Get your copy You can buy a copy of Froggy Phevoli’s book, Side Effect, on Amazon at amazon.com/Side-Effect-Froggy-Phevoli/dp/B0DJVJBPD1. Zack Connor can read minds, but the 16-year-old’s superpower comes with a downside. Whenever he reaches into someone’s thoughts, his own thoughts are revealed. He doesn’t know where his power comes from, and his overbearing mother, Carol, […]
Section Feature
Posted inSpecial Issues
Volunteers 2025
With 2025 just getting started, some people are choosing to do what they do best: volunteer. The work that volunteers do in their spare time accomplishes so much in the region, from dishing out food that serves houseless residents a meal to making sure students can cross the street safely before and after school, the […]
Posted inOpinion
Hack the system
In Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors news, the changing of the guards is complete! Second District Supervisor Laura Capps took the chair’s gavel from 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, and new 1st District Supervisor Roy Lee took his seat on the board on Jan. 7. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to […]
Posted inOpinion
Wait, wait, wait
In 2020-21, an estimated 2,000 Western monarch butterflies were counted at overwintering sites. In 2022-23, that count hit 300,000. But this winter is expected to be super low, with the count ongoing and a little less than 200 counted at Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove this year—and more than 10,000 counted last year. So […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Strange Family Vineyards opens new tasting room in Los Olivos, blending wine, botanicals, and family values
Bubbles and botanicals Call (805) 315-3662 or visit strangefamilyvineyards.com for more info on Strange Family Vineyards. The tasting room, located at 2933 Grand Ave. in Los Olivos, is open seven days a week. Reservations are recommended but not required. Born from a desire to reconnect with the land and grow something meaningful, Strange Family Vineyards […]
Posted inNews
Searching for butterflies: Fish and Wildlife Service proposes placing the monarch butterfly on endangered species list
A few visitors shielded their eyes from the sun on a warm December day as they peered into the eucalyptus trees at Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove trying to spot a cluster of orange and black wings. But the trees and sky were fairly empty. Two monarchs fluttered around at about eye level by […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local printmaker celebrates the state’s diverse wildlife and ecosystems in her California Wilds show at Lompoc’s Cypress Gallery
Prints to ponder The Lompoc Valley Art Association features block prints from local printmaker Angelina LaPointe until Jan. 26. Visit lompocart.org to find out more. The gallery is located at 119 E. Cypress Ave., Lompoc. More of LaPointe’s artwork can be found on her Etsy shop at etsy.com/shop/TheSidecarPress. With every deliberate carving and layer of […]
Posted inOpinion
Hopes and dreams
This past year was a bit of a rough one. Starting in Guadalupe—the littlest city that could, but only if the deadline is tomorrow and staff has to overnight something to a state agency after City Council approves it tonight. Talk about last minute! That city is flying by the seat of its pantaloons. The […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Take me back to the start: An arts editor’s trip down memory lane ahead of 2025
Tigers. Clowns. Men in top hats. This year in arts reporting was quite a circus, in all the right ways. Between one edge of the Sun’s coverage area to the other, 2024 was full of visually compelling art displays and equally dazzling live performances. There’s even still time to catch some of them before the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
A soup box to stand on: The ramen, shave ice, tater tots, chicken wings, and vanilla lattes that defined 2024
After looking back at my foodie adventures over the past 12 months, I feel so grateful for the outpouring of winemakers, chefs, and business owners who invited me to their places of work for savory grub, sweet treats, soft and hard drinks, and warm conversation. In summing up this year’s most memorable occasions, I’d be […]
Posted inNews
Turn around: A peek back at 2024 in northern Santa Barbara County
In a year overshadowed by a contentious presidential election full of surprises, northern Santa Barbara County still managed to make its fair share of headlines. Local elections had their own drama in places like Lompoc and Santa Maria, where some incumbents held their own while others were voted out. The Lake Fire broke out near […]
Posted inOpinion
Soaring to new heights
Old Town Lompoc is about to grow up. At the ripe age of 150 years old, the city is primed for a good ol’ fashioned growth spurt—from 45 feet to 50 feet tall. Lompoc is aiming for increasing its housing density, both to comply with state law and some city goals. To do that, the […]
