Cover Story
The annual Santa Barbara County homeless Point-In-Time Count needs volunteers
After a pause in 2021, the annual Santa Barbara County homeless Point-In-Time Count is returning with the goal of getting 300 to 400 volunteers to participate in the data-gathering process, Housing Program Specialist Jett Black-Maertz said. During the last 10 days in January, counties across the nation participate in the Point-In-Time Count, when the U.S.…
Fire and Vice dishes out an eclectic menu of coffee, beer, pizza, and more in Santa Maria
Move over Starbucks and Little Caesars, there’s a new coffee and pizza joint in Santa Maria, with an average wait time that’s on par with both corporate competitors, if not less. Fire and Vice owner Aaron Running described his new venture as a cozy coffee shop and lunch spot by day, and a booming bar…
Nine fiber artists showcase themed quilts in Wildling Museum’s group show, TREES
It took Michelangelo four years to complete the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a relatable ETA for Isabel Downs when it came to finishing her first quilt. “I dragged the incomplete quilt around with me all over the place, first to San Diego where I was a graduate student. … Then to Panama for two…
Laura Crawford headlines comedy event, Laugh Therapy, in Santa Ynez
The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez presents Laugh Therapy, a stand-up comedy event hosted by Paco Zamora, on Wednesday, Jan. 26, from 8 to 10 p.m. Comedian Laura Crawford (pictured) is headlining the program’s lineup, which also includes Anthony Deyo, Nick Malitzia, and Sal Espana. Admission to the show is $15. Call (805) 686-4785 or…
Santa Maria High School band director marched in 2022 Rose Parade
On New Year’s Day, local musician Samantha Quart participated in the Saluting America’s Band Directors project, as part of the 2022 Rose Parade in Pasadena. Quart is the band director at Santa Maria High School, where she’s worked since 2016. She joined nearly 300 other band directors from schools throughout the U.S. and Mexico in…
Lompoc Concert Association presents flutist Jeannine Goeckeritz
The First United Methodist Church in Lompoc hosts prolific flutist Jeannine Goeckeritz live in concert on Friday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m. This program is presented by the Lompoc Concert Association, a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting live music and music education in the community. Tickets to the show will be available at the door,…
Political Watch: January 13, 2022
• Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) released a statement in response to the Assembly Rules Committee’s vote to move a single-payer health care bill forward without an independent cost analysis. “This reckless move puts our state’s entire budget at stake, including education funding, and puts millions of seniors’ Medicare at risk,” Cunningham said in…
High school district denies liability in abuse lawsuit
Former Pioneer Valley High School math teacher Michael Cardoza was sentenced to 16 years in prison after being convicted in 2008 of child molestation and oral copulation with a minor. Thirteen years later, survivor James McDaniel is asking for damages in a recently filed lawsuit accusing the school district of failing to protect its students.…
Solvang ponders closing Copenhagen Drive to vehicles permanently
On Jan. 10, Solvang reversed its directive to reopen Copenhagen Drive in downtown Solvang to cars, trucks, and motorcycles. In mid-December, the Solvang City Council directed staff to plan for a full reopening of the road by Feb. 1. But during its Jan. 10 meeting, City Council members voted unanimously to extend the closure and…
COVID-19 surge limits visitation at county hospitals
Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reyonoso reported a record-breaking 1,325 COVID-19 cases on a single day (Jan. 8) in her pandemic update to the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 11. She told supervisors that the county had 6,513 active COVID-19 cases, 87 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, and 10 were in the…
Media matters
Copenhagen Drive in Solvang is reopening to vehicle traffic on Feb. 2, according to the Santa Barbara-News Press. According to the Sun’s reporting, it most certainly is not. In fact, the Solvang City Council is now considering potentially keeping the city’s main downtown drag closed to trucks, trailers, cars, and buses in perpetuity. Ooh. So…
High pension risk in Lompoc affects the future of public projects citywide
Lompoc taxpayers and those in many other cities of the county have a problem: The Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) is underfunded. This should concern everyone, and I’ll explain why. CalPERS was created to provide public (government) employees with a retirement fund paid by employee and taxpayer contributions. It replaces the federal Social Security program,…
