News in Lompoc
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 24Cabrillo High’s aquarium gets a fresh mural
New additions at the Cabrillo High School Aquarium include seals and dolphins. However, instead of swimming around in tanks, they’re painted on the building’s interior walls. San Luis Obispo County artist Colleen Gnos began working this spring to refresh her original kelp forest…
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 24Angelina LaPointe crowdfunds for her 2027 wildlife calendar
Lompoc block printer Angelina LaPointe is hoping to carry on a 10-year tradition of making her annual calendar of California flora and fauna. But first, her project needs to reach its financial goal. Her Kickstarter campaign must raise $3,500 before Oct. 16 or it’s a no-go.…
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 24Tie vote blocks Lompoc from censuring Steve Bridge
Three hours into the Lompoc City Council’s Sept. 15 meeting, Councilmember Steve Bridge asked his peers to remember the oath they recite in unison ahead of every agenda. It’s the same oath many schoolchildren have already memorized by kindergarten. “We started today the way we…
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 24Political theater
Things got a little wild at Lompoc’s last City Council meeting—so wild that Mayor Jim Mosby asked police officers to forcibly remove a woman from the chambers. “Can you please remove her?” Mosby asked about resident Shawna Stillwell, who continued speaking after he warned the…
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 17Farm to tax table: County supervisors erase Lompoc farm’s five-figure tax debt for farmstay operation
Laying a Lompoc egg farm’s tax appeal to rest recently divided local officials, who simmered over the issue across two lengthy hearings this summer. The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors’ reception to Dare 2 Dream Farms’ plea to forgive about $65,000 in unpaid taxes was…
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 17A dramatic political shift could come to Lompoc with the upcoming election
The 2026 election in Lompoc could result in a dramatic change of political direction in our city. First, the election for mayor pits two former foes for the seat. In 2020 they faced off for the council District 4 seat, and Jeremy Ball won handily by a 600-vote margin. Then in…
Santa Maria Sun
Published September 10Lompoc Valley Middle to restore a school resource officer position
With a $1 million state grant and City Council approval, the Lompoc Police Department will send a school resource officer to Lompoc Valley Middle School as early as next school year. The goal is to provide early intervention and cannabis education, as the money pulls from a…