Author: KEYT

Dave Alley

NIPOMO, Calif. – The owners of the new Nipomo battery plant provided a tour to the media and county officials on Thursday morning, giving an inside look at the much-discussed facility that has drawn a lot of attention over the past few months.

During the 90-minute tour, leaders with Houston-based Alpha Omega Power, which owns the Caballero Battery Energy Storage Site (BESS), answered questions from media members about its operations and safety features.

“The community should feel safe because these assets has undergone a battery of real life tests,” said Guillaume Dufay, Alpha Omega Power Co-Founder/Chief Technology Officer. “It has undergone a battery of inspections directly from CAL FIRE (San Luis Obispo County Fire Department) that came to the site here during the commissioning and it has also complied with all the latest regulations and all the strict requirements from the National Fire Protection Association. We have done simulations. We have done real life tests to prove that a fire event or any kind of emergency situation is extremely unlikely, and if it ever happens, it will be contained. It will be managed and it has been proven to not cause any risk for life and safety and property around the area.”

The Caballero plant is located on Joshua Street in south Nipomo near Highway 101 and has been in operation since April 1.

“It’s a power asset that connects to the to the power grid of California,” said Dufay. “This has 33 battery energy storage systems that produce a 100 megawatts. We are providing power for about 100,000 houses for about four hours. It’s injecting power into the grid on a daily basis. Batteries are here to act as a buffer on the larger electric grid. They provide power when it’s needed the most and they absorb power when there’s excess power available on the grid, so for these reasons, we call them reliability equipment. They provide reliability to the grid.”

The battery storage system is adjacent to the PG&E Nipomo substation and began operating less than three months after a battery plant facility in Moss Landing in Monterey County caught fire.

In the aftermath of the Moss Landing incident, many in Nipomo community and surrounding areas raised concerns about having a battery facility located close to their home.

However, the Caballero operators point out the two facilities are entirely different in their design and safety features.

“Compared to Moss Landing, this particular system was built compliant with the most recent version of California fire codes for the 2021 version of the California Fire Code,” said Nick Warner with Energy Storage Response Group (ESRG). “In addition to that, there are a number of UL product standards and other requirements that were either imposed as best practice from the industry or by, Cal Fire and other local authorities, to ensure safety with the site. 

They added the company is hoping to provide transparency about the Nipomo plant through the media tour and a town hall meeting that was held on Wednesday night.

“There’s just absolutely no risk for anybody who lives in the vicinity,” said Dufay. “This is one of the safest industrial developments that you can have in this country. The more interest from the public is better for our industry. We are proud of what we’ve done. This is very safe. We want to share that. We want to bring that out to the community. We did an open house to to share the same message. We are here. This asset is safe. This is what it does. There’s no mystery. There’s no magic here. We charge lithium ion batteries and we discharge them and we have all the fire and safety equipment and all the analysis that have been done to comply with all the latest codes.” 

Columbus, Ohio-based ESRG operates the safety planning and has established the safety protocols that are in place for the Caballero site.

Warner, a co-founder of the company, was onsite for the tour on Thursday and pointed out the plant has gone through meticulous planning ahead of its opening to ensure the site meets the highest levels of industry and government safety standards.

“We’ve gone through large scale fire testing of the system,” said Warner. “We’ve done heat flux analyzes. We generated emergency response plans and other engineering assessments, in line with these codes and best practices, or in some cases in excess of these practices. Part of why ESRG is here today is because we’ve contractually agreed to provide 24/7 subject matter expertise and services to the site for the lifetime of the operation.”

Also on hand Thursday was San Luis Obispo County Fourth District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding, who represents the entire Nipomo area.

His office has fielded a number of questions, comments and feedback about the plant since it gained widespread attention earlier this year following the Moss Landing fire.

“I understand that the community is really concerned, but there was a lot of misinformation about this project,” said Paulding. “This project meets a set of safety standards that weren’t in place when, the Moss Landing facility was approved and constructed for example. I think everything has risks, right? I can’t stand here and say that this facility is a 100% safe facility. You look at Diablo Canyon, you look at the Phillips 66 oil refinery that used to operate here in my district. This facility is held to a set of standards and those standards have been adhered to and they’re operating in a safe way. We have an emergency response plan should there be an incident and it certainly gives me more confidence. I hope that the community can rest assure that plans are in place should there be an incident.”  

Also happening Thursday, as well as a day earlier on Wednesday, and scheduled for this coming Monday, is specialized training at the site with the San Luis Obispo County Fire Department/CAL FIRE and several neighboring agencies.

“The intent of the training is to familiarize all of our firefighters with the facility and orient them to procedures and talk about what we need to do in the case of emergency,” said Ryan Grebe, SLO County Fire Department Public Information Officer. “We’ve invited other agencies like Santa Barbara County Fire, Santa Maria Fire, Five Cities Fire, and all these other people who are going to be responding in the event of a large emergency, so we want to make sure they’re getting the training and that they’re familiar with the facility as well.”

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Special Olympics Torch Run came through the South Coast Wednesday with a quick stop to acknowledge funds raised at several local events.

The check presentation was made at the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department headquarters, with Sheriff Bill Brown and his staff welcoming he runners. “As we mark the 39th anniversary of the Torch Run in Southern California, I am filled with pride to see this tradition burning brighter than ever,” said Brown.

The law enforcement agencies on the South Coast escorted the runners through the streets by running and driving alongside them.

The route down the coast and into Goleta, continued after the stop at the Sheriff’s station. It went down State Street through the promenade and then along the waterfront. The day’s route continued into Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria.

This weekend the athletes will compete in Long Beach.

Among those to greet the torch runners was Commander Butch Arnoldi with the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department. He has been a coordinator of the Torch Run efforts for several decades and has more than 50 years experience with the Sheriff’s Department.

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Jarrod Zinn

GUADALUPE, Calif. – It will now be easier for people to get between Guadalupe and Santa Maria.

The rumors are true, and it all starts on July 1st: SMOOTH’s Guadalupe Flyer will be merged with Santa Maria Regional Transit—or “SMRT”.

“We’re going to miss operating the Guadalupe Transit Service,” says Fil Simas, SMOOTH Transportation’s executive director. “We’re proud to have been a part of it, and we’ve been affiliated with it. We started it, we initiated it, nurtured it, helped it grow.”

Those in Guadalupe who ride the bus to and from Santa Maria may start seeing their drivers in new uniforms in July.

Riders will also no longer have to pay two separate fares.

These transit systems are currently two different entities, and passengers are paying two separate sets of fares, following two different online interfaces.  The Santa Maria City Council gave the green light to the potential integration of the two systems back in February.

“Our entire industry, both on the private side and the public side, have experienced significant challenges,” says Gamaliel Anguiano, City of Santa Maria’s transit manager. “I mean, leading into the pandemic and certainly coming out, that’s expedited conversation between the two communities about merging the two transit systems.”

SMRT will now be the central, one-stop-shop interface for all transit information.

“The consolidation of Guadalupe Flyer with Smart is only one additional step in the major reworking of the transit network throughout North Santa Barbara County,” says Anguiano. “But there are plenty more steps to come.”

Santa Maria Regional Transit will also add two new lines that Guadalupe Flyer riders will be familiar with.

Route 40 will take passengers from the Guadalupe transit station to the Santa Maria transit center.

And 41 will circle, providing stops around the Guadalupe transit center.

“If you’re a Guadalupe resident you’ll see the Santa Maria regional transit livery coming up. That is your bus. That is the busses will bring you into town and take you everywhere else,” says Anguiano.

Passengers can ride for free from July 1st through 11th.

Additionally, any Guadalupe resident who attends classes at Allan Hancock College will qualify for the Bulldog Pass, allowing unlimited free rides in Santa Maria while enrolled.

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John Palminteri

SOLVANG, Calif. – Some of the top economic minds in Santa Barbara County gathered in Solvang today for the 2025 Santa Ynez Valley Economic Summit, focused on building solutions and strengthening the regional economy.

The event, hosted by the Solvang Chamber of Commerce at the Craft House at Corque, carried the theme: “Building Economic Growth for a Stronger Future.”

“These aren’t the challenging times — this is a great time,” said Solvang Mayor David Brown. “So go from there and conquer. You’re going to be great.”

Even with new tariffs, international travel restrictions, and layoffs making headlines, Mayor Brown and many others at the summit said they remain optimistic.

Speakers with local and state business experience emphasized collaboration, data, and solution-sharing as essential tools to build a resilient economy.

“We’ve studied the manufacturing industry; we’ve studied agriculture and agtech. We looked at the wine and tourism industry, done the research, created the data, the talking points, and then gone before the city, the county, the state, or the federal level to educate policymakers on how their decisions impact these industries — and how better decisions can be made with the data we’ve gathered,” said Jenelle Osborne, CEO of EconAlliance.

Some presenters shared practical programs already underway to help grow the workforce, including financial support to subsidize pay for new employees. Alyssa Stovall, Workforce Development Program Manager, explained that support can range from 150 to 400 hours of financial assistance.

“Those are typically for individuals with limited or no work history,” said Stovall. “We’re able to subsidize 100% of the wages for that limited period of time through an on-the-job training opportunity.”

Often, these early hires become long-term employees.

“We’re looking for opportunities to connect job seekers with jobs that turn into careers — things they’re excited about,” Stovall added.

For business owners who may not be aware of the financial resources available, speakers emphasized crossover opportunities through grants, stimulus funding, and mentorship.

“When you have someone who can really support you, look at your business plan, and help identify innovations, you can better leverage the resources that are available,” said Juliana Ramirez, of JR Bookkeeping and the Economic Development Collaborative.

In Solvang, Mayor Brown says there’s a reason why business vacancy rates are low — and it’s tied directly to the town’s appeal.

“The secret is the number of tourists that come through town every day — millions over the course of a year. People want to be part of that. Our town is safe, walkable, and friendly.”

Looking ahead, experts said business owners and local leaders need to closely track state and federal developments throughout 2025 and 2026.

This year’s speakers and panels included:

SB County Supervisor, Joan Hartmann

Solvang Mayor, David Brown

Visit SYV, Shelby Sim

Santa Barbara Vintners, Alison Laslett

EconAlliance CEO, Janelle Osborne

City Manager City of Buellton, Scott Wolfe

Several other key stakeholders helping drive innovation and growth

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Alissa Orozco

VENTURA, Calif. – Two juveniles have admitted to felony charges relating to a bomb and shooting threat at Ventura High School back in May. The threats prompted a full lockdown, and caused multiple law enforcement and emergency vehicles to report to the school.

On May 2nd, school officials received a threatening phone call claiming that someone on campus had a bomb and intended to commit a shooting. It was later revealed that three minor students were involved in making the call.

Ventura County Police Department officers detained all three students on campus for a further investigation, arresting two 15-year-olds for criminal threats, conspiracy to commit a crime and false report of a bomb charges.

Ventura County District Attorney, Erik Nasarenko, announced today that the two juveniles have admitted to felony charges.

On May 21st, 2025 while in the Ventura County Juvenile Justice Center, one of the minors admitted to the following felony charges:

Malicious informing of a false bomb

Conspiracy to commit a malicious informing of a false bomb

The DA’s office says the minor’s legal residence is in Santa Barbara County, therefore the case has been transferred to the Santa Maria Juvenile Courthouse for sentencing. An interim hearing is scheduled on June 10th, with a sentencing hearing to follow on June 17th.

On June 4th, 2025, the second minor admitted to the following felony charges:

Malicious informing of a false bomb

Conspiracy to commit a malicious informing of a false bomb

Criminal threats

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin DeNoce sentenced the minor to wardship under Welfare and Institutions Code section 602, the most serious level of juvenile probation.

“The juveniles who committed the false bomb threat and school shooting threat, have been held accountable for their criminal conduct,” Juvenile Unit Supervisor Maureen Byrne said. “These threats placed the entire Ventura High School campus on lock-down, and caused students, teachers, and the surrounding community to be in fear. School staff and the Ventura Police Department acted quickly, finding the juveniles responsible and restoring safety to the campus.”

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from Santa Barbara County Health Department, Animal Services regarding the upcoming Fourth of July holiday and the free services offered to protect your pet.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – With fireworks, parties, and holiday gatherings on the horizon, Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) is reminding residents to take extra precautions to protect their pets this Fourth of July and all summer long. Loud noises and flashing lights can frighten even the calmest animals, leading to panicked escapes and lost pets.

To help residents prepare, SBCAS is offering free microchips in June for all pets during regular business hours, Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM at all three shelter locations. No appointment is needed, and each microchip includes lifetime registration to increase the chances of a swift reunion if your pet becomes lost.

In addition, to help create a safe and secure environment for pets during fireworks, SBCAS is offering crate loans through July 7th. Pet owners can stop by any shelter location during business hours to borrow a crate at no cost, providing pets a calm, contained space during stressful events.

“Independence Day is one of the busiest times of year for shelters across the country,” said Sarah Aguilar, Director of Santa Barbara County Animal Services. “Microchipping and secure containment are simple, effective ways to help ensure pets stay safe and get home quickly if they run off during fireworks or festivities.”

SBCAS encourages all pet owners to take the following steps to keep pets safe over the holiday weekend:

Keep pets indoors and in a secure, quiet space during fireworks.

Use calming music or white noise to help mask outdoor sounds.

Ensure all pets wear collars with ID tags.

Check that fences and gates are secure before the holiday.

Never bring pets to fireworks displays or crowded parties.

If your pet becomes lost:

File a report and upload a photo to Petco Love Lost. This free tool uses facialrecognition to search shelter and community found pet databases.

Use our interactive map to see if your pet has been reported found nearby.

Check with local shelters in person.

Post on neighborhood platforms like Nextdoor and Facebook right away—manypets are found within just a few miles of home.

Visit one of our locations for a free microchip or to borrow a crate:

Santa Maria Animal Center: 548 W Foster Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455

Lompoc Animal Center: 1501 W Central Avenue, Lompoc, CA 93436

Santa Barbara Animal Center: 5473 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93111

Let’s work together to keep pets safe, secure, and at home this Fourth of July. For more information about services, shelter locations, and how to get involved, visit www.sbcanimalservices.org/july4

About Santa Barbara County Animal Services:Santa Barbara County Animal Services is the leading animal welfare organization in Santa Barbara County, caring for over 6,000 pets in their shelters annually, and thousands of families across the community. SBCAS is dedicated to promoting responsible pet ownership and providing comprehensive animal care services to enhance the lives of both pets and people in the community. Through various programs and initiatives, the organization strives to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of animals.

Traducción en español:

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Con los fuegos artificiales, fiestas y reuniones de vacaciones en el horizonte, Servicios para Animales del Condado de Santa Bárbara (SBCAS, por sus siglas en inglés) recuerda a los residentes tomar precauciones adicionales para proteger a sus mascotas este 4 de julio y durante el verano. Ruidos fuertes y luces intermitentes pueden asustar incluso a los animales más tranquilos, provocando escapadas de pánico y mascotas.

Para ayudarles a preparar, SBCAS ofrece microchips gratis en junio para todas las mascotas durante las horas de oficina, martes a domingo 10:00am a 6:00pm en cualquier de los tres refugios. No se requiere sita y cada microchip incluye registración de por vida para aumentar la posibilidad de una reunión rápida en caso de que se pierda su mascota.

Además, para ayudar a crear un entorno seguro para las mascotas durante los espectáculos pirotécnicos, SBCAS ofrecerá prestamos de jaulas para animales hasta el 7 de julio. Los dueños de mascotas pueden pasar por cualquier refugio durante el horario laboral para pedir prestado una jaula sin costo alguno, proporcionando a las mascotas un espacio tranquilo y contenido durante acontecimientos estresantes.

«El 4 de julio es una de las épocas del año más ocupadas para los refugios de todo el país», dijo Sarah Aguilar, Directora de Servicios para Animales del Condado de Santa Bárbara. «La colocación de microchips y la contención segura son formas sencillas y eficaces de ayudar a garantizar que las mascotas permanezcan a salvo y vuelvan a casa rápidamente si se escapan durante los fuegos artificiales o las festividades.»

SBCAS anima a todos los dueños de mascotas a tomar las siguientes medidas para mantenerlas a salvo durante el fin de semana festivo:

Mantenga a las mascotas dentro de casa y en un espacio seguro y tranquilo durantelos fuegos artificiales.

Utilice música relajante o ruido blanco para enmascarar los sonidos exteriores.

Asegúrese de que todas las mascotas lleven collares con etiquetas de identificación.

Compruebe que las vallas y puertas estén bien cerradas antes de la fiesta.

Nunca lleve a las mascotas a espectáculos pirotécnicos o fiestas multitudinarias.

Si su mascota se pierde:

Presente una denuncia y suba una foto a Petco Love Lost. Esta herramientagratuita utiliza reconocimiento facial para buscar en bases de datos de refugios ycomunidades.

Utilice nuestro mapa interactivo para ver si su mascota ha sido encontrada cerca.

Acuda personalmente a los refugios locales.

Publique inmediatamente en plataformas vecinales como Nextdoor y Facebook:muchas mascotas se encuentran a pocos kilómetros de casa.

Visite uno de nuestros centros para obtener un microchip gratuito o para pedir prestada unajaula:

Santa Maria Animal Center: 548 W Foster Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455

Lompoc Animal Center: 1501 W Central Avenue, Lompoc, CA 93436

Santa Barbara Animal Center: 5473 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93111

Trabajemos juntos para mantener a las mascotas a salvo, seguras y en casa este 4 de julio. Para obtener más información sobre los servicios, las ubicaciones de los refugios y cómo participar, visite: www.sbcanimalservices.org/july4

Acerca de los Servicios para Animales del Condado de Santa Bárbara:Los Servicios para Animales del Condado de Santa Bárbara es la organización líder en bienestar animal en el Condado de Santa Bárbara, cuidando a más de 6.000 mascotas en sus refugios anualmente, y a miles de familias en toda la comunidad. SBCAS se dedica a la promoción de la tenencia responsable de mascotas y la prestación de servicios integrales de cuidado de los animales para mejorar la vida de las mascotas y las personas en la comunidad. A través de diversos programas e iniciativas, la organización se esfuerza por garantizar la salud, la seguridad y el bienestar de los animales.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A non-profit focused on helping mothers in need is hiring a bilingual coordinator in Santa Barbara.

Thanks to a grant of $80,000 from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, Mothers’ Helpers will be able to cover the salary and benefits of a part-time, bilingual coordinator for Mothers’ Helpers’ storefront support center.

From Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara:

Baby essentials can easily total $2,500 in the first six months of an infant’s life.

These costs place a significant strain on low-income families.

Through community donations and volunteer workers, Mothers’ Helpers has been able to provide at no cost many of the items parents need for a new baby.

However, with only one paid, part-time program manager, Mothers’ Helpers now finds that they can no longer keep up with the large volume of donations and many requests from families.

Mothers’ Helpers will hire a part-time, bilingual coordinator for their support center.

This person will oversee daily operations, train and manage volunteers, help sort and store donations, supervise staffing of donation drop-off and pick-up hours, and work with the program manager to expedite the processing of parent requests.

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Melinda Burns

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – In a significant course correction this week, the county Board of Supervisors cut $1.4 million from its cannabis budget, taking the knife to administration, auditing, planning review and especially law enforcement.

Voting 4-0 on Tuesday, with Supervisor Bob Nelson of Orcutt absent, the supervisors settled on $5.3 million for cannabis-related spending in 2025-26, or 20 percent less than what they had previously budgeted. They raised the growers’ licensing fees, too, to make ends meet.

It was a belated attempt to “right-size” a program in which the county’s ongoing, or fixed cannabis costs have exceeded revenues for three consecutive years, requiring the use of carryover cannabis funding to make up the difference.

“The program is evolving and we’re seeing a lot of attrition and we’re losing operators,” Brittany Odermann, deputy county executive officer, told the board on Tuesday. “The staff time spent on the cannabis program needs to be reimbursed. We’ve seen our numbers go down and down and down for cannabis… so we’re trying to find that balance.”

During a wide-ranging hearing on the shrinking local industry, the board also loosened the requirements for background checks at cannabis operations and lowered the acreage caps on cannabis, both for greenhouses in Carpinteria Valley and outdoor “grows” in the North County.

Cannabis revenues collected by the county peaked at $15.7 million in 2021. Since then, the price of pot has plummeted, largely because of a glut on the market. For 2025-26, beginning this July 1, the board is projecting revenues of only $5.5 million from cannabis taxes.

The largest budget cut — about $472,000 — will come out of the Sheriff’s Office cannabis enforcement team. It will lose one of five deputies, for a savings of $242,000; plus $220,000 that the team will no longer receive for overtime work, and $10,000 for services and supplies.

As of now, $1.5 million remains in the cannabis budget for the enforcement team. That’s more than a quarter of the cannabis budget for 2025-26.

But on Tuesday, in a move that took their own staff by surprise, the supervisors talked about shifting a portion of the funding for the Sheriff’s team to other programs, such as fentanyl enforcement, drug education, mental health services and leadership training for disadvantaged youth. They tabled a longer discussion to June 17 and 18, when hearings on the county’s entire budget are scheduled.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report for the board, the enforcement team, which is run by a sergeant, has investigated 65 cases involving illegal pot cultivation, sales, manufacturing and distribution since 2021. In recent years, the focus has shifted from large-scale raids of illegal “grows” to more time-consuming investigations into the diversion and illegal resale of legally purchased pot.

But Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, who represents the Santa Maria Valley and was a co-author of the county’s industry-friendly cannabis ordinance of 2018, expressed frustration with the team’s current work, saying, “I think the whole landscape’s changed… We’re spending money where I don’t see the result. How many people have gone to jail from your cannabis team busting people?”

“Honestly, let’s be frank,” Lavagnino said. “I’ll zero out the damn thing. I don’t care.”

New Priorities?

Amy Steinfeld, an attorney for growers in several California counties, urged the board to assign cannabis enforcement to just one or two deputies, as is done, she said, in Santa Cruz and Ventura counties. In Santa Barbara County, the team regularly shows up at legal operations with four or five deputies for compliance inspections and will randomly stop and question workers, causing them “unnecessary stress and anxiety,” Steinfeld said.

“We have a culture issue whereby our Sheriffs are biased against this legal plant,” Steinfeld said, adding that they are “actively looking for ways to shut down legal farms.”

“We’d like to see our Sheriffs fighting crime, destroying illegal grows in our national forests and addressing the fentanyl crisis,” she said.

Four managers and organizers of Future Leaders of America, a nonprofit organization serving low-income immigrant and Latinx youth, pleaded with the board to spend more on programs for underserved communities that have been devastated by the war on drugs.

Ivan Vega and John Esteban urged the board to create a youth fund that is supported by cannabis tax revenues, shifting funding priorities from “punishment to prevention; from enforcement to empowerment; and from over-policing to opportunity.”

“We don’t need more funding for systems that criminalize poor, black and brown communities,” Esteban said. “… Please invest in our future and invest in our youth.”

Supervisor Joan Hartmann, who represents much of the area west of Buellton where outdoor cannabis has taken root, said she was “very much persuaded by what we’ve heard from the Future Leaders of America.” Lavagnino concurred.

“Today was a great day for reimagining and rescoping the whole program,” he said. “ … I think board is ready to shift our priorities … Education, yes. Mental health, yes. Youth fund, yes … we just have to figure out what that mix is.”

Board Chair Laura Capps expressed “a sense of relief” that the board was “setting a new course” and “being realistic about what we have.”

Then and Now

Overall, according to a CEO report to the board, the county’s cannabis growers have paid $59 million in taxes since 2018, an average of $8.4 million yearly. Most of it comes from a 4 percent cultivation tax on gross receipts, or sales, of pot, as self-reported by the growers themselves.

In the fall of 2017, before the board adopted its cannabis ordinance, a study by a consulting firm predicted that a tax on cannabis cultivation would generate between roughly $4 million and $64 million in annual tax revenues for the county (though the higher number was stated as “unlikely”), with an additional $1 million to $8 million from pot shops and cannabis manufacturing.

The real picture has been far more sobering. According to a 2024 report for the state Department of Cannabis Control, wholesale prices for cannabis have dropped by 57 percent, on average, since 2021. Illegal pot, estimated to make up more than 60 percent of the California market, has also depressed prices.

Today, according to the County Executive Office, there are only 46 cannabis operations in the county, down from 124 operations that were in the pipeline for review back in 2018. And as the size and scope of the local cannabis industry has shrunk, so has the need for administrators, auditors and law enforcement officials to oversee it.

On The Cutting Board

For the coming fiscal year, in addition to cuts to the Sheriff’s cannabis enforcement team, the board agreed Tuesday that the District Attorney’s office would use grant funding instead of cannabis revenues to pay for about 1.2 full-time staff positions for the prosecution of cannabis-related civil, criminal and environmental cases in the illegal market. That’s a savings of more than $310,000 in the cannabis budget.

The county Treasurer-Tax Collector will lose an independent auditor, for a savings of $90,000. And with only a couple of appeals of cannabis projects still in the pipeline for review, down from 100 in recent years, the county Planning Department is expected to save $370,000 in 2025-26. That’s in addition to the savings from a full-time cannabis licensing position that was cut in the CEO’s office last winter.

In the past, cannabis tax revenues have paid $2 million to help expand the San Marcos Foothills Preserve. An average $500,000 yearly in cannabis revenues has gone to county libraries. Cannabis monies have paid for roads, park bathrooms, clean energy planning, a zero-emissions vehicle specialist, new video equipment for Sheriff’s deputies’ cars, the Modoc Road bike and pedestrian path; and diversity, equity and inclusion training and NorthCounty youth programs.

For the coming fiscal year, deferred road maintenance makes the list for ongoing programs funded with cannabis revenues, with $1.6 million set aside; and so does education on the health impacts of cannabis, with $219,000. (The board cut the allocation for cannabis use prevention for pregnant women by $41,000.)

Beyond those uses, most of the ongoing cannabis budget still goes to administration and enforcement, including $1.5 million for the Sheriff’s enforcement team, $480,000 for the county Treasurer-Tax Collector, $428,000 for the District Attorney, $356,000 for Planning & Development zoning enforcement, and $245,000 for the CEO.

The county will use $2.7 million in carryover cannabis revenues in 2025-26 to pay for one-time expenses such as the equity training program ($607,000), a restroom upgrade for Rincon Beach Park (546,000), the Modoc bike path ($500,000), Orcutt Library ($500,000) and an employee housing study ($245,000).

Fewer Background Checks

On Tuesday, against the advice of the Sheriff’s Office, the board voted unanimously to limit the requirement for “live scan” electronic fingerprinting and criminal background checks to the applicants, owners and managers of cannabis operations and partners with at least a 20 percent financial interest, bringing the county in line with state regulations. The checks can take months to complete.

Current rules require background checks for permanent, temporary and seasonal workers, a measure that is widely viewed as a disincentive for immigrant farm laborers. In some cases, growers told the board, their workers have been denied United States citizenship because they work in an industry that is illegal under federal law.

The Sheriff’s Office had urged the board to expand background checks to include employees working in sensitive areas where cash is kept or surveillance recording is conducted; or where cannabis is stored, prepared for sale or displayed for purchase.

Sheriff’s Commander Erik Raney told the board that the regulated cannabis industry in Santa Barbara County boasts a lower crime rate than in jurisdictions that do not require such stringent background checks.

“We have seen people (who) have entered into the business with lengthy criminal histories,” Raney said. “We’ve had juveniles entering into the business as workers, and people with direct cartel ties. The current background check process helps deter that … We just believe that if we lessen our standards, we’ll see more criminal activity.”

Lavagnino called the Sheriff’s recommendations “overreach.”

“It’s hard for me to put a finger on what crime we’re avoiding,” he said. “… When we talk about protecting the community, I’d rather see resources going after folks that we already know have committed felonies… instead of live-scanning folks that are in the back of a room in a cannabis facility.”

The change in background checks was approved by the board on a first reading as an amendment to the county’s cannabis ordinance. It will return to the board for a second reading on June 10.

Lower Cannabis Acreage, Higher Fees

In two additional votes on Tuesday, the supervisors unanimously approved modest reductions in the maximum acreage allowed for cannabis cultivation; and they unanimously increased the growers’ business licensing fees.

The board lowered the caps on cannabis acreage in Carpinteria Valley greenhouses from 186 acres to 140 acres, a 25 percent reduction. The cap on outdoor “grows” in the North County was reduced from 1,575 acres to 1,411 acres, a 10 percent reduction. There were no permit applications in the works for the 212 acres that were removed from the caps.

The supervisors decided against reducing cannabis cultivation by including the acreage for processing buildings in the caps. The buildings are equipped with carbon filters for odor control and are not typically the source of citizen complaints, they said; and a previous board, seeking to encourage processing within the county, had removed that acreage from the caps.

“I don’t want to jerk people around on the processing,” Hartmann said.

Finally, the board raised the fees for cannabis business license applications, annual renewals and annual compliance management, which includes site visits. Under the new fees, it will cost an outdoor grower in the North County $17,622 to apply for the business license and $4,805 to renew it annually, up from current fees of $10,330 and $4,483, respectively.

A Carpinteria greenhouse grower in Carpinteria will pay fees of $15,409 to apply for a business license and $4,381 to renew it, up from the current rates of $9,356 and $4,356, respectively.

Like the background checks, the ordinance amendment for the new licensing fees will return to the board for a second reading on June 10.

Melinda Burns is an investigative journalist with 40 years of experience covering immigration, water, science and the environment. As a community service, she offers her reports to multiple publications in Santa Barbara County, at the same time, for free.

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Dave Alley

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – More than 2,000 bicyclists are pedaling through the Central Coast this week during the last ever AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

First held in 1994, the event has been a fully-supported, seven-day, 545-mile bike ride down the California coastline that raises money and awareness in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

However, last year’s organizers announced the 2025 ride will the final one, citing increased production costs combined with a significant decline in both participation and fundraising.

This year’s ride started in San Francisco on Sunday at the Cow Palace and will conclude with what is sure to be an emotional ending this Saturday at Santa Monica Beach.

This year, there are about 2,500 cyclists taking part and about 800 volunteers.

For those who are taking part this year, both the cyclists and volunteers, who are affectionately referred to as “roadies,” they said the ride so far has been has been a bittersweet experience.

“I’m glad we got to know in advance that this is the final one,” said cyclist Bill Marsland of Los Angeles, who is riding for the seventh time. “It’s also sad to leave everything. Thinking like that might be the last time I cycle that route, but being part of this community has just made that so great, giving you shoulders to cry on, and folks you just laugh with every time, so yeah, every step of the way has been wonderful in this final year.”

As the days and miles start to dwindle, some of the longtime cyclists are feeling nostalgic about what this event has meant to them over the many years.

“This is it,” said Roland Roth, a cyclist from Marysville, Washington, who is participating in his 16th AIDS/LifeCycle. “It feels like, in a way, like a really long funeral, but at the same time, it’s a celebration because these are people that I see once a year, and they are making a difference in the fight against HIV and AIDS. I’ve cried more this week than I have in a long time on this ride. I’m stopping more. Frankly, I’m taking more pictures and breathing it all in because I don’t know, the next time I’ll be here.”

On Tuesday, the cyclists first entered the four-day portion of their ride on the Central Coast with an overnight stop at the Paso Robles Event Center, home of the California Mid-State Fair.

On Wednesday, cyclists are traveling through some of the most picturesque locations during the entire ride, pedaling about 85 miles from Paso Robles to Santa Maria, where they will finish for the day and spend the night at Preisker Park.

The next day is the shortest ride of the route, a quick 42-mile trip from Preisker Park to Riverbend Park in Lompoc.

Later in the week on Friday, the route will start in Lompoc and end at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura.

Since it was created, the AIDS/Lifecycle has brought in more than $300 million, giving it the distinction as the largest HIV and AIDS fundraiser in the world.

This year’s ride has already raised more than $17 million and counting.

For more information about the AIDS/LifeCycle, click here to visit the official website.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Investigators believe someone intentionally set two carport fires in Santa Maria last week.

While the investigation remains fluid, the fire’s lasting impact on nearby residents continues.

A Santa Maria apartment complex was hit with not one, but two carport fires last Thursday.

“They were completely involved with fire when crews arrived,” says Santa Maria Fire Marshal Jim Austin.

Investigators say the two fires — set on opposite ends of the Summergate Apartments on west Morrison Avenue — were no accident.

“The fire has been classified as intentional,” says Austin, “based on scene evidence and some other additional evidence that we have developed.”

Evidence at the scene also suggests these may not be isolated incidents.

Some people living in the complex say they are on edge.

“And a lot of people are still scared of somebody coming back and starting another fire,” says Summergate resident Trish Chapple. “That’s the biggest thing — that it could happen here in our complex.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt and none of the residences were impacted. But the cost of replacing the two car ports at $75,000 each, combined with replacing the ten destroyed vehicles and repairing the other ten damaged vehicles, comes to an estimated figure of $250,000 in overall damages.

And for many residents, the emotional damage continues.

“And you don’t know who’s doing it, or at least we don’t,” says Chapple. “And so it’s scary because now it’s kind of leading to where you’re looking twice at everybody, you know, somebody standing next to the trash can, you know, you’re looking at them. Teens, everybody.”

Officials urge anyone with information to contact the Santa Maria Fire Department at (805)925-0951 ext 8533 to be connected with an investigator.

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