Cover Story
The call heard round the world: Lance Easley on the 2012 Packers-Seahawks game
This call will more than likely never be forgotten. If you need a refresher of this controversial decision follow this link. Perhaps one of the greatest phenomena of our human existence is how drastically and quickly our lives can change. In an instant, things can go from good to bad before we are even aware…
If you could add one food item to the Thanksgiving dinner lineup, what would it be?
Nathaniel Ethridge business owner “Bret; we just lost our Thanksgiving turkey to a bobcat. We named him Bret.” Seamus Ethridge business owner “Escargot; it’s just the first thing that popped into by head that was weird.” Adrienne Veillette business owner “We always had lasagna growing up, and turkey. I’m not even Italian, but I grew…
The confidence game: SLO County has little faith in the federal government’s plan to handle nuclear waste
When the Nuclear Regulatory Commission comes to town, four things can be certain. First, the federal agency—or at least its press people—are going to get an earful, but still they’ll nod politely. Second, hours of public comment will be “accepted” for whatever report the NRC is pitching at the moment and end up in a…
What if we took the turkey out of Thanksgiving?
It is that time of year again: the holiday season. Thanksgiving is the time when we should take stock of our lives and give gratitude for all that we have. What a novel concept—as opposed to other holidays where we take stock of what we might perceive we don’t have and demand more and more.…
Put the forks down
I shudder every year when I see it on my calendar. Thanksgiving. The tail end of November marks a dark time for birds, which is why I always devote the column closest to the last Thursday of that month to denouncing the holiday that glorifies avian slaughter in the name of wholesome family bonding. It…
Please pray where appropriate
The Bible has some rules that are difficult to comply with in today’s society, such as the one in Deuteronomy 22:13-21 that says a father must stone to death his daughter who is not a virgin when she marries (A rebellious son gets the same treatment). However, what the Bible says about prayer is very…
Don’t bless us in public
I am not a Christian. My “god’ is Mother Nature. I am intimidated, offended, disenfranchised by Christian blessings. Our country was founded on freedom from religion. I suggest no blessings before meetings (“Pay to pray?” Nov. 7). Honoring Mother Nature would be acceptable to me.
Keep that ‘humility’ writer out of your paper
Where do I begin? This is one of the worst pieces I have ever read in this publication (“Remember patience and humility,” Nov. 14). This commentary was so far off the charts, it bordered on lunacy. The title alone, talking about humility; well, the writer could use some for sure. Now, I am far from…
Aim for inclusion
As a fellow Christian minister, and former chaplain at UCLA, I am saddened and shocked by the prayers given by Rev. Dr. Paul Jones at the Pismo Beach City Council meetings (“Pay to pray?” Nov. 7). Rev. Dr. Jones should be free to use any language or prayers that he and his congregation agree to…
Guadalupe fifth-graders recycle to make a difference
As members of the Global Citizens club, Mary Buren Elementary School fifth-graders are using their worldwide thinking to act locally by embarking on community-minded projects to help migrant families in the area. Through a recycling drive, students have already earned $100 for their efforts. Fifth-grader Nathalie Deras masterminded the recycling project when she noticed many…
Santa Maria High School bands showcase the fruit of their efforts in a winter concert
The view most people get of a musician’s life is his or her performance, which is truthfully just the tip of a very large iceberg of disciplined practice. Music is a practice that requires daily dedication—or at least most days. Luckily, Santa Maria High School director of bands Ulises Valdivia has his students for five…
Orcutt library celebrates first birthday
Altrusa International, Inc. of the Central Coast and the Orcutt Friends recently donated two AWE Digital Learning computers, which include an early learning station for ages 2 to 8 and a station for kids ages 6 to 12. The computers are loaded with special educational software, cover all areas of curriculum, and are secure for…
Attention young musicians: Santa Maria Philharmonic Society is holding auditions
The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society is holding auditions for its third annual Youth Showcase event. All instrumentalists and singers ages 9 to 18 years of age who are currently studying classical music privately can audition on Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Unity Chapel of Light, 1165 Stubblefield Road, Orcutt. Auditions…
Handmade at Hancock: Annual pottery sale
The ceramics program is an important and productive part of the Fine Arts Department at Allan Hancock College. The annual Allan Hancock College Holiday pottery sale will feature ceramic art created by art faculty and advanced students Dec. 6 through 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the college’s student center, building…
Solvang invites all to hit the ice
Solvang’s upcoming Julefest celebration will feature a cornucopia of holiday events, but a new attraction has the town Time magazine once added to its list of “Most Christmas-y Towns in America” abuzz. “Solvang on Ice” will feature a real ice-skating rink at Solvang Park in the center of town. The skating rink will be open…
Silly for the season: The Santa Maria Civic Theatre presents ‘Christmas Belles’
The small, black box that is the Santa Maria Civic Theatre was abuzz with laughter on the opening night of Christmas Belles, a hilarious farce penned by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten. The ensemble of 13 strong was put through its paces, but met the challenging, fast-paced production with a skill astonishing for…
Everybody Can Dance and the Santa Maria Civic Ballet showcase generations of talent in ‘The Nutcracker’
View an excerpt from ‘The Nutcracker.’ Diane Zink started her local nonprofit dance studio, Everybody Can Dance, 28 years ago. Even in the first year, the company presented a production of the ballet masterpiece The Nutcracker, with music by Tchaikovsky. The first production was abridged, but the production has since then grown every year in…
Flu, sex, and a raw bird
We only recently re-introduced the practice of saying grace at our dinner table. We’ve always had a formal dinner as a family, but saying grace has always been something that has come and gone. No matter your views on religion, I don’t think anyone can argue that taking time out of your day to be…
S’mores and more! Solvang ups the ante this holiday season with Julefest
Solvang is pulling out the stops this December to live up to its festive reputation. Two years ago, Time magazine named Solvang one of “The 9 Most Christmassy Towns in America.” The so-called Danish Capital of America will likely exceed expectations this year with its annual holiday extravaganza, Julefest, a whole month of holiday cheer.…
City is host to a water education workshop for Santa Maria teachers
The Santa Maria Utilities Department will put more than 60 classroom-ready activities in the hands of kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers with Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) on Dec. 5 and 6. It’s a free workshop that will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. both days at Shepard Hall in the Santa Maria Public…
Dunn School teacher and student earn startup money at competition
A teacher-student duo from Dunn School in Los Olivos won first prize at Santa Barbara’s Startup Weekend, at which entrepreneurs compete to launch a startup in 54 hours. Dunn’s innovation teacher, Alex Kehaya, led the team, which also included sophomore Abe Storey, who was the only high-school student in the competition. The team’s winning business,…
Spotlight on: Down to Earth Gardening Solutions
In an industrial storefront tucked behind 2 Amigos Auto Repair in Buellton, there’s a secret garden supply shop where green thumbs can get everything they need to grow delicious organic food. By Saturday, Nov. 30, however, the secret will be out, as storeowners Adrienne Veillette and Seamus and Nathaniel Ethridge welcome customers through their door…
Political Watch 11/28/13
• The Surfrider Foundation, Wildcoast, and Environmental California launched a campaign on Nov. 21 to encourage citizen engagement with the California Coastal Commission. The campaign will monitor and report on recent and pending actions before the Coastal Commission and will publish a monthly scorecard as well as an annual vote chart through ActCoastal.org. A press…
Community Notebook 11/28-12/5
MONDAY, DEC. 2 • The Solvang Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. TUESDAY, DEC. 3 • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular board meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office Conference Room, 3757 Constellation Road, Vandenberg Village. • The Santa…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Well, this was an unexpected, pleasant surprise. I’m talking about the “2013 Spurs & Spice Local Celebrity Chefs Dutch Oven Cook-Off.” This benefit for the Boy Scouts featured a lot of tasty vittles, some cooked up by the likes of Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino, Lompoc Mayor John Linn, Trent Benedetti, radio host Andy Caldwell,…
Community Corner: ‘Tis the season for giving and celebrating
After locals are done digesting their delicious Thanksgiving meals, and the dishes are washed and recipes exchanged for the Christmas feast to come, there will be plenty of ways to help others have a happy holiday. The K Kids Club at Adam Elementary School is teaming up with the Kiwanis Club to collect items for…
Final land use proposals are out for Southern California forests
The U.S. Forest Service released final proposals on Nov. 25 for managing parts of four of Southern California’s national forests. The final supplemental environmental impact statement for a Southern California land management plan amendment outlines four different options, a no-action alternative, the Forest Service’s proposed action, and two other options. One of those four choices…
Chumash opt out of renewing Camp 4 agricultural contract
During the Nov. 19 Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors sparred over whether to accept a routine administrative application for non-renewal of a volunteer agricultural preserve contract agreement. What made it such a special application was the fact that it was for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Camp 4 property in…
Local Filipino organizations band together to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan
It’s been almost three weeks since Typhoon Haiyan plowed into the Philippines with, according to the Associated Press and other major news sources, winds of up to 170 miles per an hour and storm surges of 20 feet. As of Nov. 25, the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk and Reduction and Management Council reported 5,235 deaths.…
What’s on Deck? 11/28 – 12/5
Friday, Nov. 29 Men’s Basketball Allan Hancock vs. Bakersfield @ BCC, 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 Girls’ Wrestling Pioneer Valley and Nipomo @ Savannah Tourney, 9 a.m. Girls’ Soccer Nipomo vs. Alumni @ NHS, 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 Girls’ Water Polo Santa Maria vs. Pioneer Valley @ SMHS, 3…
Warrior on her way
On Nov. 21, Righetti High School softball player Breanna Timmons signed with the Seattle University Red Hawks in front of family, coaches, and friends. Although she manned the second base position for the Warriors, Timmons was recruited as a short stop. Between athletics and academics, 70 to 75 percent of Timmons’ tuition will be covered…
Boxers scheduled for throw down
Central Coast Boxing is slated to host its annual amateur boxing event Saturday, Dec. 14. According to long-time owner Willie Flores, the bout will feature 10 up-and-coming boxers, including 18-year-old Manny Flores, who won the Golden Glove Tournament in Los Angeles earlier this year. The fights will kick off at 7 p.m. at the Minami…
Bulldogs sweep soccer honors
Allan Hancock College soccer received All-Western State Conference honors this week, according to a recent Hancock Athletics press release. The Lady Bulldogs had five players who earned honors, and the team finished the season 3-14-4. Sophomore MaryKate Smith was honored with All-Conference first team. Pioneer Valley graduate and freshmen Itzy Pinon Garcia and midfielder Courtney…
Desiree Gillaspy
Desiree Gillaspy, a senior at St. Joseph’s High School, is swinging her way into the next stage of her career: the realm of college golf. The young athlete signed her letter of intent to play golf for Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on Nov. 19—a match Gillaspy said she always wanted. “I’ve been talking…
The Benchwarmer talks bullying in the NFL
This week, the Benchwarmer talks about bullying in the NFL. To find more background on the Miami Dolphins scandal and what’s going to happen next, follow the links below: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nflpa-to-miami-dolphins-bullying-scandal-investigation-112013 http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9951962/miami-dolphins-players-deny-jonathan-martin-lawyer-claims-locker-room-violence In classrooms across America, from elementary schools to high schools, there has been a targeted effort to stop bullying. At Rice Elementary School, students…
