Stationed at his cash register behind a jar of orange foam earplugs, the manager of Get R Gun in Santa Maria doesn’t agree with Santa Barbara County’s newest policy on firearms. He believes the recent action raises more red flags than the local controversy that triggered it. “We didn’t see a problem with Goodland Guns,” […]
Santa Barbara County
Posted inNews
Lompoc Valley Middle to restore a school resource officer position
With a $1 million state grant and City Council approval, the Lompoc Police Department will send a school resource officer to Lompoc Valley Middle School as early as next school year. The goal is to provide early intervention and cannabis education, as the money pulls from a public safety grant associated with Proposition 64 that […]
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County considers new solar, battery project standards
Santa Barbara County is one step closer to adopting new requirements for solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. Set for the Board of Supervisors’ second and final reading in late September, a policy package to amend multiple county ordinances for consistency with proposed standards addresses battery units of various sizes—ranging from industrial BESS […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Guadalupe stars in three recent films made by a Nipomo filmmaker
Cheers for ChachiFollow Chachi Ramirez’s career on Instagram @chachiramirezfilms. View his films online at vimeo.com/mercybrothers. Learn more about his Central Coast creative agency, Suede and Pomade, at suedeandpomade.com. Chachi Ramirez’s career in film has led him across the globe. “I’ve shot documentaries that have taken me into really, not to say hostile, but maybe uncertain […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc Pops Orchestra brings Broadway to Rocket Town
No need to travel to New York City to hear your favorite show tunes. The Lompoc Pops on Broadway is coming to town on Sept. 20 with a lineup from musicals like Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, and The Sound of Music. This concert will be the latest compilation conducted by maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Vendor applications are open for CalNAM’s holiday market
The California Nature Art Museum (CalNAM) invites artisans and local businesses to apply as vendors for its festive makerspace coming up this fall. The application deadline is Sept. 22. “The Holiday Marketplace is part of CalNAM’s ongoing efforts to connect the community with art, nature, and creativity,” the museum announced. Vendors may apply online for […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Chikis Cupcakes creates custom cakes that’ll wow the whole party
Anna Aguilar crafts cakes so tall that she doesn’t trust they’ll survive the car rides to their final destinations. Instead, she delivers her wedding and quinceañera cakes in pieces and builds them at the venues. “They’re always challenging, and I’m learning new things on those because with one little mistake, your cake can tilt,” Aguilar […]
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Historic ruling: Santa Maria judge says prosecutor violated Racial Justice Act
For the first time in Santa Barbara County’s history, a Superior Court judge concluded that the District Attorney’s Office broke a state mandate designed to root out racial discrimination in judicial settings. In mid-August, a hearing to determine former Santa Maria resident and convicted felon Kevin Wayne Burgess’ sentence in a domestic violence case ended […]
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County replies to grand jury report on Sheriff’s overtime use
Long-range plans to reboot the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office’s payroll system and decommission the South County jail aligned with recommendations from a recent grand jury report. During its Aug. 25 meeting, the county Board of Supervisors discussed the report titled: “What’s up with overtime in the Sheriff’s Office?” “The sheriff’s overtime excesses have been […]
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Santa Maria boosts security deposit assistance for renters
Moving is stressful. It takes time, effort, and money. “Imagine finding a place and needing that $3,000 deposit, and you know that you can do the month-to-month, but you don’t have that initial $3,000 because you’re living paycheck to paycheck,” Santa Maria’s community programs manager, Rosie Rojo, told the Sun. “By the time you’re able […]
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State sues Cuyama landowner for cost recovery from 2023 wildfire
Old wounds in New Cuyama resurfaced with Cal Fire’s recent lawsuit to recoup the costs of fighting a 2023 wildfire from those allegedly responsible. The state agency sued local landowner Wayne Goldwyn and “Does 1-50” on Aug. 14 for $3.3 million for effectively setting the 5,400-acre fire “through negligence and violations of law.” “[Goldwyn’s] failure […]
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Kayla’s Kidz hits three years of secondhand selling in Buellton
Kayla Perez can hardly believe it’s September. At her children’s thrift store, this month marks the pivot from spring and summer to fall and winter. “I have boxes and boxes in my storeroom of winter stuff that I’ve been collecting the last six months,” the business owner told the Sun. “Jackets and raincoats and boots […]
