In a landscape as rich as the Santa Maria Valley, Iris Valdez has been exposed to agriculture in her classrooms for years. The Pioneer Valley High School senior craved a more hands-on experience, so ...

At this point, can we all agree that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is shady? ICE officers have been caught lying as part of court cases—alleging hostile behavior from detainees as a way of ...

Who should we support and will they agree to uphold their oath of office—which is “a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one’s future action or behavior”—and “support and defend ...

Elections are an opportunity to consider the future of our community and the qualifications and qualities we value in those entrusted with representing it. The decisions we make, the trust we build, ...

On Nov. 3, Nipomo voters have an outstanding choice for the Lucia Mar Unified school board of trustees, Area 7. Donna Kandel has deep roots in the community. She raised her family, graduated from ...

A recent article about the Santa Maria City Council meeting where protesters were questioning why the city didn’t do more to counter ICE activities (“Santa Maria delays hearing ‘to ensure safety’ of ...

Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan was prepared for a peaceful, solo hike with her dog this spring in the Sierra Nevada. She set up her easel and started painting at an elevation of 10,000 feet. As skies ...

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters face a serious political dilemma: Who should we support and will they agree to uphold their oath of office—which is “a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, ...

Warning: The photos on the following pages will bring a smile to your face. They’re adorable! Readers from Santa Ynez to ...

Despite having a soft spot for animals, U.S. Army service member Matthew Petersen said he rarely approached the stray dogs he ...

Keith Kelsey never intended to become the caretaker of 300 peacocks. He just wanted to bring a few birds home. About 45 years ago, Kelsey and his brother rounded up seven peacocks from a ranch near ...

A unanimous vote from the California Fish and Game Commission granted new safeguards to roughly 9 square miles of marine habitat off the coast of Guadalupe. “I understand how hard it is to lose yet ...