In the stand-off to see who wins in the great pipeline battle of the 2020s, it seems like Sable Offshore Corporation’s closer to the finish line than environmental organizations want it to be. In May 2025, the oil company began pumping oil from its offshore oil platforms to its onshore facility in Las Flores Canyon, […]
Who’s counting?
Posted inOpinion
Shortsighted politicians never consider the impacts of their decisions
What do you do when you have a significant government budget deficit? If you are a politician in Santa Barbara County or the governor of California, you double down on shutting off revenue flows. Both the state of California and Santa Barbara County are facing significant budget shortfalls; according to the state Legislative Analyst’s Office, […]
Posted inOpinion
Let’s work together to find peace
Freedom is peace, and peace is freedom. Peace. We all seek peace. In our lives. In our families. Among our friends and neighbors. In our country, and in the world. But we may ask ourselves, “Is peace even attainable?” And, “Is there anything I can do to bring peace into my life and into the […]
Posted inOpinion
At least we Californians passed Proposition 50 legally
I would like to inform John Donegan (“The ideological spirit of California Supreme Court Justice Rose Bird lives on with Proposition 50,” Jan. 1) that the only reason we in California needed Proposition 50 is because of Trump insisting on illegal gerrymandering in Texas and other states. At least we did it legally! Jacqueline Claire […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
In Santa Maria, a former art teacher opens a small business to continue expressing his creativity
Marty McLaughlin’s favorite part of his career as an educator was teaching first grade. It’s how he spent the bulk of his time as an elementary school teacher, rounding out a tenure of more than 20 years in the Santa Maria and Orcutt districts. Having studied art in college, he returned to teach the subject […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Chumash Casino hosts comedian Felipe Esparza
Actor and comedian Felipe Esparza will be playing the Chumash Casino Resort on Jan. 23 during his At My Leisure world tour. His stand-up starts at 8 p.m. in the Samala Showroom. After overcoming substance abuse, Esparza found stand-up comedy and began performing when he was 18 years old. His routines comment on cultural identity […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
PCPA presents a new musical, Woven
On Jan. 17 and 18, the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) is bringing back its InterPlay reading series with the new musical, Woven. The story, written by Jessica Smith Campbell, is a fresh take on Homer’s The Odyssey told through Penelope’s perspective. She faces witches and goddesses, testing her resilience while Odysseus is away on his […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Life of Chuck is a poetic rumination on life, consciousness, and death
Writer-director Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep) brings Stephen King’s 2020 novella of the same name to the big screen in this story about an ordinary man, Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), and his largely unremarkable life. (111 min.) The Life of ChuckWhat’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Pluribus follows a body snatcher-style alien invasion that’s affected all but a handful of humans
PluribusWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Apple TV+ Successful but disillusioned romantasy novelist Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) gives readings attended by gaggles of middle-aged women lusting after her strapping leading man. Her manager, Helen (Miriam Shor), is also her romantic partner, and when they return to Albuquerque following a successful tour, a […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Lowdown is a gritty crime dramedy with a compelling central character
The LowdownWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Hulu Created by Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs), this comedy crime drama set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, follows bookstore owner and investigative journalist Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), who calls himself a “truthstorian” and works to root out local corruption. Raybon has a code of honor but operates […]
Posted inFood & Drink
A Lompoc jam maker’s hobby is now a vibrant business
Rachel Alcocer’s peach cobbler jam flew off her metaphorical shelves this year. It’s one of her seasonal flavors, and she can only make it when peaches are growing on her tree. “I like to do the seasonal fruit in the area,” Alcocer said. “I like to do the stuff that’s available to me because it’s […]
Posted inNews
See ya: A look back at 2025’s headlines in northern Santa Barbara County
This past year was full of headlines about the Trump administration, federal job cuts, and increased immigration enforcement. But through all of that national news, northern Santa Barbara County was still humming along, impacted by the new federal polices and national politics and continuing with business as usual. The biggest, most consistent headlines were about […]