Find support The Good Samaritan Shelter aims to offer emergency, transitional, and affordable housing as well as other support services for those in need across the Central Coast. To find out about the services, visit goodsamaritanshelter.org. The Santa Maria River runs through multiple jurisdictions, including those belonging to Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, […]
Home Small Feature
Improv for Good supplies local laughs at workshops and fundraisers
On the spot To find out more about Improv for Good and its lineup of monthly classes and periodic performance events, visit improvforgood.fun or email improvforgood@gmail.com. Striking gold in the world of improv is more about being off-the-cuff than thinking on your feet, according to Pismo Beach resident Thia Anlo, who once feared that the […]
AMR gets ambulance contract for Santa Barbara County after lawsuit settlement
Fire chiefs across Santa Barbara County are unhappy with the county’s decision to settle a lawsuit with American Medical Response (AMR) and renew the ambulance provider’s contract. “Fire chiefs have consistently called for an EMS system that emphasizes transparency, accountability, and increases units on the street. Unfortunately, it seems like these concerns have largely fallen […]
Art, music, and full body workouts collide at Krischana Tribal Fusion Belly Dance in Santa Ynez
Onstage and in studio To find out more about Krischana’s Tribal Fusion Belly Dance, visit krischanastribalfusionbellydance.com. The studio is located at 3595 Numancia St., unit 2, Santa Ynez. Owner and instructor Krischana Thompson will perform at the 2025 Tribal Flower Fest, set to take place at the Flower City Ballroom in Lompoc on Saturday, Feb. […]
Global Gardens chef Lisa Thomson spearheads organic olive oil tastings and cooking classes
Globe trot Call (805) 686-4111 or visit globalgardensonline.com for more info on Global Gardens, located at 3570 Madera St., Santa Ynez. Global Gardens chef and brand specialist Lisa Thomson will be among the featured foodies at this year’s Santa Barbara County Women Winemakers and Culinarians Celebration, set to run March 6 through 9. Visit sbwomenwinemakers.com […]
Local school districts work to uphold students’ right to education amid concerns about ICE entering campuses
ICE information The local coalition, 805 Immigrants, operates a regional alert system to notify community members of confirmed ICE activity. Individuals can sign up by texting “alerta” or “alert” to (805) 870-8855. Federal laws entitle every child, regardless of immigration status, to a public elementary or secondary education, according to the United States Department of […]
Guadalupe enacts new parking restrictions to increase turnover at public EV chargers
For a full battery, electric vehicles on empty parked at either of Guadalupe’s two free charging stations need to stay plugged in for about 11 hours, according to city staff. But anyone caught parked in those spots for more than four hours is now subject to ticketed fines thanks to a new city ordinance. During […]
Central Coast Art League members showcase still lifes at Los Olivos General Store
Still life is for the living The Los Olivos General Store debuted the Central Coast Art League’s current group show in November 2024. The exhibit is slated to remain on display through March 3. For more info, visit centralcoastartleague.com. The Los Olivos General Store is located at 2900 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. In a garage-sized […]
Pony Cocktails + Kitchen sears and spikes its food and drink pairings to perfection
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere Call (805) 691-9187 to find out more about Pony Cocktails + Kitchen, located at 3558 Sagunto St., A, Santa Ynez. The restaurant is open daily (7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and Tuesday through Saturday (4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.) for dinner. What began as a Santa […]
Gallery Los Olivos’ newest members bond over bending rules, moods, and feelings
February flair Gallery Los Olivos presents New Perspectives, a group exhibition scheduled to open on Feb. 1 and remain on display through Feb. 28. The exhibit showcases artworks by Ann Wirtz, Susan Kounanis, Christine Marie, Wendy Brewer, Debbi Green, Deborah Kalas, Chuck Klein, and Garrett Speirs. To find out more about New Perspectives, visit gallerylosolivos.com. […]
Encampments return to Santa Maria riverbed
About 20 encampments have sprung up in the unincorporated areas of the Santa Maria Riverbed since it was cleaned out last year. “The majority of the folks that are out in the riverbed … are the more hardcore, where they’re not going to accept the resources that we provide,” Senior Park Services Officer Ruben Ramirez […]
California Coastal Commission faces two lawsuits after denying Vandenberg’s request to increase SpaceX launches
Four months ago, the California Coastal Commission denied Vandenberg Space Force Base’s request for approval to increase the number of SpaceX launches. Now, the state agency is battling two lawsuits stemming from that decision. In December, a conservative nonprofit sued the agency for allegedly not complying with public records requests for emails and other correspondence […]

