• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) is spending a lot of time pushing back on the Trump administration’s policy pushes. Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January and began signing a flurry of executive orders, Carbajal’s office has put out several press releases about what the congressman is doing and saying about it, […]
Political Watch: February 13, 2025
Posted inNews
Sierra Club appeals to protect buffer area amid Phillips 66 refinery demolition
The remnants of Phillips 66’s Santa Maria Refinery on the Nipomo Mesa will be removed from 218 acres, but a Sierra Club appeal to protect a large buffer area stands in the way of complete demolition. “Placing a conservation easement on this land would greatly enhance the restoration efforts contemplated in the [draft environmental impact […]
Posted inNews
Santa Barbara County wine business improvement district gets greenlight
Four wineries protested to establishing a Santa Barbara County wine business improvement district, and one winemaker threatened a lawsuit over it—but that wasn’t enough to stop its approval. With at least 129 wineries in support of creating the district and approval from all eight cities, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to […]
Posted inNews
AMR gets ambulance contract for Santa Barbara County after lawsuit settlement
Fire chiefs across Santa Barbara County are unhappy with the county’s decision to settle a lawsuit with American Medical Response (AMR) and renew the ambulance provider’s contract. “Fire chiefs have consistently called for an EMS system that emphasizes transparency, accountability, and increases units on the street. Unfortunately, it seems like these concerns have largely fallen […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Central Coast Floats in SLO offers flotation therapy to naturally alleviate anxiety, depression, and chronic pain
Float on For more information about Central Coast Floats in San Luis Obispo, visit centralcoastfloats.com. Central Coast Floats is located at 4472 Broad St. Entering a white pod, I stepped into a foot of water. Blue and purple hues glowed, and crystal bowl-like music filled the enclosure as I sat down and nearly floated above […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Family Counseling and Trauma Healing Center combines ketamine-assisted psychotherapy with EMDR to speed up recovery
Learn more To read more about eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, visit the EMDR international association’s website at emdria.org. For more information on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, head to ketamineresearchfoundation.org. Psychology Today’s website offers search function for local therapists—including EMDR and ketamine-assisted therapies—at psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/ca. Some patients experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or other mental health […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Central Coast Art League members showcase still lifes at Los Olivos General Store
Still life is for the living The Los Olivos General Store debuted the Central Coast Art League’s current group show in November 2024. The exhibit is slated to remain on display through March 3. For more info, visit centralcoastartleague.com. The Los Olivos General Store is located at 2900 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. In a garage-sized […]
Posted inOpinion
Safer wind farms for all
Whether you are for or against wind farms off our coast, or on land for that matter, we all want them safer for the planet. With the idea of minimizing bird mortality, I have a couple of suggestions. To minimize deaths during the day, the blades as well as their support structure could be painted […]
Posted inOpinion
A small group of us could change a lot of things
This is to thank Gary Freiberg for his opinion piece in the Sun reminding us of the power of the people (“The price is wrong,” Jan. 30). Yes! Let’s start with having fewer eggs (or none at all until prices come down). Buy some nuts at the farmers market. Walnuts are shaped like our brains, […]
Posted inOpinion
All people deserve dignity
In response to “Encampments return to Santa Maria Riverbed” (Jan. 30): I understand that Japan removes homeless people from the street, provides a livable detention area with basic needs. Basically, they are incarcerated. They are cleaned up (from addiction) and given an opportunity to improve their ability to thrive and return back into society. If […]
Posted inOpinion
How many endangered species will be eradicated while misguided politicians try to ‘save the earth’?
In July 2023, a local media outlet reported on progress of a wind farm project south of Lompoc: “Strauss applied to the federal agency for the incidental take permit [to kill birds] in March 2023, with a BayWa representative saying an oversight led to the delayed application,” (Noozhawk, “Strauss Wind Energy Project Seeks to Operate […]
Posted inOpinion
Zapped!
Testy and zesty. That’s a good way to describe some of 3rd District county Planning Commissioner John Parke’s exchanges on Jan. 29. With cannabis odor on the agenda and potential ordinance changes set to come back—again—to the commission, he managed to take over the entire discussion. His insistences left commission chair, 2nd District Commissioner Laura […]