In the face of student violence, discrimination allegations from students, leadership changes at Pioneer Valley High School, and behavioral issues, high school district board candidates Gabriel A. Morales and Alma Hernandez see communication from the district as a key component to addressing these issues.Ā Morales and Hernandez are facing off in the Santa Maria Joint […]
Santa Maria Joint Union school board candidates address school safety
Sta. Rita Hillsā Alma Rosa Winery launches first open-air tram tour
Now boarding Find out more about Alma Rosa Wineryās new open-air tram tour, visit almarosawinery.com. The tour is offered daily, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., for parties of up to seven people. Admission is $100 per person. Reservations are required in advance. The tram begins and ends at Alma Rosa Wineryās historic Ranch House, […]
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Halloween
Halloween Whatās it rated? R When? 1978 Whereās it showing? Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m., at the Palm Theatre of San Luis Obispo Writer-director-composer John Carpenter helms this classic slasher film about mental patient Michael Myers, committed to a sanitarium at age 6 for stabbing his teenage sister to death with a chefās knife. […]
Solvang amends its 2024-26 city priorities after progress report
Six months into its projected two-year duration, Solvangās list of city goals is split between projects underway and those dormant since April. City staff recently drafted a status update that outlines some of the campaignās improvement projects in progress, while stamping others as āon holdā or āno work completed.ā Originally labeled as a consent item, […]
County and cities face health, safety concerns with unpermitted food vendors
Al pastor meat sitting in a 5 gallon, dirty plastic bucket on the side of the road. Beans, tamales, and/or fruit resting in coolers with no hint as to where the foodās been prepared. Grease from whatās been cooked dumped into gutters, storm drains, and transportation paths. Ā These are some of the food health […]
Home base: Local students could soon earn four-year degrees at Allan Hancock Collegeābut the program awaits CSU approval
For the 12 years Kevin Walthers has been with Allan Hancock College, he has tried to work with the California State University System to make obtaining four-year degrees an opportunity for students on the Santa Maria campus. Heās so close to making that long-awaited dream a reality.Ā Hancock recently received provisional approval from the California […]
Local roaster Zaca Coffee makes its coffee shop debut in Buellton
Roast host Visit zacacoffee.com or call (805) 698-4540 to find out more about Zaca Coffeeās new coffee shop, located at 240 E. Highway 246, unit 109, Buellton. Itās not every day that you see a llama riding a surfboard, unless youāre spending every day at Zaca Coffeeāwhich opened its first brick-and-mortar shop in Buellton in […]
Santa Barbara County received a state grant to explore ways to keep pet families together
With their unconditional loyalty, big eyes filled with nothing but love, and snuggles that bring endless comfort, pets can be the biggest support system for people going through tough times.Ā But that support system can morph into the biggest barrier when trying to access services to improve their circumstances.Ā āOne of the things we talk […]
NEW FLICKS: Megalopolis
Megalopolis Whatās it rated? R When? 2024 Whereās it showing? The Bay Theatre of Morro Bay Auteur Francis Ford Coppolaās decades-in-the-making fable-like passion project has finally arrived with a resounding clunk, but does it deserve being panned? I mean, this is the director of The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation weāre talking about. […]
BINGEABLE: Monsters: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story
Monsters: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story Whatās it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Whereās it showing? Netflix The Menendez brothers are all over the news again, in part thanks to the new season of Monsters, which tells the murderous tale of how the two brothers wound up in prison for killing their parents in 1989. […]
Tokyo Cowboy depicts a stirring journey of self-discovery
Tokyo Cowboy Whatās it rated? PG Whatās it worth, Anna? Full price Whatās it worth, Glen? Full price Whereās it showing? Opens Oct. 25 at the Palm Theatre of San Luis Obispo Marc Marriott directs this independent film scripted by Dave Boyle and Ayako Fujitani about Japanese corporate turnaround artist Hideki Sakai (Arata Iura), an […]

