Santa Maria Fire Chief Brad Dandridge has never seen anything like the Aug. 23 house explosion before. “I’ve been a firefighter for 17 years and the majority of the time was in Fresno. At Fresno, we’ve run into quite a bit of calls and I’ve seen quite a bit of incidents,” Dandridge said. “I’ve seen […]
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Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Great American Melodrama’s Gold Fever is a gold mine of laughter
Ready or not The Great American Melodrama presents its production of Gold Fever at the Rough and Ready through Saturday, Sept. 9. The theater is located at 1863 Front St., Oceano. Call (805) 489-2499 or visit americanmelodrama.com for tickets and more info. To describe the Great American Melodrama’s latest offering as based on a true […]
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Sheriff’s Project Opioid continues as overdose deaths increase
There were 118 opioid overdose deaths from Jan. 1 to July 31 in Santa Barbara County this year, with 63 related to fentanyl—an opiate 50 times more potent than heroin—according to the Sheriff’s Office. This compares to 105 overdose deaths during the same period in 2022, with 70 related to fentanyl. “These numbers reflect the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Pico Los Alamos highlights boutique vintners with Winemaker Hang series, upcoming wine fest
Hang around Find out more about Pico Los Alamos at picolosalamos.com, or by calling (805) 344-1122. The restaurant is located at 458 Bell St., Los Alamos. Admission to the Fresh Wine Festival on Friday, Aug. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m., is $40 per person. The next Winemaker Hang, with winemaker Jason Mergenov, will take […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Wildling Museum unveils new tree mural with environmental pledge station
See the tree Visit wildlingmuseum.org or call (805) 686-8315 for more info on the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, located at 1511 Mission Drive, unit B, Solvang. It can take anywhere between 20 and 50 years for an oak tree to fully mature. But after just two months, three volunteer artists behind a new […]
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County releases draft ag enterprise ordinance for public comment
Santa Barbara County is moving an ordinance forward that would expand some allowed uses or activities on agriculture land in an effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability for the industry, 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann told the Sun. “I am very concerned about the resilience of agriculture under the conditions of climate change and what […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Central Coast artists showcase works in Clark Center for the Performing lobby
Support local art Visit the Clark Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. for an opening reception for the next set of local artists hosted in the venue’s box office lobby. For more information, visit clarkcenter.org. Whether visiting the venue for the latest musical theater production or one of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Vega Vineyard and Farm holds inaugural Festa del Pomodoro
Festival festivities Visit vegavineyardandfarm.com for more info on Vega Vineyard and Farm, located at 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton. The venue hosts its Festa del Pomodoro on Sunday, Aug. 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Tomato Festival Farm Dinner, a ticketed multi-course dinner, starts shortly after the festival, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are […]
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Two local painters pay homage to natural light at Gallery Los Olivos
Sunrise to sunset Inspired by Light, a duo exhibition highlighting paintings by Karen McLean-McGaw and Carrie Givens, will remain on display at Gallery Los Olivos through the end of August. A closing reception for the show will be held on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. For more info, call (805) 688-7517 or […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Vineyards along Foxen Canyon Wine Trail offer Summer Passport tastings
Trailblazing For more info on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail Summer Passport, visit foxencanyonwinetrail.net. The annual promotion runs through Aug. 31. More than a dozen tasting rooms in Santa Barbara County have teamed up to create a passport that can be used for tasting flights rather than international flights. Scattered across a 30-mile stretch between […]
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Cuyama residents launch carrot boycott as groundwater adjudication begins
A judge pushed back the Cuyama groundwater adjudication’s first phase to Oct. 9 because Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms failed to publish a notice in a local news outlet and still need to serve 314 landowners, Los Angeles Bankruptcy Law Firm Attorney Kay March told the Sun. California civil codes require those serving adjudications to […]
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County looks to future ag industry challenges after releasing 2022 crop report
Agriculture remains Santa Barbara County’s largest producing industry with a gross production value of more than $1.93 billion, according to the 2022 county Agricultural Crop Report—a 5 percent increase from the 2021’s numbers. “We are certainly seeing an increase as we are getting out of the COVID-19 pandemic, as more and more people are going […]