As Pride Month raises its fantastic colors on the Central Coast, it feels extra prescient. History feels omnipresent, rather than in the not-too-distant past, when it comes to discrimination—both outright and under-the-radar—against the LGBTQ-plus community. The outrage against what rainbow flags symbolize for some people isn’t unique to the Santa Ynez Valley. And the irony […]
A right to visibility
Posted inOpinion
What’s really behind the Richards Ranch annexation proposal?
I wonder if we have been asking the wrong questions regarding Richards Ranch LLC and its application to annex county key site 26 into the city of Santa Maria. The two questions we might consider: 1) Who are the members of the Richards Ranch LLC, and 2) What is their goal? Over a year ago, […]
Posted inOpinion
County supervisors need to experience the stench surrounding cannabis operations before ruling on permit appeals
Anyone living near a cannabis operation is familiar with the horrendous stink that lingers in the air 24 hours a day for months at a time. Some of these operations are close to Lompoc, and being someone who lives in the odor path, I can tell you that these operations have a serious impact on […]
Posted inFood & Drink
French Fries in Arroyo Grande is a fiery beacon to french fry fans
When customers approach the front counter of French Fries in Arroyo Grande, they’ll find a list of 10 different french fry styles to choose from: shoestring, crinkle, wedge, sidewinder, waffle, curly, seashore, steak, sweet potato, and tater tots. There are also dozens of topping options to pick from, including chili, pulled pork, carne asada, cheese curds, poutine gravy, bacon, guacamole, nacho cheese, and much more.
Posted inSpecial Issues
It’s Pride Month
As we roll into national Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ-plus community seems especially poignant following a year of anti-trans legislation across the country, attempts to ban gender identity and sexual orientation from sex education, and fights in local schools and cities over rainbow flags and crosswalks. In 2023, SLO and Santa Barbara counties are hosting Pride events all June long. For this year’s annual Pride issue, Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor has event details for you; and New Times Staff Writer Adrian Rosas from the Sun’s sister paper writes about trans visibility and what local organizations are doing to lift them up.
Posted inNews
Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley hosts educational opportunities for parents, students about substance use
Educational opportunies Visit fbsmv.com, like Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley’s Facebook page, or follow them on Instagram @fbsmv to stay up to date with the nonprofit’s parent and youth education and substance use prevention programs. Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley formed in 2003 as the Drug and Alcohol Coalition to educate the community’s youth on […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: June 1, 2023
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) co-led two bills aimed at strengthening U.S. supply chains, alleviating congestion, and improving efficiency in U.S. transportation corridors, according to a May 24 statement from the congressman’s office. The House Committee on Transportation advanced legislation that allows a variance of up to 10 percent weight between axles of […]
Posted inNews
Five Cities Fire Authority agrees to Oceano’s contract terms
The Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) prevailed in its attempt to negotiate an interim emergency fire and medical services contract with the Five Cities Fire Authority (FCFA). In a unanimous vote on May 24, the Arroyo Grande City Council accepted the changes the OCSD wanted to a proposal the city had drafted with its neighbor […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria closer to zero emissions fleet with 16-bus purchase
Santa Maria purchased 16 new electric buses, and the City Council approved a new plan that analyzes its approach to achieving a 100 percent renewable energy fleet—putting it well ahead of the state’s 2040 deadline for local transportation agencies to transition to renewable energy, Transit Manager Gamaliel Anguiano said. The California Air Resources Board is […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe City Council green-lights upcoming cannabis dispensary
A cannabis retailer’s plan to open a new storefront in Guadalupe is moving forward with a conditional use permit. Members of the Guadalupe City Council voted unanimously to grant Element 7, a California-based dispensary chain with shops in eight cities across the state, the permit during a public hearing on May 23. The only condition […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
BINGEABLE: Silo
Silo What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus Creator Graham Yost (Band of Brothers, Justified) runs this show based on novelist Hugh Howey’s Wool series about a dystopian future where 10,000 people exist in an underground bunker called the Silo. They’ve been told the outside world is poisonous and uninhabitable, […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
BINGEABLE: High Desert
High Desert What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2023 Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus Luckily for us, it seems everything Patricia Arquette touches is gold these days, and High Desert is no exception. Reminiscent a bit of Poker Face, Peggy is someone with mysteries to solve. She’s flawed, and her brother and sister are sick […]