The county Board of Supervisors’ decision on the Northern Branch Jail expansion will impact future boards, sheriffs, county staff, and community members, Sheriff Bill Brown said at the April 1 meeting. In a 3-2 vote (with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson and 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino dissenting), the board decided to build 1.5 new […]
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Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The music makers: Santa Ynez nonprofit Muffin Music brings performances, education to local schools
Much ado about Muffin For more info on Muffin Music and its offerings, visit muffinmusic.org. Co-founders Sylvia Jiang and Davis Reinhart will present free concert programs on April 11 and 12 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Unity of Santa Maria and Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Santa Ynez, respectively. From an early […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
Road to nowhere: Residents remain unable to access Los Padres Forest via Colson Canyon Road after 2023 storms
Multiple signs note Colson Canyon Road’s closure: a big red one along Tepusquet Road a few miles from its intersection and at least three at the dirt road’s entrance. “Colson Canyon Road closed to all traffic including foot traffic,” a green and yellow U.S. Forest Service sign states. The road has been closed since January […]
Posted inNews
Ticket to ride: Santa Maria’s regional bus service accelerates toward zero-emission fleet, additional Central Coast routes
Ride SMRT For more information, including a ride guide, route maps and schedules, fare information, and other rider tools, visit the Santa Maria Regional Transit website. Without a car of her own, lifetime Santa Maria resident Faith Collar relies on public transit nearly every day to get to and from Allan Hancock College. She’s been […]
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 inSpecial Issues
Weddings Issue 2025
This year’s annual issue highlights the latest trends and revamped traditions in flowers, videography, and gowns
This year’s Weddings Issue celebrates the couples who say “I do” to current trends and their own sense of style as they prepare to say “I do” to each other. Staff Writer Emma Montalbano gathers insights on floral styles, including organic designs and “grounded meadows” [6]; New Times Staff Writer Libbey Hanson, from our sister […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
SLO County couples want more captured candid moments with wedding videography and content creation
Capture this Look into photographer MacKenzie Rana at mackenzieranaphotography.com, photographer and videographer Chris Tack at christackphotography.com, and Content Creator Adriana Wells at bestfriendofthebride.com. Put the video recorder down and hit the dance floor because the fields of wedding videography, photography, and content creation are booming. Hired to capture one of the biggest days of a […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
SLO bridal designers notice a trend towards historical fashion
Historical elements are in vogue on wedding aisles and bridal runways. Mareh Couture Bridal owner Mariam Ohanyan observed the trend forming six months ahead of time when she attended New York Bridal Fashion Week in 2024. “A big thing that has been happening is this thing called Basque waist dresses,” Ohanyan said. “So this is […]
Posted inNews
Protesting the president: Santa Maria residents participate in the nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration
Dozens of protesters converged at the intersection of Broadway and Cook streets in Santa Maria on President’s Day. Some arrived with text-heavy banners in hand, while others laid out blank posters on the lawn outside of Santa Maria City Hall to mark with colored Sharpies. “Nobody elected Musk,” “Democracy not oligarchy,” “Fight against fascism,” “This […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Health & Wellness 2025
In our annual issue, we talk ketamine-assisted and rapid-eye movement therapies and float pods
For this year’s issue of Health and Wellness, our writers delve into a deep state of relaxation, which can help set the stage for healing from trauma, anxiety, and more. That relaxation, called the theta state, can be achieved in a psychotherapist’s office or in a specialized pool of water and Epsom salt. Staff Writer […]
