So, what’s the Lompoc scandal in question? City Councilmember Steve Bridge faces “20 felonies and five misdemeanors. The charges include allegations of forgery, grand theft, fraudulent claims, identity theft, misappropriation of public funds, and fraudulent use of a contractor’s license number,” (Santa Maria Times, Aug. 13). During the Aug. 18 meeting, City Council members discussed […]
Lompoc
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Joe Gliebe-Goetz presents Landscapes, Gemstones, and New Directions at the Cypress Gallery
Shifting from realism to expressionism throughout his career as an artist, Joe Gliebe-Goetz is displaying his abstract patterns based on natural themes at the Cypress Gallery. See the featured artist show in Lompoc through Sept. 27. Landscapes, Gemstones, and New Directions reflects the painter’s passion for local, natural beauty. Gems and stones also inspire Gliebe-Goetz’s […]
Posted inFood & Drink
A popular social media account reviews Central Coast bites and sips
Nearly 15,000 people on Instagram follow one of the most popular food reviewers on the Central Coast. He’s often seen in a bright orange hat and a crisp white T-shirt with the acronym “lotsj” identifying his brand. He’s Jeff San Juan, the content creator behind Life of the San Juans on social media. What had […]
Posted inNews
Damage control: In light of Steve Bridge’s felony charges, Lompoc considers censuring him
Two days before Lompoc City Councilmember Steve Bridge’s arraignment in late 2025, one of his peers on the dais asked him to step down from his role as an elected official. When Bridge—who pled not guilty to forgery, identity theft, and misusing city funds—showed no sign of resigning, Councilmember Jeremy Ball motioned for the council […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc modifies RV parking rules, increases penalty for camping in public
In another attempt to iron out parking regulations, the Lompoc City Council decided that RV owners with permits are exempt from a 72-hour parking ban. “It exempts RV owners with RV parking permits from the city’s ordinance that requires you to move your vehicle every 72 hours,” City Attorney Jeff Malawy said at the Aug. […]
Posted inArts
A Lompoc gallery honors the life of a prominent local painter
Inside the Grossman Gallery at the Lompoc Public Library, a retrospective show will honor the life of Alan Freeman. The painter, who passed away in March last year, was one of the founding members of The Lompoc Ten. The display of Freeman’s work will be up from Sept. 2 to 29. Visit 501 E. North […]
Posted inEats
Big Mamas bakes cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, and cheesecakes to perfection in Guadalupe and beyond
Playing in the kitchen always kept young Alicia Rubio happy. An only child for 15 years, some of her early memories are of bonding with her grandmother while baking. “I don’t know Spanish, but my grandma’s more of a Spanish speaker, so we had to figure out a way to understand each other more. Baking […]
Posted inNews
AI to assist Santa Maria Police with nonemergency calls
It doesn’t get sick. It never gets tired. It won’t go on vacation. It’s artificial intelligence. Hyper, an AI responder, will soon start its residency at the Santa Maria Police Department to answer incoming calls on the nonemergency phone line, (805) 928-3781. For a three-year service period, the city will pay around $305,000. At the […]
Posted inNews, Spotlight
For more than 50 years, the Central Coast Corvette Club has stirred up good times
When Donna W. moved to California from Indiana, her first thought before even contemplating purchasing a home was, “Can we buy a Corvette?” The Indiana weather hadn’t been suited for convertibles, but things were different in the Golden State. Donna—who insisted on being identified by her last initial—discovered the Chevrolet sports cars from a TV […]
Posted inOpinion
The Lompoc Valley Needs Assessment report was not a reliable indicator of the city’s health
The Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization recently commissioned a report, the Community Health Needs Assessment, to assess the “health and well-being of Lompoc residents through four focus areas: financial stability and affordability, chronic illnesses, behavioral health, and healthy lifestyles.” Did the “organization representatives” have a hidden agenda? And were reports of chronic illness only based […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Groundstar Vineyard is the first in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA to achieve regenerative organic certification
Great wines are made in the vineyard. But what exactly happens in the vineyard? What turmoil does the soil experience? How many chemicals are sprayed on the grapes? Are farmworkers treated well? “I think consumers really aren’t given the full story,” Chiara Shannon told the Sun. Over the two decades she’s spent in the wine […]
Posted inNews
Husband, wife convicted of drug dealing at Lompoc prison
A multi-month drug smuggling scheme that ended with a $6,600 payday for one Lompoc couple could cost them a combined 10 years in federal prison. On Aug. 5, former correctional officer Paul Betancourt and his wife, Sylvia Betancourt, each pled guilty to periodically sneaking contraband into Federal Correction Complex (FCC) Lompoc over the course of […]
