Over the span of his 27-year career as a first responder, Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Garrett Huff has seen his fair share of animals in distress. “Horses have been some of the most challenging animal rescues that I’ve been part of, not only because of their size but the situations they can get themselves […]
Firefighters, wildlife agencies rescue owl entangled in a car grille
Posted inPolitical Watch
Political Watch: January 1, 2026
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced on Dec. 22 that the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act was signed into law. Carbajal co-sponsored this bipartisan legislation, which expands federal death and disability benefits for firefighters. It updates the Public Safety Officer’s Benefits Program, for example, to cover specific cancers linked to firefighting and emergency […]
Posted inNews
Walmart Neighborhood Market’s Santa Maria locations celebrate remodels, donate grants to local nonprofits
Blue and yellow frosted cupcakes, carefully arranged on circular tabletops in Walmart’s corporate sunburst logo, awaited guests of two local ribbon-cutting ceremonies in late December. Both events commemorated recent remodel work at Santa Maria’s two Walmart Neighborhood Market locations. Rudy Villarreal, store manager at the South Bradley Road location, told the Sun that longtime customers […]
Posted inOpinion
Shock factor
Northern Santa Barbara County is rounding out 2025 with an alleged maternal filicide case that’s captured national interest. It’s a shocking case in which a 9-year-old girl from Vandenberg Village was murdered and left on the side of a remote road in Utah, where she stayed for weeks before being discovered. It’s sad on a […]
Posted inOpinion
The ideological spirit of California Supreme Court Justice Rose Bird lives on with Proposition 50
There is a lot of talk these days about gerrymandering, both in the context of Proposition 50 and in a pending challenge to a part of the Voters Rights Act of 1965 that requires that race be considered in redistricting so that a minority can be assured of districts in which they dominate. It seems […]
Posted inOpinion
Let’s spew out some big numbers for the people to love
President Trump’s recent staccato-like speech to the nation featured a host of big percentages, apparently to mask the little percentages in the 30s showing plummeting support for his economic policies. Our No. 47 boasted that the price of eggs was down 82 percent since March. Illegal drugs are down 94 percent. Also, 100 percent of […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Take a look at the creative communities that shined in 2025
I’m amazed by how locals foster so many arts communities in northern Santa Barbara County. Creative circles come to life in small towns and bigger cities, rounding up eager residents and seasonal visitors. There’s not nearly enough space to capture all the impactful work we saw in 2025. I think back to the Lompoc muralist […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Civic Theatre puts on a Patsy Cline-inspired musical
Performances pick back up at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre (SMCT) with Always, Patsy Cline, which runs every weekend from Jan. 9 to 25. “The show combines humor, sadness, and heartfelt moments, providing a nostalgic look back at Cline’s life and career,” according to the theater. “The funny and heartwarming script is perfect for the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc artists and businesses host the first community Art Walk of the year
The monthly Lompoc Art Walk is planned for Jan. 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. It’s hosted by the Lonely Plover Social Club, an organization that supports local businesses and artists. “Our mission is simple but impactful: to celebrate and elevate Lompoc’s vibrant arts community,” according to the organization’s website. Residents, businesses, and artists come […]
Posted inSun Screen
Goodbye June is somewhat cloying but tender family drama
In her directorial debut, Kate Winslet brings her son Joe Andres’ story to life about four semi-estranged siblings reuniting over their mother’s illness over the Christmas holiday. Failure-to-launcher Connor (Johnny Flynn) lives at home with his mum and dad, June (Helen Mirren) and Bernie (Timothy Spall), and a couple of weeks before Christmas, June takes […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Hollywood Con Queen follows stranger than fiction true story of a con artist
Hollywood Con QueenWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Apple TV+ I listened to the podcast Chameleon: Hollywood Con Queen when it came out a few years ago, so when I saw the title flash across our “New on Apple TV” screen, I knew I wanted to watch it even if I knew […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Avatar: Fire and Ash is visually stunning but nothing new plot-wise
Avatar: Fire and AshWhat’s it rated? PG-13 When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Arroyo Grande Director and co-writer James Cameron returns with this third installment in his Avatar franchise, and I’ll start by saying it’s absolutely visually stunning but absolutely derivative in its storytelling. All three Avatar films—Avatar […]
