• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) celebrated the official designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, which took place on Nov. 30, according to a Dec. 2 statement from Carbajal’s office. “Nearly a decade after the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary was first proposed to the federal government, the Biden-Harris administration has now […]
Political Watch: December 5, 2024
Posted inNews
Maximizing dollars: Allan Hancock and Cuesta College hope to receive needed infrastructure funding from Proposition 2
California’s community colleges, including Allan Hancock College and Cuesta College, rely on bond measures to help fund campus enhancements—anything from adding new buildings to renovating existing structures. In the Nov. 5 election, voters approved Proposition 2, a statewide $10 billion bond intended for public schools and community colleges. Public schools would receive $8.5 billion for […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Ebenezer Scrooge and Princess Aurora take the stage at the Great American Melodrama
Selling fast Get tickets to the Great American Melodrama’s Holiday Extravaganza show running until Dec. 31 at americanmelodrama.com. Changing leaves, crisp mornings, and Christmas music on the radio all mark the holiday season’s approach. For theater lovers on the Central Coast, the Great American Melodrama’s annual Holiday Extravaganza is another holiday harbinger. Playing until Dec. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Trisha Cole compiles a new book of recipes and stories from her newsletter series
Book it Copies of Life at the Dumpling are currently available locally at Alisal Ranch in Solvang and Field Day Coffee in San Luis Obispo. Cuyama Buckhorn in New Cuyama and A Satellite of Love in San Luis Obispo and additional venues slated to carry the book in the near future, author Trisha Cole told […]
Posted inOpinion
It’s never too late
Tourism is the answer to all of our budget woes! Even if the economy tanks, tourists will still be here—oh wait, probably not. But still, they should be paying for our needs! At least according to voters in the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Barbara County, who voted to increase bed taxes in Solvang, Buellton, […]
Posted inNews
Hotel bed tax passes in county, Buellton and Solvang
Santa Barbara County’s visitors will soon see a higher bill at the end of their stay as local voters approved hotel bed tax increases throughout the region. In the face of slowed budget growth at the county level and high impacts from tourism in the Santa Ynez Valley region, Buellton, Solvang, and Santa Barbara County […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe partners with Caltrans on ADA improvement project
Sidewalks outside a handful of city-owned properties in Guadalupe will undergo a crucial makeover, thanks to a joint effort between the city and Caltrans. During the Guadalupe City Council’s last meeting of November, City Attorney Philip F. Sinco described this project to upgrade some pedestrian paths and bring others up to current ADA standards as […]
Posted inOpinion
Ridiculousness
In Lompoc, there are more than 2,700 children under 2 years old and only 186 child care spaces available in the city. “This translates to the potential unmet need for 93 percent of children ages 0 to 2,” according to a needs assessment from the local school district, adult school, and First 5 Santa Barbara […]
Posted inNews
The Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library are collecting books in Spanish ahead of the holiday season
Affordable books are hard to come by, let alone affordable books written in Spanish. But Kathleen Gabel and the Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library are determined to make sure that families have access to books in their native language. “Our mission is to also support literacy and reading,” said Gabel, president of the […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: November 28, 2024
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced a $60.4 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the city of Ventura’s large-scale water recycling program, VenturaWaterPure, according to a Nov. 19 statement from Carbajal’s office. VenturaWaterPure is estimated to produce 3,600 acre-feet of recycled water annually. The grant is the largest in a […]
Posted inNews
Mosby, Bridge lead Lompoc races, Ken Adam Park measure passing
The third time seems to be the charm for Jim Mosby. “I think people wanted change; nearly 70 percent of the people voted for change,” the former Lompoc City Council member and mayoral candidate told the Sun. “There’s a lot of things that we were doing before that we need to bring back; we need […]
Posted inNews
LAFCO approves Dana Reserve annexation despite new plant species claims
November was a triumphant month for Dana Reserve developer Nick Tompkins, as the San Luis Obispo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) gave his housing project one of the last go-aheads it needed despite the Nipomo Action Committee’s final attempts to stall it. “Reaching this stage is incredibly gratifying for everyone who has been part of […]