It’s the start of the Mid-State Fair today! Will you be heading out? Here’s a look at our cooler than usual conditions.
- Charter school bill faces pushback: A state assembly bill focused on increasing oversight for charter schools heads to the Senate Education Committee today for a second time. While supporters say it promotes accountability, some community members argue it limits options for students and parents.
- 911 outage in North County restored: AT&T has restored landline 911 service after an outage impacted more than 400 residents in Oak Shores, Bradley, and Lake Nacimiento. Officials say the issue is now fully resolved and landlines can be used as normal.
- Templeton honors firefighters after historic blaze: Templeton city officials and residents came together at a recent community services meeting to thank first responders for their quick action during the Feed and Grain fire. The fire chief shared that crews were on scene within two minutes, and the wife of a fire captain was also praised for supporting firefighters with meals and supplies for four days straight.
Tensions ran high at Tuesday’s Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting as more than 100 people voiced concerns about recent ICE raids in Santa Maria and Carpinteria. Community members and advocacy groups like 805UndocuFund urged the county to increase protections for immigrants and called for an end to any local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Sheriff Bill Brown reiterated that the department does not assist with ICE operations and emphasized that local agencies cannot intervene in federal actions. While most attendees opposed the raids, some spoke in favor of stricter border enforcement. The meeting highlighted growing community frustration and a demand for transparency, but officials noted that complaints about ICE must be directed to federal authorities, who have not yet responded to media inquiries.
Despite ongoing construction from the Traffic Way Bridge Replacement Project in the Village of Arroyo Grande, local businesses are finding creative ways to keep customers coming through the doors. Owners say promotions like the annual “Where’s Waldo?” search, hosted by Monarch Books, have played a big role in keeping sales steady. The game encourages locals and tourists alike to visit downtown shops, many of which say they’ve seen strong community support throughout the road closures. Business owners credit the upbeat momentum to local camaraderie, strong communication, and loyal customers like Macy Burton, who says her family is committed to shopping local,detours and all.
A major forest health and wildfire prevention project is now underway in Cambria, where specialized crews are clearing dead trees and invasive species from the 34-acre Strawberry Canyon site. The effort is designed to reduce fire risk and support the recovery of native Monterey pines, one of only five native stands left in the world. The project, led by Greenspace, the Upper Salinas Las Tablas Resource Conservation District, and Firestorm Wildfire Suppression, will include chipping and controlled burns later in the year. It's the first large-scale effort of its kind at the site in a decade, funded in part by a $3.4 million CAL FIRE grant. Trails will be temporarily closed as crews work, and biologists are on-site to ensure minimal impact on local wildlife.
