Cover Story
A tale of two jails: Will the Northern Branch of the Santa Barbara County Jail system finally get built?
There are at least a couple of ways to get into the Santa Barbara County Main Jail. One is, obviously, getting arrested. Another, less dubious option, is to go on a guided tour of the jail with Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Laz Salinas. Salinas walks the jail on a recent Thursday, snaking…
Oscar-winning composer feared dead in Cuyama plane crash
A small plane registered to Oscar-winning composer James Horner crashed in the Cuyama Valley on June 22. The single-engine S312 Tucano MK1 crashed for unknown reasons, leaving a debris field, a 1-acre brush fire, and no survivors. Horner, an accomplished composer, scored more than 100 films. He won two Oscars, two Golden Globes, and three…
Ted Cruz stumps, fundraises in Nipomo
A crowd of hundreds packed Edwards Barn in Nipomo to see Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz stump June 22. Cruz is in town for the 70th birthday of his father-in-law, Peter Nelson, who practiced dentistry in SLO. Attendees paid $25 a head to hear Cruz’s stump speech and participate in a question-and-answer session after. Cruz—a…
Should the county focus spending on corrections or mental health?
Taylor Kuhn retail “People forget about people who need mental services. It’s sad that we put them somewhere and forget about them; they genuinely need help.” Kira Castellanos restaurant management “We need programs within jails so that offenders don’t become repeat offenders, and we don’t need more jails. But funding needs to go to mental…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Ah! The lure of the sphinx. On Friday evening, June 12, all roads led to Guadalupe’s Dunes Center, to which more than 200 people from up and down the Central Coast made a pilgrimage. They came to view the unveiling of a new exhibit: recently excavated sphinx segments. These pilgrams traveled to see a 92-year-old…
Kids on vacation can recycle at Santa Maria parks
Local students on summer break can help keep Santa Maria-area parks clean and eco-friendly through a new initiative proposed by the city. Santa Maria’s Utilities and Recreation and Parks Departments installed a number of blue recycling containers to collect glass, aluminum, cardboard, plastic, and other recyclables at Preisker Park, Adam Park, Atkinson Park, and Minami…
Big Brothers Big Sisters recognizes Nipomo teens
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County’s School Based Mentoring Program announced a few local high school students as its “Teen Bigs of the Year” for the 2015 school year. The honor went to two students from each three towns with participating schools—Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, and Nipomo. The teens spent an…
Hancock gets a home field
Allan Hancock College (AHC) football players will enjoy their first home field advantage during the 2015 season, announced the college’s athletics department from the new field on June 17. The Allan Hancock College Bulldogs have played home games on Ernest Righetti and Santa Maria high schools’ fields for decades, but through the collaboration of the…
Spotlight on: Hwy 246 Wine & Brew Tours
When taking a wine and beer tour with Dennis Avila, he may keep you longer than expected. Maybe it’s because he worked as a custody deputy (he worked at the jail) for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for 27 years. Or maybe it’s because he really enjoys taking people on tours through wine country…
Political Watch 6/25/15
• On June 19, the California Legislature passed a number of budget bills that headed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, including one to provide an additional $265 million for California’s child care and preschool programs. A press release from the California Legislative Women’s Caucus said the programs have been a top priority of the caucus’s…
Community Notebook 6/25/15 – 7/2/15
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1 • The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Planning Commission Hearing Room, 123 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The agenda is available at www.sbcountyplanning.org. • The Santa Maria Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall,…
Santa Barbara County looks at tighter restrictions for rural wineries, and not everyone likes it
Reactions to a recently released draft plan that could change the way Santa Barbara County does rural wine—special events, volume of visitors, tours, food, and tasting rooms—are heated and sharply critical from the wine industry. Morgan McLaughlin, president of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association, is one such opponent. “Wine and food, they go hand…
Sheriff’s Office investigates diesel fuel spill in Buellton
Officials from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are looking for the identity of a driver who they say is involved in a diesel fuel oil spill in Buellton on June 19. According to Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, the Sheriff’s Office said a person driving a light-colored Chevrolet SUV pulled into Buellton from southbound…
Santa Barbara County officials voice concerns over Camp 4 bill in Washington, D.C.
Santa Barbara County officials were in Washington, D.C., on June 17 for a U.S. House subcommittee hearing to voice their opposition to HR 1157, a federal bill that would allow the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians to annex a 1,400-acre piece of land—also known as Camp 4—from Santa Barbara County. The bill, introduced by…
Two Pioneer Valley students killed in car wreck near Ventura
Members of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District are mourning the deaths of two Pioneer Valley High School students who were killed in a car crash near Ventura during the early morning hours of June 22. According to officers with the California Highway Patrol station in Ventura, the 2013 Honda Accord driven by…
Don’t fear wine: Winemaker Larry Schaffer of Tercero Wines aims to alleviate your worries
When I want straight talk about wine, I head straight for Larry Schaffer. Whether attending a Santa Barbara Vintners event, a Rhone Rangers tasting, or visiting his Tercero wine tasting room in Los Olivos, I can always count on this fervent wine guru for a lively discussion and his occasionally provocative perspective. Schaffer has a…
Willie Iribarren
Willie Iribarren, Lompoc native and Hancock linebacker, signed a letter of intent to play football among the pines of CSU Humboldt, a Division II program. “It’s beautiful,” he said about Humboldt. “They’re doing a lot of good things over there. I’m just hoping to keep that going.” At the age of 7, Iribarren began playing…
Color lines: Major League Baseball’s managers reflect a trend that leans toward racism
A few decades back, a Los Angeles Dodgers executive named Al Campanis got into a heap of trouble for opining that African Americans might be good ball players, but they lacked the “necessities” to be field managers or executives. Apparently, the spirit of Al Campanis has returned and is now haunting the suites of the…
When there’s nothing left …
Let’s be honest: Reading about California’s “fourth year of unprecedented drought” is just depressing. Yes, the rain gods haven’t smiled on the Golden State in quite a while. And neither have the snow gods. Urban users point to agriculture as the devil. Agriculture (well some in agriculture) point to politicians as the culprit. Municipalities are…
Get affordable care close to home
California is experiencing a statewide physician shortage, and the Central Coast is no exception. Provider shortages create an enormous burden for our seniors, who often struggle with chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. They might not be able to schedule appointments in a timely fashion, or may have transportation issues that prevent…
Turn to nuclear power for an energy source
Railing against Phillips 66’s rail spur suggests abundant energy from other sources; this is not the case. Terrible as fossil fuel is, modern society has no choice, at this time, but to continue its use. Those believing wind energy and solar are substitutes for fossil fuel live in denial because of the intermittent nature of…
California, Texas, Australia, and Israel
What do California, Texas, Australia, and Israel have in common? They all have a large portion of semi-arid land or desert, and these areas are subject to periodic, severe droughts. In our fourth year of drought conditions, California and the Central Coast would be wise to look at these varied world localities for expertise and…
Altrusa International of Santa Maria installs new officers
Altrusa International of Santa Maria recently installed new officers into the organization that supports local efforts in literacy, art, and education that makes connections in the community. The new officers include Secretary Carol Herrin, Vice President Sandi Frazier, President Isa Ponce-Jimenez, President Elect Leona Doidge, and Treasurer Donna McNutt-Newman. In attendance were also directors Susan…
Dunites are subject of historic theater in Arroyo Grande
The South County Historical Society presents a free one-hour theater program featuring the upcoming reading of The Dunites June 27 and July 11, 18, and 25. The production gives life to the history of the bohemian mystics who called the Oceano dunes home during the early and mid-20th century. The performances happen at 2 p.m.…
Temple Beth El celebrates with bluegrass
Temple Beth El in Santa Maria invites locals to celebrate Independence Day on July 5 this year with a concert of bluegrass music by Blue Moonshine. The event will include a barbecue and other refreshments to accompany the live music. Fiddler Amaya Rose Dempsey will join the jam as a guest artist. The celebration concert…
Wildling Museum presents an oceanographer talk
The Wildling Museum is bringing in photographer and ocean advocate Richard Salas on June 28. The talk is titled 41 Degrees: A Bone Chilling Ocean Experience in Underwater Photography and will include images from Salas’ latest book Sea of Light. Salas will also sell and sign copies of his book. Salas’ latest images focus on…
A collector’s tool kit: Santa Ynez Valley entrepreneur’s app aids treasure seekers
Gail Gower is just one of more than 30 antique collectors who sell and show at A Piece of the Past Antique and Vintage Mall in Solvang, all of which represent lifetimes of hunting and gathering at garage and estate sales, thrift shops, and flea markets, seeking an aged treasure for the right price, either…
Traveling artists connect with customers at Live Oak
The Live Oak Music Festival is known for sprouting a culture of friendly, happy folks leisurely enjoying a weekend of live music and camping. But for several of the artisans who sell their clothing, fine art, and other textiles at Live Oak, the festival also holds a reputation for generous and eager customers looking to…
Jump in on a summertime jam session
A music festival is a magical place, where four-piece bluegrass bands assemble out of thin air and you can buy a taco with a song. No joke, that actually happened to me at the Live Oak Music Festival on Father’s Day weekend, a festival well known for its friendly attendees and plethora of jam circles…
Sticks and stones
The last time I graced these pages I wrote of how to communicate with a teenager. Since then I have rediscovered two powers that all teens have. I say rediscovered because, looking back, I once also possessed these powers. Teenagers are invulnerable and all-knowing. They wear the armor of invincibility and the helmet of omniscience.…
