Lisa André

1 week ago | santamariatimes.com | Lisa André

A complete fossil of a small baleen whale, estimated to be 13.5 to 16.5 million years old, has been excavated by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History after its discovery on the Gaviota Coast by fossil enthusiast and geologist Chris Driesbach. According to the museum, the specimen was found in the renowned Monterey Shale Formation. Driesbach, who also participated in the excavation, recalled the moment he spotted the exposed bones. “In the winter, the beach was completely cleaned of sand ...

1 week ago | santamariatimes.com | Lisa André

After more than a decade of grassroots organizing and planning, a long-envisioned community park in Vandenberg Village — Constellation Park Playground — is on the verge of breaking ground, thanks to recent county support and anticipated funding. “We’ve been working on this since 2012,” said Steve Heuring, president of the Vandenberg Village Association (VVA). “From all signs, the project is going to receive the money for Phase 1 of our park.

1 week ago | santamariatimes.com | Lisa André

Planning efforts are well underway for Measure M — the $160 million school bond approved by voters in November 2024 to modernize 16 Lompoc Unified School District facilities — with construction expected to begin in early summer 2025. A recent report released by the LUSD showed that several major steps have been take to prepare for project rollout and funding allocation, starting with the strengthening of the districts credit rating and issuance of its first bond.

2 weeks ago | santamariatimes.com | Lisa André

Solvang eatery, peasants FEAST, did what only 50% of new restaurants in California do in their first five years — kept their doors open — and that was after an April 2020 opening in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The husband-wife duo Chef Michael Cherney and Sarah Cherney on April 1 celebrated five years of serving the Santa Ynez Valley with a community block party in downtown Solvang.

2 weeks ago | santamariatimes.com | Lisa André

Colorful bricks, smiling faces and a healthy dose of creativity filled downtown Solvang on Saturday as the city hosted its inaugural Brick & Build Festival — a community celebration centered around imagination, design, all things LEGO®, and Hans Christian Andersen's 220th birthday.