Despite some residents’ concerns about increased taxes, impacts to the tourism industry, and multiple tax measures going before voters, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 (with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson Dissenting) to put a Transient Occupancy Tax increase on the November 2024 general election ballot. “I really want to continue to […]
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Posted inFood & Drink
Orcutt pizzeria lends favorite flavors to Arroyo Grande’s Branch Street Deli and Pizzeria, celebrating the anniversary of its delicious upgrade
Deli development Enjoy Branch Street Deli and Pizzeria’s transformation every day starting at 11 a.m. It closes at 3 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Check out branchstreetdeli.com and follow the restaurant on Instagram @branch_st_deli_and_pizzeria. Branch Street Deli and Pizzeria in Arroyo Grande has […]
Posted inNews
Limited care: Not all reproductive health care services are accessible in Lompoc
After driving three hours from their homes in Lompoc, they met a crowd of picketers surrounding a Los Angeles Planned Parenthood clinic. Kathleen was there with her friend, who was seeking an abortion because the fetus she was carrying wouldn’t survive after birth. “It had been determined that this child she was carrying was suffering […]
Posted inOpinion
Risky revenue?
Is Lompoc a place that you associate with “Earth-based lodging”? Seems a little targeted toward luxurious hippies, doesn’t it? Like some place someone would pay thousands of dollars a night to stay in the Brazilian Amazon or along the Big Sur coast, where they could zip-line through the forest, get massages under trees, eat all […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Orcutt artisan’s household goods double as serene seascapes
Tidal raves To find out more about Orcutt-based artist Amy Blankenship and her resin art business, Wild Alchemy, visit wildalchemycollective.com, or follow @wildalchemycollective on Instagram. Blankenship regularly sells her resin art charcuterie boards and other products during Morro Bay’s bimonthly Waterfront Market, Shell Beach’s monthly Art in the Park event, and additional art fairs and […]
Posted inNews
Odor, environmental concerns delay decision on Buellton cannabis project
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted 4-0 (with 5th District Commissioner Vincent Martinez absent) during its May 8 meeting to push its decision on a cannabis cultivation project near Buellton to July 10 so the project could further analyze odor, viewshed, and other environmental impacts. “I’m very cognizant, because I’ve been in the middle […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Live Oak Music Fest comes to El Chorro Park June 14 to 16
Never been to Live Oak Music Fest? Maybe this should be your year. Even if you’ve missed the first 34 years, joining the Live Oak family is as easy as slipping on your favorite pair of jeans. “Live Oak has something special about it that’s all about community,” KCBX Director of Programming and Content Marisa […]
Posted inOpinion
Odor eater
Can we odor abate outdoor anything? Like sewage plants with open-air treatment ponds, for instance—Nipomo, I’m talking to you. Who doesn’t love the smell of poo on the fresh morning air? We arguably should be doing something about that smell—but can we really? “In the north, we have many complaints of odors particularly with … […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Let’s Crave It Crepes food truck opens new brick-and-mortar shop in Arroyo Grande
Planet of the crepes Find out more about Let’s Crave It Crepes at facebook.com/letscraveitcrepes. The local brand’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant opened at 1474 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, in May. There’s a new spot in Arroyo Grande where loved ones can bond over a shared dessert one minute and sever their ties during a cutthroat […]
Posted inOpinion
Risky donation
Did you know that every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion? Did you also know that until recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had rules regarding collecting “gay” blood? As if homosexuality isn’t stigmatized enough, amirite? Well, presto-chango, because now, like magic, the FDA has decided that gay and bisexual […]
Posted inNews
Vital draw: The FDA changes guidelines for LGBTQ-plus men who want to donate blood for the first time
An update to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidelines on blood donation allows a whole new cross-section of people to roll up their sleeves and help those in need. In May 2023, the FDA eliminated time-based postponements and screening questions posed to men who have sex with other men (MSM population). Previous instruction deemed […]
Posted inNews
Housing headway: County supervisors approve rezoned sites in largest Housing Element in history, with several sites identified in Orcutt
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors closed the yearslong Housing Element process by rezoning several sites to make way for the needed units. “This wasn’t something that happened overnight; this was two, three years in the making,” 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson told the Sun on May 2. “I want to make sure that […]
