Cover Story
The 99 percent
Santa Barbara County is an abundant agricultural area. Emerald green carpets of vegetables stretch out from the highways, dotted by plump strawberries like clusters of rubies in the sun. To the visitor, it’s a foodie paradise full of farm-fresh, just-picked healthy fare, but the truth is that Santa Barbara County in general eats weeks-old travel-weary…
On the roster
• Chumash Charity Golf Classic: The eighth annual golf tournament tees off Aug. 16 at the Alisal River Course in Santa Ynez, a benefit for the Westside Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara. For more information on entering a foursome into the Chumash Charity Golf Classic or sponsoring a tee, call foundation administrator Veronica…
Find summer fun at ‘Family Camp’
Families can take time out from TV and enjoy the great outdoors at the Circle V Ranch’s “Family Camp” from Aug. 17 to Aug. 19. Campers will stay in air-conditioned log cabins or traditional canvas tents while participating in archery, hiking, swimming, arts and crafts, and more. A private cabin accommodating up to 10 people…
Joseph Riloquio
Santa Maria’s Joseph Riloquio, 20, threw and slammed his way to earning the bronze in a judo tournament at the California State Games in San Diego. “I had to get a medal. I knew I w≠as ready because I had been training with Edgar and Angel [Espinosa],” Riloquio said of two brothers he credited with…
A thinking person’s sport
Some call it aristocratic. Some call it nerdy. But whatever reference point you have for fencing, be aware: It’s gradually carving its niche here in the United States. Before attending Cal Poly, Santa Maria fencer Walter Goodwater had never been exposed to the sport. As a young soccer enthusiast, he quickly found the balance of…
Where the big names play
Icons of every genre make their way touring across California, and a favorite stop for many of these big-name artists is Santa Ynez’s very own Chumash Casino Resort. The casino’s Samala Showroom is able to hold up to 1,400 people—but it usually sells out, sometimes weeks in advance. The casino currently has an all-star lineup…
What’s your least favorite thing about the Olympics?
Steve Losada Okonite employee “The bow and arrow, because I’m not a big fan of archery, but they’re all good. You can’t go wrong.” Roberta Walker retired “The skimpy clothes. Some of them look like they’re not wearing anything at all.” Ada James licensed child-care provider “The commentators. They talk too much. They never shut…
Back to school
Last weekend was my high school reunion. I grabbed a slinky black and silver sparkly dress I wore only once before and a pair of dangly earrings. Slipping into a pair of sky-high platforms, I wobbled over to my poor excuse for a full-length mirror. The reflection wasn’t so bad. In fact, at the time,…
Masters of Guitar convene
Calmenco! will present Masters of Guitar, a fundraiser for Mission La Purisima State Historic Park & Equine Alliance Youth Foundation, at 1 p.m. on Aug. 25 at La Purisima State Historic Park, 2295 Purisima Road in Lompoc. The event will feature Tony Harmon, Ray Pannell, and Nathan Towne presenting a stylish blend of classical, Spanish,…
Artists, Lompoc needs you
The Lompoc Valley Art Association has announced a call for entries for its fall show. Area artists 16 years and older are invited to submit an entry to a judged show that will run from Sept. 25 to Oct. 28. Cash prizes and ribbons will be awarded; first place will receive $300. Awards will be…
See a bit of the world
A featured artist reception for painter Marilyn Dover Benson will be held Friday, Aug. 24, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Town Center Gallery, 321 Town Center West, B-6. Dover Benson has traveled worldwide. A self-taught artist, she’s sold countless paintings in solo and group shows in galleries, garden tours, and wineries locally and…
Artist submissions wanted for Live Oak
KCBX is now accepting applications for the official artwork for the 25th annual Live Oak Music Festival, set for June 2013. The artwork will adorn Live Oak Music Festival T-shirts and other merchandise sold at the outdoor concert and camping event that benefits the local public radio station. Artist submissions will be accepted through Friday,…
Tuesdays with Marti
The Santa Maria Library has played host to a variety of artistic expression on display. This month at the library, visitors can be immersed in a watercolor world. Coordinated by instructor Marti Fast, “Tuesday’s with Marti” is an exhibition by watercolor students from Allan Hancock College. The students, under the instruction of Fast, have a…
Spend time with Daddy
One of the basic rules of writing is “show, don’t tell” when engaging a reader in a story. This rules seems logical—not to mention easy—when it comes to writing a play. After all, it is a show. When a play is about a writer, however, and the plot revolves around letters, it might be best…
All about eBooks
The Santa Maria Public Library invites the public to a free workshop on how to download eBooks and audiobooks to computers or handheld portable devices. Participants are encouraged to bring their eReader devices. The workshop will be offered at the Santa Maria Public Library at 421 S. McClelland, in Shepard Hall, on Aug. 21, 4…
Become a literacy tutor
The Central Coast Literacy Center has a lot of new centers opening in August and September and needs some volunteers to help teach people to read and write English. • Team teaching at C&D Zodiac employee classes, in Santa Maria Tuesday and Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. Center director Carol Dykstra. • Center director/tutor…
YMCA workshop is good for the soul
Children participating in camps at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA were recently treated to a special anti-bullying program sponsored by the Y, the Boys and Girls Club, Santa Maria nonprofit WonHeart, and Oakland-based nonprofit Soul Shoppe. Boys and girls in kindergarten through sixth grade started the day with an exercise in which they each wore…
Hobnobbing with Helen
The Santa Maria Boys and Girls Club is awesome. The same can be said of the many fundraising events that support the club’s varied programs. Their most recent fundraiser, the 13th annual Ag for Youth Golf Tournament, held on Monday, July 30, at the Santa Maria Country Club, was no exception. The tournament attracted 140…
Step into another era
Polish your spats and grab your garter belts—the Santa Maria Noontime Kiwanis is presenting its third annual “Speakeasy” event. Set to include dinner, dancing, and mock gambling, the Speakeasy event is part of the Kiwanis’ fundraising efforts to support local youth organizations. On Aug. 10, make your way to the door of the Veterans Memorial…
Keeping it local
The grand white house, originally built in 1927, stands among imposing industrial buildings on Blosser Road. With a scattering of trees and a small vegetable stand in the driveway, the house is a throwback to small-town Santa Maria. The property belongs to Jerry Mahoney, a third-generation farmer and owner of Blosser Urban Garden TKP Farms.…
Under new leadership
In less than a week, police Capt. Larry Ralston will move across the hall at the station in Lompoc to the chief of police’s office. Ralston will take with him photos of his wife, Ellen, a longtime teacher for the Lompoc Unified School District; his son, Adam, swinging a golf club; and his daughter, Melissa,…
Correction
In the Aug. 2 issue of the Sun, the sports article titled “Girl power” inaccurately reported some information: Female professional boxers Christy Martin and Mia St. John are not retired, and are in fact fighting for the WBC title on Aug. 14 at Table Mountain Casino in Friant, Calif. Also, Willie Flores is a trainer…
Fire department quashes carport fire
On the evening of Aug. 5, the Santa Maria Fire Department responded to an apartment complex carport fire at 929 E. Jones St. Six fire engines and one ladder truck were sent to the residence, under the direction of Battalion Chief Scott Johnson. Firefighters found the carport and multiple cars engulfed in flames. A total…
Atlas V launch from Vandenberg delayed
The scheduled launch of an Atlas V rocket, the fifth such launch from the West Coast, has been delayed until Aug. 14 at the earliest, Vandenberg Air Force Base officials said. The launch was originally set for Aug. 2, but has been postponed due to a malfunction that occurred in Vandenberg’s Mission Flight Control Center…
Sheriff’s Department probes 2012’s seventh officer-involved shooting
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department is investigating yet another officer-involved shooting, the seventh overall—and the sixth fatal incident—involving local law enforcement this year. Police say 37-year-old Robert Padilla Reyes confronted officers with a fake gun after leading authorities on a multi-county chase on Aug. 2. The pursuit began just after 6 p.m., when the…
Santa Maria officials appoint interim police chief to replace Macagni
Santa Maria Police Chief Danny Macagni—who came under increased scrutiny in recent months as a result of several officer-involved shootings and an independent audit of his department—has retired, city officials announced on Aug. 3. He will be replaced by interim chief Ralph Martin, a 35-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. City Manager…
Spotlight on: Cornerstone Restaurant
There’s a banner hanging above the front door of the Cornerstone Restaurant in Stowell Center Plaza. It reads, “World’s Best Hamburgers.” The title was given to the restaurant’s owners, Esther and Bong Kim, by their most important critics: their customers—two, to be exact. “Two weeks after our grand opening, there were two young guys who…
Breastfeeding needs better support
Did you catch the Breastfeeding Flash Mob on Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo last week? Have you heard about the new world record set: most babies nursed at once (biglatchon.org)? August boasts both National Breastfeeding Month and the 20th World Breastfeeding Week. Since the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action first promoted a “Baby-Friendly Hospital…
In-season eats
Over six decades, a family-run farm in Arroyo Grande has built an international reputation for growing high-quality, farm-fresh vegetables. Today, Talley Farms includes 1,200 acres of fertile farmland. They grow, pack, and ship their famous bell peppers, in addition to spinach, cilantro, nappa cabbage, lettuce, and avocados, among other produce, to some of the biggest…
