Cover Story
Fields of dreams?
Victor* left Mexico for the United States when he was 17 years old. His only contact was a friend of a friend who could help him get a job in the fields in Santa Maria, more than 2,000 miles from his home in Oaxaca, a southern state of Mexico that’s one of the most…
Spotlight on: Another Bread Company
Solvang resident James Sparks learned to bake bread from the best: his mother, Kaye. “I assisted my mother at her bakery in Idaho where I grew up. I was probably about 12 or 14 years old, maybe younger. We had milk cows and a bakery because I grew up on a farm,” Sparks told the…
What do you think would make downtown Santa Maria more attractive?
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Wine. Beer. Books.
Every time I visit Wine Country Orcutt with my husband, Mike, he comments, “This is the best deal in town!” He might be right. From a $9 dollar flight of bubbly to a 10-buck trio of Ports, I can’t believe there isn’t a slew of eager customers lining up outside the door wanting to “take…
Welcome to LaPAWS
The Lompoc Animal Shelter will from now on be known as La Purisima Animal Welfare Services, county officials announced at a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 24 at the newly renovated facility on Central Avenue. The name is just one change to the shelter, which is owned and operated by the county of Santa Barbara…
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
“Once upon a time there were three hungry dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur … and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. One day—for no particular reason—they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then—for no particular reason—they decided to go … someplace else.…
Horseback riding camps benefit therapeutic riding program
In collaboration with Solvang Parks and Recreation, the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding program is offering children’s summer camps that include certified horseback riding instruction, horsemanship, mounted games, crafts, and snacks. The first camp ran June 24 through 28, and the next camp will run July 22 through 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. Children…
HAYLEY HAMER
Seventeen-year-old Hayley Hamer from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School is one of nine local teenagers from the California High School Rodeo Association who have qualified for the 65th National High School Finals Rodeo. They have until July 14 to perfect their events before representing the association’s District 7 at the Sweetwater County Events Complex…
Polo legends return to Santa Ynez
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Summer baseball with the ‘Dogs
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Santa Maria Reds are back on the field
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Bulldogs headed for the Bigs
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Racing the streets
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The Benchwarmer
Last week, I found myself sitting on a different kind of bench. This one was at the City Hall in Santa Maria; Parks and Recreation heard a presentation on bringing minor league baseball back to the city. Being that I’m a baseball fan (devoted to the Anaheim Angels), I had to see what was shaking…
Allow us a small roar
On behalf of the Nipomo Lions, I would like to thank the many businesses and individuals in the community who have made this year such a success for our club in our efforts to help our community be a better place to live. Through your generosity and support, we have been able to give back…
Possible answers to long-range plans?
After reading the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments article Friday, June 14 (“What will SB County look line in 2040?,” Santa Maria Times), it made me wonder, why is it we have an unelected “none profit” branch of government setting development standards for the future of Santa Barbara County? SBCAG is another liberal-leaning agency…
True stories are like true love
I just finished reading Glen Starkey’s and Steve Miller’s excellent review of Stories We Tell showing at the Palm (“Truth out!” June 13). I completely agree with Steve’s assessment of the footage being too good for the ’60s time period. Having grown up in that era, my uncle took many 8 millimeter films of our…
On dying squirrels and low voter turnout
I would summarize Mr. Lukes’ recent opinion piece as “I have encountered a problem that I care about. But the problem is too big for me to solve all by myself. Why hasn’t someone else solved this problem?” (“How do I help an ailing animal?,” June 20). While I don’t share his concern for dying…
Knowledge can be lost in translation
As a local strawberry grower, I commend you on a very balanced and informative story about the proposed chloropicrin regulation changes and related strawberry challenges in general (“Anticipating the end,” June 13). I attended the technical information meeting presented by the Department of Pesticide Regulation and came away feeling they are taking a very responsible…
Light up the night (but not anything else)
Fireworks and marijuana. They have more in common than you may think. You light one end and hope that what comes out the other will make for an entertaining evening. Also, they’re both illegal. Kind of. Actually, you’re allowed to fire one up, as long as it’s OK with local regulations. Lompoc should know. And…
Douse the wood smoke
Smoking banned at Starbucks and 4 Other Surprising Places” was the headline on a popular website. Perhaps most surprising was the ban enacted by a city in Southern California that prohibits smoking on outdoor patios or balconies, unless “those patios were enclosed and could be completely shut off from the outdoors.” Some bans…
Go and park it
The only thing that could possibly improve a lazy day at one of Santa Maria’s beautiful parks is live music. At least, that’s what the Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department thought when it first started the concert series years ago. “We started about six years ago; it was only four concerts,” said city recreation…
A game of thrones
Atop a hill overlooking the Sea Pacifica in the land of the grand arroyo lies Castle Waterman where lives the Brit Lord of the Soccer Channel and his young grandson, Britween. The Lady Ariel, queen of this domain, is caught in a mad power struggle with these two as they each vie for their right…
Crafty kids
Michaels arts and crafts store offers two upcoming classes for kids. The first event is titled “Kids Club Fourth of July Hat Event” on June 29 from 10 a.m. to noon. “Kids Club Summer Games Event” is July 6 from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost is $2. Crafting happens in 30-minute sessions for both events.…
Betteravia Gallery is back in business
After the remodeling of the Joseph Centeno Government Center at 511 E. Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria, the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission has been at work preparing two new exhibits for the locations. “Town Center Moves North: Town Center Gallery Artists” will be showing June 24 through Sept. 27 and “The Anne and Walon…
Dunes Center leads memorial hike
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center will be leading a memorial hike in remembrance of a local who helped preserve the dunes decades ago. The “Kathleen Goddard Jones Memorial Hike” will meet on July 6 and take walkers through the Black Lake area owned by the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, in honor of Jones’…
Reawakening discipline
A classical education in any medium has proved time and again that people benefiting from the classes can become highly skilled, disciplined, and sensitive artists. One Santa Ynez-based youth dance program has recommitted to a more classical approach for its students, culminating in an upcoming dance recital that will feature selections of involved classical dance,…
Voices of the past
Lompoc is a valley rich with history. As the massive archives at the Lompoc Historical Society and the Lompoc Museum relate, before La Purisima Mission was even built, Chumash tribes called the beautiful location home, giving it its name, which means “lagoon” or “standing water.” The museum and historical society, always close collaborators, are tapping…
Fall class focuses on children with special needs
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A mini King Tut is on display in Lompoc
A miniature mummy surrounded by treasures is living inside an old speaker box at the Lompoc Public Library until June 29. It’s just a small part of the four-shelf display dedicated to the wonders of Egyptian history that Jana Hunking pieced together for the library’s display case, which showcases something new each month. Jewelry, hieroglyphics,…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Hip, hip hooray! Let’s hear it for Beaujolais! This fabulous musical trio performed during cocktail hour at the 13th annual fundraiser dinner and auction of Community Partners in Caring (CPC). It was wonderful. In the bar, Jimmy Enos played a real piano—not just a keyboard—while Liz Douglas played guitar and Bo Cudd vocalized. Where and…
Community Notebook 6/27-7/4
TUESDAY, JULY 2 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at http://santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx#current. • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular board meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office…
Politcal Watch 6/27/13
• In addition to math and spelling, schoolchildren across the country could soon be learning life-saving skills such as CPR and how to use automated external defibrillators, thanks to a bill recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara). If passed, the Teaching Children to Save Lives Act (H.R. 2308) would give schools the…
Downtown discount debate
What’s big, empty, and has the potential to house a business in the next few months—but might not? It could be one of many storefronts in Santa Maria, but this particular building has 86,000 square feet of space to fill and has sat vacant across the street from the downtown mall for five years. Dave…
Ready for more water
Bonds are sold, construction contracts are awarded, and the Nipomo Community Service District is counting on the arrival of a reliable supply of water from the city of Santa Maria sometime in late 2014. After receiving the go-ahead to sell $10.5 million in bonds from the board of directors on June 12, the district opened…
The show will go on … eventually
While most Central Coast residents were scrounging around for a flashlight the evening of June 23, audience members at PCPA Theaterfest in Solvang were treated to a candlelit, a cappella rendition of “Sunrise, Sunset” by the cast of Fiddler on the Roof. The actors were just walking on stage for the wedding scene near the…
Judges appoint new court executive officer
Santa Barbara County Superior Court judges recently selected Darrel Parker to succeed retiring Court Executive Officer Gary Blair, effective July 1. Blair, who’s leaving his post after 37 years with the county, will be handing off his duties to someone he believes is extremely capable and has the skills and expertise to get the job…
Senate reverses changes to the California Public Records Act
Faced with harsh criticism from media professionals and government watchdogs, the California Senate voted June 24 to undo changes to the state’s Public Records Act that could have made obtaining government documents more difficult. Earlier this month, the Legislature approved a bill included in the state budget that would have made responding to public records…
Carbajal’s arraignment is postponed until July
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Santa Maria resident Cristian Iban Carbajal in connection with the five-vehicle collision that claimed the life of Santa Maria High School graduate Jade Dodson on June 18. Carbajal appeared in court on June 20 facing one felony count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and…
