Cover Story
Dana Reserve environmental impact report details project’s footprint on Nipomo oak-studded ranchland
The largest proposed housing development in San Luis Obispo County in 25 years would cut down close to 4,000 oak trees, disrupt protected plant and wildlife species, and strain local traffic, among other impacts, according to a draft environmental impact report (EIR) released last month for the Dana Reserve in Nipomo. The 1,289 single- and…
BINGEABLE: THE BEAR (2022)
BINGEABLE: THE BEAR (2022) Where’s it playing? Hulu What’s it rated? TV-MA Jeremy Allen White, who won hearts as Lip Gallagher in Shameless, graces The Bear as Carmy, a young chef who returns to Chicago to run his family’s sandwich shop. Carmy received culinary training in fine dining but now contends with a greasy-spoon restaurant…
PCPA breathes fresh life into Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘The Sound of Music’
A bland thumbs up gesture wouldn’t do the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) latest offering justice, nor would any star rating under five, for that matter. If only I had 16—going on 17—stars or thumbs to help illustrate my scoring. I walked into the Marian Theatre confident that I would enjoy PCPA’s new iteration of The…
Orcutt author releases debut sci-fi novel, ‘Explorer’s End’
Explorer’s End, a new novel by Orcutt resident H.W. Portland, was released at the end of June and is currently available locally at Gavin’s Books and through various book outlets, including Amazon. An eBook version of the novel will be released on Thursday, July 14. Described as a science fiction adventure, Explorer’s End follows an…
Solvang Festival Theater celebrates grand reopening after renovation project
On Saturday, July 16, Solvang Theaterfest will host a special celebration to commemorate the completion of renovations at the Solvang Festival Theater. The 10-month renovation project began in September 2021 and included new seating and several structural and electrical enhancements to the outdoor theater. The project’s budget was $5.3 million, according to a press release.…
Pismo’s new Pequín restaurant dishes up Mexican fare with Central Coast flair
Melding the bold flavors of his childhood with locally sourced ingredients, Pequín Coastal Cocina Executive Chef Frank Barajas, of Santa Maria, hopes his new restaurant will fill a void in the area for elevated, Mexican-inspired cuisine. Launched on June 28 and replacing Somerset Grill at Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach, Pequín is named for one…
Fly away
We need housing! Should we cut down 4,000-plus oak trees to make that happen? That’s a tough question. There has to be a way to both build and not totally destroy, right? Maybe. The largest residential development proposed in SLO County in a quarter of a century could make its way into Nipomo in the…
Is the Lompoc crime rate increase connected to nonprescription drug use or something else?
In 2016, the Lompoc City Council approved the unlimited manufacturing; sale; and, with few restrictions, the use of cannabis in the city. At the time, the police chief testified that he anticipated an increase in crime if this new policy was enacted; a City Council majority ignored his warnings. But by ignoring the warning of…
Political Watch: July 14, 2022
• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) hosted a virtual roundtable discussion with community leaders on addressing gun violence in communities across California, according to a July 7 statement from Padilla’s office. The conversation follows the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act’s passage—which President Joe Biden signed into law in June. “The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is a…
Buellton seeks public input on upcoming mixed-use development
For a Buellton City Council meeting with only one item on the agenda, public attendance was abnormally high on July 7. “What strikes me is we have council meetings and nobody comes. … It sure is nice to have people here,” Mayor Holly Sierra said during the meeting. “The minutes will show that this room…
County Main Jail experiences second inmate escape this year
Two K-9 teams and Santa Barbara County Air Support assisted in the arrest of an inmate who escaped from the county Main Jail on July 6—the second escape the jail’s seen in 2022 so far. The jail’s first escape occurred on March 27 when 23-year-old Joshua Camarillo-Sanchez—a Santa Maria resident—got out of jail with the…
Forty tons of food delivered to Santa Maria nonprofits
Peanut butter, canned beef, shelf-stable milk, refried beans, and soup will make their way throughout the Santa Maria Valley by the truckload for distribution among several community nonprofits. The national chapter of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated 80,000 pounds of nonperishable food and other items in order to help Santa Maria-area…
Solvang-based nonprofit gym hosts Junior Olympic weightlifting competition
Lynne Castellanos, a Solvang math teacher, wasn’t super athletic until her daughter went to college and started boxing. Now, the 65-year-old holds several world records in powerlifting, won female athlete of the year in 2017, and runs a nonprofit gym with her daughter as a way to give back to the community. “We work with…
