In mid-February, Solvang Theaterfest welcomed some new leaders on its executive board. Solvang Theaterfest Executive Director Chantel Green said in press materials that each individual is bringing “invaluable experience and enthusiasm to help guide our organization forward.” The new additions to Solvang Theaterfest’s leadership team are Board Chair Don Conner, Vice Chair Brad Vidro, Treasurer […]
Solvang Theaterfest announces new board executives and concert plans
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Trilogy Art Group holds spring exhibit at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts
March gladness The Clark Center for the Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande will debut its new exhibit of artworks by members of the Trilogy Art Group on Saturday, March 1. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, March 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. The show is scheduled to remain on display through Wednesday, […]
Posted inOpinion
County supervisors deserve the pay raise
I can already hear the howls of outrage about the proposed pay hike for our Board of Supervisors. What I don’t hear is an understanding of how hard they work, and how grossly underpaid they have been for far too long. Consider this: According to a recent survey of comparable counties, Santa Barbara County Supervisors […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t Palestinians have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
No matter who is in our White House, Israel rules our country. Three hundred and twenty-nine members of our House of Representatives are supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) political action committee. In the last congressional elections, AIPAC spent millions of dollars to defeat candidates who would not do their bidding. A […]
Posted inOpinion
Food for thought
How do you create a lasting peace when you do not include in negotiations the people who need to be involved to make it work (Ukraine and Gaza)? How does someone who considers himself a shrewd negotiator sacrifice his trump cards (NATO, Donbas) before negotiations even begin? How do you believe and trust people who […]
Posted inOpinion
Defend the future
Droves of local residents are speaking up in fear of the past repeating itself, in opposition to a present danger, and in defense of the future. They’re speaking out at local government meetings, making demands and expressing concerns. Their public comments and protests are not falling on deaf ears, but local leaders’ hands are tied. […]
Posted inNews
Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum returns cultural artifacts to Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Two baskets; a steatite stone model of a Chumash tomol, or plank canoe; and an early 1900s photograph of Santa Ynez Chumash ancestors. These four culturally significant items were recently returned to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians by the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum in compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: February 27, 2025
• On Feb. 20, Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) led a budget subcommittee hearing over federal funding in California. “America’s hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and diversity, California is the fifth largest economy in the world. California subsidizes the rest of the country, contributing $80 billion more in federal tax dollars than we receive back […]
Posted inNews
Nipomo residents express concerns about battery energy storage plant safety
Unextinguishable fire. Nickel, manganese, and cobalt in the air. Tremors, tight lungs, and itchy skin. These are a few of the results emerging from the recent Moss Landing battery plant fire in Monterey County. With the fire heightening concerns about a recently completed battery energy storage system Nipomo and a proposed facility in Morro Bay, […]
Posted inNews
Environmentalists question Sable’s ability to handle an oil pipeline disaster
Sable Offshore Corporation has the financial ability and insurance coverage it needs to handle any potential future disasters caused by the pipeline that spawned the Refugio Oil Spill in 2015, according to Santa Barbara County staff. But environmental organizations disagree. That disaster cost the pipeline’s then owner/operator, Plains All-American, $870 million in cleanup and remediation, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Modern couples ditch roses and traditional arrangements, opting for more unique blooms and designs
Find inspiration To take a look at the florists’ past designs for weddings, parties, and more, visit @frugal_and_foraged and @flowercarriage on Instagram. Roses are red. Violets are blue. Florists must keep up with the wedding trends too. Right now, that includes bolder designs that are unique and new, with more natural flower choices shining through. […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria students marched toward City Hall to protest immigration enforcement tactics
School bells didn’t dictate about 300 students’ early departure from local campuses, recalled Cesar Vasquez, the 17-year-old organizer of a Feb. 18 walkout. The recent rally called for certain protective parameters between Santa Maria residents—documented or not—and officers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Students from middle schools and high schools in Santa Maria and […]