. Until recently it lacked one vital ingredient: a tasting room. With hundreds of wineries fanning out across the county—and annual visitors estimated at 7 million,…
Orcutt artist Kara Walker competes in NBC’s crafting competition series, ‘Making It’
The first time that do-it-yourself crafter Kara Walker applied to join NBC’s Making It was a few years ago, as she hoped to compete on season 2 of the popular TV series (which aired in 2019). But after a few preliminary Skype interviews, Walker was turned down. “I was devastated. This was made for me,…
Cypress Gallery showcases watercolor artist Diane Atturio
The Lompoc Valley Art Association presents Central Coast Natives, a new solo exhibition at Cypress Gallery, which premiered at the start of August and is scheduled to remain on display through the end of the month. This watercolor exhibit showcases a variety of artworks by painter Diane Atturio. The show is available to view during…
Wildling Museum invites public to free Summer Open House event and announces fall exhibition
On Sunday, Aug. 29, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang will be hosting its Summer Open House event, from 2 to 6 p.m. Admission to this family-friendly event is free. Festivities will include a variety of activities, including face painting provided by Parties and Paint by Kate (from 2 to 4 p.m.),…
We need the freedom to choose
There was a time in this country when people suffering from disease were forbidden the opportunity to try experimental treatments for their malady. President Trump succeeded in getting a “right to try” bill passed because it was his view that, as a human being, your liberty to choose your treatment, experimental though it may be,…
Raceway rescinded
I don’t know whether I’m surprised or not, but the owner of Stadium805—aka the Santa Maria Raceway—announced the impending closure of the landmark of Highway 101. Owner Nick Duggan posted his long rant about why and when via Facebook on Aug. 9. Apparently, it’s all San Luis Obispo County’s fault—well, big, bad SLO County and…
Does the city of Lompoc have a sound financial plan?
The budget is a topic that isn’t normally of concern to most people; in fact, I would guess that most residents in Lompoc or anywhere else don’t even know what’s in the budget or how it is prepared. Most certainly very few people know anything about the principles that govern municipal budgets. History suggests that…
Political Watch: August 12, 2021
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Dianne Feinstein (D-California) released a joint statement on Aug. 5 following new vehicle emissions rules announced by the Biden administration, which set higher standards for emissions and set a target to make half of all new cars sold in 2030 zero emission. The new standards are based on…
Solvang City Council members call by-district elections ‘complicated,’ ‘ridiculous’
Although Solvang held the first of five public hearings on Aug. 9 about how the city will be split up for by-district elections, city elected officials were only clear about one thing: They don’t like it. “It just seems complicated,” City Councilmember Robert Clarke said during the Aug. 9 meeting. “This attorney out of Malibu,…
Santa Barbara County reimplements mask mandate amid rise in cases, hospitalizations
Santa Barbara County Public Health Department started mandating face coverings indoors again on Aug. 6—a departure from current state guidelines—amid rising COVID-19 cases. California’s current statewide guidelines require masks in some settings, like public transit and K-12 schools. In retail stores, restaurants, and other private indoor settings, masks are required for unvaccinated people but only…
Santa Maria Raceway to shut down, owner announces
Central Coast residents will soon lose a venue that has operated in Nipomo for decades. Santa Maria Raceway, home of Stadium805, is planning to cease operations, owner Nick Duggan announced in an Aug. 9 Facebook post. The raceway has hosted stock car races for more than 40 years, and after a series of different owners,…
The Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project celebrates two decades of serving local migrant communities
After opening an office in Santa Maria in 2019, the Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) quickly became a fixture in North County communities, particularly known for its translation and outreach services that helped get critical information to local residents during the pandemic. But locals might not know that the organization has actually been around…
