Cover Story
PRIDE 2020
June was Pride Month, but the usual parades and events that commemorate the occasion were waylaid by the COVID-19 pandemic. The month also coincided with the Trump administration and the Supreme Court of the United States respectively taking steps backward and forward for the LGBTQ-plus movement. There’s still a long way to go, and despite…
TV REVIEW: LENOX HILL
TV REVIEW: LENOX HILL Where’s it playing? Netflix What’s it rated? TV-MA Netflix’s new series follows four doctors at New York City’s renowned Lenox Hill Hospital—two are neurosurgeons who take on the tough cases that have been turned away elsewhere, one is an emergency room physician, and the fourth is a chief resident OB-GYN, the…
TV REVIEW: THE LAST KINGDOM
TV REVIEW: THE LAST KINGDOM Where’s it playing? Netflix What’s it rated? TV-MA Beginning in 866 A.D. and covering more than four decades through the fourth season, the series follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon), a Saxon noble captured by the Danes as a child and raised first as a slave and then as a…
Solvang’s newest restaurant opened during the pandemic and is serving up locally sourced deliciousness to-go or for the patio
The first time in three years that chef Michael Cherney saw someone eat the food he prepared was on the patio of his new restaurant in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. “They were eating a grilled cheese sandwich, and they were pulling it apart and the cheese was all gooey,” Cherney said. “I’ll never…
Yosimar Reyes headlined HOPE’s virtual Poetry Night, one of several Santa Maria Pride events online this year
COVID-19 couldn’t keep the House of Pride and Equality (HOPE) from hosting its annual Santa Maria Pride festivities—albeit online through Facebook Live and Twitch in place of traditional gatherings this year. “It’s the government, they’re after me!” California-based poet and activist Yosimar Reyes said for levity’s sake after some moments of technical difficulty during HOPE’s…
Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department partners with Leadership SMV on new mobile observatory
It was as if the stars aligned when Leadership Santa Maria Valley (SMV) first pitched its community observatory concept to the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, which is currently in the process of modifying its mobile nature trailer to include said observatory. Emily Kitts, co-chair of the program’s Observatory Committee, described the project’s early…
Dana Adobe and Cultural Center updates health-related procedures for 2020 Summer Day Camp
Registration to join the Dana Adobe and Cultural Center’s (DACC) 2020 Summer Day Camp closes on Monday, July 13, or earlier if the camp reaches its capped limit of 30 children before then. The camp is open to ages 8 through 13 and will take place on Monday, July 27, through Friday, July 31, from…
PCPA seeks applicants for stage technician training program
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) is now accepting applications for its two-year Technical Theatre Training Program. The deadline to apply is Sept. 15, and classes will begin on Oct. 5. Students in the program will train and work alongside PCPA’s professional designers, technicians, directors, and actors in an intensive, vocational setting. Stage lighting, sound, props,…
CANARY: Freedom to breathe
Good job, guys! Way to keep the pandemic at bay! Oh wait, actually, we haven’t done that. Santa Barbara County, which blamed its high numbers on the Lompoc federal prison a month ago, is currently on a state watch list because its COVID-19 numbers are increasing at an uncomfortable rate. And, as an added bonus,…
Not for Solvang City Council
I grew up around policemen who were friends and colleagues of my dad. He was “on the job” for 33 years, a superior officer, in every sense, with the NYPD. I think I know something about good cops, effective policing, and fine character. I have met and spoken with Jim Thomas, a former sheriff now…
Is there a problem with the Lompoc Police Department’s use of force? No!
There has been a lot of conversation, many demonstrations, and some riots across the nation in the past few weeks because of the use of deadly force by police. On June 16, Lompoc Police Chief Joseph Mariani provided the Lompoc City Council with a briefing concerning use of force policies in our city. He began…
County eyes two parcels in Orcutt for open space
Residents in the Santa Maria Valley may have more local places to hike if Santa Barbara County moves forward with purchasing two pieces of property in Orcutt. During a county Planning Commission meeting on June 24, the commissioners unanimously determined that acquiring the two parcels—one directly south of Orcutt Hills Open Space and the other…
Santa Maria investigates tree deaths related to apparent poisoning
On June 22, the city of Santa Maria’s park and urban forest supervisor discovered two trees on West Main Street that appeared to have suspiciously died, prompting the city to investigate further. The city arborist discovered that the trees had multiple drill holes near the base, indicating that they were likely injected with chemicals. A…
Orcutt couple takes over Oak Knolls Hardware
For more than 40 years, in a building that used to hold a movie theater, Oak Knolls Hardware has served as Orcutt’s local hardware shop, and the new owners of the establishment intend to keep it that way. Alyssa Honeycutt, who was born and raised in Orcutt, and her husband, Ben, officially took over as…
Political Watch: July 2, 2020
• On June 22, state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara) Senate Bill 1207 passed off the Senate floor on a 36-0 vote. The bill would require California nursing homes to have backup power for at least 96 hours during an emergency. The Nursing Home Resident Safety Act was written with the current wildfire season and…
Class action lawsuit against county jail close to a settlement
More than two years after being granted class action certification, Murray v. County of Santa Barbara is one step closer to reaching a settlement. The parties have been in negotiations to try and resolve the case, which seeks court-ordered reforms within the Santa Barbara County Jail. Disability Rights California, the litigation counsel representing the class…
County grand jury examines increase in gang violence
Recent changes in state laws aimed at reducing California’s prison population and preventing kids from being incarcerated has local agencies at odds with how to best address an increase of gang activity in parts of Santa Barbara County. In a recent report on juvenile gang violence, the county grand jury found that the county’s Probation…
Golden State Killer pleads guilty to four murders in Santa Barbara County
On June 29, Joseph James DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder, with special circumstances in a number of them—such as murder committed in the commission of a burglary or rape—and 13 counts of kidnapping. Four of those murders occurred in Santa Barbara County in 1979 and 1981. All the county’s murders happened…
