To help fund workshops and other outreach efforts for public input about a proposed 10-mile bike and walking path through the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang recently agreed to set aside $30,000. āWe donāt want to step on toes. We want to learn from the community and see what works best,ā Michael Becker, planning director for […]
Solvang reserves $30,000 for 10-mile River Trail projectās design phase
Posted inNews
Political Watch: December 4, 2025
ā¢ U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-California), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) recently filed a dozen Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the Department of Justice while seeking records of āvarious episodes of potential executive branch misconduct or corruption,ā according to Schiffās office. One of the FOIA requests asks for records related […]
Posted inNews
Taylor Elementary Schoolās bilingual education specialist scores county accolade
While completing her teaching credential, Gloria Sevilla worked as a student teacher at Taylor Elementary School in Santa Maria, where she eventually returned to take on the role of bilingual education specialist. Her duties range from in-class instruction to essentially working as a case manager for bilingual students with disabilities, she explained in an email […]
Posted inOpinion
Cultural progress
Guadalupeās making progress, yāall! Itās one step closer to hosting a local farmers market and to reinvigorating its downtown with the Royal Theater renovation. Wow. Itās like hard work and patienceāa lot of patienceāpay off! And that patience needs to continue to stretch, because the theater hasnāt quite raised all the money it needs to […]
Posted inOpinion
Californiaās body politic is missing connective tissue
āEnergy policy is not within our purview.ā This was the response from the California Coastal Commission when recently presented with information about the critical role that Diablo Canyon Power Plant plays in the stateās clean, baseload energy supply. This statement, while perhaps a narrow interpretation of the Coastal Act, is the perfect encapsulation of a […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor
A proposal for a new political party in America to bring us together
In response to Mr. Doneganās call for the commencement of divorce proceedings by competing factions of the Democratic Party (āDemocratic divorce,ā Nov. 27)āenough with divisiveness and drama. Herewith, a proposal for a party to unify us: the Boring Party. Slogan: Moderation, and not too much of thatHeadquarters: Lake Woebegone, Minnesota (honorary); Bland, MissouriMascot: A dripping […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
One artistās inspiration transformed a hay barn into a modern gallery among vineyards in Santa Ynez
In Indonesian, indah means beautiful. Artist Max Gleason and his wife have traveled to the country multiple times, and in 2022 they lived there for six months. Having learned a little bit of the language, indah stuck with him. āThe word indah I thought wasāno pun intendedāa very beautiful sounding word, and the fact that […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Barbara Master Chorale performs at Gainey Vineyard
Catch a family-friendly holiday performance on Dec. 14 in the vineyard with a glass of wine for the adults and cookie decorating for the kids. Headlining is the Santa Barbara Master Chorale, which will sing traditional Christmas carols featuring conductor David Lozano Torres and pianist Heather Levin-White. The program is scheduled for almost an hour […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
El ErmitaƱo comes to PCPA
The Mexican Christmas play, El ErmitaƱo, returns to Santa Maria on Dec. 12 and 13. The hour-long show, hosted by the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA), is performed in Spanish and filled with music, comedy, and tradition. PCPA is partnering with actors from Tierra Blanca Arts Center, a nonprofit dedicated to offering multicultural art programs to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
If you saw Wicked, youāre going to see Wicked: For Good
Jon M. Chu directs this second part of the film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz spinoff Broadway musical, Wicked, which explores Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North. (138 min.) Wicked: For GoodWhatās it rated? PG Whatās it […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Come See Me in the Good Light examines spoken word poet Andrea Gibsonās fight for her life
I first heard about this from comedian Tig Notaroās podcast Handsome. Notaro is a producer on the film, but more importantly, she was a friend to the late Andrea Gibson and Andreaās wife, Megan Falley. The two were Denver area poets, and Andrea lost their life this past year to terminal ovarian cancer. Come See […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is a Wizarding World-centric baking competition
Whoever imagined this match-up certainly had nerds like me in mind. Do you like baking shows? Check. Do you like Harry Potter? Check. Well, Warner Bros. has managed to eke another production out of the magical series while putting the London set to use. Hosts James and Oliver Phelps, who played George and Fred Weasley […]
