Rock 12, a Lompoc distillery, grows its own fruit to infuse homemade spirits. Itās the countyās first farm-to-glass distillery, according to its website, growing apples, apricots, and quince that make their way into cocktails. To celebrate the end of the growing season, Rock 12 is hosting its annual harvest party with live music and libations. […]
Lompoc
SpaceX authorized to double Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently signed a decision allowing aerospace company SpaceX to increase rocket launches out of Vandenberg Space Force Base. The uptick is necessary to meet commercial and federal space launch requirements, according to the decision. SpaceX can increase Falcon 9 launches from 50 to 100 per year, including up to five […]
Lompoc tightens its overnight parking rules
Prior to a new Lompoc ordinance, the cityās municipal code stated that a vehicle parked on a street for more than 72 consecutive hours was subject to being towed. Steering clear of the original rule was easy for more overnight parkers than members of the Lompoc City Council assumed, City Attorney Jeff Malawy explained. āThe […]
Playful glass pieces and knitted accessories fill up the Cypress Gallery
Joellen Chrones is the featured artist at the Cypress Gallery with her show, Hot Glass and Warm Fuzzies, until Nov. 23. Chrones presents her glasswork and wool fashion accessories. āThis exhibit celebrates the playful side of glass with functional and whimsical fused glass pieces, from cheerful bowls and bright platters to quirky wind chimes,ā according […]
Sixth annual Lompoc Chalk Festival draws professional and amateur artists
Katherine Taylor can look at an animal and imagine it talking. The skill has helped the illustrator and muralist create her original creatures with human emotion, namely humor, which comes from the animalsā eyes. āYou canāt do funny without having a great eye. It just doesnāt work if the eyeās flat,ā Taylor told the Sun. […]
Cleared out: Lompoc, county clean up Santa Ynez Riverbed encampments with aim to keep it that way
Santa Barbara Countyās tally of tents and forts made of tarps and wooden planks in the Santa Ynez Riverbed is 85 fewer than seven months ago thanks to an ongoing cleanup initiative. In her role as the countyās encampment response coordination manager, Katherine Soto-Vasquez doesnāt often dwell on those stats during a typical work day, […]
Square Perspectives is on display this month at the Cypress Gallery
Square Perspectives, an art show at the Cypress Gallery, is showing until Oct. 26 featuring 12-by-12-inch works created by both professionals and beginners. āThis democratic approach creates a visually striking mosaic of styles and techniques and fosters a supportive environment where established and up-and-coming artists can connect and inspire each other,ā according to the gallery. […]
British-inspired afternoon tea sits at the top of a Lompoc cafĆ©ās long list of offerings
Customers drive to Lompoc from as far as Los Osos for tea parties at One Room Escapes and Coffee. Itās one of the only places on the Central Coast for a proper, yet affordable, afternoon tea with tiny sandwiches and sweets served on dainty china. Clusters of sofas and lounge chairs create smaller sitting rooms […]
Lompoc library hosts a book-themed pumpkin decorating contest
The community is invited to participate in a pumpkin decorating competition hosted by the Lompoc Public Library. In the Book Character Pumpkin Contest, participants of all ages are challenged to turn a pumpkin into their favorite literary character. Decorators can use real or fake pumpkins and gourds for their submission. They can decorate with supplies […]
Federal changes disqualify 7,500 county residents from Medi-Cal at county clinics
New federal policy will prevent Santa Barbara County health care centers from providing services to certain immigrants with Medi-Cal starting next year. County clinics wonāt see patients who Medi-Cal determines have āunsatisfactory immigration statusā including undocumented individuals, most people with temporary status, and those with Deferred Action or Deferred Enforced Departure, according to the county. […]
The Lompoc botanic society offers a community for all degrees of plant-lovers
Plant puns, snacks, and social hour. Those are three things Christine Zuhlsdorf enjoys about being a member of the Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticultural Society (LVBHS). āPlant people tend to be pretty happy people,ā the nonprofitās president told the Sun. āUnless you get someone going on gophers.ā Or deer, another sore subject for gardeners, which […]
New on-demand service, increased fares take effect for Lompocās public transit
Additions to Lompocās public transportation system mean slight fare increases, which went into effect on Sept. 2. The new services are part of the cityās effort to address the evolving mobility needs of the community, City Transit and Airport Administrator Richard Fernbaugh said in an email interview with the Sun. The City of Lompoc Transit […]

