Menus – Fall/Winter 2025
Posted inNews
‘Hoof pursuit’: The Santa Maria Police Department’s mounted unit just got two more officers
One of Santa Maria’s Town Center East shopping plazas felt like the Old West to two police officers who chased down a suspected shoplifter outside of Big 5 Sporting Goods last summer. “We were actually in a hoof pursuit,” Santa Maria Police Department officer Jessica Rubio recalled, while sitting on her patrol horse named Buddy. […]
Posted inNews
Prescribed burn coming to Sedgwick Reserve to manage vegetation and reduce wildfire fuel
The county Fire Department will begin prescribed burns around the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys with a nearly $1 million grant from Cal Fire. “It’s one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to reduce fuel,” Santa Barbara County Fire Marshal Fred Tan told the Sun. First, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department will […]
Posted inNews
Solvang City Council upholds delay of ‘whimsical’ hotel development
During a routine inspection of a Solvang hotel in the building process, the city ordered its owner to halt construction after discovering inconsistencies between approved blueprints and the project as it now stands. “We did issue a stop work order for the on-site work which went beyond the scope of the permit,” Solvang Community Development […]
Posted inNews
County Planning Commission approves 99-unit affordable apartment complex in Orcutt
Described as a win-win project by some local officials, an affordable housing development set for East Foster Road in Orcutt will cause the surrounding area to lose its “overall character,” in the eyes of one homeowners association. “We absolutely understand the need for more affordable housing. Our concern isn’t about who will live there,” Edgewood […]
Posted inPolitical Watch
Political Watch: October 16, 2025
• On Oct. 7, U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-California) and Alex Padilla (D-California) partnered with state representatives from Oregon and Illinois on a joint statement that addresses National Guard deployment concerns related to each officials’ respective state. “Whether in Los Angeles, Chicago, or Portland, the Trump administration continues fabricating claims of chaos and crime on […]
Posted inNews
New children’s computers with educational games are at the Santa Maria library
Connecting the dots, learning colors, and solving jigsaw puzzles are some of the activities kids now have access to on bilingual learning computers at the Santa Maria Public Library. The computers provide safe, engaging educational content for ages 2 to 12. Set up in the children’s area on the first level of the library at […]
Posted inCanary
Color and whimsy
A fairy-tale Danish “village” has Solvang’s policy preferences all twisted up. Nine cottage-style hotel units went a little off-script during the construction process, and Solvang put a stop to developer Ed St. George’s dreams. Apparently, he got a little too slap-happy with the half-timbers for the city’s liking. Too much wood! St. George didn’t take […]
Posted inCommentaries
Congress should be held accountable for not producing a budget on time
Government “shutdowns” have occurred numerous times over the last few decades due to a lack of an approved budget, but the politicians we elect to provide funding have never been held accountable. It’s time for a change, but how? Based on an email recently sent by Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), it appears that the […]
Posted inOpinion
Get ready to vote in the upcoming special election
The League of Women Voters urges all eligible voters to get ready to vote in the upcoming special election on Nov. 4 by registering to vote, studying fact-based information on Proposition 50, and casting an informed vote. Vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be sent to all active registered voters in early October, […]
Posted inOpinion
Mail-in ballots are at risk of being hijacked
We have an upcoming election aimed at combating rigged elections. Our ballots and envelopes are mailed to everyone, unsecured, and are returned to unmanned ballot boxes. The instructions advise, “It’s OK to re-seal (the envelope) with tape.” The ballot instructions for voting advise, “If you make a mistake, mark an X over the oval filled […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A Santa Barbara artist displays four mediums of work inspired by his Brazilian culture
In Paulo Lima’s mind, a rusty piece of wire in the middle of the street was a great topper for one of his sculptures. Even though he thought the metal had been run over by a car, it didn’t matter. “I picked it up in the middle of the street, like, ‘Oh my God. This […]
