Cover Story
Height of expression: PCPA explores culture, identity, and love with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first musical, ‘In the Heights’
American musical theater is currently enjoying an intense resurgence in popularity, with plenty of thanks going to Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose current show Hamilton is a Broadway hit and has gained fans worldwide. But what is so special about Hamilton that the cast album has sold more than any musical in nearly a generation? Part of…
What makes a great story?
Elizabeth Fields author “I think that personal experience that you can draw from always makes a great story. If you can create fiction with a personal twist and insert some of yourself into it, you can’t go wrong.” Darin Gabler owner of The Bookworm “Something unexpected that you somehow find yourself in, and you read…
Senior Joan Wiley gets her diploma 65 years later
Joan Wiley was supposed to be the valedictorian of her graduating class in 1951. She was the editor of her high school paper, she worked in her school’s office, and she was close with her teachers, but she did one thing that kept her from getting her diploma for 65 years—she fell in love and…
Spotlight on: Marian Regional Medical Center
Is your heart fluttering? You may not be in love, but you might have an arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is the medical term for a heart with an irregular beat, according to health information website WebMD.com, and it could be an indication of ailments such as atrial fibrillation. It’s the most common type of heart arrhythmia…
Political Watch 8/4/16
• The filing period is open until Aug. 12 for individuals interested in running for elected office. Potential candidates must first file a Candidate Intention Statement, Form 501, with the city clerk’s Office. For this election there are two seats on the City Council, Mayor, city treasurer, city clerk. Each position is for four-year terms.…
Community Notebook 8/4/16 – 8/11/16
MONDAY, AUG. 8 • The Santa Maria City Block Grants Advisory Committee has its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room, 110 E. Cook St., Santa Maria. • The Solvang City Council has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak St., Solvang. agendas are available at…
Hobnobbing with Helen
I’m a sucker for the sphinx of The Ten Commandments fame. We are talking about Cecil B. DeMille’s fabled movie, filmed on the dunes of Guadalupe and released in 1923. As some of my readers know, plaster of Paris props from the movie set were left behind by Hollywood, where time, wind, and heaps of…
California voters to face fullest ballot in 16 years
I don’t know how to put this, but November’s election is kind of a big deal. And, believe it or not, it’s about much more than Hillary versus The Donald—especially here in California. Our voters will face a jam-packed ballot come Nov. 8, featuring the most initiatives (17 to be exact) we’ve seen since 2000.…
Crossroads of confusion: How to navigate some of Santa Maria’s most complicated intersections
Santa Maria is big, but not that big, and most of the streets here are relatively easy to figure out. Ask anyone who’s driven through this city and they’re likely to point out some intersections or portions of the roadways that give them either heartburn or heart attacks because of aloof drivers and near-miss collisions. …
Clarification
In the July 28 story, “Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department investigates SMPD-involved shooting,” the Sun incorrectly reported which county agency would submit its investigation of the July 25 Santa Maria Police Department-involved shooting. The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office will conduct a review based on the Sheriff’s Department’s investigation.
Mistrial declared in attempted murder case
On July 25, Santa Barbara County Judge John McGregor declared a mistrial in the trial of 27-year-old Sterling Ranft, a Lompoc man who is accused of attempted murder. According to Adrian Galvan, Ranft’s court-appointed attorney, the jury was hung twice on whether to convict Ranft of trying to kill 29-year-old Michael Hernandez in what Galvan…
Nipomo declares more severe water shortage
The Nipomo Community Services District Board of Directors declared a “Stage IV” water shortage on July 27, upping its water shortage response from “Stage III.” Nipomo’s Water Shortage Response and Management Plan comprises five stages of drought, each of which calls for a set of targeted reductions in water use designed to protect long-term groundwater…
Vandenberg airman charged with possession, distribution of child porn
A senior airman stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) is facing charges of allegedly distributing and possessing child pornography, according to 2nd Lt. William Collette, public affairs officer with the 30th Space Wing at VAFB. The charges against 27-year-old Nicholas Linton were referred on June 20, Collette told the Sun. Specifically, Linton is being…
Race is on for Santa Maria mayor
Will Smith, former board member for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, has filed papers to run for mayor of Santa Maria. So far, Smith is the only candidate to challenge incumbent Alice Patino. Smith holds a controversial track record with the school district’s board. He was elected to the board in 2010 after resigning from…
Minimum standards
There is a saying I have in my house that I repeat, usually before getting ready to go somewhere: “Minimum standards.” It’s the thing I say when I’m freshening up and my husband asks me why I’m getting ready because, “we’re only going to the beach,” or “we’re only going to Home Depot.” It is…
Standing Sun Wines hosts Austin, Texas soul group The Nightowls
The music you heard growing up is a permanent fixture in your memory and your mind, so say scientists. But intuitively, we also know this to be true, especially when that one song comes on. You know the one. For members of the Austin, Texas-based soul group The Nightowls, the vinyl records they remember spinning…
Lompoc Youth Theater presents ‘Godspell Junior’
The Lompoc Youth Theater, in partnership with the city of Lompoc, presents a production of Godspell Junior on Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. The play tells the story of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Judas. The play is part of the Music Theatre International Broadway Junior Collection, a special…
Wildling Museum begins new mural
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature began a new permanent installation on July 19, when painter John Iwerks started painting a large mural in the museum’s upstairs gallery. The project, which began in the summer of 2015, is part of an effort to include input from community members in deciding museum projects moving forward.…
Lompoc Theatre Project pays back property taxes
The Lompoc Theatre Project’s Board of Directors made the first payment toward the delinquent property taxes on its newly acquired theater in June, removing the building from Santa Barbara County’s list of properties in default. The organization also received estimates from a company that will remove some mold and asbestos from the lobby area, though…
Daytripper: The Central Coast is the perfect location for a staycation
This recent Fourth of July was projected by AAA to be a record-setting weekend of congested highways, so my wife and I were more than a bit reticent to hit the road for Los Angeles or the Bay Area to enjoy the holiday. Crawling along at a snail’s pace usually saps the fun out of…
Wriggle with writers at The Bookworm in Santa Maria
Most authors hope to enjoy a well-attended signing event when their new book drops. But venues for such events are harder to come by, as more and more bookstores close down. One author, a Central Coast native, has actually premiered every one of her books right here in Santa Maria at none other than The…
In the tall grass
If you haven’t checked out the Sports section this week, you might be surprised to learn that Santa Maria is in dire need of soccer fields. Yeah, it was news to me, too. I have to plead ignorance on the subject of soccer, which apparently every other country on the planet calls football. What’s up…
Cunningham wins support from victims advocates and law enforcement
Assembly candidate Jordan Cunningham was recently endorsed by Crime Victims United, a national organization that works with law enforcement to advocate for crime victims and their families. As someone who has worked with thousands of victims and their families for nearly two decades, this endorsement is very important to me. I used to work with…
Trump unmasked
Roy Cohn was a well-known New York attorney who had the reputation of being ruthless and vicious toward adversaries. Cohn and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump met by chance at a club in 1973 where Trump sought Cohn’s advice on a legal matter. That started a long-lasting association. Cohn counseled Trump in many legal and…
Blake Truhitte
It’s hard to pick favorites from this summer’s Santa Maria Babe Ruth U15 squad. Santa Maria won a state championship and fell one game short of qualifying for the National Babe Ruth World Series on July 27. Along the way, they proved to be a true team by getting key contributions from multiple players. But…
Creating space: A community effort is underway to bring more playing fields to Santa Maria
When the One Community Action Coalition formed last September following a spree of homicides in Santa Maria, group leaders were open to any and all ideas that could bring more support to at-risk youth in the community. During one of the coalition’s meetings in April, a group of local soccer club members showed up to…
Keepin’ it beered: Santa Maria Brewing Company hops the county line with Atascadero location
Beer’s pretty great. I like it a lot. I drink it all the time! It’s the best. Are you nodding enthusiastically? Yeah, I thought so. You and I are two of the many who have driven the explosion in craft beer popularity over the past few years. Breweries of all shapes and sizes have popped…
