The creative entrepreneurs behind Edible Communities Inc., America’s largest publishing company dedicated to the local-foods movement, are writing a new chapter of their lives, in a rather unlikely place: the once-sleepy Santa Barbara County town of Los Alamos. Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian co-founded the first Edible magazine 14 years ago while living in Ojai, […]
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Commitment to care: Waves of Health provides essential medical attention and supplies to patients in Dominican Republic
The pills are huge, bleached white with “IP 220” stamped on one side, and they’re pouring out of a bottle you need two hands to hold. It’s metformin, a drug used to treat type II diabetes. Two residents (doctors in training), a medical school student, and I are measuring six-month supplies into zip-lock bags. A […]
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Marijuana, interrupted: New local medical marijuana cultivation laws leave growers and patients trying to figure out what they will mean for the industry
Sixteen months ago, Kate Kytle received a grim diagnosis—she had an aggressive form of breast cancer already in the late stages that had spread into her lungs. She was told she only had 18 months to two years to live. With two to eight months left to go, she arrived at a deli patio in […]
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Moving forward, looking back: The Sun takes a look at a year of triumph, controversy, and debate
It was a wild ride, but 2015 is almost over. A lot happened in the past 12 months, which may explain why the year went by so fast. We’re all one year closer to death, but so much more experienced at the same time. So from the future, we take a look back at the […]
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Representation at large: Could Santa Maria benefit from moving to district elections?
The Chicano Civil Rights Movement was in full force in Southern California during the 1970s, and Frank Banales, a born-and-raised Santa Barbara resident, pushed himself into the fray. Before it became a symbol of empowerment, “Chicano” was a derogatory term for the son or daughter of a Mexican immigrant. Banales said the term “Chicano” was […]
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A sure-fire gift: Local ranges are perfect for those who want to learn how to shoot
MORE LAST MINUTE GIFT GUIDE! Make it a homemade holiday: Look like a thoughtful gift giver with a handmade creation Fun fitness gifts: From equipment to supplements, find a gift for your favorite athlete Fine wines at Christmastime: Holiday gift giving is easy when you live in wine country The talk of guns is a […]
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Wish fulfillment: Nonprofits throughout the county reveal what they need to continue providing their valuable services
Watching the fluffy, feather-like puffs of a dandelion cloud wander over grass is like releasing your wishes into the wind behind the power of belief—and probably some crossed fingers—followed by thoughts of “Please, please, please!” Every year we give our local charity organizations a chance to release their wish lists into the world in their […]
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Gifts from the heart: For last-minute shoppers there is still time to find a heartfelt, handmade present
Oh you deadline pushers, you last-minute doers! Once again Christmas is near and you’ve found yourself without a gift to give. Don’t worry, the Sun has a gift for you. Find inspiration in the pages of our Last Minute Gift Guide. It’s holiday hope for gift-giving procrastinators. MORE LAST MINUTE GIFT GUIDE! Fun fitness gifts: […]
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Fine wines at Christmastime: Holiday gift giving is easy when you live in wine country
MORE LAST MINUTE GIFT GUIDE! Make it a homemade holiday: Look like a thoughtful gift giver with a handmade creation Fun fitness gifts: From equipment to supplements, find a gift for your favorite athlete A sure-fire gift: Local ranges are perfect for those who want to learn how to shoot At the holidays, do you […]
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Fun fitness gifts: From equipment to supplements, find a gift for your favorite athlete
MORE LAST MINUTE GIFT GUIDE! Make it a homemade holiday: Look like a thoughtful gift giver with a handmade creation A sure-fire gift: Local ranges are perfect for those who want to learn how to shoot Fine wines at Christmastime: Holiday gift giving is easy when you live in wine country A funny thing happens […]
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Film therapy: How neurologically different adults benefit from filmmaking
The lights dim and the crowd grows quiet as the whir of the projector lights up the screen, filling it with the magic of filmmaking, where drama unfolds, bad guys get their comeuppance, and heroes are made. Most Americans love movies, but cinema takes on added layers of meaning for members of Adventure Club SLO, […]
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Safety on the tracks: A rail project proposal has caused debate among coastal residents, but how safe is rail transport in general, and are first responders ready to handle a potential emergency?
Miles and miles of railroad track snake up the California coast though big cities and small towns. For coastal residents in SLO and Santa Barbara counties, those rails and the trains that run on them were a seemingly banal part of every day existence. Walking in cities like Santa Barbara, Guadalupe, Pismo Beach, and San […]