Jul 18-28, 2024

Jul 18-28, 2024 / Vol. 25 / No. 21
Midland School is no stranger to fire. Located on Figueroa Mountain Road in Los Olivos, the boarding high school holds regular fire drills and had a prescribed burn on campus just last fall. Its nearly 3,000 acres are home to year-round faculty members, 80 students, and dozens of animals. Before the rural school received mandatory […]

Cover Story

Youthwell showcases student summer and school year volunteer opportunities

Since high schoolers often need volunteer hours in order to graduate, Youthwell provides resources to help connect teens and youth with nonprofit organizations that pique their interests while meeting their extracurricular requirements, Executive Director Rachael Steidl said.Ā  ā€œThe idea is so that volunteering doesn’t become a checklist item. We know volunteering can improve stress and…

Line of fire

Our country’s celebrity obsession hit a new low earlier this month.Ā  If it please the court of readers, I’d like to submit these exhibits regarding the Lake Fire.Ā  Exhibit A: ā€œThe battle to save Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch from destructive Lake fireā€ is the headline for an LA Times July 12 feature-length piece. Exhibit B:…

The center must hold if there’s any hope for the presidential election

In November 2016, immediately after Donald Trump’s election, Yeats’ famous lament over the apocalyptic carnage of World War I seemed to capture that moment in our history. Of course, our nation survived the next four years. The ā€œcentreā€ did hold, but just barely: On Jan. 6, 2021, for hours ā€œmere anarchyā€ was loosed upon the…

Cover the other side of the YMCA issue

Your feature article of July 4 titled, ā€œAll day, all night: A YMCA in Santa Ynez wants to stay open 24/7, but its neighbors are against the plan,ā€ by Taylor O’Connor is very one-sided, whether intended or not. Most of the article focuses primarily on the reasons why it is a good idea to convert…

BLAST FROM THE PAST: The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski What’s it rated? R When? 1998 Where’s it showing? The Bay Theatre on Monday, July 22 (6 p.m.; $15 at my805tix.com; a fundraiser for The Rock) Joel and Ethan Coen helm this bizarro crime caper about Jeff ā€œThe Dudeā€ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a slacker and avid bowler, who’s mistaken for a millionaire…

BLAST FROM THE PAST: The Goonies

The Goonies What’s it rated? PG When? 1985 Where’s it showing? The Bay Theatre on Saturday, July 20 (noon; $15 at my805tix.com; a fundraiser for Morro Bay In Bloom) Kids of the ’80s rejoice because we love The Goonies like Sloth loves Chunk, and we get to see it on the big screen! The band…

Maria Salguero to face Carlos Escobedo in Santa Maria Council race

Launching her campaign on July 16 at Santa Maria City Hall, Maria Salguero made her debut in local politics by running for Santa Maria City Council’s District 1 seat.Ā  ā€œWhat makes me particularly excited about running for District 1 at this time is that the stakes are very high at a national level; these elections…

Guadalupe addresses illegal fireworks stats after PRA request

An email thread between a former Guadalupe mayor and current city leaders on illegal fireworks kindled public attention less than 48 hours after the convo began. On July 8, Guadalupe resident Frances Romero copied a handful of city staffers and elected officials on a Public Records Act (PRA) request regarding information on illegal fireworks citations…

County union members advocate for higher wages for future contracts

Santa Barbara County Public Works employee Angel Lopez had to relocate to Lompoc after living in Santa Barbara his whole life because he’s struggling to keep up with the cost of living in his hometown, he told the Board of Supervisors during its July 16 meeting.Ā  ā€œIt’s getting rough out here, too. I don’t want…

Political Watch: July 18, 2024

• U.S. Sens. Laphonza Butler (D-California) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the Keep Families Together Act, a legislation that would mandate immigration enforcement to prioritize keeping families together and provide guidelines to ensure they are kept together throughout the legal process, according to a July 11 statement from Butler’s office. In 2018, the Trump administration…


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