Career exploration, scholarship wins, and industry connections are some of the possible outcomes for young adults if they attend a free workshop put together by the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board. Operations Manager Alyssa Stovall and her team organized the board’s first youth career summit in years, which will be held in Santa Maria […]
Santa Barbara County
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
One Orcutt painter channels her past to make accessible art for all
Less than 1 percent of the global population is an Olympic athlete. Catalina Bertola often compares the achievement with life in the art world. Most people will never reach Olympic status—in athletics or art—but that shouldn’t stop people from giving it a go. In her opinion, physical activity and creativity are part of a balanced […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Solvang Chamber presents another music in the park series
Join the Santa Ynez Valley community on Wednesday evenings for free summertime tunes at Solvang Park. The Susan Williams Summer Music Series, presented by the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, will continue through Aug. 26 featuring rock, blues, country, and jazz bands. “While enjoying the music, guests can also indulge in delicious food and beverages available […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A local performer hits the road for a Central Coast tour
Hear original pieces and old Broadway tunes from singer Gale McNeeley on his four-stop tour in August called My Life in Song. He’ll be joined by pianist Paul Marszalkowski, a musical director at the Pacific Conservatory Theatre. McNeeley will sing original songs and renditions of musical selections from his time on Broadway. He toured with […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Omar’s Healthy Foods helps people reach their goals with fresh meal prep options
Omar Jimenez begins most days the same. “First thing I do? I pray. Thank God for another day,” Jimenez said. “Then I go to the gym for an hour, two hours. Get my little workout done. Unless I have orders. Business comes first.” He works part time at the Santa Maria Country Club, but when […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc begins environmental review for possible housing project annexation
The Bodger Meadows housing project near Lompoc has bounced between city and county staff for the past two and a half years, but the city’s been trying to obtain the property from the county for decades. After the City Council discussed the project’s latest news, Mayor Jim Mosby joked dryly about the saga. He referenced […]
Posted inNews
County increases parcel taxes for neighborhoods in Orcutt, Vandenberg Village
A flat rate since 2011, the parcel tax for residents of Providence Landing—a neighborhood in the unincorporated Vandenberg Village area—will jump from $672 to $692. These funds go toward upkeep at the Providence Landing Park, an arrangement Santa Barbara County 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson noted as unlike any other tax collected across the county. […]
Posted inNews
Solvang uses state exemption to buy gasoline-fueled buses
Set to expire at the end of this calendar year, a temporary waiver from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) allowed the city of Solvang to add two new gasoline-fueled buses to its public fleet that travels across the Santa Ynez Valley. Without the waiver, addressing the city’s recent bus shortage would have left leaders […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Joe McFadden brings his dramatic landscapes to Gallery Los Olivos
Though he now calls himself an artist, Joe McFadden spent his career in the tech industry. While he was advising software companies by day, McFadden found balance by slathering oil paints on canvases in his free time. “I wanted something I could develop over many years and maybe develop someday into a real skill and […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Santa Maria Camera Club presents its finest June submissions
Right before pausing for its month-long summer hiatus, the Santa Maria Camera Club announced the winning images from its June competition. “Each photographer brings a unique vision and artistic perspective, demonstrating the talent and skills that have earned recognition in club, regional, and national competitions,” according to press materials. The group’s monthly competition meetings are […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Build your own wreath at an annual lavender festival in Lompoc
Catch the last two weekends of the Lavender Festival in Lompoc on July 18 and 25. The event, hosted by Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm, is free to the public from noon to 5 p.m. both days. The highlight will be a lavender wreath-making class. For a $55 fee, participants will receive all the necessary […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Pismo Beach’s newest sandwich shop is for the locals
When Geneva Franciskovich finally struck a deal to purchase an old boba spot on Pomeroy Avenue, she thought, “Holy shit. This is crazy.” That night she was out to dinner with her family, reveling in the feat. She’d just pushed six years’ worth of savings into buying space on one of the most competitive streets […]
