This four-part documentary series directed by Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?) and written by Sara Enright (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes) follows media mogul Rupert Murdoch as his children compete to see who will inherit his multibillion-dollar media empire. (four 47- to 56-min. episodes) Dynasty: The MurdochsWhat’s it rated? TV-MA What’s […]
<i>Dynasty: The Murdochs</i> examines media mogul Ruport Murdoch’s life and family
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
DTF St. Louis is a twisty mystery filled with promiscuity
DTF St. LouisWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2026 Where’s it showing? HBO Max I heard Jason Bateman talking about this series on his podcast Smartless as it was being made, so when DTF St. Louis hit HBO streaming, I thought I was ready for what was to come. I’d seen the trailer, I knew the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Netflix’s Breakdown: 1975 offers a brief look at the best films of that era
Breakdown: 1975What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Netflix Morgan Neville (Lorne, Man on the Run) directs this documentary he co-wrote with Alan Lowe (Mr. November, Lorne) that examines the year 1975 through the lens of the risk-taking movies released that year: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Shampoo, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
From fine dining to delicatessen delights, Tony Minniti knows how to please a crowd
Before discovering Tony’s on Palisade, Craig Diamantopoulos was indifferent about driving with his wife to her doctor’s appointments. She commutes from their home in Lompoc to the Marian Regional Medical Center campus in Santa Maria. But for months now, Diamantopoulos has insisted on making the trek with his wife so he can grab a bite. […]
Posted inNews
Greenbacks: Guadalupe’s sole dispensary asks for a local cannabis-tax ballot measure
Goody bags. Discounted gummies. Complimentary munchies. On the eve of a local dispensary’s 4/20 celebratory sale, Root One got a price reduction of its own tied to a city fee the cannabis retailer pays to operate in Guadalupe. During a public hearing on April 14, Guadalupe officials discussed a request from Root One owner Austen […]
Posted inNews
County endorses Gregg Hart’s jail accountability bill
Resolving some residents’ misunderstanding of state Assembly Bill 2257 was a key issue for both supporters and detractors of the proposed legislation during the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ April 21 hearing. “This was pulled by quite a few members of the board. I personally pulled it for a couple reasons,” 4th District Supervisor […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria-Bonita brings on a statewide nonprofit to run after-school programs
Two local groups will continue providing after-school enrichment for elementary and middle school students in Santa Maria, but a statewide organization will soon be in the mix, too. Santa Maria-Bonita School District board members voted 4-1 on April 15 to approve three-year contracts with the Boys and Girls Club of the Central Coast, the Santa […]
Posted inNews
Strawberry grower pays $66,000 to resolve labor dispute
A saga brewing since 2022 for two local ag workers led to a recent $66,000-plus settlement from their employer. In early April, the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) announced that a complaint filed against Red Blossom Farms in Santa Maria was resolved when the strawberry grower agreed to compensate two individuals for $66,925 in […]
Posted inNews
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) recently signed onto U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (D-Maryland) bill to give Congress a role in determining when a president is unfit to carry out their duties. The bill would establish a nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of Office, the body called for […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria Valley Chamber partners with campaign professionals to host a candidate academy
For anyone who’s ever been interested in running for office, there’s an upcoming candidate workshop in Santa Maria to help first-timers hit the ground running. The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce partnered with Pacific Campaign Solutions to organize a master class-style event that aims to show participants the ins and outs of managing an […]
Posted inCanary
Angry Andy
Andy Caldwell sure likes to make a big stink about things! His e-blast before the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ April 21 meeting was dramatic. “HUGE attack on Sheriff Brown and Law and Order at Tomorrow’s BOS MEETING,” the subject line screamed. “Unfortunately, Chair [4th District Supervisor Bob] Nelson put an item … on […]
Posted inOpinion
Santa Maria City Council’s appointment process is seriously flawed
Ricardo Batalla was chosen to represent the voters of District 1 on the City Council by Mayor Alice Patino and Councilmembers Gloria Flores and Maribel Aguilera at the April 7 council meeting. I wish Mr. Batalla, father of three and director of youth development at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA, the very best. He will […]