BUELLTON
City announces January’s featured art
Each month over the coming year, the City of Buellton will feature a different design and showcase the contributing artists from their community art project , “Exploring the Ocean.”
January’s featured art is sponsored by Kat & Squirrel: Making Learning Fun, and includes artwork from Hazel, Zaeah Miller, Christopher Garcia, Felicity Knaup, Ceci, and Yaletzi. You can see their original artwork at buellton.art/2025-january-ocean-art- feature/
This project is made possible by Buellton’s Art & Culture Program, the California Nature Art Museum (our nonprofit partner), monthly sponsorships, and the support of the Buellton community.
Go to Buellton.Art to:
- See all of the banners and the original art for each design
- Learn about Buellton’s Arts & Culture Program and see how you or your organization can apply for a grant
- Visit our “Shop the Art” store, where you can purchase the art on posters, magnets, totes, water bottles, and more.
For more info, call Kristin Neperud Merz (805) 246-5657 or Cell (773) 983-3306, of kristin@unscribbled.com
City Of Buellton to celebrate the grand reveal for new California Poppy Mosaic
The City of Buellton invites community members and art enthusiasts to the official reveal for a stunning new public artwork, the California Poppy Ceramic Mosaic, on Friday, Jan. 17, at 12 p.m. This free event will take place at the eastern facade of the Buellton Post Office, located at 140 W. Highway 246.
Created by local artists Veronica Medina — owner of Community Clayworks — and Staci Curry, the mosaic celebrates the beauty of California poppies and Buellton’s environmental heritage. Funded by the City of Buellton Arts & Culture Program, the project aims to enhance the visual appeal of the area while fostering a sense of community pride.
The mosaic also serves as an interactive “selfie wall,” inviting residents and visitors to engage with the artwork and share Buellton’s unique charm. A commemorative plaque recognizes the city’s support for public art and its cultural development initiatives.
Join Mayor David Silva, members of the Buellton City Council, and the community in celebrating this vibrant addition to Buellton’s public art landscape.
About the Project:
- The California Poppy Ceramic Mosaic was designed to:
- Highlight the natural beauty and environmental heritage of Buellton.
- Enhance the aesthetics of a prominent downtown location.
- Serve as a community landmark and point of pride.
- Promote the integration of art into daily life through public installations.
This project reflects the City of Buellton’s commitment to fostering creativity and culture through its Arts & Culture Program.
“Creating this mosaic has been a wonderful opportunity to showcase how art can bring a community together,” Medina said. “At Community Clayworks, we strive to inspire people of all ages to express themselves and connect with others through the art of ceramics.”
For more information about Community Clayworks and its offerings, visit communityclayworks.com or @community_clayworks or contact Veronica Medina at veronica@communityclayworks.com
LOS OLIVOS
Temporary traffic signal at Highway 154/Roblar Avenue intersection now operational
A project to install a temporary traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 154 and Roblar Avenue near Los Olivos is now complete.
This temporary traffic signal will alleviate the increased traffic at this intersection due to the ongoing roundabout construction at Highway 154 and Baseline Avenue.
Caltrans conducted an intersection analysis, resulting in the recommendation to provide a temporary signal instead of a four-way stop, to reduce delays and enhance safety at Highway 154 and Roblar Avenue during the construction project.
“The community spoke, and Caltrans listened,” Supervisor Joan Hartmann said. “This temporary all-way stop at SR 154 and Roblar is a direct result of residents raising concerns about safety. We’re grateful for Caltrans’ responsiveness and collaboration in taking this important step to protect our community, as this is one step on a broader set of safety measures Caltrans is implementing.”
“I am very gratified to see Caltrans has responded positively to my request, on behalf of the residents of the Santa Ynez Valley, to address the traffic congestion caused by construction of the new roundabout at 154 and Edison,” said Assemblymember Gregg Hart. “This all-way stop at State Route 154 and Roblar Avenue will improve safety and traffic flow and also allow construction of the much-needed roundabout to proceed quickly.”
Baseline Avenue/Edison Street is currently closed at its connection to Highway 154. A new traffic alignment on Highway 154 at the intersection of Baseline Avenue/Edison Street remains in effect through June. Work includes the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 154 and Baseline Avenue/Edison Street, installation of curb ramps, rumble strips and a lighting system. Businesses are open and accessible along Baseline Avenue/Edison Street during construction.
The temporary traffic signal at Roblar Avenue and Highway 154 will be in place until the completion of the Baseline Avenue/Highway 154 roundabout project, which is expected to be complete by this summer 2025.
The contractor for this $8.3 million project is Granite Construction Company of Santa Barbara.
SANTA MARIA
The Santa Maria Philharmonic’s annual Youth Showcase coming Jan. 11
The Santa Maria Philharmonic will present its 11th Annual Youth Showcase, on Jan. 11, at 3 p.m. in Shepard Hall, at the Santa Maria Public Library.
The Youth Showcase is a recital by audition for serious musicians ages 8 to 18. In addition to providing fine classical listening experiences for all with public concerts in its subscription season, the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society (SMPS) helps fill the void in public arts education by providing unique musical opportunities for children in our valley. This is highlighted in this annual celebration of new talent along our coast.
This year’s performance is not to be missed. With seven talented young local musicians performing with musical maturity and enviable virtuosity, the program includes an array of instrumental works including a movement from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccioso for piano, and other exciting works!
The showcase is presented free to the public, but as seats are in high demand, we ask that you make advanced reservations. Please visit us at SMPHILHARMONIC.org to register your seats, or to donate to support the SMPS mission to champion arts in the Santa Maria Valley.
The Mission of the SMPS is to maintain and strengthen cultural values; to preserve the classical music art form; toenrich musical experiences in the community; to provide fine, live musical performances; and to provide cross-generational educational events in the Santa Maria and surrounding valleys.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Sheriff’s Office reminds the community: In case of emergency, call if you can — text if you can’t
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the community that they have the option to send text messages to 9-1-1 during emergencies when voice calls are not feasible or safe.
The service operates under the principle, “Call if you can — text if you can’t.” It is especially beneficial for individuals who are speech-impaired, hard of hearing, deaf, or in situations where making a voice call could endanger their safety.
Susan Farley, manager of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Dispatch Center, highlighted an additional advantage: “We have observed that text to 9-1-1 often remains functional during widespread voice cell phone outages.” However, community members are still encouraged to make a voice call if possible and reserve texting for instances when voice communication is not an option.
Critical Information for Texting 9-1-1
The most crucial detail to include in a text to 9-1-1 is the exact location of the emergency. Unlike voice calls, texts do not automatically provide location information to dispatchers.
“The precise location is the most helpful information for us,” said Farley. “Occasionally, texts may be routed to the wrong agency, but we can transfer the details to the appropriate agency.”
Guidelines for Using Text to 9-1-1
- Only use for emergencies. This service is not intended for general inquiries.
- Include a data or text plan. Phones must have an active plan to send messages.
- Avoid roaming mode. Texts will not be delivered when roaming.
- Use plain language. Avoid abbreviations, emojis, photos, or videos.
- Messages can be translated – but it could take a moment. Automated translation is not yet available, so messages are currently manual translated.
- One recipient only. Texts cannot be sent to multiple recipients simultaneously.
All Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office call takers and dispatchers are trained and equipped to respond to 9-1-1 texts. The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public of this additional way to reach help during an emergency. For non-emergencies, you can reach the dispatch center at (805) 683-2724 or Sheriff’s Headquarters at (805) 681-4100. Texting is not available for non-emergencies.
‘They Count, Will you?’: Volunteers needed for the 2025 Homeless Point-In-Time Count
Hundreds of volunteers are needed on Jan. 22, 2025, from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. for the countywide 2025 Homeless Point-In-Time Count.
The Point-In-Time Count is the annual count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness on a given day. It is put on by The Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC), in partnership with the County of Santa Barbara and The Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SBACT).
Teams of volunteers will canvas assigned routes throughout Santa Barbara County and will briefly document who is experiencing homelessness. This information is used to plan local homeless assistance systems, justify funding, and raise public awareness.
All volunteers are required to attend a training session. In this 1-hour session, volunteers will learn more about the importance of the count, review canvassing best practices, explore the Point-In-Time survey tool, go through Frequently Asked Questions and more. To make this training as accessible as possible, online trainings are offered on varied days and times between Jan. 14 and 17. Only one training is required. To volunteer, please sign up at countyofsb.pointintime.info/. Volunteers can register as individuals or in teams. The final day to sign up to volunteer is Jan. 17, 2025. Spanish training is available upon request, please email pit@sbact.org by Jan. 13, 2025.
“The Point-in-Time Count results affect everything from homelessness services offered to how much funding is available. It is important we have an accurate count, and we cannot do that without the help of many volunteers. Homelessness is a community-wide problem, and it requires a community-wide solution,” said Matthew Rector, housing program specialist senior with the County of Santa Barbara Community Services Department.
The Point-In-Time count is only possible with a community-wide effort by the incredible support of many volunteers and partners.
All are welcome; please go to countyofsb.pointintime.info/ and let us know if you plan to participate.
Santa Barbara Foundation awards nearly $610,000 in grants
The Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) has announced their Conservation, Environment, and Public Trails Grants (CEPT) for 2024. The grants, totaling nearly $610,000, will support 26 nonprofit organizations across Santa Barbara County in their innovative pursuits to preserve the region’s natural resources, ensure equitable access to trail systems, and promote environmental sustainability.
CEPT grants announced in December of 2024 support projects scheduled to conclude in 2025.
The Conservation, Environment, and Public Trails Grant, made possible by the Hollis Norris fund and first introduced in 2021, aligns with the Santa Barbara Foundation’s long history of supporting environmental conservation and restoration projects, beginning with one of the most impactful environmental events to the ecological movement, the blowout of Union Oil’s Platform A in the Santa Barbara Channel on Jan. 28, 1969.
This year’s grant recipients support a wide range of community-based restoration efforts, from preserving and expanding pollinator habitats in Carpinteria to rehabilitating fire- and storm-damaged trails in Santa Ynez Valley, Lompoc, Figueroa Mountain, and surrounding areas. Additional notable initiatives include reef restoration project in Goleta Bay, watershed and beach clean-ups throughout the Central Coast, and the reintroduction of native plant species to local parks and trails throughout Santa Barbara County.
“We are so happy to be able — in collaboration with our donors — to leverage these funds to support our nonprofit partners working to maintain and create equitable access to our wonderful natural resources for all residents across Santa Barbara County,” explained Jenny Kearns, Santa Barbara Foundation senior director of grantmaking.
Grant awards are determined through a thorough and collaborative review process involving Foundation staff and community-based experts, ensuring that each funded project aligns with Santa Barbara Foundation’s mission to support local environmental sustainability and accessibility.
Information about this and other Santa Barbara Foundation grant programs may be found at sbfoundation.org/nonprofits/grant-opportunities/.
