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 […]
Board of Supervisors unanimously approve funding new CalFresh positions
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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 […]
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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 […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Music as medicine
Want to help? Visit ecologistics.org to help support the nonprofit that funds Brynn Albanese’s efforts to bring the healing power of music to the Central Coast. For more information on future events or to contact Albanese for her services, visit brynnalbanese.com. The calming sound of a violin string being played echoes in the room as […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local graphic novelist Arvind Ethan David reimagines Dorian Gray with a twist
Story time To celebrate the launch of his latest graphic novel, local author Arvind Ethan David will host a talk at Story of Soil Wine in Los Olivos on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Admission is free. Donations to benefit the Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley […]
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Central Coast organization helps restore beaver habitat, spread awareness about the semiaquatic rodents’ benefits
Beavers were once one of the most widely distributed mammals in North America, but unregulated trapping, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict changed all of that. A growing recognition of the beavers’ role in ecosystem restoration and conservation efforts led California to start the beaver restoration project in 2023. Acknowledging the benefits beavers have on California’s […]
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Political Watch: February 8, 2024
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) joined an “overwhelming majority” of the U.S. House of Representatives to advance a bipartisan tax package that includes an expanded Child Tax Credit and housing affordability tax credits and would provide additional support for small businesses and families affected by recent natural disasters, according to a Jan. 31 […]
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County Planning Commission approves Cuyama oil well testing project
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted 4-1 (with 3rd District Commissioner John Parke dissenting) during its Jan. 31 meeting to approve a proposal to drill a single oil and gas “exploration well” in the Cuyama Valley. Michigan-based oil and gas company West Bay Exploration Company proposed the Hidden Canyon Test Well, which would be […]
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Solvang accepts applications for new advisory committee
Out of commission for nearly a year, Solvang’s Tourism Advisory Committee is undergoing a reboot, and currently recruiting new members. The group’s resurfacing also comes with rebranding, as it’s now called the Tourism and Marketing Advisory Committee (TMAC). The purpose of the board is to “advise city staff on matters relating to promoting Solvang as […]
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Northern Santa Barbara County receives minimal damage in storms
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara, SLO, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties, among others, after an atmospheric river slowly made its way through the California. Storms began on Jan. 31. As of Feb. 6, parts of Santa Barbara County had received between 1 and 15 inches of rain total in […]