In a major boost for regional recreation and public health, the City of Solvang has awarded a $450,000 grant to support the construction of the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Complex — a transformative, once-in-a-generation project designed to restore year-round public swim access to the Valley.

The grant, which will be disbursed upon groundbreaking and is available for up to three years, represents a significant show of support for the capital campaign currently underway. Local leaders say the funding not only marks a pivotal step forward but also sends a powerful message to other potential donors across Santa Barbara County.

“This grant is not only a critical step forward — it’s a call to action,” said Lisa Palmer, Board President and Campaign Chair of the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation (SYVCAF). “We are deeply grateful to the City of Solvang for making this bold investment in the health and safety of our Valley. We hope it inspires matching contributions and additional support from public and private sectors alike.”

The need for a new facility has grown urgent since public access to the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School (SYHS) pool was discontinued in 2020. Since then, Valley residents have had no public swim options, and SYHS athletes have been unable to host CIF-sanctioned events due to the limitations of the current 60-year-old pool.

The proposed complex, to be built on the SYHS campus, aims to change that. Plans include a 33-meter competition pool to support student athletics, local clubs, and lap swim, alongside a 25-yard warm-water recreation pool designed for swim instruction, aqua therapy, fitness classes, and affordable community access.

“Access to a public pool isn’t a luxury — it’s essential,” said Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy, who also serves on the project’s Campaign Steering Committee. “Solvang is proud to be part of a regional solution that will benefit families, students, and seniors alike. We believe this investment will help build momentum and partnerships throughout Santa Barbara County.”

The Aquatics Complex will offer comprehensive programming for all ages and abilities, including learn-to-swim classes, rehabilitation services, senior wellness programs, and space for competitive events — filling a longstanding gap in the Valley’s recreational infrastructure.

To learn more about the project or to contribute, visit syvpool.org.

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The Solvang Chamber of Commerce is excited to bring back the Summer Music in the Park Series, presented by the Solvang Chamber of Commerce. The family-friendly concert series features 11 different live musical performances every Wednesday, starting at 5 p.m.

Sean Wiggins & Lone Goat will kick off the Music in the Park concert series on Wednesday, June 18. The concerts will run all summer through the end of August with a different genre each night, including classic rock ‘n’ roll, blues, country, and jazz. 

Concerts will take place outdoors at Solvang Park, located at 1630 Mission Drive. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets for maximum comfort. While enjoying the music, guests can also indulge in delicious food and beverages available from numerous local restaurants. Alcoholic beverages will also be permitted at the park; however, we urge all attendees to consume responsibly and be mindful of their drinks at all times.

The lineup of expected acts throughout the summer:

Sean Wiggins and Lone Goat (June 18): While lead singer Wiggins weaves her own original tunes into her shows, she is known for adding her own soul into your favorite covers. So, when you come to see the duo or the band, you will hear a mix of originals and covers with a fresh take.

T-Bone Ramblers (June 25): This Central Coast-based blues and rock band has been performing for over 53 years. Their music blends classic blues with rock influences, earning them a dedicated following in the local music scene.

Dirty Cello (July 2): From Iceland to Italy, and all over the U.S., San Francisco-based Dirty Cello brings the world a high energy and unique spin on blues, rock, and Americana. Led by vivacious cross-over cellist, Rebecca Roudman, Dirty Cello is cello like you’ve never heard before. 

Do No Harm (July 9): Do No Harm is a five-piece, multi-genre, Santa Barbara-based band, keeping your favorite rock, R&B, soul, motown, disco, blues, Latin, country, and jazz hits alive.

Rincons (July 16): The Rincons, who have also been known as The Dusty Jugz, are a local rock band. They have played at many local venues including the High Roller Tiki Lounge in Solvang and Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez. 

Out of the Blue (July 23): This band has been bringing classic rock ‘n’ roll to Santa Barbara and Ventura counties for about 10 years now, impressing audiences with band members musicianship.

Knee Deep (July 30): Knee Deep, out of San Jose, delivers a powerful sound, tight three- and four-part harmonies over a broad spectrum of material from ’60s, ’70s, ’80s & ’90s and beyond.  

Nataly Lola and Ghost/Monster (Aug. 6): Nataly Lola is an award-winning singer-songwriter, composer, and independent recording artist from the Central Coast who performs with her full band Ghost/Monster.

The Waymarkers (Aug. 13): This Santa Barbara band classifies its style as “High Energy Celtic Music,” drawing inspiration from Galicia, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, and more!

Kelly’s Lot (Aug. 20): Kelly’s Lot was formed in 1994 by Kelly Zirbes, a folk singer/songwriter with a heart for the blues. With 17 CDs and lots of touring in the USA and Europe, the band celebrates 30 years of performing.

Soul Kool (Aug. 27): Soul Kool plays 7 different genres of music, including R&B, Oldies, Old School, Classic Rock, Country, Blues, and Latino music. Even though we are from the Central Coast we do travel to the Central Valley and to Southern California. 

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The many movers and shakers in the region gathered at Craft House at Corque in Solvang to discuss the economic direction on Thursday, June 5, at the 2025 Santa Ynez Valley Economic Summit.

For the second straight year, Danna Stroud, community-based solutions regional manager at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), was the keynote speaker for the event, talking about the job situation statewide. Other speakers included Solvang Mayor David Brown, Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe, EconAlliance CEO Janelle Osborne, and Santa Barbara Vintners CEO Alison Laslett. There were also two three-person panels who took time to field questions from the audience.

Brown took the floor first to talk about Solvang, and said the city had a unique position in the area as a tourist destination.

“We are a town of 6,000 that draws 5 million tourists a year,” Brown said. “The town offers an immersive experience of an earlier time and is on the national radar.”

Brown pointed out the attention Solvang has gotten with travel columns and awards, such as the “Best Small Town in the West” it earned from online voters in the USA Today/10Best travel series. Solvang was also in the top 5 for the series categories of “Best Small Town Food Scene” and “Best Main Street”

While Brown painted a positive picture of his city, he said there are still issues it needs to confront.

“Our housing is still our most urgent issue,” he said. “We need more units and its tougher to do it without extending the Urban Growth Boundary.”

Brown said the town needs to become more water-independent, and transportation needs to be addressed, as Solvang has a main thoroughfare, Mission Drive, that doubles as a state highway and for many is the only way in and out of town, with Brown admitted can be a concern if there is an evacuation situation.

However, the mayor said the situation still looks rosy in Solvang. “We will continue to build a vibrant and solid future.”

Later on, Wolfe took the podium to talk about Buellton’s state and its role in the Valley.

“Buellton has really involved in the six years that I’ve been here,” he said, pointing out a public arts program, a new library that opened this year, and an expansion of social services.

Wolfe likened Buellton’s situation to a fictional town in a family-favorite animated movie.

“If you all have ever seen the movie ‘Cars,’ they have the town of Radiator Springs, that died when the highway went past it,” Wolfe explained. “Well, that was Buellton in 1968. The highway moved a few blocks away, but there was an area [Avenue of Flags] that needed to be redeveloped.”

That was done partly thanks to the Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant that has been closed for a few years now, but will be replaced by a development that will include a new Pea Soup Andersen’s. Wolfe also pointed out a flags project on Avenue of Flags, and a proposed hotel, market, and coffee shop in the lots next to the Sideways Hotel and Flying Flags RV Resort.

“Buellton is in a big shift,” Wolfe said, “and has gone through bigger changes in the last three years than in the previous 50.”

Brown, Wolfe, and Hartmann also conducted a panel discussion on needs for the area, and much of it centered on providing activities for children and teens.

To that end, Wolfe mentioned a bowling alley project that the city has been trying to get off the ground for multiple years and multiple owners. While pointing out the agreement the city made in partnering in the developing Children’s Museum, he said that most of the efforts to bring in activities would be through the private sector.

Hartmann said while they were always looking at stuff to add, there were activities that families could enjoy if they know where to look and pointed out the zipline attraction that operates near Buellton and Highway 146. Brown said that Solvang’s population tends to skew older, so they are always in search of activities that seniors can take part in.

The three also discussed the issues of transportation, keeping homes protected against possible fire, and affordable housing, which Brown and Wolfe both agreed was difficult for having to deal with the state government and codes.

A second panel made up of Buellton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kathy Vreeland, Visit SYV CEO Shelby Sim, and Anna Ferguson Sparks of Stilletto Marketing, which serves Solvang, discussed tourism issues.

Sim, who defined his job as putting “heads in beds” at local hotels, said this year was going better than 2024. “Nature helped us out this year,” he said, describing the lack of heavy rain that hindered tourism at the beginning of 2024. “Los Angeles has been a great source for visitors who want to come up, and we get 85% of our visitors from Southern California.”

Vreeland recognized the double-edged sword in Buellton of citizens wanting less distractions in town, but then pointed out that the Transient Occupancy Tax, paid mostly by tourists, represents 38% of the city budget.

“Some complain, but we want them to come in here,” she said. “We have to deal with it, but we are measuring our success with tourism.”

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The Solvang City Council, in its Monday, June 9, regular meeting approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management to activate a new emergency mapping platform.

City Management Analyst Olivia Uribe-Mutal introduced the item and said approval would allow the city to participate in ReadySBC.com, which provides alerts and information in times of emergency and the platform known as Genasys EVAC.

Uribe-Mutal described Genasys EVAC as a “zone-based emergency response tool” that enhances the ability of public safety agencies to plan, coordinate, and communicate protective actions during emergencies. Santa Barbara County selected Genasys EVAC as a countywide tool to complement existing alerting platforms, such as Everbridge, and to streamline multi-jurisdictional coordination.

The platform is composed of an internal user interface for first responders and emergency managers to access real-time decision-support data including hazard overlays, population metrics, evacuation sites, and critical infrastructure; and A public-facing map accessible via the ReadySBC.org website and the Genasys Protect mobile application, displaying live evacuation statuses, road closures, and shelter information. The system enables rapid, zone-based communication during emergencies and is designed to ensure

“The Genasys EVAC is a significant step forward for those of us in emergency management,” Uribe-Mutal said. “Solvang will be able to manage and update its own emergency zones. We’ll be able to gain additional support and improve our situational awareness in rapidly evolving events. We’ll also be fully integrated with the county during these events.”

This will be a no cost to the city, Uribe-Mutal pointed out, as it is covered by a Homeland Security grant through fiscal year 2027-28, and will allow Solvang to keep control of its own data on the system.

In discussions with Santa Barbara County Emergency Manager Stacy Silva, there was confusion over maps. The council has just approved the Fire Severity Zone Map (FSZM) from the state as part of the Consent Calendar, and Councilmember Mark Infanti noted that the zone where he lives has a yellow (or moderate fire hazard) marked on part of his parcel and asked if he would be getting an alert. Silva however, told the council that the county system had nothing to do with that map and emergency zones would be determined locally for the purposes of the specific incident.

After Silva completed an overview of the system, Mayor David Brown asked if ongoing training for the system would be the responsibility of the county or city and what would the cost be when the grant ran out. Silva said the city would be responsible for the training, but then City Manager Randy Murphy said any costs after the grant would be negligible.

Ultimately, Infanti moved to approve the MOA with Councilmember Elizabeth Orona seconding, and the motion passed 5-0.

In other business, council approved the awarding of a project to replace deteriorating pipes in the Nyborg Estates neighborhood to Tierra Contracting Inc. The item contained a dispute because out of the 13 bids, Tierra actually submitted the second lowest, with Joseph Engineering getting the low bid.

However, Facility Director Jose Acosta said Joseph’s application wasn’t complete at the bid deadline, so they went with the next lowest.

Crystal Joseph, the owner and vice president of Joseph Engineering, was at the meeting and during public comment, said the application was incomplete due to a clerical error but was still the lowest bid, and asked if council could delay the item.

City Counsel Chelsea O’Sullivan and Murphy said the council had the right to waive the decision on the bid but weren’t required to. The council opted to approve the Tierra bid after Elizabeth Orona commented that Acosta “took the lowest from your perspective.”

To begin the meeting, council welcomed Scout Leo Brownstein from Troop 33 in Santa Barbara to conduct a presentation on flag etiquette as part of his Eagle Scout Project. Brown said he thought a presentation like this would be a great idea when he from a constituent about seeing some flags not at half staff during the mourning period for former President Jimmy Carter, who died last December.

After receiving a proclamation from the city, Brownstein made his presentation with the help of fellow Scouts Nathan and Noah Cortez from Troop 87 in Orcutt, who displayed the proper way to fold a flag.

The City Council will meet next on Monday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m.

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Almost halfway through Pride Month, which June is designated as for the LBGTQIA+ community, Solvang was again the site for the fourth annual SYV Pride Parade on Saturday, June 14.

The parade was again put on by SYV Pride with the 2025 theme “Lead With Love.” The local organization describes itself as “the first registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the Santa Ynez Valley dedicated to supporting and celebrating the local LGBTQIA+ community.”

The parade led off by highlighting the “rainbow” theme with vehicle carrying local dignitaries — like Buellton Mayor David Silva and Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann, among others — all a different color. After them a few more colorful vehicles and float followed the parade path down Alisal Road, through Copenhagen Drive (where most of the parade viewers were situated), then to 2nd Street and Oak Street back to Alisal.

Alyce Barrick, co-owner of Queen Cup Coffee in Santa Ynez and vice president of the SYV Pride Board, is pleased to see how the event has lasted and evolved.

“It just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” she said after the parade. “Just today, going down Alisal I was worried the turnout might drop off from last year, but then we turned onto Copenhagen and the sidewalks were packed with people; it was a great thing to see.”

Lauren Lastra, SYV Pride Board present and founding member, said as the parade, Pride Festival, and other events this month continue to affirm themselves as local June staples, more support will be easier to come by.

“Mainly, this organization and event is all volunteer; we rely on the volunteers’ work and donations from the area,” she said. “For this year, we were able to get a huge private grants to help us out, and continue to get more established, we hope we can get even more private donations.”

As Barrick noted, most of the parade viewers were concentrated on Copenhagen Drive. Among them was the Morgan family — Andrew and Micaela and their children Xabelle and Lorenzo. The Morgans have been regular visitors to the parade.

“We’ve been to this all four years,” Micaela Morgan said. “We like to impress upon the kids on inclusivity and tolerance, which is especially important this year.”

The last comment may have referred to the controversy and protests in Los Angeles over federal immigration raids, and that fact that June 14 was also the day of the “No Kings” protests all over the nation.

Many in the parade gave a nod to those protests in Solvang, some with signs like “No Kings, just Queens,” and similar messages among the parade route.

After the parade, the SYV Pride Festival was held at Solvang Park, where food and drink, as well as a kids area with bounce houses, and several booths offering products and services for those in the LGBTQIA+ community.

At the park, the crowd got to hear addresses from Silva, Hartmann, and Lastra. Silva, who last year announced his candidacy for the mayor’s seat in Buellton, this year came to his first Pride Parade as the actual mayor after winning the election last November.

“I remember as a kid thinking I would never see an openly gay person becoming the mayor of Buellton, and now here I am as the mayor,” Silva said to cheers from the crowd.

Other organizations with a presence included the Allan Hancock College Gay Straight Alliance; Free Mom Hugs, offering hugs for those people seeking a moment of comfort and support, with a “lounge” set up for people to relax; and a booth for the Santa Barbara chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

Georgia Noble and Gary Welterlen manned the PFLAG booth, and Noble explained how the group worked.

“We take people who are struggling with the acceptance, because it’s a process,” she said. “We take people where they are, and create a safe space, and then do a lot of educating.”

Noble said she’s been with PFLAG for 11 years now; she got involved with the group when her son came out as gay.

“My son was in the gay men’s choir and took me to a rehearsal,” she said. “The members thanked me for being there, because a lot of parents had rejected them, and then I had the choir sing this Irish blessing, and I wept through the whole thing. And that’s when I decided to get involved.”

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After winning its first-ever CIF Central Section Division II title, the Santa Ynez High School boys volleyball team earned a No. 2 seed in the Southern California bracket of the CIF State Division III playoffs and made it to the regional semifinal.

However, in the semifinal, the Pirates lost a closely contested 25-20, 24-26, 25-21, 19-25, 15-13 to No. 3 seed Clairemont High, the San Diego Section Division II champions, May 22 at the Santa Ynez gym.

In their last match, seniors and co-captains Manny Sanchez (60 assists in 131 attempts) and Ben Stuerman (19 kills and 4 stuff blocks in 44 swings) played tough against a tall experienced team in the visiting Chieftains.

Meanwhile, middle hitter Jadon Baily added 5 kills and 4 stuff blocks in 15 attempts, while Griffin Bruner served 15 times and added an explosive defensive spark for the Pirates. 

“In the playoff run, we have been fortunate to get great production from both our seniors and a group of talented sophomores,” said Pirates head coach Chip Fenenga. “Nate Biron was so effective as a hitter, tonight he had 22 kills in 45 swings , along with 14 digs to lead the team and clutch service runs including 4 aces. Anders Dietenhofer has emerged in the last weeks as a premiere outside hitter who blasted 19 kills in 38 attempts, adding 2 stuffs and 9 digs. Will Losson served 19 times, had 9 digs and was our top passer for the night with a .243 average, with 3 being perfect. Wyatt Minus added 4 stuff blocks, many in the critical second set.” 

Fenenga, who finished the second year of his second stint leading the program he founded (and led to seven CIF Southern Section titles during his first stint at the helm) gave full credit to the opponents.

“Clairemont was very good, they blocked us 17 times and had 7 aces,” he said. “They outdug us 52-41. We helped them with 9 service errors and 9 hitting errors.”

On May 20, the Pirates opened the state playoffs with a 25-23, 25-18, 25-17 win over El Toro High School. The Pirates were led in that match by Anders Dietenhofer with 17 kills, with Biron adding 12 kills and Stuerman 7 kills and 4 stuff blocks. Middle hitter Jadon Bailey was efficient with 6 kills and 4 stuff blocks. 

“We are fortunate to have some options on offense and on any given night someone can take over,” said Fenenga after the first-round win. “We were able to side out efficiently with the passing of Anders, Ben and Will Losson.”

Sanchez, the setter, had 40 assists and was efficient looking at matchups and getting the ball to his hitters.

Defensively Stuerman had 11 digs, Losson 17 digs and Dietenhofer 13 digs against the Chargers.

“I really appreciate the great crowd and atmosphere tonight. I was so happy for the team to get this encore performance in front of their fans,” said Fenenga, whose team won its Central Section title in Fresno. “It was an exciting match for us as we haven’t played at home during our CIF run, so I was impressed by their energy and effort,” Fenenga said.

Santa Ynez finished the season with a 22-4 record and a perfect 8-0 in the Mountain League. After beating the Pirates, the Chieftains (28-11 overall) went to lose the regional final in three sets to Sage Hill of Newport Beach, the top seed in the Southern California bracket. Sage Hill in turn defeated the International School of San Francisco 3-0 in the state final.

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While a three-day weekend in May was celebrated and enjoyed by folks all over the Santa Ynez Valley, speakers and participants gathered at Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall on Monday, May 26 — Memorial Day — to remind the Valley what the day really meant.

The annual Memorial Day Ceremony that started at noon at the hall was the culmination of a whole weekend of activities to celebrate those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.

“Today we honor all veterans who gave their lives in service to our great nation,” said Jeffrey Willis, commander of VFW Post 7139, former U.S. Marine sergeant, and emcee of the ceremony. “These are the real heroes of America. The Americans we honor today are not exclusive to any gender, race, or religion.

“We are gathered today so that we can remember their sacrifices and celebrate the fact that throughout our history, this great country produces such men and women of honor. We will not forget them.”

At the beginning of the ceremony, everyone came outside to see the raising of the American flag, done by Scout Troop 41 members Ronna Gundry (Scout leader), Quinn Tiffany, Spencer Snodgrass, and Zaden Sherieff. VFW Post 7139 member Chris Neilsen placed the wreath in memory of veterans who died in war, the American Legion Post 160 Honor Guard did a gunfire salute, and bugler Michael Roberts played taps.

An added bonus to the ceremony was a flyover during the flag-raising and wreath laying, courtesy of Jerry Long of the Santa Ynez Airport.

Once inside, the audience listened to speakers Lt. Col. Jeremiah Alefosio, 30th Logistic Readiness Squadron Commander at Vandenberg Space Force Base, and U.S. Air Force Col. Kenneth Spaar, a Solvang resident. Both reiterated the importance of remembering those who died in battle, and reminded the audience that many of those are servicemembers who served voluntarily, not because they were drafted.

Also, on hand to provide musical performances were the Santa Ynez Valley Jazz Band, led by Kay Dominguez, and the Santa Ynez Valley Chorale, directed by Hyejin Jung.

In fact, a touching moment occurred during the Chorale’s final number “God Bless America,” when Jung, while leading her singers, suddenly turned around to face the audience members and starting directing to stand up and sing along with them. Most complied, bringing the song to a rousing finish.

“We came up with the idea a few days ago,” Jung said after the ceremony. “We just thought it would be so great to have everyone join in for this song.”

After the ceremony, the audience members and participants were treated to a tri-tip sandwich lunch barbecued by members of the Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge, and served by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The ceremony was culmination of a weekend full of activities honoring fallen veterans. On Saturday, May 24, volunteers, in conjunction with he American Legion Post 160 and VFW Post 7139, placed American flags on veterans’ graves at the Mission Santa Ines, Chalk Hill, Oak Hill, and St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley cemeteries.

Also, VFW Post 7139 members handed out Red Buddy Poppies at the front of Albertsons in Buellton on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The Red Poppies were first distributed after World War I to honor the servicemen and servicewomen who perished in that war. 

And before the Memorial Day on Monday, the American Legion Post 160 stopped off at all the local cemeteries to conduct short ceremonies.

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Dunn, the private school in Los Olivos, is destination at the end of many fascinating paths, and promises to be the start of other fascinating paths taken by students and graduates. Bich (Wainzie) Nguyen is a prime example.

Nguyen was born in Vietnam and was going to high school there when she went to a “study abroad” high school fair, and when she found out about Dunn through the agency handling foreign students and researched it a little more, she knew this was the place for her. And according to Dunn’s Chad Stacy, director of the school’s Robert W. Jurgensen Entrepreneurship Program, she didn’t take no for an answer.

“You sought out Dunn. You sought out the Jurgensen program. You even grabbed [Director of Admissions] Mike McKee by the lapels and said ‘I have to come here; I have to come here now!'” Stacy said. “And then you did the same to your parents.”

Stacy told this anecdote while addressing Nguyen in front of an audience at Dunn’s Upper School Commencement. Nguyen was one of 28 students making up the Class of 2025.

A handing out of diplomas at a Dunn commencement consists of a faculty member of each graduate’s choice making a short (officially about 45 seconds) explaining the student’s impact on the school, or what make him or her special to the campus. For instance, a chance for Stacy to explain how Nguyen is, despite her quiet deamanor, “bold, fearless, and a generational game-changer.”

It’s a fashion that elicits a lot of good stories, like Nyuol Aguek’s “journey filled with challenges” from Kenya that brought him to Dunn, as told by Dean of Student Kelsey Sullivan.

Or biology teacher and Loy House head Melissa Escalante admiring Lily Wolter-Brezine as someone “who at any given moment will burst into song.” (Appropriate since Wolter-Brezine was the vocalist for the band hat did a musical performance during the program).

Or basketball and track coach and senior dorm head Esron Gates talking about on a morning group run when he decided to slow the pace, and heard Nojus Magelinskas remarking to him “Hey, Mr. Gates, you’re slowing down, like an old man, you have to keep it up,” and said he was a great coach and leader on the court.

An then there was Melia Collins-Byrd, the lone student speaker on the day, cited a a post-apocalyptic novel titled “Station 11” that Dunn student read this year. It’s about a society that’s crippled by a flu that wipes out most of the population, but a character expresses the idea that everything happens for a reason, an idea that permeates throughout the book.

“That got me to thinking about us and how life is like a book: Some chapters you keep re-reading, and others you couldn’t flip past fast enough,” Collins-Byrd said. “Then there are characters you never expected to matter, but you end up meeting the most.”

“But we did write this together at this tiny school in this little town called Los Olivos from places from all over the world,” she continued. “Somehow, out of the infinite possibilities, all 28 of us ended up here experiencing the same chaotic experience in four years of high school.”

And in what’s becoming a staple for Dunn commencement, Head of School Kalyan Balaven offered up another poetry reading enscapsulating the ending year at the school, only this year it was the dreams of his students submitted the week before. He also noted that the term “Pincer Pride” at Dunn may be correct because the school’s mascot is the Earwig, but “Pincher Pride” may be correct because dreams are what make you want to pinch yourself.

“Pincher pride; where dreams reside. So pinch me I’m dreaming from a dream deep inside” was the recurring stanza with references drawing jolts of recognition from the students who shared their “dreams.”

“You delicately dance with the fabric of your dream refined; entertwined with your grace and mind to become on with fashion design,” must have drawn a smile from Kadence Freed, who started sewing masks in the seventh grade in the midst of COVID, and now is headed to the Arizona State University Fashion Institute (which is actually in Los Angeles) with hopes of being a designer and/or owning her own brand.

“Crack of the bat, from batting cages to the fact you remain our class act to no cap: A major-league contract,” definitely reminded everyone of Theo Anderson, the highly regarded prospect for the Earwigs baseball team who will be playing for the Utah Marshals summer-league team and starting college ball with St. Mary’s College next year.

And then there was “And she is Tony Dunn true, because she dreams to build a school in Vietnam and give back to prove that she can bring the whole student into view,” circling back to Wainzie Nguyen, who is headed to UC Irvine to study business with an education minor, with aspirations to follow in the footsteps of her school’s founder and open her own school in Vietnam.

“I want to open it for the kids who can’t go abroad but they want to have this kind of school,” she said. “Hopefully I can do it one day.”

Whatever paths they may take, congratulations to all the Dunn graduates.

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The Buellton City Council began discussion of budget consideration for the Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27 Biennial Budget with some salary concerns being moved ahead to the next meeting.

The council was down to three in this meeting with Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis absent.

Ultimately, some items on the Employee Salary and Benefit Assumptions were moved to the next meeting.
The items of Cost of Living Increase, Medical Increase ($600 per month), Housing allowance ($750 per month), Pay Adjustment to Department Heads (10%), and Accounting Technician change from Full-Time to Part-Time were direct to be brought back as resolutions, while Pay Adjustment to Lead Field Worker and CPO (5%) and New Position: Administrative Analyst were directed to be put on the Consent Calendar for the next meeting.

In other business:
During Council Member Contents and Items, Councilmember Hudson Hornick asked about the possibility of Buellton contributing money toward the proposed new Aquatic Center at Santa Ynez High School.

Hornick said he heard that the City of Solvang was behind on funds, and that maybe Buellton could help out since city residents will be getting use out of that.

City Manager Scott Wolfe replied that the plan was for Buellton to contribute once the center was completed, by way of managing the operations. Also Wolfe pointed out that the two cities have been negotiating along with the Aquatics Center organization, and the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District.

Wolfe also said he had been planning to open up an agenda item for discussion after the current budget had been finalized, but said he could get something on there after July 1.

Hornick also suggested the idea of increasing hours at the library and finding a way to expand the book selection. He also expressed concern that the library still didn’t have a panic button to keep the facility safer.

Wolfe replied that an increase in hours has been discussed, but also disclosed that the city has been keep money in reserve for the library in the event that they decide to break away from the Goleta Valley Library System and they need to operate in the interim before finiding a new partner.

Wolfe did say he would get the process in motion to install a panic button for the library.

The council also heard from Finance Director Shannel Zamora on a Public Hearing on Vacancies, Recruitment, and Retention Efforts.

Government Code Section 3502.3 requires public agencies to annually present the status of job vacancies and efforts related to recruitment and retention before the governing board in a public hearing. This hearing must occur at least once per fiscal year and, if a budget is being adopted, before final budget adoption. Additionally, if a recognized employee organization requests it and the vacancy rate in a bargaining unit equals or exceeds 20% of authorized full-time positions, specific data must be disclosed during the hearing.

Zamora reported that the city had 20 full-time positions and one vacancy for a 5% vacancy rate.

Recruitment and retention efforts include advertising job openings on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and the city website to reach a wider and more diverse pool of candidates; remote work flexibility (where applicable); authorization of a 3.94% cost-of-living adjustment for FY 2024-25; authorization of a 5.0% cost-of-living adjustment for the upcoming FY 2025-26; and Providing employees with incentive pay and offering opportunities for professional certifications, licenses, bilingual skills, continuing education programs, and specialized training.

Factors identified as potential obstacles included budgeted compensation below market median for key classifications; related challenges due to city’s size, geographical location, and limited candidate pool; and high housing costs, challenges for relocation and settling for current staff and potential candidates.

Council received and filed the report and Silva thanked Zamora for the info.

The next Buellton City Council meeting will be Thursday, July 10, at 6 p.m.

The post Buellton begins lengthy budget discussion appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

During her address at the school’s commencement ceremony on Friday, May 30, she reminded members of the Class of 2025 to do the same.

During her first year as superintendent/principal at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, Dr. Kimberly Sheehan said she noticed how so many alumni from the school are ready, willing, and able to support the current students although many “don’t even still have students here.”

“Remember, once a Pirate, always a Pirate,” Sheehan said, with the robed and capped graduates-to-be behind her. “The world awaits your greatness. Go out and get it! And someday return to give back to your home.”

Friends and family of the new graduates packed the grandstand on a sunny day at Rio Memorial Field as 211 students took the walk from the gym to their seats on the playing field to get their diplomas.

Graduate Sophia Merz opened the ceremony by taking the podium and welcoming the audience before leading everyone in the pledge of allegiance. She then handed the mic over to Opal Vander Vliet, who sang the national anthem.

After, Grace Vazquez and Jacqueline Godinez came to the mic. Vazquez thanked the audience for coming and then reminded spectators to refrain from using any noisemakers like air horns so people can hear their graduate’s name called. That produced a few audible chuckles from the stands from some who figured the rule would be completely followed. Godinez took the floor to repeat those instructions in Spanish.

Chloe Ann Perez was the first student speaker, and she began by looking back on the differences of the day compared to her and her classmates’ starts as freshmen.

“I remember about four years ago, we came to high school wearing masks trying to make friends with faces we didn’t even know. Literally,” she said. “It was the era where the terms ‘mask fishing’ and ‘mask reveal’ were thrown around, and I can’t lie, at the time, being told one of those phrases was my biggest fear.”

“Now I stand here today, with no mask, seeing familiar faces in the field who I’m graduating with — and my biggest fear is what comes next?”

Perez went to thank the teachers at SYHS, singling out one “Ms. (Claudia) Pena: She taught me that all emotions are valid and gave me advice on how to overcome them. If you’re here Ms. Pena, thank you. You were there for me even when I felt I had no friends to talk to.”

Perez ended her address by invoking the pirate theme prevalent at SYHS: “We boarded this pirate ship as stowaways and are now embarking on a new phase of life as captains of our own destinies.”

The second commencement speaker was Ilan Torres, who stressed the “power of connection” in the class and, like Perez, marveled at how far they’ve come.

“Since freshman year, our dreams have become bigger and our jeans have become baggier,” he said. “We’ve gained powerful tools of rhetoric, leadership, and resilience by participating in school activities and sports. This is backed up by the numerous awards and CIF titles on our wall of accolades.”

Torres also joked about the student body’s degree of “connection” as well as previous years’ instability of school leadership.

“Something else that makes this student body unique is that’s it’s deeply connected,” he said. “You could pick any two students from this class and there would be a 50% chance that they’ve dated each other at some point. There’s a lot of love here. Still, some of these studentshave had as many high school exes as principals.”

However, Torres concluded that relationships and connections are the most important things.

“We must never forget that humans are designed to be together,” he said. “Many of our emotions function to promote social bonding and collectivity, which makes our species more powerful in nature.”

After Torres spoke, Sheehan returned to recognize the 46 members of the Class of 2025 who earned the distinction of Graduates with Highest Honors: Those who earned a GPA of 4.0 or better for seven semesters. After that announcement, and then a musical performance from Ruby Andreu and Naomi Ferguson, it was time to award the diplomas.

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District Board President Chris Johnson took the stage to accept the Class of 2025, then the first graduate to be announced was Malia Ortiz, who was absent because she was competing in the CIF State Track and Field meet in the pole vault.

The handing out of diplomas started as the over 200 graduates took “the walk” to the podium and then down the ramp toward the stands to cheers from the crowd. Then, the final graduate, Cailin Glover arrived at the podium and instructed her classmates to “turn your tassels.”

After the ceremony, the new graduates celebrated with their family and friends on the field, and express mixed feelings about the experiences they leave behind and the ones that are ahead. One of them is Kurran Kays, who proudly displayed the red-and-black logo on his mortar board signifying his future school, San Diego State University, where he will be majoring in journalism.

“It kind of bittersweet, there are a lot of people I’m going to miss here, but I’m pretty excited about where I’m going,” said Kays, who said his favorite memory at SYHS is “Ms. Rod’s honors geometry class, that was my sophomore; she gave me the tools to learn and really took that the rest of the way.”

Congratulations to the Pirates’ Class of 2025.

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