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Volunteers for a CAUSE

MICOP, CAUSE volunteers give back to historically underserved communities and rally for change
by Taylor O'Connor

Get involved For more information on volunteering with the Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), reach out to ana.huynh@mixteco.org. To learn more about Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), visit causenow.org. CAUSE Santa Maria is located at 120 E. Jones St., No. 120. Email zulema@causenow.org or daniel@causenow.org to learn more about becoming a […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Hearst heist

Searching for Patty Hearst brings new perspectives to an old Central Coast tale
by Adrian Vincent Rosas

Hear all about it Meet author Roger Rapoport and catch a talk about his new book—Searching for Patty Hearst, which will be released on Jan. 16—at the San Luis Obispo public library on Jan. 31. For more information, visit pattyhearst.com. Almost 50 years ago, Patty Hearst’s kidnapping captivated viewers across the country.  Roger Rapoport covered […]

Posted inNews

What a year!

Floods and historic rainfall ushered us into a chaotic 2023
by Sun Staff

January kicked us off with a rush of floodwater, and the rain didn’t stop until April. Certain areas of Santa Barbara County are still dealing with the ramifications from all that water and concerned about what the rainy season ahead has in store. The tension that started the year continued throughout the year, with fights […]

Posted inNews

No beds available

A lack of facilities, mental health providers cause Santa Barbara County to delay implementation of new state law
by Taylor O'Connor

Hospitals and emergency departments are going to “fail miserably” if Santa Barbara County implements new state legislation without giving the county’s health systems enough time to set up the support needed to manage a potential influx of patients, Denise McDonald told the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12.  “There’s nothing harder for an ER [emergency […]

Posted inNews

Signing off

Larry Ferini steps down from county Planning Commission after 11 years
by Taylor O'Connor

After serving 11 years on the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, 4th District Commissioner Larry Ferini stepped down to focus on his family agriculture business, Rancho Laguna Farms.  “I have two of my sons working for the farming operation, and it seems like a great time in my life to spend more time with them […]

Posted inNews

Temporary fix

Guadalupe residents, Santa Barbara County want a more permanent solution to the Santa Maria River’s wandering ways
by Taylor O'Connor

Raymond Leon delayed his wife’s wake by a month because of damages to the Apostolic Church in Guadalupe during the January 2023 storms.  “We couldn’t hold a church service. Some struggled to come back. It was very hard for everybody,” Leon said.  Heavy rains in January caused the Santa Maria River to veer off its […]

Posted inNews

Freshman year

In Gregg Hart’s first session as an Assembly member, he tackled floods, oil, housing, homelessness, and more
by Taylor O'Connor

From helping manage record-setting storm damages to raising the benchmarks for Big Oil, Gregg Hart jumped right into his role as the Assembly member for the 37th District, representing Santa Barbara County and southern SLO County. “I feel like my first year was very successful, particularly as a new legislator,” Hart told the Sun. “The […]

Posted inSpecial Issues

Holiday Guide 2023

The season of celebration is here and so is our annual issue dedicated to all things holiday!
by Sun Staff

Holidays in shelters: Good Samaritan Shelter provides a variety of events this holiday season for individuals experiencing homelessness By Taylor O’Connor Off-centered cheer: Shake up your holiday table with showstopper dinners that aren’t just turkey or ham By Bulbul Rajagopal Check out the local holiday events, happenings, festivities, and more!

Posted inNews

Sticking point

The Dana Reserve in Nipomo wants to cut down about 3,000 oak trees to build more than 1,300 units
by Samantha Herrera

 A Nipomo development reduced the number of oak trees it would cut down, but the Dana Reserve project still asks to remove a little more than 3,000 oak trees from its 288-acre property.  Community members and local environmentalists think that number continues to be far too high.  San Luis Obispo County’s biggest housing development in […]

Posted inNews

Close to home

With the only substance abuse treatment center that caters to veterans on the Central Coast shuttered, LA is the nearest option
by Taylor O'Connor

Alcohol slowly progressed into a necessity for Samantha Bloomer, she said.  “My sister died in June 2021 from the same disease, and that still—even in my head I didn’t want to drink—but that compulsion and the obsessive behavior continued with it, and I drank to avoid the pain,” Bloomer said.  The Orcutt native spent 10 […]

Posted inNews

Waiting for change

Santa Ynez Valley High School still hasn’t found a new principal since controversies caused its last to resign
by Taylor O'Connor

Charley Hrehor has had three principals in her four years at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.  “I can hardly believe it either,” the high school senior said about the changing leadership. “I don’t know the exact reasons why our former principals have chosen not to come back, but from what I’ve witnessed, it would […]

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