More than 1,000 Santa Barbara County residents experienced homelessness for the first time in 2024—a jump from 849 in 2023, according to the county’s Point-In-Time Count. Santa Barbara County Homeless Assistance Program Manager Kimberlee Albers told the Sun that the majority of these folks are often seniors or families with children falling out of housing…
Summer grubbing For updates on Oakie Smokie BBQ’s summer pop-up series and what kinds of menu offerings patrons can expect each Friday, call (805) 332-7226 or follow the Santa Maria-based company’s Facebook page. Thanks to his locally inspired spin on a traditional cheesesteak sandwich, Santa Maria chef Jesse Carlon’s tribute to the Philadelphia staple is…
Bonita Elementary School students and staff are one step closer to drinking from campus water fountains again after the Santa Maria City Council approved an application to connect to the city’s water lines to the school during the June 4 meeting. “I want to make clear that the school does have clean drinking water available…
A contract to bridge four agencies in managing the Santa Ynez River Valley Groundwater Basin’s east sector is one step closer to sign-offs after two years of negotiations. During its June 10 meeting, the Solvang City Council reviewed a proposed arrangement between the city, the Santa Barbara County Water Agency, the Santa Ynez River Water…
The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) will secure one of the largest settlements in its history after Central Coast Agriculture agreed to pay $1.3 million for air quality-related notices of violations. “The magnitude of this settlement reflects the significance of the violations and the amount of emissions over three years,” APCD Executive…
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont) led senators in calling on the Biden administration to finalize the proposed mental health parity rule released in 2023, according to a June 6 statement from Padilla’s office. The senators emphasized that these rules will hold insurers accountable and ensure they follow…
Guadalupe Police Chief and Director of Public Safety Michael Cash will be recognized as the first and only African American police chief in Santa Barbara County during this year’s Santa Maria-Lompoc NAACP and Collective Cultures Creating Change’s Juneteenth celebration. “I’m very honored and humbled to be even thought of in that sense. I’m very much…
After almost getting shut down by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District last year for noncompliance, one cannabis company agreed to pay more than $1.3 million for its polluting ways. Central Coast Agriculture will now hold the incredible title of paying more than any other for violating air pollution regulations in the county—even…
Your standard of living is defined as the degree of wealth and material comfort available to a person or community. Your quality of life is similar, the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group: the things that are needed for a good quality of life. Inflation is a general increase…
The May 18, 2024, issue of The Economist reflected upon the vulnerability of the United States to becoming a dictatorship. But while the writer’s focus was on another Donald Trump presidency, I think our closest encounter with dictatorship was in our not-so-distant past. A “dictator” is defined as a leader who has absolute power,…
Get a closer look Call (805) 686-1211 visit elverhoj.org for more info on Under the Same Sun, a group exhibition of contemporary artworks from five participating artists, on display at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art in Solvang through July 7. The museum is located at 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang. With an upcoming artist…
Local historian James D. Cain will sign copies of his book, Ella Young Remembered, during a special event, hosted by the Oceano Depot Association, at the Oceano Train Depot on Saturday, June 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. During his time as a school teacher in Santa Maria, Cain became interested in Young—a famous…
More than 20 digital artworks will be on display at the Nipomo Library throughout the month of July, as part of a solo exhibition of art by local digital artist Fred Ventura. The show opens on Tuesday, July 2. The artist will lead a special presentation and demonstration, in conjunction with the showcase, on Saturday,…
Eric What’s it rated? TV-MA What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Netflix Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Suffragette) created this six-part mystery-thriller miniseries about 9-year-old Edgar Anderson (Ivan Morris Howe), who goes missing one day on the way to school after a rancorous argument between his…
Under the Bridge What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Hulu Based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey and the true story of the murder of Reena Virk, this new series documents the sad and brutal tale of both Reena’s life and the aftermath of her murder. Reena was…
A Man in Full What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Netflix Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels) thinks he’s got the world by the tail. He’s the biggest real estate developer in Atlanta after all, a man who travels by private jet, has the ear of politicians, and gets what he wants when he…
