Like many other jurisdictions, Guadalupe is working out kinks within its cannabis ordinance. The Guadalupe City Council unanimously voted during its May 28 meeting to increase pre-license, inspection, and annual regulatory fees for commercial cannabis businesses, and pushed staff to enforce a $3,000 community benefit fee that operators have yet to pay nearly a year […]
Guadalupe increases cannabis licensing renewal, inspection fees
Posted inNews
Solvang’s new utility ordinance enforces against delinquent accounts
Looking to crack down on tenants who leave unpaid water bills behind after unceremoniously vacating their rentals, the city of Solvang is adjusting some of its utility protocols. In February, the Solvang City Council directed staff to research new ways to approach the enforcement of delinquent water and sewer utility accounts. Staff returned with a […]
Posted inNews
Board of Supervisors approve Transient Occupancy Tax increase ballot measure
Despite some residents’ concerns about increased taxes, impacts to the tourism industry, and multiple tax measures going before voters, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 (with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson Dissenting) to put a Transient Occupancy Tax increase on the November 2024 general election ballot. “I really want to continue to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Melville Vineyards and Winery hosts collage journaling workshop
Described as a blend of art and mindfulness, a collage journaling class—titled Crafting Intentions with Mindfulness—will take place at Melville Vineyards and Winery in Lompoc on Thursday, June 6, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Attendees of the workshop will have the opportunity to “discover self-expression through collage techniques” in a serene space “to calm thoughts […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Chumash Casino Resort presents Alan Parsons, live in concert
Grammy Award-winner and Santa Barbara resident Alan Parsons will perform at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez on Friday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Tickets to the concert, held in the resort’s Samala Showroom, range between $49 and $79. Parsons’ career as a songwriter, record producer, and audio engineer spans several decades. During his […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A Lompoc artist holds clown collage exhibit at Eye on I
In the eye of the beholder To find out more about Lompoc-based artist Jasmine Gonzalez, visit maniccreativeart.com. The mixed media artist’s new collage exhibit at Eye on I opened in early June and will remain up through the end of the month. Eye on I is located at 131 N. I St., Lompoc. While horror […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Pride Issue 2024
With this year’s annual Pride issue, we’re taking a little time to focus on support systems for the LGBTQ-plus community—what exists and what needs to exist. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor talks to the Pacific Pride Foundation about a program it’s expanding into North County intended specifically to provide a sense of community that may be […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Overdue breakthrough
A host of Democrats across the United States are trying to bolster access to mental health care and support for LGBTQ-plus youth. U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-California), the first Black and openly gay senator to serve in the Senate, introduced the Pride in Mental Health Act on March 14—a day after the Oklahoma medical examiner […]
Posted inOpinion
Trump still poses a danger to our democracy
It’s official: After making secret hush money payments to an adult film star 11 days before the 2016 election and falsifying official filings to hide the truth from the public, Donald Trump has been found guilty by a New York jury. Trump’s conviction in New York should remind us all that no one—including a former […]
Posted inOpinion
‘Donald Trump has shown us who he is’
Trump’s conviction in New York reaffirms the principle that no one—not even a former president—is above the law in the United States of America. The evidence presented to the jury was damning, including numerous falsified documents with Trump’s signature on them. Falsification of business records is a serious crime, and Trump is finally being held […]
Posted inOpinion
Arguments against wind help fossil fuel
Yes, it is semantics and spin, and the fossil fuel industry and groups like the Charles Koch Foundation must be delighted to have people like Mandy Davis and the REACT Alliance parroting the propaganda they have been feeding them (“Semantics and spin,” May 30). A recent piece in [the Sun’s sister paper] New Times (“Environmental […]
Posted inOpinion
Santa Maria High teacher and coach Bill Yanez deserves to be inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame
I recently came across the list of second year inductees to the Santa Maria High School Athletics Hall of Fame and was, once again, disappointed to find that longtime Saints’ baseball and basketball coach Bill Yanez was not included. When he was left out last year, I assumed he was simply overlooked by the committee, […]