The National Association For The Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), United Domestic Workers (UDW), Central Coast Alliance For A Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN), the Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley, and the Lompoc Valley Democratic Club are collaborating to show their support for Charlottesville, Virginia by renouncing and rejecting hate and bigotry.

Rallies are planned on Sunday, August 20, beginning at 2 p.m. at the southeast corner of Betteravia Road and Miller Street, Santa Maria, and Monday, August 21, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of H and Ocean Streets, Lompoc. The theme is “RENOUNCING AND REJECTING HATE AND BIGOTRY.”

The non-partisan rallies are free and open to the public. ALL ATTENDEES are encouraged to dress in layers and bring their own non-political signs. Additional information can be obtained by contacting NAACP President Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt at (805) 448-7869, UDW Regional Coordinator, Yesenia DeCasaus (805) 357-9851, CAUSE Organizer Abraham Melendrez, (805) 253-3686, SBCAN Executive Director Ken Hough, (805) 563–0463, Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley President Connie Ford, (805) 878-8987, or Democratic Club of Lompoc Valley President Janet Blevins, (805) 717-4160.

We've been asked to help publicize the Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Summiton Wednesday, August 16 in Santa Maria.

There is no cost to attend, but they need to have RSVP’s.

Here's the information from the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Santa Barbara County Energy Watch Partnership:

Here’s Why You Should Attend!

If you interested in our future regarding energy, water and sustainability, you should attend this summit!

• If you are a business - It includes discussions of programs for businesses like the RMDZ program with up to 2 million in low interest loans available for businesses. There are ways to save energy and costs that are also discussed. You should also know about future energy regulations. Attending is a great business decision!
• If you are a municipal partner, you should be interested in micro grids, water conservation, solar, regulations and preparing our communities for the future.
• If you are an interested community member, water use is paramount, as well as solar, and what our energy will look like after Diablo Canyon is decommissioned. The program includes residential programs for energy efficiency and cost savings.

Please spread the word to your contacts and anyone who may be interested in attending.

2017 Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Summit

Wednesday, August 16   8 am to 1pm at the Santa Maria Fairpark, Fountain Pavilion, 937 S. Thornburg, Santa Maria

Additional details can be found HERE. No Cost, but Registration is required.

The City of Santa Barbara's Living Wage Advisory Committee is sponsoring this panel discussion on the high cost of living in Santa Barbara. SBCAN is cosponsoring this event and encourages you to attend and engage in this important issue.

The High Cost of Living in Santa Barbara
A Panel Discussion Sponsored by the
City of Santa Barbara's Living Wage Advisory Committee

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Faulkner Gallery, Central Library

Thinking about adding solar to your home? Check out these Community Environmental Council workshops:

Solarize Santa Barbara Workshop: North County – Thursday, July 6
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Orcutt Lions Club, 126 N. Broadway St., Orcutt, CA 93455
Join a free workshop to learn how you can save money and reduce your footprint by going solar through CEC's discounted group purchasing program. Learn more.

Solarize Santa Barbara Workshop: South County – Wednesday, July 26
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013
Join a free workshop to learn how you can save money and reduce your footprint by going solar through CEC's discounted group purchasing program. Learn more.

Hi Friend –

Please note the deadline for comments--July 10--and please help save our National Monuments by commenting to the Secretary of the Interior.

We added links to the Center for Biological Diversity and Audubon for your convenience.

 -- SBCAN staff

You're invited to:

SBCAN Board Member Emily Allen asked us to forward the following information. Emily is involved with Common Ground Santa Barbara County, which is asking county residents to contact their county supervisors to urge them not to cut programs that impact people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable individuals and families. She asks you to advocate against these cuts by speaking during the county's budget hearings, or by calling or emailing your supervisor. More information is below:

Wednesday, May 7, at 2 PM, there is an important Santa Maria Valley Groundwater Basin meeting at the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at the Betteravia Government Center in Santa Maria. If you plan to drink water in North County in the future please attend! This is the only public meeting each year to talk about our groundwater quantity and quality.  See details in the meeting notice below.  The meeting addresses the groundwater basin Annual Report, which describes declining levels of groundwater and numerous pollution problems facing our groundwater.

SBCAN will have a list of important questions that we want to ask the report author. If you are interested in helping us on this, please come early and meet us in the foyer of the meeting room; we’ll be there by 1:30 PM to discuss our concerns and questions. We think the report glosses over the some of the major problems facing our water supply. Commenters only have until 10 AM the next morning to submit written comments on the report.

On Wednesday, May 31 the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider final approval of its earlier tentative decision to deny a proposal to subdivide 4,000 acres of farmland and ranchland, known as Rancho La Laguna, into 13 parcels for upscale estates.