This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Print It might be hard to believe but this month marks 20 years since Miles Raymond — Paul Giamatti’s character in the 2003 Academy Award-winning movie “Sideways” — threw a fit about drinking Merlot We all know what happened next: Merlot sales plummeted (and still haven’t quite recovered) Pinot Noir sales soared and the Santa Ynez Valley became a beloved destination for wine-focused getaways The allure is understandable — it’s a relatively short travel time from Los Angeles and has a laid-back a pleasing pastoral landscape and exceptional food and wine A good bit of “Sideways” was filmed in Buellton making it easy to bypass as you turn toward its well-branded Danish-themed neighbor This may be especially true now that Buellton’s famed roadside eatery shuttered in January just shy of its 100th birthday Stay up to date on the best things to do, see and eat in L.A bypassed Buellton back in May with my two teenage and pre-teen sons in tow But they had no patience in Solvang for the long lines meandering couples on romantic outings or European flair (They made exceptions for many Danish sweet treats though.) Last month I discovered that Buellton a surprisingly family-friendly destination this tendency to overlook Buellton is just history on repeat a hub for gas and other services for travelers headed up and down Highway 101 between Los Angeles and San Francisco When the main route was taken out of downtown Buellton in a 1964 freeway remodel Buellton kept doing its thing as a center for ranching and growing as a hub for the burgeoning wine region Or as local winemaker Colin McNany of MarBeso Wine says: “Buellton is the bellybutton of California The beauty of anniversaries is that you get to revisit what makes something great and discover new dimensions in the process “Sideways” nostalgia brought me back to Buellton U.S.A.” As you’d expect in a locale steeped in the broader Santa Ynez Valley culture of food and wine making even the local 76 gas station had some seriously delicious oak-grilled tri-tip sandwiches burgers and burritos that you’d never expect to find between the drip coffee incredible food and loads of unique adventures to revisit Buellton and do the same Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Add your event. BUELLTON, Calif. – The new owner Pea Soup Andersen's, local developer Edward St. George The iconic restaurant and cocktail lounge closed just shy of its 100th anniversary in January of last year and was purchased in May of the same year "a substantial process before anything will be built on the site" shared the City of Buellton about the planned redevelopment According to the project submission the ground floor of the building will feature commercial spaces along the street frontages -including a 4,595-square-foot reborn Andersen's restaurant- with the upper three floors dedicated to 125 for-sale condominium units The new residential and commercial building will include a parking garage and surface parking as shown in the image below shows submitted concept art in the Art Deco architectural style planned for the future building The Buellton City Council will review the plan with a focus on mitigating the loss of a historic resource and ways to acknowledge the site's significance to the community stated the City of Buellton Additional commercial components include a 6,800-square-foot office space and a 5,734-square-foot gymnasium at the north end of the proposed building The image below from the proposal overlays the proposed building over a satellite image of the plot at the intersection of Highway 246 and Avenue of Flags The building would center around a large central courtyard divided into two spaces one of which will include a pool and the other will feature passive recreational amenities Andrew is a Digital Content Producer and Assignment Desk Assistant for News Channel 3-12. For more about Andrew, click here. News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information A Buellton woman was arrested on charges of attempted murder early Sunday morning the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office (SBCSO) reports the agency says a deputy discovered a male subject in the roadway at the intersection of Highway 246 and Valley Station Drive As the deputy was trying to usher the subject away from the roadway authorities say he saw that the man had several stab wounds and lacerations to the shoulder The victim reportedly told deputies that his girlfriend had stabbed him and that she was inside a nearby residence on the 200 block of Valley Station Drive deputies were helping the victim control his bleeding when the suspect— who was identified as 40-year-old Lydia Alicia Gonzales— stepped outside of the residence and started throwing cans of beer at them Officials say Gonzales was quickly taken into custody and was safely restrained despite being extremely combative Gonzales was reportedly booked at the Northern Branch Jail for felonies including attempted murder Authorities add that the victim was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition 2025-05-05T07:41:43-07:00May 5 2025-05-02T09:39:58-07:00May 2 2025-05-02T08:40:53-07:00May 2 2025-05-04T09:32:06-07:00April 30 2025-04-30T17:06:48-07:00April 30 A late-night fire damaged a Buellton restaurant Fire crews responded to reports of the fire at Fire & Vice on the 200 block of Highway 246 at around 11:38 p.m The fire was knocked down at about 1:16 a.m The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reports the building was heavily damaged but there was no damage to any other nearby businesses Firefighters were expected to remain on scene overnight for cleanup The building was taped off by Monday afternoon The restaurant owner told KSBY the business has been open since May 31 of this year and that the fire is impacting 18 employees adding that it's unknown what the future plans for the Buellton location will be The cause of the fire is under investigation The Buellton City Council put in a little extra time in the first full week of April conducting its regular meeting on Thursday before holding a special meeting on Saturday at the Buellton Library to discuss future budget priorities the council listened to a presentation by the United Way of Santa Barbara County on its Brighter Futures Childcare Initiative a program designed to improve access to childcare for low- and middle-income families in the Santa Ynez Valley in the meeting’s first business item Steve Ortiz and Rose Levy of the United Way of Santa Barbara County gave a presentation explaining the organization’s Brighter Futures Childcare Initiative. Having the United Way come to explain the program was something suggested by Councilmember Hudson Hornick who has two children in the Zaca Preschool in Buellton and said he has seen the difficulty that some have had in getting affordable childcare “I’ve talked with Shelley Grand and she told me she has a waiting list of 100 to get into the school,” Hornick said “This is just a staggering obstacle for families to get proper care.” Levy pointed out that the county has a child-space deficit (people waiting to get in to childcare) of 9,371 and their are over 1,000 on waiting lists in the Santa Ynez Valley alone Levy said the issues facing families trying to get their kids into childcare include high tuition rates difficulties ofrunning a childcare facility and inability of parents to fully participate in the workforce The Brighter Futures Initiative tries to narrow the gap with scholarships for the “missing middle” (middle-income families), and programs to encourage more childcare Levy suggested ways for Buellton to engage would be create revenue sources to help strengthen the childcare sector,and gave examples from elsewhere in the county they have the Measure B sales tax; in Aspen they use a real estate transfer taxes; and in Hood River they use [transit occupancy tax] to fund childcare opportunities,” she said Levy said the city can also help by looking at its land-use policy to make it less restrictive for preschool and childcare facilities to open Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis said she could direct staff to look at Buellton’s land-use policy whileCouncilmember John Sanchez suggested the city could incentivize future housing project to include a building or facility for childcare. Hornick who has already joined a county coalition on the issue said he would like to explore the possiblity of partnerships with the United Way to help the process the council agreed to install signs at the transit stop near the Buellton Library on Valley Dairy Road In the March 13 meeting, staff was directed to find a solution other than a red curb to prevent parking at the stop Director of Public Works Rose Hess recommended signs prohibited parking while the transit buses were still in operation which Hess said would be from approximately 6:49 a.m After agreeing to keep a red curb in front of the fire hydrant just before the Dairyland Road intersection the council voted 3-0 to approve the signs the City Council convened in a conference room at the Buellton Library for a special meeting to discuss budget priorities one that City Manager Scott Wolfe said would be an “informal discussion” on the city’s budget needs Hornick had suggested the meeting at previous regular meetings because he believed the council would have to deal with a deficit in future years after Finance Director Shannel Zamora gave her presentation which had new numbers that showed the city would be operating with a surplus for the rest of its 10-year forecast Hornick said the discussion was probably unnecessary as the forecast now did not show a future deficit an expected spike in the Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) The councilmembers still decided to go over the budget priorities that were listed in an earlier meeting Among the listed items included in the projection: Willemsen Property Parking Lot: Cost given at $2.6 million which will be split between separate fiscal years. Sanchez voiced his opposition at a stairway up to the library but Wolfe assured that they would be looking to build a ramp instead Highway 246 Safety Improvements: To cost $2 million Motor Officer add to Sheriff Contract: Listed at $270,200 per current contract proposal Median 3 (Avenue of Flags) design/improvements: Listed at $3 million — $850,000 paid in FY 2024-25 and $2.15 million paid in FY 2025-26 Children’s Museum: City has agreed to partner up with museum on Willemsen property with a $150,000 match at 2 for 1 in year 3 Two items on the list not projected included a splash pad (thought to be part of Children’s Museum budget), and a shade canopy at the River View Park playground (deemed not feasible due to frequent high winds at park) The City Council will meet next on Thursday Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress A vegetation fire off Highway 101 in Buellton briefly shut down a lane of traffic on Saturday afternoon according to the Santa Barbara County (SBC) Fire Department In a post on X officials say the fire was reported around 3:15 p.m The right lane of traffic was reportedly closed while firefighters worked to contain the flames SBC Fire officials say the fire was contained after burning one acre of vegetation Fire crews worked for another 45 minutes to mop up the area Both lanes of northbound Highway 101 are now open with no traffic delays, according to Caltrans. - After opening at its long-awaited new location over the weekend the Buellton Library is drawing rave reviews from the public "We're excited," said Buellton resident Francisca Escobar as a newly retired person that I'll to take advantage of all the opportunities that are here at the library In my heart as a former teacher and a lover of books I am just so excited that these resources are here for our community." The new library is located at 202 Dairyland Road on the site of the historic Willemsen property which previously served as Buellton's first dairy many years ago The City of Buellton acquired the site in 2020 and after public outreach a decision was made to renovate the main residence on the property into the city's new library "We wanted to honor the Williamson family by using their home," said former Buellton Mayor Holly Sierra who serves as president of the Friends of the Buellton Library "It just feels so good that we were able to use their home to turn it into a library for the community.  It was a little more expensive than the city planned because when you take an old house and try to refurbish it or try to put in new infrastructure it might have been less expensive to tear it down and build this was the Williamson house and and the view They had this view and when I walked into the property I just knew that it would make an incredible library and fortunately The library features several large glass windows including many on the backside of the building opposite of the front desk When looking to the southern end of the building people are greeted with spectacular views of the Santa Ynez Valley "Our Friends (of the Buellton Library) are now working on outdoor furniture so that you can come and sit down and read a book and look at our incredible view," said Sierra "(Branch Manager) Hilary (Johnson) wants to have children's reading our under the trees during the summertime It's just the opportunities are so endless and so open and we're really hoping our community lets us know what they want to see here because we didn't have that at our other library." The new library includes expanded materials and resources for its patrons "We have eight computers available in the adult section," said Sierra "We have four computers available in the children's section this is the hub of the community and it's just it's going to be the heart of Buellton." the City of Buellton held an official ribbon-cutting as well as a grand opening for the new facility Visitors had the opportunity to register for a library card right on-site visit themed stations throughout the library and browse the collection in the freshly remodeled historic building and you'd walk in the library and there were just lines of people The Buellton Library is open five days a week open on Friday and Saturday and closed on Sunday For more information about the Buellton Library, click here to visit the library's Facebook page Dave Alley is a reporter and anchor at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Dave, click here The candidates for the 2024 Buellton mayoral seat are no strangers to the city council Current Mayor David King is running for reelection against Vice Mayor David Silva Results in the second Elections Summary Report released on election night show that Silva is in the lead with 54.67% of community members voting in his favor King currently follows closely behind with 45.05% of the vote; Officials report that 0.27% of the ballots had write-in candidates as well 43.5% of the ballots received have been counted so far King has been involved with the city council since 2008 He says he hopes to be reelected in order to finish projects started during his first term and create more community spaces in Buellton for families to enjoy Silva was first elected to the Buellton City Council in 2022 His priorities include investing in infrastructure and preserving the biodiversity of the surrounding environment Click here for more election results A mobile home caught fire in the Buellton area late Friday evening Officials said it was a "well-involved" fire The resident was not home and no one was found inside when fire officials searched the mobile home No injuries were reported and no other structures were impacted by the fire The cause of the fire remains under investigation A Lompoc man was arrested for attempted murder after a shooting in Buellton last Friday Santa Barbara County Sheriff's officials say the shooting happened just before 9 p.m the suspect — 35-year-old Sergio Martin Lopez Hernandez — fired several shots toward the victim before speeding away in a black Ford F150 Lopez Hernandez and the victim reportedly know each other sheriff's officials say the California Highway Patrol spotted Lopez Hernandez in his vehicle in the Lompoc Home Depot parking lot He was taken into custody and booked into the Northern Branch Jail on charges of attempted murder Sheriff's officials say deputies found a loaded gun with the serial number filed off in his vehicle The City of Buellton continues its year-long community art project, “Exploring the Ocean,” with April’s featured artwork now on display Sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company this month’s selection includes vibrant pieces by local artists Lauren O. To view their original creations, visit: buellton.art/2025-april-ocean-art-feature This initiative is part of Buellton’s Art & Culture Program in partnership with the California Nature Art Museum made possible through monthly sponsorships and strong community support Below is a press release from the Buellton Union School District regarding their new Superintendent — The Buellton Union School District (BUSD) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr With over three decades of experience in education and leadership across California school districts Bailey brings a proven track record of excellence and student-centered leadership to Buellton who will be retiring after nine years of dedicated service to the district Bailey currently serves as the Principal at Carter High School in the Rialto Unified School District in San Bernardino County where he oversees the education and well-being of approximately 1,900 students His extensive career includes serving as an Administrator at the elementary an Administrator in Personnel Services for the Riverside County Office of Education and Vice-President of School Development for Oxford Preparatory Academy Throughout his career as a Classroom Teacher and Principal Bailey has focused on increasing student achievement promoting a positive school climate and providing safe schools for students staff and families in each district he has served Bailey is a visionary leader whose deep commitment to academic excellence and community collaboration will greatly benefit our students President of the Buellton Union School District Board of Trustees “His diverse experience at all levels of education will be an asset to our district.” in Urban Leadership from Claremont Graduate University where he researched the factors that affect teachers’ job satisfaction and how they have a benefit to students in the classroom Bailey earned his Administrative and Teaching Credentials a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from California State University “I am honored and excited to join the Buellton Union School District,” said Dr “I look forward to working with our outstanding Board of Education and community members to build on the district’s strong foundation and support every student’s success.” Bailey’s appointment marks a new chapter of leadership for the district as it continues its mission of delivering high-quality education in a supportive please contact the Buellton Union School District Office at (805) 686-2767 ext — The 2025 Buellton Wine and Chili Festival is returning to the Santa Ynez Vally this Sunday at the Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton The event begins at 12pm and runs until 4:30pm the same day but many choose to turn the celebration into a fun weekend in the Sant Ynez Valley The festival is an afternoon filled with entertainment Event Organizer Andres Nunos stopped by The Morning News Friday morning to preview the upcoming For tickets, details on transportation, and more information, visit: https://buelltonwineandchilifestival.com/ For constant updates on fires in Santa Barbara County For constant updates on fires in San Luis Obispo County check out CAL FIRE SLO’s social media: – Fire crews helped with a one-acre vegetation fire near a blueberry farm on Highway 101 close to Buellton at 3:15 p.m. according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and one lane of the northbound 101 was closed for about an hour The cause of the fire is under investigation and more information on this fire will be provided as it becomes available to Your News Channel Five years after purchasing the former Willemsen Dairy property for public use the City of Buellton and its residents got to see a big result of that acquisition on Feb 8 with the grand opening of the new Buellton Library county and Goleta Valley Library officials were on hand to usher in the new facility in the refurbished building on 202 Dairyland Road down the street from River View Park and right next door to the developing Santa Ynez Valley Children’s Museum the founder and board president for the museum was able to bring out a few games and activities for the kids outside the library which also had an inflatable slide for entertainment. Also outside the building was a used book sale and staff inside to anwer any questions about the new place Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe pointed out the main area with the big picture windows offering a view of the hills above the Santa Ynez River as well as the main conference room that can be divided with a temporary barrier if need be and a smaller room which will eventually be a store for the Friends of the Buellton Library Wolfe said the library was an example of the city trying to expand its focus “What I’ve been working on since I’ve been here is going beyond just the basics — filling the potholes making sure the water turns on — and working more on community amenities,” he said “Purchasing this [Willemsen] property reallyenabled us to dream big.” Wolfe said the location of the new library opens up a new area of activity “It’ll really be much more of a social hub and we will have activities going on in here,” he said and with the proximity to the [River View] park and the upcoming Children’s Museum we really have a nice row of facilities here.” is now the president of the Friends of the Buellton Library organization and has served as a point person of sorts with the project “I think this started about three years ago; we decided to have the library here and we were planning to have it openabout a year and a half ago,” Sierra said they ran into problems with the house that needed to be fixed located on Highway 246 next to the police station and City Council chambers was closed in September to start the transition “I’m just so pleased with it,” she said libraries are, the center of the community People keep saying libraries are a thing of the past we are planning so many incredible community activities here We are going to be working with the city to put on some amazing programs.” The opening culminated in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting in front of the library entrance with Wolfe and Sierra beingjoined there by Mayor David Silva Silva told the crowd to give themselves a round of applause for being able to celebrate the birth of a new library which came to fruition after being first proposed five years ago “This is something our little community can be proud of,” he said “It feels like you’re invited into someone’s home to come and read a book and this wouldn’t have been possible without so many people to make this happen.” In her turn addressing the crowd Lewis admitted she was skeptical of the library proposal at first “I stand very humbled. I don’t know if you guys followed the progression of this library but I was one of the ones that was like ‘Huh? You’re going to take a house on a ranch and you’re going to make it a library?'” she said.  Lewis admitted that the efforts of Sierra and the other proponents of the library proved to be right it is stunning,” she said. “And, I could not think of a better way to utilize the property and make it a gem for the city.” The library is now in operation and open five days a week: Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m The library will be closed on Thursday and Sunday For more information on the library and its programs and events go to goletavalleylibrary.org/about/santa-ynez-valley-libraries or facebook.com/BuelltonLibraries/ the Buellton City Council voted to draft a letter of appeal to Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors over the transfer of pipeline permits granted to Sable Offshore by the County Planning Commission Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis attended the meeting remotely with City Manager Scott Wolfe explaining that by emergency Brown Act rules she would be able to participate in the meeting despite not being present.  The County Planning Commission granted the pipeline permits allowing the transfer of the pipeline from Exxon Mobil to Sable Offshore. This would allow Sable to re-activate the pipeline running through the city subject to other approvals from state agencies A significant question that remains unanswered is what, if any or re-alignment of the existing pipeline will need to be completed to ensure the safety of the pipeline This question is a central point of the appeal to the Board of Supervisors District 1 City Councilmember Hudson Hornick recused himself from the item because of his status as a county employee and District 3 Councilmember John Sanchez to debate the item The subject has been raised in previous Buellton City Councils meetings by residents Larry Bishop and Len Fleckenstein “What I am hoping what the city will do is appeal to the county and even the state to do whatever they can to stop the startup of this pipeline,” Bishop said. “This remedy is important to us because it goes under our city and is unsafe; there’s a lot of corrosion issues they’re not addressing and haven’t addressed for 35 years.” encouraging the City Council to support the appeal, and also to convince officials to reroute the pipeline around Buellton “I ask that the city insist on the oil industry making good on Exxon’s own proposal in 2017 to change the alignment for the pipeline to go around Buellton,” he said. “Residents of the city expected the pipeline to be relocated The City Council should reject this bait-and-switch scheme by the oil companies.” Bishop and Fleckenstein were two of four speakers on the item all of whom supported the appeal of the transfer “I want to be cognizant of the fact that we need to protect our residents but I don’t want to cut off my nose to spite my face,” she said. “We get a lot of tax revenue, for our city and our schools, from the products these companies produce.” Silva said he had concerns about the pipeline through personal experience 1 concern is safety for our city,” he said. “I grew up in Santa Maria’s Sunrise Hills where there were  houses built on sumps and caused health problems although they were up to code “It gives me pause that we have a pipeline up to code for 1989. It’s not much to ask council to have this position not to have crude oil running though town.” Sanchez said the city should stay out of it “I don’t think we should get into this fight,” he said. “For the safety things that happened [Sable] is going to be protective as anyone for that. They’re going to take good care of it.” Lewis and Silva both answered that the city should at least make a statement to let people know where they stand “What message do we send if we don’t even give our input,” Silva said. “We can’t sit here and there will be no leak. I’drather take that position “I prefer not to take a stance,” Sanchez said Silva eventually made a motion to submit a letter supporting the appeal As part of its Consent Calendar for the Thursday the Buellton City Council passed three items to establish a Special Election for the District 4 council vacancy The seat became vacant when District 4 City Councilmember David Silva was elected mayor in November 23 meeting to establish a special election for the seat when the remaining councilmembersdeadlocked on appointing to the seat to either Carla Mead or former Mayor Dave King The election will be mail-in only and take place on Aug The nomination period will run from May 5 through May 30 To run for City Council District 4, you must be a registered voter in District 4. The Buellton District Map can be foundat cityofbuellton.com/government/district-elections/. To take out candidate papers, please contact City Clerk Linda Reidat lindar@cityofbuellton.com or call (805) 686-7424 to schedule an appointment.  To be eligible to vote at the Mail-In Special Election on Aug. 26, you must be registered to vote no later than Monday, Aug. 11. For more information regarding voter registration or to obtain a vote-by-mail ballot, visit countyofsb.org/164/Elections – Firefighters put out a fire at Fire and Vice pizzeria in Buellton early Monday According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department no injuries were reported from the scene and no damage was reported at nearby structures There was heavy damage to the stand-alone pizzeria for the fire that was first reported at 11:38 p.m shared the Santa Barbara County Fire Department A Buellton City Council meeting that many hoped would result in the appointment of a new City Councilmember instead resulted in that issue being tabled until the next meeting and the increased possibility of a special election to fill the seat The new contingent of councilmembers had hoped to appoint a candidate to serve out the term of the District 4 seat during the meeting but the four councilmembers deadlocked on the two main candidates: Carla Mead a self-employed math tutor and wine ambassador for Rideau Winery, who’s served as Solvang Theaterfest board member and a volunteers for a number of local organizations a retired CHP officer who has also served on many local boards and commissions The process for the new councilmember vote began with Mayor David Silva who was the District 4 representative until taking over as mayor last month announcing that candidates would have a three-minute period to state their case for the position and then the established councilmembers deciding on their choice who he said was the only candidate who submitted a letter of interest “to all of us as a council.” Mead cited her experience as an educator for 20 years as well as her work as a volunteer with groups like the SYV Humane Society and Solvang Theaterfest Board “I’ve taught in a wide variety of environments These experiences required me to connect with people of diverse backgrounds understand their unique challenges … and collaborate to find solutions for everyone,” she said She also spoke of her direct involvement in city government in applying for a spot on the Planning Commission, and helping lead a successful appeal against the building of an In-N-Out Burger on McMurray Road “These experiences deepened my understanding of local government and reinforced my view of thoughtful planning that balances economic growth with the preservation of the character of our city,” Mead said “Throughout my life, I’ve been guided by my commitment to service,” Mead concluded. “This opportunity to serve on City Council would give me the chance to serve the community I love in a profound way.” Silva opened up the floor for anyone else who wanted to be considered for the council vacancy stepped up to the podium to express his interest “I think my record speaks for itself,” King said and city government. “I think some of the accomplishments that I’ve done over the last 12 years have served the City of Buellton and its citizens. Every decision I’ve made was for the good and betterment of the community We all do this as a labor of love for the community.” seven speakers came forward to voice their support for Mead The common thread with the speakers was their desire to bring some”new blood” (as put by the first speaker Vivian Engle) on the council. They also praised Mead for her past work as a volunteer and on numerous board and councils as well as her efforts in appealing the In-N-Out proposal When the item came back to council District 1 Councilmember Hudson Hornick and District 3 Councilmember John Sanchez backed King; however Silva and Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis (District 2) threw their support behind Mead The impasse seemed to be a case of the councilmembers arguing on two different issues as they debated saying he was against the idea of appointing someone to the council instead havingan election they should select King because although he lost the mayoral election in November the votes he garnered showed he has support from people in the city “There was a mayoral election and Dave King got 1,200 votes,” he said. “I am unwilling to appoint someone else when we have somebody who got 1,200 votes in the election wants to serve.” Sanchez also supported King for the appointment bristling at the talk that the council needed “new blood,” or a different voice His position was that the previous council had done a good job at leading the city “A small group got together to stop In-N-Out and now a small group wants to come in and change things,” Sanchez said. “I get comments from residents from other cities who tell me what a great city Buellton is and we’re doing it right, and a lot of that should be credited to Dave King.” believed bringing in a “new voice” would be beneficial, and would encourage citizens in the future to get involved “I don’t take away from awesome things King did for this city,” she said. “My concern is we had a small group get involved in leading this city We talk about wanting to get the citizens involved [in council] but then we don’t let them in and it’s difficult to get new people involved My support would be for new voices, why I would nominate Carla but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate who came before.” Silva said that District 4 supporters had come to the meeting and expressed their desire to see Mead appointed, and that took precedence over an election for another office “I struggle with the rational of an election for mayor being the reason not to get someone new [for District 4],” Silva said. “If we’re trying to represent District 4’s interest District 4 has spoken: 17 emails for Mead , nine from the district and four or five [actually seven] comments.” After the ensuing debate over the relevance of the mayor’s race to the District 4 appointment, and the need for new voices when he was the longest serving councilmember on the dais and had only been there six years the four councilmembers said they would not budge After separate motions to appoint each of the candidates to the seat ended in 2-2 votes Hornick moved to continue the item until the next meeting on Jan Silva said that any additional candidates wanting the appointment would be considered, but that if a decision isn’treached on Jan the city would go to a special election for the seat After working side-by-side to govern the City of Buellton incumbent Mayor Dave King and Vice Mayor David Silva will run against each other for the city’s mayoral seat in the Nov King was elected as Buellton’s second-ever mayor in 2022 after Holly Sierra termed out. That same year Silva threw his hat in the ring and won the District 4 City Council seat as the council was transitioning into district representation the Buellton City Council will not look that much different. King and Silva are the only competitive race on City Council as Elysia Lewis and John Sanchez whose terms will expire for the city’s last two at-large seats happen to live in the districts that are open Lewis in District 2 and Sanchez in District 3 King said he feels like there were some things accomplished during his first term but there are also things he still wants to do and he wants to be in the mayor’s seat for them “There are many things we’re still pursing as a city and I’ve found during my time in the City Council and in the last two years as mayor, that I can get a lot more done when I’m mayor,” he said. “So, I just want to stay on this job and get more stuff done.” a retired California Highway Patrol officer however, has been able to reach agreement with the CHP to station some CHP officers in town to cut down on speeding. There’s also progress on narrowing the lanes on Highway 246 to control traffic on the east end of town “This is good because if we can get those lanes narrowed on the way out of “When people come upon a lane narrowing King is also seeing signs of progress in capital projects “We’ve had the Waypoint bowling alley in the plans and I’m hoping we can get that started in 6-8 months,” he said. “Also, the old movie theater was purchased and I’d like to talk to the owner about reopening.” Those two projects are examples of what King wants for Buellton: More things to do for kids and families “I’d like to get some progress going on finding land for a baseball and soccer fields,” he said “Good athletics facilities can brings in traveling teams for tournaments and the like King has also touted the development of affordable housing to meet the state mandates, but worries that much of the housing demanded by the state may be incongruous with Buellton “I think affordable housing is a good and necessary idea — if it’s done right,” King said and then referencing the housing complex in progress behind the Albertson’s “For instance [that complex] has apartments that will require way more parking than it has room for and it’s going to increase density and congestion “The state’s push for housing has unintended consequences when they try to forces construction in where it doesn’t fit.” the catalyst to pursue a run for the Buellton mayor’s seat came in the threat of Buellton’s Meals on Wheels program being taken away earlier this year “See the possibility that could happen really got my attention Over 400 seniors depend on that and it was very possible it could go insolvent,” he said “And I just thought of my mother-in-law and what if someone just pulled away the resources she has?” The City Council and Santa Ynez Valley Outreach were able to keep the program afloat “I thought to myself ‘we never should have let it get that close to being eliminated,'” he said. “We need to be proactively thinking of what the community needs, instead of being reactive and I thought I would need to take the lead in that; and that’s what made me decide to run for mayor.” Silva has claimed many accomplishments in addition to help keeping the Meal on Wheels rolling such as funding a record number of inaugural community arts and cultural heritage events securing funding for the Santa Ynez River Trail and working to renew and preserve the city’s Urban Growth Boundary while providing thoughtful sites for future housing The Urban Growth Boundary is another important subject in the form of Measure C on the November ballot which would extend the life of the UGB, and add 123 acres to it although it’s up to the voters whether it’s implemented,” Silva said. “We’re running out of space so I think we can be proactive to add a small bit of land to the north.” An additional goal he has is to balance the draw of tourists with local needs “I fell there’s a need to welcome the tourists but with an investment and benefit to the locals,” Silva said “That means creating things that both tourists and locals can enjoy like splash pads and playground equipment.” One last goal Silva has for this campaign is getting citizens more involved in the city “In campaigning I’m going door-to-door and have gotten some great ideas from people,” he said “But I’ve also found a lot of people aren’t really engaged in the community I feel I have to take on the responsibility of meeting this people and making them engaged.”  The historic Willemsen property at 202 Dairyland Road in Buellton has been transformed into a brand new library The grand-opening of the new Buellton facility was held on Saturday the president of advocacy and fundraising group Friends of the Buellton Library says the opening event included a book sale The president told KSBY that she sees the library as the center of town and hopes community members will visit and enjoy the space and now our goal is to start working outside because we're in a park "I want people to be able to come out and sit in a chair outside with a book and just enjoy." Sierra went on to say that the Buellton Library has been lucky to receive help from its supporters; however Community members can contribute to the maintenance and further expansion of the facility by emailing the Friends of the Buellton Library A Buellton woman has been arrested for attempted murder of her boyfriend a deputy came upon a male subject in the roadway on Highway 246 at Valley Station Road As the deputy attempted to usher the subject from the roadway he discovered that the man had several stab wounds and lacerations to the shoulder The victim told deputies that his girlfriend had stabbed him and was inside a nearby residence in the 200 block of Valley Station Road While deputies were rendering aid to the victim and attempting to control his bleeding stepped outside of the residence and threw cans of beer at them Gonzales was quickly taken into custody and was safely restrained despite being extremely combative Gonzales was booked at the Northern Branch Jail for felonies including attempted murder She is being held on $1 million bail.  The victim was transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition.  UPDATE (6:42 p.m.) - Fire officials report that forward progress of the fire has been stopped All aircraft and bulldozers have been released but firefighters will remain on scene to continue work on containment lines.___ UPDATE (6:19 p.m.) - A string of seven roadside fires that broke out along Highway 246 on Thursday has burned an estimated 64 acres according to Santa Barbara County Fire officials The cause of the fire is under investigation.___ UPDATE (6:02 p.m.) - A woman was taken to the hospital after colliding with a fire engine that was parked along Highway 246 where crews were fighting the roadside fires according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.___ UPDATE (5:23 p.m.) - Santa Barbara County Sheriff's officials and the Lompoc Police Department are reporting phone outages as a result of the fire in the Buellton officials say text to 911 service is working Non-emergency calls can be directed to sheriff's dispatch at (805) 683-2724 UPDATE (5:01 p.m.) - The fires have burned an estimated 25-30 acres The westbound #2 lane of Highway 246 is closed near Drum Canyon Rd./Mail Rd 2nd Alarm Vegetation Fire / #RiverviewInc: Air Attack, two air-tankers, two helicopters assigned. Reported as 7 separate spot fires in the area. Currently no structures threatened. Drift smoke noted in the area, drive w/caution & avoid fire equipment along Hwy 246. pic.twitter.com/D9mdo75RZO (4:46 p.m.) - Firefighters are responding to several roadside fires along Highway 246 on the west side of Buellton The fires were first reported just after 4 p.m According to the California Highway Patrol traffic along the westbound side of Highway 246 was being affected This is a developing story and will be updated with new information as it becomes available – Santa Barbara County Fire crews helped with a mobile home on fire in Buellton at 9:30 p.m The mobile home was located at the 300 block of Highway 246 before crews knocked down the fire at 10:03 p.m. A primary search was completed and no injuries were reported without anyone inside A fire investigator was on scene as of 10:42 p.m and the cause of the fire is still under investigation No other structures were impacted by the fire and crews were on scene for several hours after the initial knock down