Southern Santa Barbara County’s supervisors like to get a little catty with one another. The once tight-knit liberal caucus has noticeably frayed since 2nd District Supervisor Laura Capps took her space up on the dais—with Capps and 1st District Supervisor Das Williams taking tiny, little jabs at one another during elongated board discussions. A great […]
Category Feature
Posted inOpinion
Rein in the Supreme Court with the Juduciary Act
The Supreme Court is running amok, and it’s past time we got it under control. In the year since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, abortion has been effectively banned (with extremely limited exceptions) in 14 states. Nearly 1 in 3 Americans have lost access to abortion care. This year, the court overturned […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
West Coast Swing group in Orcutt celebrates one-year anniversary
Just dance Local dance instructor Gina Sigman’s drop-in West Coast Swing class is held every Tuesday night, starting at 6:30 p.m., at the Cubanissimo Coffee House and Cafe, located at 4869 S. Bradley, suite 118, Orcutt. The group’s one-year anniversary celebration will follow its regularly scheduled dance session on Tuesday, July 25. Visit facebook.com/cubanissimocafe for […]
Posted inFood & Drink
SYV Botanic Garden pairs wine tastings with food documentary screenings
Saturdays in the park Find out more about Summer Saturday Movie Nights at losalamosflea.com. Wine tasting and film screening events in the series will take place on July 29 and Aug. 12 and 26 at the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, located at 151 Sycamore Drive, Buellton. Screenings start at 8 p.m. with wine tasting […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Bubbles and Tea Coffeehouse dishes out espresso, brunch, and sparkling wine in Nipomo
Cafe cravings Find out more about Bubbles and Tea Coffeehouse at bubblesandtea.co. The new shop opened in June and is located at 338 W. Tefft St., suite B, in Nipomo. After a WiFi lag disrupted her workflow, a separate issue bubbled to the surface for Nipomo resident Maricruz Sanchez. “I looked up coffee shops nearby,” […]
Posted inNews
Political Watch: July 6, 2023
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein (both D-California) announced that California was awarded more than $1.8 billion in funding for broadband access through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, a key component of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to a June 26 statement from Padilla’s office. BEAD is a federal grant […]
Posted inNews
Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm celebrates the flowers’ peak bloom and grand opening with July events
The lavender at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm is coming into full bloom just in time for the farm’s grand opening, Lucas Neumann said. Neumann works as the vice president of the Lompoc-based farm alongside his mother, Denise. The pair held a soft-launch for their farm in 2022 with property tours and private events because […]
Posted inOpinion
Newsom’s budget trailer bills get pushback from state legislators
At the height of the fight over Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget trailer bills (see “How a bill shouldn’t become a law,” my June 1 column), he took time to sit down for a New York Times interview with a sympathetic Ezra Klein. Newsom unloaded on ungrateful environmental groups for the reception he got for his […]
Posted inOpinion
Ditch meat and save the climate
A new study reveals that the surge of disastrous wildfires in California is almost entirely due to the changing climate. So as Independence From Meat Day (July 4) draws near, let’s help to tame the flames with planet-friendly vegan food. Animal agriculture is a leading driver of the climate catastrophe. It’s responsible for copious amounts […]
Posted inOpinion
On your own
“You’re in good hands.” “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” “Let Prudential be your rock.” “Nationwide is on your side.” Man, all of these insurance company slogans are so reassuring. They really care! Do they, though? Capitalism says they only care as far as their bet to make a dollar rather than lose […]
Posted inNews
Too much risk
Home insurance providers across the state are dropping their coverage in areas where fire danger is highest
Stay informed For more information on insurance options and what to do if your carrier drops, visit uphelp.org. For more information on the California FAIR Plan visit cfpnet.com. Nicole Pratt couldn’t believe her eyes when she read the letter from her insurance company. Kemper said it was dropping her home insurance. “We have lived and […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Central Coast Arts Collective represents artists in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo counties
Submit your art The Painters Group, a subgroup of the Central Coast Arts Collective, will have its show at Art Center Morro Bay Sept. 21 through Nov. 6. Entries opened on July 1, submission deadline is Aug. 1. For more information on the collective, visit centralcoastartistcollective.org for future exhibitions or to join or donate. The […]
