Cover Story
A former SLO inmate draws on real-life experiences for his role in the Web series ‘Solitary’
Every day in California and the rest of the country, throughout state and federal prisons, thousands of individuals are being held in solitary confinement. An inmate can be removed from the general population for a variety of reasons, and can end up spending months, years, and even decades alone in the tiny cells. “Solitary confinement…
How do you feel about internships?
Naomi Ramirez caregiver “I think internships are pretty good. They make some people feel uncomfortable because you’re just starting to learn, but that’s how you’re going to learn. You have to live it to get a feel for it.” Marsha Stevens retired “They’re good.” Nicole Diaz retired “I think internships are great. They’re absolutely wonderful.…
Walk to save memories
A recent press release from the Alzheimer’s Association of Santa Barbara announced that its 2014 Walk to End Alzheimer’s is scheduled for Nov. 8. More than 1,500 people from the Santa Barbara area alone are expected to attend the event at Earl Warren Showgrounds. In addition to the walk, the association will also be host…
Give praise, and be moved
The Central Coast Church of Orcutt will be offering a series of meditative classes this summer on Saturdays at 10 a.m. PraiseMoves is a Christian alternative to yoga. The class will focus on stretching and core strengthening, as well as improving balance and coordination. The classes can be modified for individuals with limited mobility. Each…
Teen dance at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center
Teens in junior high and high school are invited to join in the fun for a night of electric music and bright lights at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center. The dance will run from 7 to 10 p.m. at the center, 600 S. McClelland St., in Santa Maria. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission…
Big news for Bulldogs
A press release from Hancock Athletics announced that six Allan Hancock College baseball players earned scholarships to four-year universities. Marc Baker, Nathan Thompson, and Felipe Gonzalez—all Central Coast natives—will be headed to play for NAIA programs. Meanwhile, Zack Skipper, Ryan Welker, and Zach Nyman will play for Division II programs. “I am very proud of…
Tommy Herrera
Tommy Herrera is a busy 12 year old. A student at Tommie Kunst Junior High School, Herrera has spent his summer playing baseball with Northside Little League. Earlier in the month, Herrera and the team defeated Lompoc 8-2 in the championship game. On a recent weekend, the team ventured off to Thousand Oaks for the…
The SB Bicycling Coalition and New Belgium Brewing join forces for the Clips and Brews Tour
The 150-mile stretch of coastline from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo is a cyclist’s paradise, with an unparalleled climate, limited rainfall, and unbelievable views of the Los Padres National Forest and Pacific Ocean. But perhaps the most amazing thing about this happy stretch of coastline is how much everyone loves riding on it and…
I think I’m alone now
This week’s cover story about a former prisoner who spent time in solitary confinement prepping to perform in a series about a prisoner spending time in solitary confinement got me thinking. And here’s what I thought: Solitary confinement is a stupid idea. Obviously, it has benefits when it comes to keeping violent offenders away from…
We need to pay off our climate debt now
Heidi Harmon eloquently addresses the fact that climate change is affecting all us right now (“Climate crisis has no party affiliation,” July 10). When the well runs dry, it won’t matter if the owner is a Republican or Democrat. Climate change is not an ideology. It’s a fact. The consequences of denying these problems are…
Our climate is bad and getting worse
Heidi Harmon really put her finger on the uphill battle we’re having against global warming (“Climate crisis has no party affiliation,” July 10). It’s been framed as a liberal vs. conservative issue. Unfortunately, we have a primarily two-party system in which our various objectives must find their expression in the representative of one party or…
What sort of change are we talking about?
An opinion piece by Heidi Harmon offered a perspective on climate change (“Climate crisis has no party affiliation,” July 10). But I have questions. If all human endeavor in the United States were to stop, would global warming cease? If all these wind farms, solar panels, and dams were to be built on two percent…
It’s time to fight
A few months ago, the city of Pismo Beach voted to end invocations during their council meetings, buckling to legal pressure by Freedom From Religion Foundation and the San Luis Obispo chapter of Atheists United. The city agreed to pay the plaintiff’s legal fees of $47,500 plus one dollar to each of the two plaintiffs…
Discovery Corner: From Barcelona, with love
Oriol Roche, a foreign exchange student from Spain, came to Santa Maria this summer with a heartfelt purpose. He wanted to make a difference. His love for education lead him to the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, where he helped develop a new cultural program called Passport Thursday. Oriol spent time researching and preparing activities,…
The Santa Maria Public Library gets ‘ooey gooey’ for science
Fizz. Boom. Read. That’s the theme for this year’s summer reading program at the Santa Maria Public Library. All of the summer activities offered by the youth services department have to do with science, including the next adventure in the Altrusa Theater on July 23, Ooey Gooey Science. “We wanted to give kids a hands-on…
Hancock adds manufacturing safety class due to industry demand
The demand for machining and other manufacturing employees is expected to increase by 22 percent through 2020 in Santa Barbara County—that’s information from the California Employment Development Department, according to a press release from Allan Hancock College. Because of the expected growth of the industry, Hancock is launching an online manufacturing safety course in the…
Future farmers
Students in the Santa Maria High School FFA showed off their chapter’s feature booth at the Santa Barbara County Fair July 9 through 13. The board captured what FFA means to the students and the Santa Maria Valley. From left to right are Griselda Todeo, Alondra Novoa, Leslie Garcia.
Spotlight on: Poetry and Pose Yoga
A yoga mat can be much more than a place to stretch and unwind. It can also be a place of discovery and learning, for those who are willing to listen. Jenya Hubbard began taking yoga classes at her local gym 10 years ago. She started classes for the health benefits, but soon discovered that…
Empower Santa Barbara County expands to include all of the Central Coast
More people will have access to energy-efficient upgrades, thanks to an expansion of a program that began in Santa Barbara County. EmPower Santa Barbara County has become emPower Central Coast, expanding its services to Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties as well as increasing the number of energy efficient services it provides. “We’re really excited…
Political Watch 7/17/14
• U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara), along with U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York) and U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts), recently introduced the Ban Poisonous Additives Act, a bill to protect industry workers and consumers from chemicals that the president’s cancer panel has indicated could cause “grievous harm.” Bisephenol-A (BPA) is one of the…
Community Notebook 7/17-7/24/14
TUESDAY, JULY 22 • The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission has a special meeting at 9 a.m. at The Betteravia Government Center, 511 Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria. The agenda is available at www.countyofsb.org. • The Guadalupe City Council has its regular meeting at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 918 Obispo St.,…
Community Corner: Tranz Central Coast organizes a forum on transgender surgery
Interested in learning more about the transgender lifestyle and the transitioning process? Tranz Central Coast, a local support group for transsexuals, and local trans activist Jessica Lynn are holding a free seminar on transgender surgical options July 19 at the San Luis Obispo County Library. During the seminar, which will take place in the library…
Strawberries continue to reign supreme in Santa Barbara County
Broccoli, wine grapes, and strawberries tend to jockey for the top spot each year in Santa Barbara County in terms of production value. The raw ingredient in pinots and chardonnays jumped up to second place in 2013, knocking the green vegetable down to No. 3, but the red berries that dot so much of the…
San Luis Obispo County Assistant District Attorney Tim Covello resigns, comes to Santa Barbara County
San Luis Obispo County’s assistant district attorney, Tim Covello, has resigned from his position and transitioned to a new role with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. Covello made the announcement by email to the office and said that his last day would be July 11. However, the office announced the move one day…
Learn more about Huntington’s disease
In 2008, Melissa Billardi’s oldest son received a life-altering diagnosis: Huntington’s disease. A neurodegenerative genetic disorder, Huntington’s affects muscle coordination, causes psychiatric problems, and ultimately leads to death. “The brain is basically being killed off slowly. It’s a slow, progressive, horrible way to go,” Billardi said of the disease, which typically becomes noticeable in mid-adult…
Sea lions make a big splash at the Santa Barbara County Fair
The irresistibly catchy chorus of Will Smith’s late-’90s hit “Getting’ Jiggy Wit It” is bouncing out of the built-in speakers of an attraction near the front gates of the Santa Maria Fairpark. It’s not the kind of music passersby would expect to hear at the Santa Barbara County Fair, and it becomes even more unusual…
Campus crush: Allan Hancock’s new winery prepares for the next crop of viticulture and enology students
Allan Hancock College’s viticulture and enology students have a lot to be excited about when they return to school in Santa Maria mid-August. Not only will they be harvesting chardonnay, pinot noir, and other wine varietals from the community college’s 4-acre vineyard, this year they will also have an impressive new campus winery at which…
Krider has baggage
We have a game we play at my house called “Where is my…?” It can be a fun game, if you think being frustrated is really fun. We usually play the game early in the morning right before trying to get to work on time. This is how the game is played: My wife or…
Listening to and playing music excites lobes and cortices throughout the brain
You have a song stuck in your head. Completely unbidden, out of the blue, you hear the familiar notes, instruments, and perhaps words. It doesn’t matter that you are sitting alone in silence, or perhaps you’re among a noisy crowd— there’s the song, existing for only you to hear. This isn’t something to worry about,…
Summertime crafting
Michaels offers a DIY Day: Paracord Bracelet class for free on July 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. Fun Bug Display Mount is for ages 3 and older on July 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost is $2 per 30-minute session. A special science series features Week 6: The Museum at FIT, which includes…
Frame Gallery offers event with Alloway
The Frame Gallery in Orcutt will be host to a special event with showing artist Barbara Alloway that will include art, wine, food, and the artist on July 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There will also be a fundraiser raffle, with a $20 raffle ticket purchasing admission to a VIP reception and a chance…
DANA Adobe opens an art gallery
The historic staffers at the Dana Adobe Rancho Nipomo has reserved space in the preserved building to include an art gallery. After the successful showing of the historic exhibit “Gold Rush Fever!” the Dana Adobe has opened the gallery up to local artists. The current exhibition includes watercolor, sculpture, oils, and photographs by artists Carolyn…
Shepard Hall showcases duo
The Santa Maria Public Library’s Shepard Hall gallery usually showcases solo artist exhibitions, but now includes a show by collaborating artists Juan Manuel Perez Salazar and Patty Smith showing through the month. The exhibition “Y/BEES?” includes an artist reception on July 17 at 5:30 p.m. in Shepard Hall. The contemporary exhibition includes artwork that dissects…
Santa Maria Civic Theatre stages free shows for families
The Santa Maria Civic Theatre offers its annual Free Summer Fairy Tales event for kids and families, featuring an original story and a well-known tale. Each production will include a performance of With the Wild Things: In the Animal Kingdom and Pinocchio. The shows happen on Friday and Saturday nights at 7 p.m. on July…
The Great American Melodrama sings, dances, and delivers laughs with West
The Great American Melodrama, smack dab on Highway 1 in the heart of Oceano, always plays to its strengths. The melodramatic style has typically been reserved for intimate halls filled to the brim with audiences that are always encouraged to engage in the story with various cheers, hoots, hollers, and hisses. The current production, Song…
Ride on: Santa Barbara Segway takes a different route
I love working. Having specific tasks to accomplish and the feeling of finishing them to my best ability—that’s what makes a job well done feel satisfactory. But even the most wonderful workdays need to be balanced out by some fun. When thinking of adventures to embark on, my mind always flashes to normal activities like…
