Quinceañeras, weddings, and festivals are a few of the potential uses for a future event area outside of the Lompoc Theatre. On May 13, city Planning Commissioners gave the go-ahead for the space, a building addition, and a partial demolition that’ll support the long-planned project meant to help revitalize Old Town Lompoc. The Lompoc Theatre […]
Lompoc Planning Commission ushers theater project forward
Posted inNews
St. Joseph High School puts principal on leave
A few weeks shy of St. Joseph High School’s summer break, the proverbial bell rang early for Principal Erinn Dougherty. In mid-May, the private school’s superintendent announced that Dougherty “has been placed on administrative leave pending a review of reported verbal comments made in a meeting of students.” “Please know that the well-being and care […]
Posted inNews
Guadalupe approves new family housing with carport caveat
Porch swings. Picket fences. Homeowners associations. Among the tropes often associated with quiet, suburban neighborhoods, the concept of an enclosed garage seemed like a given for some attendees of the Guadalupe City Council’s May 12 meeting. Against the wishes of a local developer, however, the council decided that evening to approve his new 15-unit single-family […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: May 28, 2026
•On May 11, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal conducted an oversight visit to the Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility to meet with detainees, three of whom are Central Coast residents. The detained constituents are from Santa Maria, Goleta, and Ojai, according to Carbajal’s office. “The stories shared by these Central Coast residents reflect […]
Posted inNews
Yoga instructor and self-care author hosts free monthly wellness workshops in Nipomo
Not long after St. Patrick’s Day rolled around this year, Marilyn Mercado felt it was fitting to teach the attendees of her new yoga series’ debut class about clover breathing. This breathwork technique includes four simple steps, or “clover leaves” as they’re nicknamed: inhale, hold, exhale, and pause. Casually structuring some segments of her monthly […]
Posted inOpinion
Spiritual problems
Now might be the time for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to take a long hard look at the way St. Joseph High School Principal Erinn Dougherty has managed the Orcutt Catholic school over the past eight years. Dougherty’s on administrative leave pending a decision the archdiocese will make after reviewing what she told students—allegedly—while […]
Posted inOpinion
Local veterans shouldn’t have to prove that their illnesses are a direct result of their service
National Military Appreciation Month—celebrated every May—serves as a reminder of Americans’ commitment to honoring the sacrifices and contributions of troops and their families in Santa Barbara County, California, and beyond. Through an array of events, communities come together to express gratitude to those who willingly devoted their lives to safeguard the nation. But what has […]
Posted inOpinion
Vote for Supervisor Paulding
I’m a 13-year resident of Nipomo, which has no city government. The SLO County Board of Supervisors is very important, as this is our only political representation. Jimmy Paulding continues to be my choice as our South County supervisor. He is honest, hardworking, well informed by involvement with citizens to work on county problems. He […]
Posted inOpinion
My vote is with Adam Verdin
Public safety is the most fundamental duty of county government, yet it often feels like our law enforcement and firefighters are being asked to do more with less. When our first responders lack the resources they need, it’s a failure of accountability by the SLO County Board of Supervisors. Adam Verdin has made public safety […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A Santa Maria music teacher released her first EP in more than 25 years
In a 1992 episode of Golden Girls, Dorothy sat at a table inside a bar. Next to her a piano player led her in song. Dorothy started singing the melancholic “What’ll I Do” by Irving Berlin. Dorothy rose to her feet midway through, completely serenading the crowd. When Christine Fogh watched the scene on TV […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The paranormal circus brings frights back to Santa Maria
The wheel of death. Aerial hoops. Narrow beams. Performers at Cirque Italia’s Paranormal Voodoo show will navigate all this and more on the evenings of May 29 to June 1. Head to the Santa Maria Fairpark for a thrilling and wickedly dangerous sight. “You will fall into a parallel world and end up surrounded by […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
See this month’s solo show at Gallery Los Olivos before it’s gone
There’s but one limit to the current Gallery Los Olivos exhibit, titled Limitless. It’s only up until May 31. Ann Wirtz is the painter responsible for the solo exhibit featuring abstract, figurative canvases that express the relationships people have with their environments. Themes include play and risk but really anything that’s a result of letting […]
