Archive » August 4, 2011

Director’s chair

Vol. 9 Issue 31

The lights dim, the crowd grows quiet, little hearts beat fast, then the music begins, the curtains open and the magic happens – such is theater.

Supervisors keep Lompoc whole

When the Board of Supervisors returned to the emotionally charged redistricting process Tuesday, Supervisor Salud Carbajal unveiled a map he and his office fashioned to fan away some pent-up steam still lingering from the board’s last hearing on the matter. But his map seemed to only bring tensions to the...

Troubled intersection on the table again

The last time the Solvang City Council looked at the intersection of Alamo Pintado Road and Old Mission Drive, different opinions on an appropriate solution meant no action was taken. That meeting was in early May. Now the city has decided to take another look at the project.

Cities aim to keep redevelopment agencies alive

City leaders are waiting with bated breath for the outcome of a lawsuit that would scuttle two plans that would either cripple or dissolve redevelopment agencies....

Leo Mathiasen remembered by city he served

On a hot Monday afternoon the bell in the high, white tower of Bethania Lutheran Church tolled 83 times. Each chime a remembrance of one year in the life of Leo Mathiasen. ...

Is this your vision of the future of our Valley?

Does your vision of the Santa Ynez Valley include a 30-story casino, perhaps large box stores, an outlet mall or even a new city at highways 154/246 at the gateway of Santa Ynez?...

Caltrans’ new favorite roundabout

Caltrans is arming itself to install a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 154 and Highway 246. Caltrans states they want to “engage stakeholders in the progress of the project” and to “enlist sympathetic stakeholder support” (what about opposition?). Only a handful of people showed up in Solvang for the...

Restaurant embraces all the Valley offers

The Santa Ynez Valley is great. Everyone gets that. Every day I drive to work I’m surrounded by rolling hills, expansive vineyards and grazing cattle exploring rangeland that would inspire the sappiest of trail songs. ...

Camaraderie first and foremost

Don’t believe them when they tell you it’s all about the sensational food, superb wine and extraordinary company; it is, but just as much about the competition....