[2] The Sun was founded in 2000 by Steve Moss, who saw a need for a weekly community newspaper that could act as a “town square where everybody could participate.”[4] Shortly after its founding, Lompoc, California Economic Development Committee member Justin Ruhge contributed a controversial editorial to the Nov. 16 issue.
[4] For fifteen years, Ryan Miller edited the Sun.
During the 2005 Michael Jackson trial in Santa Maria, Miller provided local commentary for national and international news outlets.
The sun uncovered a pattern of administrative malfeasance and abuse that may have contributed to the death of two corrections officers.
[9] In 2017, the Sun won second place in the General Excellence category in its division of California's Better Newspapers Contest, with judges citing its "mix of coverage of local issues, arts and culture".