With this year’s annual Pride issue, we’re taking a little time to focus on support systems for the LGBTQ-plus community—what exists and what needs to exist. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor talks to the Pacific Pride Foundation about a program it’s expanding into North County intended specifically to provide a sense of community that may be…
Yes, it is semantics and spin, and the fossil fuel industry and groups like the Charles Koch Foundation must be delighted to have people like Mandy Davis and the REACT Alliance parroting the propaganda they have been feeding them (“Semantics and spin,” May 30). A recent piece in [the Sun’s sister paper] New Times (“Environmental…
Trump’s conviction in New York reaffirms the principle that no one—not even a former president—is above the law in the United States of America. The evidence presented to the jury was damning, including numerous falsified documents with Trump’s signature on them. Falsification of business records is a serious crime, and Trump is finally being held…
It’s official: After making secret hush money payments to an adult film star 11 days before the 2016 election and falsifying official filings to hide the truth from the public, Donald Trump has been found guilty by a New York jury. Trump’s conviction in New York should remind us all that no one—including a former…
A host of Democrats across the United States are trying to bolster access to mental health care and support for LGBTQ-plus youth. U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-California), the first Black and openly gay senator to serve in the Senate, introduced the Pride in Mental Health Act on March 14—a day after the Oklahoma medical examiner…
In the eye of the beholder To find out more about Lompoc-based artist Jasmine Gonzalez, visit maniccreativeart.com. The mixed media artist’s new collage exhibit at Eye on I opened in early June and will remain up through the end of the month. Eye on I is located at 131 N. I St., Lompoc. While horror…
Grammy Award-winner and Santa Barbara resident Alan Parsons will perform at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez on Friday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Tickets to the concert, held in the resort’s Samala Showroom, range between $49 and $79. Parsons’ career as a songwriter, record producer, and audio engineer spans several decades. During his…
Described as a blend of art and mindfulness, a collage journaling class—titled Crafting Intentions with Mindfulness—will take place at Melville Vineyards and Winery in Lompoc on Thursday, June 6, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Attendees of the workshop will have the opportunity to “discover self-expression through collage techniques” in a serene space “to calm thoughts…
Despite some residents’ concerns about increased taxes, impacts to the tourism industry, and multiple tax measures going before voters, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 (with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson Dissenting) to put a Transient Occupancy Tax increase on the November 2024 general election ballot. “I really want to continue to…
The Idea of You What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Caleb? Rent it What’s it worth, Bulbul? Rent it Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) directs and co-writes this quirky romance based on the novel by Robinne Lee. Sparks fly between a world-famous pop singer (Nicholas Galitzine) and an art…
Looking to crack down on tenants who leave unpaid water bills behind after unceremoniously vacating their rentals, the city of Solvang is adjusting some of its utility protocols. In February, the Solvang City Council directed staff to research new ways to approach the enforcement of delinquent water and sewer utility accounts. Staff returned with a…
Girls What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2012-2017 Where’s it showing? Max Being both the main actor and the creator of HBO’s show, Girls, Lena Dunham (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, American Horror Story) plays a 23-year-old freshly graduated college student who’s a little self-absorbed, awkward, and obsessed with becoming a writer—but she’s too…
Like many other jurisdictions, Guadalupe is working out kinks within its cannabis ordinance. The Guadalupe City Council unanimously voted during its May 28 meeting to increase pre-license, inspection, and annual regulatory fees for commercial cannabis businesses, and pushed staff to enforce a $3,000 community benefit fee that operators have yet to pay nearly a year…
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, & Scandal What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Netflix Netflix’s Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, & Scandal docuseries covers the rise of a dating site for married people seeking other adults to have affairs with, the hack that exposed millions of users’ data to the public, the lives it…
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and the Biden administration announced new funding for two Central Coast school districts to support their purchase of 35 zero- and low-emission school buses for students, according to a May 29 statement from Carbajal’s office. Ventura Unified School District and Santa Barbara Unified School District are receiving $7…
Alongside conserving local lands, the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County wants to teach people about the area they call home, Vanessa Stowers told the Sun. “We are very lucky to live in this unique space, and it’s something that I don’t ever want to take for granted, so really appreciating why Santa Barbara County…
Get together Visit pacificpridefoundation.org to learn more about Lavender Elders and other programs that Pacific Pride Foundation offers. While there are many options for the LGBTQ-plus community to get together during Pride Month in June and throughout the year, it can be challenging for older community members to have that experience. “Things like going to…
Oodles of noodles Ramen Kotori in Solvang is open for patio dining and takeout Wednesdays through Sundays, from noon to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 8 p.m. Call (805) 691-9672 or visit ramenkotori.com for more info. The restaurant is located at 1618 Copenhagen Drive, Solvang. There are many reasons to stop at Ramen Kotori in…
Is there a limit to how high we can raise taxes, even on tourists? Every four years, it seems like local municipalities devise a way to increase sales tax or transient occupancy tax (TOT). Boy, public safety sure could use a boost, or the roads sure could use an influx of funding, or it’s not…
I recently came across the list of second year inductees to the Santa Maria High School Athletics Hall of Fame and was, once again, disappointed to find that longtime Saints’ baseball and basketball coach Bill Yanez was not included. When he was left out last year, I assumed he was simply overlooked by the committee,…
