In a time when affordable housing is in such high demand, when the California Legislature tries over and over again to alleviate the housing crisis and stimulate building, Buellton is trying to figure out how to kick certain residents out of long-term housing situations and turn those spaces into hotel rooms again. “Those motel uses […]
Section Feature
Stories of local foster youth in Trauma to Hope exhibit now on display in Santa Ynez
Hope in art Located at 3596 Sagunto St., the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., and the From Trauma to Hope: Stories of Foster Care exhibit is on display until July 26. For more about the exhibit, visit at sbcasa.org. It was past midnight when a […]
Clementine Carter pours cool climate Rhônes from the Sta. Rita Hills in Los Alamos
No two vintages of Clementine Carter are the same. “You should be able to read each vintage in each bottle,” owner and winemaker Sonja Magdevski said. “Everything that happened that year should be in this bottle.” The soil, sun, wind, rain, frost, temperature. The hands that tended the vines, the decisions that were made and […]
Vacancy: Whoever wins Buellton’s upcoming special election will help decide what Parks Plaza will become
In the final weeks of his first term as a Buellton City Council member, Dave King lost his 2012 re-election campaign and gained something he “wouldn’t have traded for anything.” It was a new job he couldn’t have accepted if he remained on the dais. “That was kind of a godsend to me,” said King, […]
Squeaky, squeaky
How will Buellton’s 4th District voters choose between their two candidates in August’s special election? Former Mayor Dave King and newcomer Carla Mead seem pretty similar when it comes to policy—and they both seem to think they’ve got what it takes to get Caltrans to pay attention to some of Highway 246’s biggest safety issues, […]
Gallery Los Olivos hosts Deborah Kalas exhibition showcasing birds from Santa Ynez Valley, across country
Spreading her wings Find Deborah Kalas on Instagram and Pinterest or at deborahkalas.com. Located at 2920 Grand Ave., Gallery Los Olivos is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit gallerylosolivos.com or call (805) 688-7517. Lying on her stomach in mud, Deborah Kalas shivered for hours as she photographed American avocets […]
Lompoc’s Pali Wine Co. triples operating grounds, announces 20th anniversary celebration for August, adapts appointments for tastings
Pali Wine Company’s 2024 Market Price orange wine blend bursts with pineapple, mango, and tangerine. The 2023 P.C.H. rosé of pinot noir has a zip of acidity and a refreshing wave of delicate red fruit flavors. The 2021 Jetty red wine offers up raspberries, strawberries, and cherries. You’re invited Pali Wine Co. will celebrate 20 […]
Easy-peasy?
Fire season is here, y’all. With more than 80,000 acres burned in the Cuyama Valley and on the Carrizo Plain National Monument since before July 2, and a number of other starts since summer began, now is the time to be careful. That means: Be done with the fireworks, people. I can still hear the […]
Get Outside – Summer/Fall 2025
Most sports have their own ecosystems built around them: teams, tournaments, talent, training programs, and gear, lots of gear. Unicycling is a little bit different. It’s looser, more accommodating, and welcoming to all. It takes just as much athleticism and grit as any other sport might, but most of the students who joined Cal Poly’s […]
Chumash illustrator John Khus highlights cultural heritage, fight for social justice with colorful imagery
When pen meets pad Chumash artist John Khus has been keeping the spirits of his Central Coast ancestors alive for more than four decades. You can find him on Instagram @john.khus. A faceless Statue of Liberty with flowing, black hair dons a colorful array of Indigenous tattoos. The white “Be Human” book she holds in […]
Proving continuity: The Salinan Tribe sifts through history, aims for federal recognition
Century-old photographs, handwritten letters, baptism records, and other primary documents confirmed what Michael Erin Woody and the rest of the Salinan Tribe of Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties already knew. “This is a continuous group of Indians that have been here since before European contact, and we’re still here,” the tribal council member said. […]
South Side Coffee Company captures Lompoc’s artistic spirit with gallery of local art vendors
Fill your cup with art Located at 105 S. H St., South Side Coffee Company is more of a community art center that serves coffee and food than a cafe decorated with art. Owner/operator Halle Bedford hosts exhibits by local artists with pieces for sale all throughout the shop. South Side Coffee Company is open […]

