Congressman Salud Carbajal

Two congress members from the Central Coast and a senator from Oregon are calling for endangered species protections for the monarch butterfly. Western Monarch butterflies spend their winter months on the coast of California. They cling to eucalyptus trees in bright clusters of orange and black, but today very few can be found.

Continuing KCBX's election coverage, we hear from Dawn Addis, one of the candidates hoping to represent the Central Coast in the state Assembly. And learn more about the two men running to represent the Central Coast in the U.S. House of Representatives. Reporter Harry Lawton of KCSB spoke to Santa Barbara County's election official. The U.S. Census Bureau has finished counting for the 2020 Census, and you’ll hear two experts weigh in on what happens next and why some people are concerned if the Census Bureau will produce an accurate count. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have developed a whale alert system for transiting vessels, hoping to keep whales from being struck by cargo vessels. On this week’s “Working Lunch” we have a conversation about the local real estate market. And finally, on “The Nonprofit Story,” we learn about the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center.

California’s 24th congressional district race features an incumbent Democrat who has emphasized sustainability and preservation of the Central Coast during his tenure. His Republican opponent is an outspoken radio host and columnist who has been commenting on area politics since the 1990s.

Every Fourth of July, the Carnegie Corporation of New York releases a list of "Great Immigrants," people the philanthropic organization says have made notable contributions to the "progress of American society." This year’s list includes singer Regina Spektor, actor Kumail Nanjiani, the CEO of Uber, a UC Santa Barbara Nobel Prize winner in physics, and U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal. 

Local politicians, public school representatives, and solar and offshore wind energy company officials gathered in Avila Beach Monday to mark the introduction of federal legislation aimed at encouraging the renewable energy industry on the Central Coast. 

The future boundaries of the Carrizo Plain National Monument are still in question, although it appears the monument’s protected status won’t be entirely abolished. U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced Thursday he was not recommending the elimination of any national monuments. However, he did say that a "handful" could be reduced in size. 

On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order to expand offshore oil and gas drilling in federal waters and the outer continental shelf. It calls for a review of current five-year plan for oil and gas leases, and directs the secretary of the interior to establish a streamlined permitting process.