A San Luis Obispo County resident sued the cities of Grover Beach and Santa Maria, alleging that their police departments colluded to protect an officer with a reported history of misconduct. In his April 2025 lawsuit, SLO resident Casey Johnston claimed that Santa Maria police officer Jason Zickuhr “assaulted” him using a firearm after an […]
SLO County man sues Grover Beach, Santa Maria over alleged police misconduct
Posted inNews
Solvang targets ‘derelict’ news racks with tighter code enforcement
Whether the perpetrators realized they were littering or not, too many people have treated Solvang’s newspaper racks like trash bins in recent years, City Manager Randy Murphy told elected officials. “They were attracting nuisance. People were leaving their garbage in them, and on them,” Murphy said at the Solvang City Council’s Jan. 26 meeting. “The […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: January 29, 2026
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) announced new legislation on Jan. 26 to enforce new restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention practices. The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would restrict the use of private, for-profit detention facilities, ensure due process for detained […]
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Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center kicks off its 2026 membership drive
The perks of lending the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center a helping hand can appeal to folks from pretty much all walks of life, Outreach Coordinator Saule Baipsys explained. “There is really a place for everyone if you are willing to learn and grow,” Baipsys told the Sun via email. Just dune itTo get involved at the […]
Posted inOpinion
Symbolic support
The Santa Maria City Council finally decided to weigh in on immigration enforcement activities, symbolically. At the Jan. 20 council meeting, Councilmember Maribel Aguilera got to business before Councilmember Gloria Soto could even turn her mic on, requesting that the mayor put a resolution or proclamation on the agenda to send a “clear message that […]
Posted inOpinion
Express support of or opposition to recent government actions with respect, not violence
he violent death of Renee Good is the tragedy that I feared and that no one wanted to see happen. The fact her death occurred half a country away on the snow-covered streets of Minnesota does not lessen the impact and the sadness surrounding the loss of a mother of three to those of us […]
Posted inOpinion
It’s time to stand up to the bully
Like a big, out-of-control bully, America strides across the world, making enemies wherever it goes, acting as if there will be no consequences. Both our president and our country are behaving like spoiled children, demanding whatever they want and giving nothing in return. They claim the world is theirs by divine right, and the president’s […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Get your hands dirty at Buellton’s Community Clayworks studio
When a friend asked Veronica Medina whose job she would want out of anyone in the world, Medina immediately had an answer: her high school ceramics teacher. The question came after Medina graduated from college and began contemplating her next step. “I just had this absolute, instinctive moment of clarity,” Medina said. “I couldn’t think […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Barbara County is taking applications for art impact grants
The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture is taking applications for the 2026 County Arts Making Impact (AMI) grant, a program that aims to expand arts access and eliminate barriers to participation. Nonprofit organizations and artists with fiscal sponsors can apply for up to $5,000 grants, with a total of $50,000 available, by […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
See work by Danish artist Susanne Thea at the Elverhoj Museum
Paintings and hand-colored copper etchings by Danish artist Susanne Thea are up at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art through March 22. The exhibit, Snapshots: Traveling with HC Andersen, is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s A Poet’s Bazaar from 1842. Thea connected Andersen’s era with the digital age, traveling the same route he took […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is a throwback whodunit with old-school charm
Agatha Christie’s Seven DialsWhat’s it rated? TV-14 What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Netflix Created by Chris Chibnall (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) and directed by Chris Sweeney (Back to Life, The Tourist, Apples Never Fall), this British three-part miniseries is based on Christie’s 1929 novel The Mystery […]
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Netflix’ new action cop drama The Rip keeps you guessing
The RipWhat’s it rated? PG When? 2026 Where’s it showing? Netflix Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces, The Grey) directs this script he co-wrote about a team of Miami cops tipped off to a house full of millions in cash. They’re tasked with counting the money on-site, and suspicion and paranoia grow in the wake of an […]