Cover Story
Experts say hospital consolidation is driving up medical costs. Is it locally? – Part 1
Editor’s note: This article is Part 1 of a two-part series produced as a data fellowship with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. Jamie Maraviglia has spent long days and nights in the hospital, but her time at home with medical bills is sometimes even more intense. The Arroyo Grande resident is routinely in…
Gina’s Piece of Cake took to social media for a helping hand to make it through the pandemic
One day, Gina’s Piece of Cake was open, baking, and cranking out the cakes. And the next day, it wasn’t. “When the pandemic first started, obviously, the mall just closed our doors,” owner Gina Martin said. The saving grace? Because the shop is just inside the Santa Maria Town Center’s entrance, Martin said they had…
Gallery Los Olivos reopens its doors for the first time since March, debuts Simple Pleasures exhibit
So far, 2020 has been quite challenging for all of us. Who would have ever guessed that a pandemic would hit and change our lives in so many ways,” said Cheryl Ambrecht, one of two featured artists in Gallery Los Olivos’ new duo show. The popular venue’s closure, which lasted nearly half a year, officially…
Log in to Zoom and check out PCPA’s virtual, contemporary play reading series, InterPlay
Originating in 2002, InterPlay—the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) popular, seasonal play reading event—has traditionally been held at Santa Maria’s Severson Theatre. Rather than postpone or cancel this year’s iteration, the company decided to adapt and expand the weekend-long event into a series of virtual offerings. Between Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 24, PCPA will…
Cypress Gallery’s September exhibit showcases paintings by Liz Poulin Alvarez
The Lompoc Valley Art Association (LVAA) presents California Landmarks, a new exhibition highlighting landscapes by local artist and Lompoc High School art teacher Liz Poulin Alvarez, which premiered at Cypress Gallery on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and is scheduled to remain on display through Sunday, Sept. 27. Alvarez, a member of the Santa Barbara Art Association…
Solvang holds 11th annual Scarecrow Fest and Contest
Businesses and organizations throughout Solvang are invited to participate in the 11th annual Scarecrow Fest and Contest, which is scheduled to begin Thursday, Oct. 1, and run through Saturday, Oct. 31. Businesses can participate in the event by creating their own unique scarecrow to display in front of their location, while maintaining COVID-19 protocols, according…
Arbitrary activism
Apparently, Santa Barbara County is taking a page out of the LA playbook. In April, LA prosecutors filed charges against several retailers that refused to follow COVID-19 closure orders. A paddleboarder even got arrested for violating beach closure orders, according to the LA Times. How many law enforcement officials does it take to arrest a…
The oil industry is being devastated
The mantle of victimhood is never a comfortable one, particularly for the proud employees and families supported by Santa Barbara County’s once-vibrant oil industry. Being oil people, they are all too familiar with the cyclical nature of their industry, most often the result of market fluctuations and the influences of foreign supply, but they have…
Keep the dunes vehicle-free
For decades, the Oceano Beach and dunes have been used for vehicular recreation and ATVs. These last five months, since the shelter-at-home order, a vehicle-free Oceano Beach has been a blessing for our community and the entire South SLO County. State Parks is completing a Public Works Plan (PWP) for the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular…
Lompoc’s 4th District challenger would bring needed new leadership
As the Nov. 3 election nears, Lompoc residents have some serious choices to make. One of them is who will serve to represent the 4th District of the city on the southwest side of town. This district is one of the older areas of the city, and the commercial areas have suffered as the central…
CARE4Paws is hosting a pet food drive and donation-matching campaign this month to help pet owners and animals in need
It’s well documented that owning a pet can help reduce anxiety and depression. Studies conducted by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute found that pets can alleviate worry, provide comfort, and even reduce blood pressure in their owners. But when owning a pet becomes a financial burden, some of those positive effects can be threatened—and…
Correction
In the Sept. 3 article “Staying afloat,” Lompoc Hospital District Foundation President Alice Milligan’s last name was misspelled. The Sun regrets this error.
Political Watch: September 10, 2020
• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Sept. 3 to extend consumer protections against price gouging until March 4, 2021. The protections prohibit sellers from increasing prices on food, consumer goods, medical or emergency supplies, and other items by more than 10 percent, according to Newsom’s office. The 2021 end date for the…
Buellton gym faces closure for health order noncompliance
While local enforcement agencies have, for the most part, found success with voluntary compliance when enforcing COVID-19 health orders, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced on Sept. 2 that a gym in Buellton is being taken to court for refusing to halt indoor operations during the pandemic. According to a press release, an…
Santa Maria allows U-Haul to add 600 mini-storage units to its property
Santa Maria’s miniature storage options are about to increase. The City Council voted on Sept. 1 to deny an appeal brought before them by Stephen Wagner, a concerned community member who opposed the city Planning Commission’s June 17 decision to approve permits for the U-Haul Mini Storage and Office project. The Planning Commission’s decision in…
County moves to expand farmstays project
Brett Ferini grew up working on his family’s farm, Rancho Laguna Farms, in Santa Maria. There, he learned how to turn barren land into fruitful soil that could host the berries, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and cauliflower that Rancho Laguna Farms produces and sells. He learned about where food comes from and all the work that…
Bowlers rally in support of reopening Rancho Bowl
On Sept. 5 about 60 people lined the sidewalk in front of Rancho Bowl and Lounge in Santa Maria to show their support for the business and rally to reopen the family-friendly entertainment center. Back Alley Pro owners Richard and Norma Cunningham were in the crowd. The professional bowlers shop is inside Rancho Bowl. The…
