The sounds of shrieking roller coaster riders clashed with protesters’ drums, tambourines, and chants at this year’s Santa Maria Strawberry Festival. On April 27, community members of various ages gathered outside of Santa Maria Fairpark to rally for a Santa Barbara countywide $26 per hour minimum wage for farmworkers. Alianza Campesina de la Costa Central,…
Local cannabis compliance detectives flag flame, cloud, and maple leaf emojis when browsing social media platforms. Keeping up with coded references to cannabis was a crucial component of a six-week investigation that led the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to arrest Santa Maria resident Alexis Silviano Vazquez Guzman on April 22 on suspicion of selling…
On May 2, the Lompoc Theatre Project will break ground on plans that have been in the works for almost two decades: restoring a historic performance space with the aim of reinvigorating the city’s downtown. “We are actually doing it, and it’s important for people to be able to see what they’ve invested in and…
A barrage of community members presented the Lucia Mar Unified School District board with a somber choice—snap district policy around transgender students into federal compliance or face the threat of parental rights lawsuits. But other residents don’t agree with what the group is pushing for. “I don’t really think what they’re doing helps kids. Just…
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced on April 25 that he and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) reintroduced two bipartisan bills focused on addressing the effects of climate change on U.S. coastlines, coastal communities, and marine ecosystems. “The climate crisis is hitting our coasts hard—from eroding beaches and stronger storms to declining fisheries.…
Pull the pin. Aim the nozzle. Squeeze the handle. Sweep from side to side. During a fire emergency, PASS is a helpful acronym to keep in mind before using an extinguisher for the first time. Attendees of an upcoming wildfire evacuation and survival workshop in Lompoc will have access to a fire extinguisher training session,…
The Pitt What’s it rated? Not rated When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Max The ’90s kid in me practically screamed out loud when I learned that Noah Wyle was back on the bill as an emergency room doctor. Instead of being the plucky new resident, Wyle plays Dr. Michael Robinavich (aka “Robby”), a seasoned ER…
Havoc What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Netflix Writer-director Gavin Evans (The Raid: Redemption) directs this martial arts-filled, bullet-ridden, and car chase-rich crime thriller about Walker (Tom Hardy), a shady police detective whose personal life is in the shitter and whose professional life is hanging by thread. He’s corrupt but not as…
Should transgender students be able to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identities? Should trans women be able to compete in women’s athletics? These are complicated questions that we have been struggling to navigate and answer over the past several years, and we’ve made progress and gained a more complete…
Take some cake The May 12 fundraiser will be hosted at peasants FEAST located at 487 Atterdag Road in Solvang and will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Five cakes, all different flavors, all with unique designs, all inspired by the stories and experiences of local chefs. That’s what peasants FEAST Executive Pastry Chef Taylor…
Lompoc parks renovation projects seem to interfere with team sports and major park events. Something needs to change to favor the schedule of teams and events during high-use seasons and conduct these projects in the off season. The youth baseball leagues in Lompoc, and almost everywhere else, spend a lot of time and money helping…
I sat down a few minutes ago and brainstormed the likely near-term consequences of the public’s inability to reverse the Trump/Musk administration’s virtual destruction of our government and the cessation of our constitutional rights. I regret to say that none of this is hyperbole. The catastrophic implications of our current situation are as follows: •…
Peep the portraits To find Elizabeth Chaney’s work, including portraits and abstracts, visit simplyelizabethart.com. To view her series in person, visit Full of Life Flatbread at 225 Bell St., Los Alamos. While local artist Elizabeth Chaney considers herself quiet and introverted, she described her art as the opposite. “My art is my voice, and it’s…
More than 250 fourth- through eighth-grade students participated in the 24th annual Santa Barbara County Education Office’s Battle of the Books. Participating elementary and junior high school students prepare for the year-round event by reading and often re-reading books from a designated list, according to the Education Office. They then battle against other teams to…
The second floor of the Santa Maria Town Center Mall will display book-themed artistic items from local artists through May 10 for the Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library’s annual Painted Chair Raffle. Items include furniture, quilts, paintings, and more. The fundraiser benefits the Santa Maria Public Library. Raffle tickets are available for purchase,…
The Accountant 2 What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande, Fair Oaks Theatre In this sequel to The Accountant (2016), both director Gavin O’Connor (Warrior, Pride and Glory) and writer Bill Dubuque…
