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Pets on deck: Check out some of the cutest faces on the Central Coast

Featuring cuddly and captivating photo contest winners, a heyday for reptiles, and foster friends
by Sun Staff

In Sun‘ first ever Pet Issue photo contest, readers submitted more than 1,000 entries of their dogs, cats, chickens, horses, bunnies, and more. A panel of five judges narrowed the slate of images down to seven winners, who each get a gift certificate from issue sponsor Lemos Feed and Pet Supply, and 11 others that […]

Posted inNews

Faces of the valley

Cuyama Valley farmers, landowners face off against corporate growers over water
by Taylor O'Connor

Dust kicks up onto Stephen Gliessman’s work boots as he walks through his vineyard. A wide-brimmed hat protects his face from the Cuyama sun beating down in the 90-degree midday heat.  Birds caw and squawk as he approaches a row of zinfandel grapes.  “That’s our sound system playing distress calls of a bunch of pest […]

Posted inNews

Waiting for water

Wells on the Central Coast are going dry despite big rains, and property owners have to truck in water
by Samantha Herrera

Out in the rural countryside of the Arroyo Grande Mesa, on 8 acres of flowers, fruit trees, and animals, a zero-waste nonprofit ranch brings a feeling of freedom to those in the disabled community. Rancho de los Animales for the Disabled is a therapeutic, educational, and recreational ranch run by Beth Currier, who became a […]

Posted inNews

Emergency fight

AMR is out and Santa Barbara County Fire is in for providing future ambulance services to residents
by Taylor O'Connor

The decision to switch ambulance providers in Santa Barbara County was the single most important vote Bob Nelson has made as a supervisor, the 4th District representative told the Sun.  “I can’t imagine too many more votes I’ll have that will have more consequences than this. It really means a new era of public safety […]

Posted inNews

Cultural cache

The Santa Maria Japanese Community Center is ready to share its generational history
by Taylor O'Connor

Contribute, commemorate The Santa Maria Japanese Community Center is accepting donations for the cultural center, which will be commemorated through a series of plaques in the building. Donations will be in tiers, ranging from $500 to $15,000, and donors must put “donor plaque” in the check’s memo section.  Email weskoyama@gmail.com for more information on donations. […]

Posted inNews

Temple for the people

Members of Halcyon’s Theosophical Society talk about life and connection
Avatar photo by Bulbul Rajagopal

Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series on the Temple of the People in Halcyon. The first, “Halcyon’s homily,” ran on Sept. 7. Halcyon resident Damian Rollison knew the Temple of the People as his sole faith growing up. Flip through the Images of America book about the tiny community between Oceano […]

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A century of theosophy

Halcyon’s Temple of the People heads into its 100th year with its sixth guardian-in-chief at the helm
Avatar photo by Bulbul Rajagopal

Culture cache The Legend of the Peace Maker open house art exhibit can be viewed on Sept. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Temple of the People on Temple Street and Halcyon Road, Arroyo Grande. To learn more, visit templeofthepeople.org. Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a two-part series on the […]

Posted inNews

Jail alternative

Santa Barbara County DA’s Office pilots restorative justice program for adults
by Taylor O'Connor

Volunteer opportunity Call (805) 346-1774 or email edwin@fbsmv.org for more information about training and volunteering on a restorative justice panel. There are no specific qualifications or requirements for people to participate. When people get convicted of a crime, it follows them throughout their life, but that conviction rarely invokes change.  “As time has gone on […]

Posted inSpecial Issues

Best Of NSBC 2023

Readers voted on their faves, and we’ve got all the winners for you
by Sun Staff

We asked you to kick the tires and light the fires, dear readers, and you responded. In our annual Best of Northern Santa Barbara County issue, we’re giving an “attaboy” to the eateries, drinkeries, businesses, and people that you said were alphas, top dogs, air bosses. We didn’t have room for any goon ups or […]

Posted inNews

Smoked grapes

As wildfire seasons grow more intense, West Coast elected officials want to help vineyards and wineries deal with the impact
Avatar photo by Bulbul Rajagopal

Three West Coast senators introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to understand one nascent problem: the impact of wildfire smoke on wine grapes. On June 22, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) brought forward the Smoke Exposure Research Act, co-led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), and the Crop Insurance for Wine Grapes Act, co-led by Sen. […]

Posted inSpecial Issues

Education Today 2023: Filling the gap

Avatar photo by Bulbul Rajagopal and Taylor O'Connor

With school starting, it’s time for the Sun’s annual Education Today issue. One of the most pressing issues in education—other than the remaining impacts of COVID-19—is a teacher shortage. But there’s a program on the Central Coast that’s aiming to do something about it. The Ticket 2 Teach program is all about learning on the job and helping potential educators make their way toward the certifications they need to teach in local schools. Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal from the Sun’s sister paper writes about it [6]. Also in this issue, read about a new club sport that your child can learn all about outside of school [7].

Posted inNews

Whose water?

Commercial carrot growers sued Cuyama Valley residents over groundwater and the first hearing is coming up
by Taylor O'Connor

As the Cuyama Unified School District stepped out of a financial crisis after years of budget struggles, Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms sued the district over groundwater rights. And if the district didn’t join in the adjudication case, it risked losing water rights altogether, Superintendent Alfonso Gamino said.  “We have it in our budget for […]

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