It is my prayer that the slayers of the “Dana Reserve” native oaks at least allow a ceremony to be performed by the native Chumash and kindred spirits to bid farewell to the 3,000-plus Native Oaks that are to be sacrificed so that nonnatives can now reside on stolen Chumash land. In sympathy with our […]
Category Feature
Santa Maria painter Helen Yanez pays homage to her heritage through illustrations and collaborations
Spring showcase For more info on Santa Maria-based artist and freelance illustrator Helen Yanez, visit yanezsart.com. Yanez is one of the featured artists in Corazón Café’s second annual Chingonas show, which opened in early March and is slated to remain up through the end of April. The café is located at 847 Higuera St., San […]
Got odor?: County’s updated cannabis ordinance establishes threshold for odors from indoor grows
While standing on the property line of a licensed cannabis grower in a little more than one year’s time, a trained operator of a Nasal Ranger device will need to measure 4 or less D/T—dilution over threshold—for three minutes to determine whether the grower complies with the now amended cannabis ordinance. Arriving at this number […]
Local winemaker Emily Myers makes a name for herself through two SYV brands
Act naturally Visit eislynnwines.com or demetriaestate.com for more info on Eislynn Wines or Demetria Estate, respectively. Both brands are based in the Santa Ynez Valley. On Saturday, April 26, Eislynn Wines will be among the featured wineries at the Natural Coast, a Santa Barbara-based wine festival, from noon to 5 p.m. at The Factory, located […]
The Alto Knights chronicles the mafia’s decline in America
The Alto Knights What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Barry Levinson (Diner; The Natural; Rain Man; Bugsy; Good Morning, Vietnam) directs this script by Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino) about two New York crime […]
Political Watch: March 27, 2025
• Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) spoke at the 10th annual Association of California School Administrators Mid-State Conference held in San Luis Obispo about growing challenges to public education at the federal level, according to her office. “As a former public school teacher of 21 years, I know firsthand the dedication and resilience it takes […]
LEAP opens new early learning center to bridge education gap in Lompoc
Just 7 percent of children ages 0 to 2 and 62 percent of children ages 3 to 5 have access to licensed early childhood education in Lompoc, according to data from the Lompoc Early Learning Project. To help bridge this early education gap, LEAP opened the Lompoc Children’s Center at the Trinity Church of the […]
Democrats, take this opportunity to engage!
We’ve all seen the many viral videos of town hall meetings during which Republican voters are haranguing their elected Republican officials over the gutting of federal programs crucial to American families. As a result, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has been advising Republicans to stop holding town hall meetings for their […]
A $500,000 matching grant boosts SLO REP’s new theater capital campaign
Donate before June 30 Thanks to the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust’s generosity, through June 30, donations to the SLO Repertory Theatre will be doubled. Altogether, the project will cost $21.5 million, and there’s still $2.4 million to raise. More than 90 percent of the goal has been met to break ground in early 2026. […]
Novocaine is sweet, funny, bloody fun
Novocaine What’s it rated? R What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen bring Lars Jacobson’s action comedy to the screen about Nathan “Nate” Caine (Jack Quaid), an introverted bank executive […]
Amada Cellars opens wine tasting room in Los Alamos, making decades-old dream a reality
Opening soon On April 19, Amada Cellars will host the grand opening for its tasting room at 490 Bell St., No. 104, in Los Alamos. The event will feature a selection of their wines and live music. For more information on the new tasting room, visit exploretock.com/amada-cellars. Seated at a picnic table at Sequoia Grove […]
Precarious permits: Sable awaits Santa Barbara County’s decision on whether it can take over operator permits from ExxonMobil
About a month after Santa Barbara County supervisors voted 2-2 on the appeal to Sable Offshore Corporation’s permit transfer application, the county is still trying to decide what it means. “We are still considering the issue internally, and I do not have an update on our final determination yet,” county Energy, Minerals, and Compliance Deputy […]

