Taking the bull by the horns Located at 484 First St. in Solvang, Drover’s Doughnuts is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its 252 E. Highway 246 location in Buellton is open Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon. Visit Drover’s Doughnuts on Facebook and Instagram under its name […]
Section Feature
Posted inNews
Cutting enforcement: Santa Barbara County supervisors take cannabis tax revenue away from Sheriff’s Office
Deemed overdue for a trim, Santa Barbara County’s budget to enforce against illegal weed is too big, the Board of Supervisors recently concluded. Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino described the board’s unanimous June 17 decision to disband the Sheriff’s Office cannabis compliance team as “redistributing the manpower where it’s most needed.” “Having that strong of […]
Posted inOpinion
Swapping dollars
Santa Barbara County is losing its cannabis enforcement team. That’s one way to save $3 million! Apparently illegal cannabis activities in the county have declined significantly since 2018, when the Sheriff’s Office Cannabis Compliance Team first started ripping through illegal grows, weed whacking, bagging, and confiscating all things pot. I remember the images that the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria artist Tommy Ruiz highlights unconventional beauty with surrealist imagery expressing the trans experience
Trans-forming narratives As a trans man, Santa Maria artist Tommy Ruiz illustrates conventional people with bizarre body parts to highlight unorthodox forms of beauty. You can find him on Instagram @bunniesaregay. Tommy Ruiz was lying in bed as a 13-year-old girl when he suddenly realized he was transgender. It was July 2015. Caitlyn Jenner had […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Tacos El Pirata Mayor treats North Broadway to authentic Mexican cuisine
Keep your eyes out The Tacos El Pirata Mayor food truck parks at 1203 N. Broadway in Santa Maria and is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Fridays from 5:30 to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 4 to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 4 to 10:30 p.m. Find Tacos El Pirata Mayor on […]
Posted inNews
Targeted tactics: Northern Santa Barbara County cities try to get a handle on illegal fireworks in the sky and on the ground
Whether the risk of being fined $1,000 discourages illegal fireworks use in Guadalupe or not, two longtime residents said they’re hoping to make the city feel like less of a “warzone” when July 4 rolls around by targeting offenders’ hearts rather than their wallets. “We sort of went with the approach that we appeal to […]
Posted inOpinion
Insane fireworks
Fireworks are already popping off in northern Santa Barbara County, and we’re still a couple of weeks away from the Fourth of July. Surprised? Nope. Santa Maria, Guadalupe, Lompoc—not to be dramatic, but the city streets turn into a bit of a war zone as darkness descends on Independence Day. You have to be careful […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club will host local wineries, eateries to raise funds for Old Days
Wine and dine On June 21, Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club will host Vine2Wine, Brews & Bites at 429 Leslie St. at 6 p.m. About two dozen wineries will fill glasses to pair with food served by local eateries. Tickets are available at my805tix.com for $65. Any remaining will be sold at the door on […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce declares to close June 30
The Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce will close June 30, according to a June 10 Facebook post from the chamber, which blamed the City Council’s decision to “abruptly and drastically cut funding.” “This is more than a budget cut. It’s the potential loss of a vital community pillar,” chamber President/CEO DeVika Stalling wrote. “We are […]
Posted inOpinion
Chamber danger
How much does it take to fold a chamber of commerce? In Lompoc, apparently, it takes a little less than $50,000. The Lompoc City Council decided to cut into the amount of funding it provides to the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce—both in cash and in-kind. The result of that is about a net $60,000 […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local photographer Kayla Marie highlights the planet’s natural beauty with her shots of beaches, sunsets, mountains
Picture perfect Kayla Marie has been photographing Santa Barbara County’s landscapes since she was 9 years old. Now a mother of two young children, she shares her pictures, hoping to inspire the next generation. Find her photos on Instagram under @_kayyyyylaaaaaaa_. Find her portfolio online at kaylamariephotography.smugmug.com. Growing up in Pismo Beach, a young Kayla […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Winning Images 2025
Central Coast photographers capture moments and more
For 30 years, New Times Media Group has been asking Central Coast photographers to send their best moments our way. Animal moments, people moments, floral moments, and more. This year, they submitted 333 images for our annual Winning Images contest, which our judges narrowed down to the top three in each of eight categories and […]
