Gather the whole family for some two-stepping and disco moves at the Japanese Community Center on March 28. The theme for this year’s dance is Under the Sea. “Families are invited to dance, play, and connect at this ocean-themed, family-friendly rave,” according to the city. “Enjoy high-energy music, interactive fun, and dazzling lights in a […]
Everyone’s welcome to a family dance in Santa Maria
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Bride! is a guttural yawp into the patriarchal void
Writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal helms this updating of the Bride of Frankenstein story. Set in 1930s Chicago and up the Eastern seaboard, the story follows Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale), who’s referred to as Frank, as he asks Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening) to create him a companion to help cure his deep loneliness. They resurrect a dead […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Dead of Winter is an Emma Thompson-driven austere psychological thriller
Dead of WinterWhat’s it rated? R When? 2025 Where’s it showing? HBO Max Like Allison Janney’s Lou (2022), Dead of Winter is Emma Thompson’s turn to embrace her age and wrinkles while still proving what a tough, resourceful old bird she can be. Barb is in mourning, and her memories of her husband, Karl (Cúán […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Dawson’s Creek is pure late-’90s and early-2000s nostalgia
Dawson’s CreekWhat’s it rated? TV-14 When? 1998 to 2003 Where’s it showing? Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ After the recent and untimely death of James Van Der Beek at age 48 due to colorectal cancer, I—and probably a lot of women my age—was sent into a nostalgic tailspin. It seems just yesterday that the weekly show rotation […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The Culture food trailer wants to give you the best smashburger you’ve ever eaten
During the busiest shifts at his food trailer, Willie Galvan can crank out a smashburger in 10 or 11 minutes. When there’s no line, he can do it in five. “The buns take longer to toast than the burgers,” the Santa Maria native said. After an order comes in, he toasts the buns and heats […]
Posted inNews
You can stay here: Solvang may stop new short-term rentals in suburban neighborhoods
From a zebra-themed bed and breakfast to a permitted treehouse in someone’s backyard, Solvang resident Max Hanberg has booked some pretty wild vacation getaways in his lifetime. He and his wife were already frequent users of Airbnb and Vrbo by the time they began using both platforms to list a short-term rental of their own […]
Posted inNews
Santa Barbara County supervisors approve overtime, equipment to deal with unlawful food pop-ups
One freezer. Two steel storage containers. Six months of designated overtime. To improve and increase its enforcement efforts against unlawful food pop-ups across Santa Barbara County, Environmental and Health Services (EHS) recently asked the county Board of Supervisors for an extra $42,000. More than 75 percent of the sum will fund overtime hours for up […]
Posted inNews
New affordable senior housing is coming to Santa Maria
The city of Santa Maria is one step closer to breaking ground on 85 new senior housing units at the corner of Broadway and Stowell Road. A new three-story building will sustain 54 units, and an additional 31 will be added to the existing Vandenberg Senior Residence property. Apartments will be available for people 55 […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe abandons Brown Act route for Royal Theater committee
Over the past six months, the Guadalupe City Council has discussed its intention to form a Brown Act advisory committee to oversee the Royal Theater revival project multiple times. In September 2025, the council voted 4-1 (Councilmember Christina Hernandez dissented) to appoint a five-member board. On Feb. 24, Councilmember Whitney Furness motioned to uphold that […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: March 5, 2026
• On Feb. 28, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement in response to the Trump administration’s military strikes in Iran. “Congress was not given any information that would indicate there was an imminent threat coming from Iran. Without such credible evidence, there’s no justification in sending our servicemembers into this conflict,” stated […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc Valley Chamber aims for a reset
Calling all to LompocTo learn more about goings-on at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit lompoc.com or call (805) 736-4567. Its new office is located at 109 S. H St. next to Certain Sparks Music. In 2009, the Air Force brought Melanie Lindley to Lompoc. She discovered a love for the area and decided […]
Posted inOpinion
‘Shock and awe’
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has overtime on the brain. Only this time, it’s not the Sheriff’s Office taking up space on the meeting agenda. It’s Environmental Health Services (EHS). If you’re a public-facing business that could potentially be hazardous to public health, you know what this agency is all about. But the […]
