I was perusing the movie reviews in this week’s Sun and then started looking through the archives for the last several weeks. I noticed one glaring omission, Sound of Freedom. The Starkeys have reviewed every top box office movie in the last several weeks except Sound of Freedom. This movie has held the No. 2 […]
A glaring omission in the <i>Sun</i>
Posted inOpinion
Converting to all electric vehicles for low- to medium-income families is a pipe dream
I honestly believe that the political class in Sacramento is losing their collective minds. In my last commentary (“Solutions?” July 13), I pointed out that “the U.S. government is now preparing to hand out $400 billion for green energy projects, and this is just the beginning of the trip down the climate change rabbit hole.” […]
Posted inOpinion
Longevity
I’m more bird-brained than usual this week because instead of our typical in-depth news, we’re running our annual 55 Fiction contest winners. It’s a highlight of the year for our publication, to be sure, and it gets me all inspired to be shorter and more to the point in this column. So bear with me. […]
Posted inNews
The Santa Barbara County APCD opens up new grant programs to help residents transition to equipment that relies on renewable energy
For 35 years, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District has been helping residents and business owners replace old equipment with newer, more environmentally friendly versions through its Clean Air Grants. “It’s been interesting to see how the technology has evolved over time and how the options have grown for cleaner engines, and also […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: July 27, 2023
• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) voted to move the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act out of committee and into the Senate for consideration. The committee action follows recent public reports detailing potentially unethical behavior by members of the Supreme Court, highlighting the lack of transparency and enforceable ethics standards for the […]
Posted inNews
Federal court rules that Pine Mountain tree removal project can move ahead
A federal judge ruled in favor of a U.S. Forest Service (USFS) chaparral removal project on Pine Mountain following a lawsuit brought forth by several environmental organizations and government agencies with concerns about environmental law violations. “The court concludes that the USFS relied on best available science … and concludes that plaintiffs have failed to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
BINGEABLE: Jury Duty
Jury Duty What’s it rated? TV-14 When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime’s Freevee Whatever lengths the casting department had to go through to get Ronald Gladden to sign up for this experiment were well worth it. He thinks he’s on a real jury, one that’s being filmed for a documentary showing the process of […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
NEW FLICKS: Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer What’s it rated? R When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Based on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s 2006 biography, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, screenwriter-director Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Inception, Dunkirk) helms this film adaptation about the American […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Barbie is a glittery, bubblegum examination of patriarchy
Barbie What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Glen? Full price What’s it worth, Anna? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Co-written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Frances Ha, Marriage Story) and directed by Gerwig (Lady […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
55 Fiction 2023 Tales tell the short—not the long—of it
Each year, we take story submissions from across the country for our 55 Fiction contest. People send us miniature novels, short but not necessarily sweet. The briefest stories in the world weave tales about murder, loss, love, family, pets, pouting, and more. In 55 words or less, we get the characters, the tension, and the […]
Posted inNews
Buellton Planning Commission compliments revisions on multi-year ARCO project
A gas station project with an Avenue of Flags address has continuously raised red flags with the Buellton Planning Commission, which halted the proposal from moving forward in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Periodically revised and resubmitted for review, the plan to build a new ARCO station in Buellton finally gained positive traction from planning […]
Posted inNews
County kicks off new mobile farmworker resource center
Employment, education, financial, emergency, and health and human services assistance are the main goals for Santa Barbara County’s new mobile farmworker resource center. “We want to do case [management] and have that discussion to figure out the true needs [they] have. Is it a day care situation, lack of food, or lack of training?” program […]