The Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization recently commissioned a report, the Community Health Needs Assessment, to assess the “health and well-being of Lompoc residents through four focus areas: financial stability and affordability, chronic illnesses, behavioral health, and healthy lifestyles.” Did the “organization representatives” have a hidden agenda? And were reports of chronic illness only based […]
California
Posted inSpecial Issues
California’s Phone-Free School Act took effect in July, but local parents want uniform enforcement
Two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act, kids in California are about to find out the effects of the bill once they return from summer break. By July 1, 2026, every school district, county office of education, and charter school had to develop and adopt policies to limit on-campus smartphone use. […]
Posted inNews
A courthouse divided: Assembly Bill 46 gives judges more discretion in mental health cases
Bipartisan support from legislators helped push a new directive forward that changes how courts throughout California decide whether to grant criminal offenders diagnosed with a mental illness a treatment-based alternative to jail time. Recently signed into state law, California Assembly Bill 46 redefines a judge’s discretion when considering a defendant’s application for mental health diversion. […]
Posted inOpinion
The state supersedes local control when it comes to ADUs and your quality of life
All you people out there who worked hard all your lives to live in a single-family neighborhood or think you’re safe from increased congestion in a homeowners association (HOA) managed development, get ready for a relatively new state law that can impact your quality of life. On June 10, the Lompoc Planning Commission debated a […]
Posted inOpinion
It will be another few weeks before we learn our next leaders, candidates for local, state, and federal races
As everyone who pays attention to California politics knows, elections are never resolved on Election Day. It’s always weeks and sometimes months before the final tally is complete. But initially, it appears that Democrats are satisfied with the pitiful condition of our state and county as they continue to support politicians who couldn’t care less […]
Posted inNews
Strawberry grower pays $66,000 to resolve labor dispute
A saga brewing since 2022 for two local ag workers led to a recent $66,000-plus settlement from their employer. In early April, the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) announced that a complaint filed against Red Blossom Farms in Santa Maria was resolved when the strawberry grower agreed to compensate two individuals for $66,925 in […]
Posted inOpinion
Sinking ship: Politicians are swamping the state’s financial future
If I were a state or local government employee in California, I would be concerned about my future retirement plan. Many local governments are suffering budget deficits; we read about these budget shortfalls regularly as revenue (tax-based funds) decreases and expenses increase. The Independent Institute’s website says, “Legislative analyst Gabe Petek, in his overview of […]
Posted inNews
Gregg Hart leads state oversight hearings on federal child care budget
With 20 years of experience running a preschool behind him, Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) described the Trump administration’s recent push to freeze federal child care funds in five states as hitting close to home. “As that applies to California, it means we are kind of out of the business of helping parents, kids, and […]
Posted inNews
Stacking up: Lawsuits against Lucia Mar school district allege sexual abuse, negligence
San Luis Obispo County’s largest school district faces three lawsuits filed within the last six months alleging child sexual abuse, assault, and negligence at the hands of its employees. A Mesa Middle School student, a Grover Beach Elementary School student, their guardians, and two former students at Dana Elementary School filed separate complaints against the […]
Posted inOpinion
Why are we still running over plovers?
On March 18, 2021, the California Coastal Commission made the historic decision that off-road vehicles must be removed from Oceano Dunes because off-road vehicle use jeopardizes one of the world’s rarest coastal ecosystems and endangered wildlife (not to mention harming local public health and air quality). Four years later, the court struck down the Coastal […]
Posted inNews
Court rules in favor of Sable on restart plan, for now
On Dec. 31, an appeals court ruled against environmental groups’ request to stay a federal decision approving Sable Offshore Corporation’s restart plans for two oil pipelines along the Gaviota Coast. The request was part of a lawsuit the Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Defense Center, and others filed against the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety […]
Posted inOpinion
Shortsighted politicians never consider the impacts of their decisions
What do you do when you have a significant government budget deficit? If you are a politician in Santa Barbara County or the governor of California, you double down on shutting off revenue flows. Both the state of California and Santa Barbara County are facing significant budget shortfalls; according to the state Legislative Analyst’s Office, […]
