Cover Story
Carbon evolution: The county argues about oil development in Cat Canyon
Remnants of a house that’s long since disappeared were popping up from the recently rain-soaked ground. The first signs of spring bulbs peered through neon sprigs of new grass, looking east across Foxen Canyon. To the west, a narrower canyon with gently sloping expanses touched by 100-plus years of agriculture and oil drilling seemed to…
Cold Spring Tavern becomes den to The Left Hand Lions on March 22
Like more than 100,000 residents of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, professional musician Thomas Hopkins was evacuated from his home amid the Thomas Fire at the end of 2017. Hopkins, founder, frontman, and principal songwriter of the Santa Barbara-based folk and Americana band The Left Hand Lions, aimed to capture his own perspective during the…
Animal Kingdom faces lawsuits and accusations of sourcing puppies from unethical mass breeders
It’s been less than a year since Jen Toste paid nearly $2,000 for a goldendoodle puppy she fell in love with at an Animal Kingdom pet store on the Central Coast. Since then, she’s spent roughly $10,000 on veterinary appointments, surgeries, and medications for that puppy, which was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia just months…
Inmate health care complaints are down at Santa Barbara County Jail, but advocates say there’s more work to be done
“Despite allergy tests and a special food diet, patient continues to have hives and rash.” “Needs antidepressants.” “States they are not receiving medication and want to see an outside doctor for X-rays and an ultrasound.” These are just some of the complaints related to mental and medical health care filed by inmates in the Santa…
Supervisors support Carbajal’s bill to ban offshore drilling
A divided Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to support a bill to ban future oil and gas drilling in the waters off the California coast. The board voted 3-1 on March 19, with 4th District Supervisor Peter Adam absent, to support the California Clean Coast Act, a bill authored by former county supervisor…
Santa Maria Rec and Parks to survey local residents
The city of Santa Maria is mailing out thousands of surveys to random households, kicking off an effort to get input on how to improve its parks and recreation offerings. The city’s Recreation and Parks Department mailed out the surveys to 3,830 households to collect information for its Leisure Needs Assessment Action Plan. That plan…
Glass it up: Zaca Mesa’s 2016 Clydesdale pays homage to the founding family’s history
Every once in a while I fall back in love with a good syrah. As much as we like to taste and experiment with wines, sipping recently released blends and getting talked into bottles of new brands and varieties we’ve never had before, eventually we all become creatures of wine habit. Some people settle into…
This is adult content
Readers under 45 years old should not continue! You would not understand the information presented here. We have seen the first worldwide demonstration of indoctrination. Students walked out of classes to protest inaction on climate change. College students are free to demonstrate and miss class time. It’s their dime. However, students as young as 13…
ERG versus our community
A donnybrook took place on March 13 at the county Planning Commission meeting in Santa Maria over whether to approve a large expansion of ERG oil and gas drilling in Cat Canyon. ERG Resources faced off against an army of resource and climate defenders. In the morning, the county Planning Department and ERG Inc. presented…
One man, one ruler?
Cutting through all the talk about Trump and his supporters versus the rising opposition made up of Democrats, independents, and some Republicans, what it comes down to is one-man rule versus our democratic system of government. Many Trump supporters understand this division and choice and completely accept the one-man rule that Trump is in essence…
Puppy-gate 2019
Before I get into all of the drama associated with Animal Kingdom Pet Shop—yes, once again, that little shop at the Santa Maria Town Center Mall with cute little puppies in its windows is in the doghouse—I must get one thing off my small, shapely, feathered chest. Who pays $2,000 for a freakin’ puppy? Seriously.…
Political Watch 3/21/19
• As vice chair of the House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) participated in an infrastructure panel hosted by Politico and the National League of Cities on March 12. There, he discussed the infrastructure investment package, which has support from both Congress and the president to fund roads,…
Local nonprofits distribute hundreds of Payless gift cards before store closures
Payless ShoeSource stores across North America will only be open for a few more weeks, and March 11 was the last day stores accepted gift cards. The deadline, which was announced on Feb. 18 along with news of the company’s bankruptcy filing and eminent store closures, left some local nonprofits with little time to use…
Plan developing for improvements to Santa Ynez Valley bicycling paths
It’s estimated that thousands of experienced road bicyclists pass through the Santa Ynez Valley every year, and yet the region lacks the bike paths and lanes necessary to support less experienced bikers, like kids going to school or adults commuting to work. In a community survey completed in the fall of 2018, 71 percent of…
For the Love of Painting exhibit featured at Gallery Los Olivos
Like many women artists on the Central Coast, Sheryl Knight and Linda Mutti stepped away from their art to raise their families when they were young. But as they entered retirement and faced life-changing situations, they rediscoved a love for painting and art and were able to make a successful second career out of it.…
Arts and crafts show featured in Santa Maria
The Los Padres Artist Guild is hosting a Spring Arts and Craft Show and Sale on March 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features original artwork from many local artists and artisans, with items including fine art, jewelry, ceramics, home decor, and other collectibles and gifts. In addition to the arts and…
Elverhoj to host panel discussion on photography
The Elverhoj Museum of History and Art will host panel discussion on photography on March 23 at 4 p.m. Approaches to Black and White Photography features three local photographers discussing the range of possibilities offered by black and white photography, including images inspired by famed photographers to new interpretations using digital techniques. The featured photographers…
‘One Slight Hitch’ featured at Santa Maria Civic Theatre
The Santa Maria Civic Theatre’s latest production is One Slight Hitch, a show written by comedian Lewis Black. Black is a stand-up comic and writer who is famous for his humorous angry rants about politics, pop culture, religion, and other topics. He’s often appeared on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. His play, One Slight Hitch,…
PCPA’s ‘The Wolves’ is a chaotic masterpiece
There is a moment at the end of Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) latest play, The Wolves, that comes from such a deeply surprising and unnerving place I almost thought it was a mistake. I actually sat up in my seat to see if they would halt the play to correct what was happening until I…
Spotlight on: Pacific Pride Foundation
More than 10,000 Santa Barbara County residents use programs provided by the Pacific Pride Foundation (PPF), which operates out of only two locations, one in Santa Barbara and the other in Santa Maria. Through funding from the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Santa Maria location recently set up a new counseling office, where various mental health…
Saul Paz
It’s not often that 9-year-olds set personal goals for themselves, but Orcutt fourth grader Saul Paz isn’t your typical kid—he’s a state champion wrestler. Paz has been wrestling at All-American Elite Athletics for the past four years, and last year, Paz played a season of football before returning to the mat. He fought through a…
Approved transparency bill will impact local charter schools
A newly signed bill will require all California charter schools to adhere to the same transparency laws that public schools follow, and the soon-to-be state law is expected to impact Santa Barbara County’s charters in varying ways. Senate Bill 126, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on March 5, will take effect on Jan. 1, 2020,…
