The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted on June 6 to ban short-term rentals—or vacation rentals—from residential and most agricultural zones in unincorporated areas of the county starting in September 2018, effectively eliminating millions of transient occupancy tax (TOT) dollars per year from the county’s tax base. The 3-2 vote came just a week […]
North County supervisors lament lost tax revenue sources after recent short-term rental ban
Posted inNews
Unmarked burial site verified at Mission Santa Ines
The buried remains of hundreds of mission-era people were discovered at the Santa Ines Mission grounds on June 1 after a visit from an Institute for Canine Forensics team. The effort to search the grounds for previously unknown remains was spearheaded by mission archivist Sheila Benedict, who made an educated guess that there were people […]
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County departments face staffing cuts
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown was very clear with the Board of Supervisors during the first day of budget hearings on June 12: “None of these cuts are at all palatable.” The County Executive Officer’s proposed budget recommends reducing staffing levels by almost 188 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees to make up for a predicted […]
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Man arrested after all-night standoff in Buellton
A 53-year-old Buellton man on probation allegedly barricaded himself in his house with his wife and threatened to set the building on fire. After a seven-hour overnight standoff, he surrendered to authorities on June 13, according to a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office press release. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call on the […]
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Lompoc budget decision delayed
The Lompoc City Council decided at its June 8 meeting to extend budget discussions past June 30 after a lengthy review of the 2017-19 draft budget. The special meeting ended with the unanimous decision to extend the deadline and the city’s current budget operations to Aug. 31, which comes after recent meetings where the city […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local Notes: Bottlest concert series pairs wine and music
Bottlest is Buellton’s newest attraction to the wine scene, offering a unique chance to blend wines or just hang out, eat, and taste. But now, the new spot is adding “concert venue” to its title. The restaurant and wine bar—owned by Terravant Wine Company—began a new concert series, titled Crafted, at the beginning of June. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Various city committees need representatives to serve
The Block Grants Advisory Committee, Landmark Committee, Library board of trustees, and the Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Committee are now accepting applications for people to serve on the various committees. The Block Grants Advisory Committee is looking for people who have an understanding of the housing and community development needs and knowledge in providing […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc Resident wins Leadership in Arts Award
Vicki Andersen was awarded the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission 2017 Leadership in the Arts Award for the significant impact she has on the arts and culture in the county. Every year the Leadership in the Arts Award is given to an individual or organization that has made a positive difference in the arts and […]
Posted inOpinion
What’s your favorite food?
Genesis Acosta cashier “Hmm, I’d have to say pizza.” Freddy Godinez Marine Corps “Can I pick more than one? I’d say chicken alfredo, lasagna, torta, tacos … I could go on, I love food.” Alex Villa sales manager “Well I’m Mexican so maybe Mexican food would be my favorite. But really, I love everything.” Fernanda […]
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Mixing it up: Central Coast mixologists have fun behind the bar, and more in our annual celebration of cuisine
A purple lemon-drop inspired drink garnished with fresh lavender may not be exactly what you’d expect at a traditional Irish pub. But Mason Frakes, bar manager at Rooney’s Irish Pub in Orcutt who created the vodka-heavy concoction, thinks it’s right at home next to a long list of Irish beers and whiskeys. “I like playing […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Tastes grrreat: Get your hands on classic burgers and sandwiches at Tony’s Burgers
When John Stankis first walked into Tony’s Burgers in Santa Maria, he had no idea the impact it would have on his life. He was just there to grab a quick bite to eat. He always tries new burger joints, Stankis told the Sun, for a very good reason. Stankis grew up in Compton with […]
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Solving summer hunger: Foodbank to host free lunch events for Santa Barbara County’s children
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County will offer free lunches to kids this summer via its Picnic in the Parks program, which aims to compensate for free and reduced-price school lunches while school’s out for summer. The North County program will run at 10 park sites in Santa Maria and Orcutt on weekdays from June […]