I am responding to John Donegan’s letter in the opinion section of Feb. 1 (“Ruling Donald Trump stricken from the ballot is a big deal, so don’t take it lightly”). It seems he has been confused by MAGA Republican propaganda. He said inflation had been running rampant the last three years. Not true. After COVID, […]
Biden vs. Trump
Posted inOpinion
Hartmann gets Santa Ynez
I love calling the Santa Ynez Valley home because residents show up to support each other. But it is evident that much of our workforce can’t be part of that because of the high cost of living here. At the College Elementary School District in Santa Ynez, our school board and superintendent continually ask, “How […]
Posted inOpinion
Reelect Joan Hartmann
In my 11 years as an administrator with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, I had the opportunity to work with many members of the county Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Joan Hartmann is among the very best. As a county administrator in the past and as a current 3rd District resident, I find that […]
Posted inOpinion
Costco should cut ties with Citibank
I worry about the climate. Lots of folks do these days. So I was really disappointed to learn that Citibank is one of the biggest lenders to fossil fuel companies. Since 2016 Citi has invested a whopping $332 billion in this industry, ever worsening the livability of our planet as we fight a barrage of […]
Posted inOpinion
What a racket!
Tennis players and pickleball players are frenemies who simply cannot share a court—and the battle over volleying space is getting tense in Solvang. Hans Christian Andersen Park hosts the city’s only two pickleball courts but they’re on the verge of closure with cracking and drainage issues. “The current courts are getting to the point where […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo conducts free master class in Santa Maria
Members of the public are welcome to sit in on a free music master class, hosted by acclaimed violinist and Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo, at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria on Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. The following day, Yoo will take part in a special Chamber Concert with Festival […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Great American Melodrama’s Grave Mistakes is a rave-worthy romp
Norms we cannot weather The Great American Melodrama presents its production of Grave Mistakes through March 16. The two-act show, which opened in early January, is followed by the Melodrama’s new vaudeville revue, Whatever the Weather We’ll Weather the Weather Together. The theater is located at 1863 Front St., Oceano. Call (805) 489-2499 or visit […]
Posted inNews
Board of Supervisors unanimously approve funding new CalFresh positions
Facing a 69 percent increase in CalFresh caseloads from 2016 to 2023 while staffing increased just 28 percent, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved 86 new CalFresh positions for the county’s Social Services Department. “For years our funding in the CalFresh program has been constrained by policies in the early 2000s, which […]
Posted inNews
Solvang plans to amend recreation master plan amid pickleball dilemma
Hans Christian Andersen Park is home to Solvang’s two dedicated pickleball courts, both on the verge of closing to the public, according to Parks and Recreation Director Jenny McClurg. “The current courts are getting to the point where it could become a safety hazard and could warrant a closure,” McClurg, who attributed some damage to […]
Posted inNews
Cost of living
Santa Maria firefighter Shea Weidler has lived in a van since October because he can’t afford housing costs with the salary he makes. “As a 30-year-old, you see yourself owning a home and more stable, but when you’re living in a van, living paycheck to paycheck, it kind of wears on you,” Weidler said. “While […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Philharmonic Society performs at Grace Baptist Church
Under the direction of maestro Michael Nowak, the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society will present its next concert, titled In the Classical Style, at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Maria on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The show’s song selection will highlight works by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Beethoven. Call (805) 925-0412 or visit […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Pacific Conservatory Theatre presents new take on William Shakespeare’s Henry V
Tickets are currently available to the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) next production, Henry V, which is scheduled to open at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria on Friday, Feb. 15, and run through Sunday, March 3. Director Mark Booher is at the helm of PCPA’s new iteration of the iconic play by William Shakespeare, written […]