Alerted by more than a dozen 911 calls, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers were on the lookout for a northbound driver in the southbound lane of Highway 101 around 5:15 a.m., on Sept. 8, 2024. One caller described the driver—later identified as Santa Maria resident Kendra Lynn Cordova—as weaving between oncoming cars at 90 miles […]
Santa Maria
Posted inNews
County Workforce Development Board hosts a free youth career summit
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 […]
Posted inOpinion
South County leaders know nothing about a world without fossil fuels
Imagine a world without fossil fuels; it would be dark, very few people, only foraged food, no houses, nothing but silence and emptiness. This is the world that the movers and shakers in Santa Barbara County and statewide would like to take you to. Their endless assault on the production and use of fossil fuel […]
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
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 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 inNews
Santa Maria drafts zone mandate for senior mobile home parks
Many public speakers who appealed to the Santa Maria Planning Commission to green-light new protections for senior mobile home parks identified themselves as tenants of the facilities that would be impacted. But jurisdictional lines didn’t stop one Orcutt resident from voicing her support for the zoning overlay, during the commission’s first meeting of July. “I […]
Posted inNews
California gives $5 million to CenCal for behavioral wellness services
With funding from California’s recently adopted budget, health care providers in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will see increased training to better support mental health patients. Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness Department Director Toni Navarro told the Sun the $5 million given to CenCal Health will strengthen services in non-specialty care areas. Her […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A Guadalupe muralist is one step closer to opening an arts academy in town
Stephanie Krouse was trained as a scientist. In her early career, she worked for seed companies, studying different treatments that impact plant growth. But a Chicago company’s acquisition of the business left Krouse and many others out of a job. As cliché as it may sound, another door opened for her. “Once that happened, I […]
Posted inNews
Blue world: Fishers, scientists, and tribal leaders weigh in on Point Sal conservation area
The coastal waters west of Santa Maria and Guadalupe are special, scientifically speaking. They’re defined by the Point Sal headland, a rugged coastline with access only via a strenuous 11-mile round-trip hike. Though the waters are pristine on top, a biodiverse habitat is active beneath the surface. Cliffs running east to west create a protected […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
From the Sunset Strip to Old Town Orcutt, Faultline keeps moving and grooving
When the opportunity arose for five Central Coast rockers to perform at Los Angeles’ Whisky a Go Go earlier this year, sound check fell just a few weeks after the band’s youngest member celebrated her 21st birthday. Orcutt local Milania Jubilee was 20 when she became Faultline’s lead vocalist in 2025, after wowing her bandmates—four […]
