Cover Story
Where is the art?
Plump strawberries, mouth-watering tri-tip, award-winning Pinot Noir—Santa Maria is known for many things. But stuff like public art and fine galleries? Probably not on the list. The city is surrounded by art-loving communities and breathtaking vistas that have long inspired artists, but it hasn’t fully developed a definitive artistic identity. Sure, there are plenty of…
CLUBS &; MEETINGS
ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. of SANTA MARIA, a nonprofit business and professional organization, meets the second Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., in the downstairs conference room at United Way, 1660 S. Broadway. Info: 352-0026 or 937-4071. ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. OF THE CENTRAL COAST meets at noon the second and fourth Monday of every month at…
SPIRITUAL
BAHA’I interfaith worship services are the second Sunday of each month. Info: 489-4172. Children’s classes are the first Saturday of each month. Info: 937-9451. Study circles about The Life of the Spirit are ongoing in Santa Maria. For questions, dates, and times: 614-0963. Info: 937-9451. BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH holds worship services Sundays with Holy Communion…
FARMERS’ MARKETS
SANTA MARIA 100 S. Broadway at Main, Wednesdays, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Features local beekeepers’ honey and bee pollen, breads and pastries, plants and flower bouquets, fresh fruits and vegetables. ORCUTT Corner of Clark and Bradley, Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fresh honey, flowers, and eggs, along with fresh fruits and vegetables.…
BARBECUES
ONGOING FILIPINO COMMUNITY OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY barbecues Filipino food at the Smart and Final parking lot, N. Broadway on Saturdays and Sundays. Menu items include tri-tip, chicken, beef kabobs, chicken adobo, salad, rice, and bread. Meals cost $6. Info: 922-3422 or 922-3799. FILIPINO CATHOLIC SOCIETY, under the direction of St. Mary’s Church and St.…
HEALTH
SANSUM CLINIC offers a “;Diabetes Essentials”; class July 17 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. A “;Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Nutrition”; class is July 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. The clinic is located at 1225 North H St., Lompoc. Info: 737-8700. MIDDLE PATH MEDICINE…
ART
THE CYPRESS GALLERY currently features the photography of Collette Christel through July 27 at the gallery, 119, Cypress Ave., Lompoc. Info: 737-1129. THE LOMPOC MURAL SOCIETY accepts applications for artists interested in participating in the society’s “;Mural In a Day”; event in September through July 31. Info: 757-8260, live2paint@hotmail.com, 588-3459, and VicAart@aol.com. GROSSMAN GALLERY presents…
LEARNING
ANGELS FOSTER CARE OF SANTA BARBARA presents an informational meeting about foster parenting for babies, July 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Edwards Community Center, 809 Panther Drive, Santa Maria. Info: 898-0901 or angelssb.com. THE LIGIA DANTES FOUNDATION presents an “;Inner Knowing Through Silence”; class July 19 from 10 a.m. to 12:30…
RECREATION
LA PURISIMA MISSION presents a Mission Life Day featuring demonstrations and tours July 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the mission, Lompoc. Info: 733-3713. CITY OF SANTA MARIA offers summer aquatic activities through Aug. 10 at Pioneer Valley High School. Weekend recreation swim will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and…
KIDS & FAMILY
SANTA MARIA RECREATION AND PARKS will host the 2008 S’mores-n-Snores Family Campout Friday, August 1 at Pioneer Park, 1000 W. Foster Road. Cost is $20. Info: 925-0951 ext. 260. PISMO BEACH YOUTH THEATER offers Youth Theater classes Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through August at YOYO, Foster Road, Orcutt. Info: 471-4976 or…
DANCE LESSONS
DANCE LESSONS in preparation for the Obon Festival are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 17 at the Veteran’s Memorial Cultural Center, 313 W. Tunnel St., Santa Maria. Info: 937-7026 or 934-1797. THE EVERYBODY CAN DANCE BALLET ACADEMY presents a five-week intensive dance teaching session featuring Jordi Ribera and Aubrey Walker for ages 11 through…
STAGE
THE KIWANIS OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY presents its fourth annual “;Improv Comes to Santa Maria”; benefit show featuring Mission Improvable July 19 at the Minerva Club, Santa Maria. Cost is $20. Info: 886-8355. SKY WORLD POETRY SERIES presents poet Larry Harris of Redding, at 3 p.m., Saturday, July 26 at Cafe; Monet, 1555 S. Broadway,…
NIGHT LIFE
The following venues offer either regularly scheduled live entertainment or DJ-hosted dance music. Most performances start after 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. IN THE AREA CLUB 805, AKA STINKY’S BAR &; GRILL: 2430 South Broadway, 614-9316. DJ Davey D Saturday nights. THE COACHMAN: 1531 S Broadway, 922-5556. Thursday through Saturday: DJ from 9 p.m.…
CONCERTS
THE LOMPOC VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Community Development Foundation presents cabaret performer Maggie Worsdale with her “;Great American Songbook”; July 19 starting at 6 p.m. at the Village Country Club, 4300 Clubhouse Road, Lompoc. Cost is $45. Info: 736-4567 or deh@lompoc.com. WORTH THE DRIVE THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY BAND performs a Twilight Concert…
SPECIAL EVENTS
THE COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE CENTER FOR NONPROFITS hosts a Chamber Mixer July 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the center, 120 East Jones St., Santa Maria. Info: 925-0412. THE SANTA MARIA/GUADALUPE OBON FESTIVAL features traditional dance, food, music and demonstrations July 20 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Cultural Center, 313 W…
The taste of giving
All year long, farm workers labor in Central Coast fields and vineyards, turning the soil, tending crops, and harvesting the produce that sustains us. They have helped create the bounty in which we all share, and to demonstrate our collective gratitude, a group of area wine producers has come together to say thank you. On…
Those were the days
It’s hard to believe that, with its lunch hour traffic, expansive housing developments, and myriad big box stores, Santa Maria once housed a mere 3,500 people, a few horses, a train, and some oil drills. What’s harder to believe is that many of Santa Maria’s current senior citizens remember those days from their childhood. The…
Her town
Elizabeth Monks Hack considers herself an “art person.” From crayons to paintbrushes, she feels most at home when she’s expressing herself on canvas—so much so that she doesn’t remember ever becoming an artist. She’s always been one. “I just remember doing very big crayon drawings and scraping the crayon off and creating different textures with…
What is the last piece of art you’ve created?
Erin O’Neil assistant manager “I made a scrapbook for my fiancee for his birthday.” Gianna Diaz cashier “I helped a friend complete an angel and demon chalk picture at Righetti High School.” Anthony Leedom student “I drew a doodle on scratch paper for telephone pictionary.” Brandon Womack Taco Bell employee “I made a card for…
Get Downieville
Two nights ago, I made the most marvelous chicken. It was a joint effort, actually, between my friend Suzie Weir and me. We were cooking up some protein for our racers at the Downieville Classic—my boyfriend Anthony, her husband Mark, and assorted others—and somehow we stumbled upon the perfect barbecuing technique to make moist, flavorful,…
Hancock to host girl’s tennis tournament for young players
Allan Hancock College is set to host a girls doubles tennis tournament for girls entering grades 9 through 12. The tournament will be held Aug. 23 at 9 a.m. Each participant is guaranteed to play five 10-game pro sets. The entry fee is $25 per player, with proceeds benefiting the Hancock women’s tennis team. For…
Locals win at Orcutt Star Spangled Softball Tournament
All-star teams from Santa Maria, Five Cities, and Nipomo made it to the championships on July 6 at the Star Spangled Softball Tournament at Lakeview Junior High School, hosted by the Orcutt Youth Softball Association. The Santa Maria Dream Team took a 3-1 victory against Moorpark in the under-10 finals, led by pitcher Hannah Diaz.…
Athlete of the Week
Whether he’s hitting the ball or pitching it, Zach Kennedy knows baseball. He plays both first base and pitcher for the Northside All-Stars. This is a big accomplishment for Kennedy, who originally got started in the sport by playing T-ball in Texas. “It’s exciting and fun,” he said of why he chooses to play. “I…
Fix these root causes
Correcting three root cause problems will go a long way toward making America self dependent and move us toward regaining the honor and respect we no longer enjoy on the world stage. Root Cause 1: The oil standard. Our next president should immediately initiate a “Manhattan Project” on energy, using our best and brightest to…
I’m not surprised, but what happened?
I don’t think anyone is surprised government is broke, and we all know government employees have no incentive to work hard or fast. I get upset that government is now competing with private sector companies—WHY? Vector control … electrical … plumbing. This is a big problem and needs to be addressed. If the service is…
We have had enough suffering
How much more heartache must we endure? Congress continues to fund the war even though it is inconceivable with proven evidence that Bush and his subordinates used deceit for attacking and occupying Iraq. “Incorrect information,” says the White House—but now we know lies were used. And the terrorist threat is now greater than ever with…
Work hard, search for opportunity
I saw this country evolve from (what my grandfather found to be) a place where a person could work hard and become anything they wanted to be, to an entitlement society where people somehow believe they have an absolute right to a high standard of living. We have been lulled into a false sense of…
Avoid long lines, register for high school now
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District invites students to register early for fall classes. Registration is open July 29 through 31 from 3 to 7 p.m. at three of the district’s high schools. Registration will take place in the administration buildings at Pioneer Valley High School, 675 Panther Way, in Santa Maria; Righetti…
Don’t judge a book by its cover
For the first time since 2001, local educators are in the process of evaluating a new list of state-approved Kindergarten through eighth grade math textbooks to decide which ones they’ll use and how, if at all, the books would fit into their curriculums. The list includes 41 new math textbooks—including versions of books developed by…
Local students win award for embodying ‘true spirit of volunteerism’
Recognized for their leadership skills and commitment to volunteering, Saint Joseph High School juniors Meng-Chieh Yang and James Xing were recently named 2008 recipients of the Saint Michael’s College Scholarship and Service Book Award. Recipients are awarded a scholarship to help pay for enrollment to the college, if they choose to attend. Located in Vermont,…
Mobile Claims Office arrives in Goleta
Fire victims in southern Santa Barbara County now have access to on-demand claims service through Allstate. The insurance company’s Mobile Claims Office has arrived in Goleta to help customers affected by the wildfires. The unit is a specially outfitted motor home that provides a place for customers to meet with catastrophe personnel to begin the…
Nipomo Properties gets into management
Diane Kuhnle, owner of Nipomo Properties, recently announced a new, in-house property management division, known as Central Coast Property Management. The division will help in finding rentals and managing. The office is located at 530 W. Tefft St., in the Von’s shopping center in Nipomo. For more information, visit www.centralcoast propertymanagement.com or call 929-7199. Biz…
Win a new house
Can’t afford a new home? There’s always a chance you could win one in a raffle. Tickets are currently being sold for $100 a piece for the chance to win the Central Coast St. Jude Dream Home. The $350,000 house is being built by Flatley Homes at their Celebration subdivision, off of Miller and Betteravia…
Hobnobbing with Helen
At 2:30 in the afternoon on July 13, Karen Cordary, arms full of raffle ticket rolls and supplies, waltzed into the Addamo tasting room on Clark Avenue in old Orcutt. For the past eight weeks, Karen has been part of a crew that raised money for and awareness of the local Cancer Society’s annual Relay…
Community groups join together to discuss home-care threats from budget cuts
The Quality Home Care Coalition of Santa Barbara County’s name says it all. The collection of community groups cares about quality home care. Members of the group include Congress of California Seniors, Independent Living Resource Center, AARP, and United Domestic Workers of America. In response to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s revised budget proposal, the coalition will…
Farewell to the fair
As festivities came to a close at the Santa Barbara County Fair on July 13, the Santa Maria Fairpark released a statement reporting that the fair welcomed almost 115,400 people during its five-day run, July 9 to 13. Attendance was slightly down this year (about 4.5 percent), fair CEO Dennis Person said in the release,…
County supervisors extend SMOOTH for Ag Van program, consider future funding options
On July 8, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1, with 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone dissenting, to extend an agreement with the Santa Maria Organization of Transportation Helpers (SMOOTH) to continue running the Agricultural Worker Transportation Project in the Santa Maria Valley area through June of 2010. Based on the success of…
California legislators reject Bush’s lift of offshore drilling ban
On July 14, President George W. Bush lifted a nearly two decade-long executive ban on drilling for oil and natural gas off the country’s shoreline, thus challenging Congress to allow exploration for domestic energy sources to ease climbing energy prices. Democrats in Congress and environmentalists, however, have criticized the step as a political stunt, and…
Santa Barbara County Planning Commission pushes forward Naples development
After years of controversy and scrutiny, the Santa Barbara Ranch Project, dubbed the Naples Project, came one step closer to reality on July 10. The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission accepted the development’s final Environmental Impact Report. Located on the Gaviota Coast two miles northwest of Goleta, the Naples townsite has been the focus of…
Get to the point
The sand has the consistency of sugar—no pebbles, no tar. Deep like a mattress, it invites a hiker to rest. Nobody else is here, and there is no alien sound—no automobiles or ATVs, no drone of airplanes, no yapping dogs—only the trill of gulls and the surf, crashing, dominant, primal. Beyond the surf, two brown…
Dangerous heat
On July 11, family members and friends held a funeral service at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Orcutt, honoring the life of 64-year-old Jose Macarena Hernandez. Hernandez died during last month’s record-breaking heat wave while harvesting butternut squash on a farm in Santa Maria, United Farm Workers of America reported. His death—along with…
