Cover Story
Take 1
The sun hangs low as 5 p.m. traffic overtakes the Donovan overpass in Santa Maria. Westbound cars slow, and drivers squint into the sun while cars on the freeway below honk, puzzled by the young man dancing on the bridge. The man continues to move and mouth lyrics to a song as another young man…
Firefighters raise concerns about Santa Barbara County’s helicopter rescue program
An anonymous letter sent to local media by a group of “concerned professional firefighters” is raising some concerns about Santa Barbara County’s emergency aviation unit, a joint program between the sheriff’s and fire departments. The departments officially consolidated their helicopter fleets back in July to save the county money on maintenance and training costs. Sheriff…
What do you do to make a bad day better?
Jay Sumrow retired “I remind myself to keep a positive attitude.” Antoun Nameh Red Barn Liquor owner “I always look forward; something good is coming.” Jamie Werner bartender “I put my PJs on, relax, and spend time with my family.” Chris McNutt customer service advisor “I play guitar.”
Get down in old town
A good, weekly open mic event can be a catalyst for a musical community. If a location has the right ambiance, attitude, and turnout, something special can form. I walked into the Lucia’s Wine Co. tasting room on Oct. 3 for the new Wednesday night open mic and was quickly grabbed by the location’s relaxed…
Vodka + Red Bull = trouble
Most people don’t realize this, but beer has a built-in safety device. It’s called a coma. You see, when I drink a lot of beer (and I don’t do this very often, only on the weekends, holidays, and days when I have to go to the dentist) eventually I drink so much that I pass…
See the Santa Ynez Good Life
A photographic exhibit by Theresa Barns, with the local Santa Ynez Valley landscape group, will be on display in Solvang at Good Life Craft Beer & Wine Cellar, 1672 Mission Drive, in Solvang. The owners are supporting art in the community by supplying space for shows of local art, sponsored by the Artists Guild of…
Bison take over Union Hotel
The C Gallery will display the art of Joseph Knowles at the historic Union Hotel, 362 Bell St. in Los Alamos, as part of the gallery’s goal to exhibit western-themed art and regional landscapes in the hotel’s lobby and dining room through Jan. 15, 2013. Knowles’ “Bison Series” is made up of large charcoal drawings…
National Arts Program exhibit on display at library
The second annual Exhibit and Awards of the National Arts Program will be on display through Oct. 24 in the Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St. The show features the work of employees of the city of Santa Maria and Santa Maria Valley school districts and their family members. There will also be…
A different dimension
This year’s Dimensions in Dance will welcome back the talent and creative footwork of two alumni who have been making their mark in the professional world of dance. Courtney Rosemont and Marco Cruz will add their choreography to the upcoming annual fall production of Dimensions in Dance, which runs Oct. 11 to 14 in the…
Fright nights
There’s something strange going on around Dr. Seward’s Asylum for the Insane, and it’s not just the antics of the patients. A difficult patient, a sick young ward, and a mysterious newcomer create the setup for a spooky and humorous evening as Lompoc Civic Theatre presents Count Dracula by Ted Tiller. Based on Bram Stoker’s…
On the roster
• Neil Reed Memorial Tournament: Nipomo community members will be holding the inaugural Coach Neil Reed Memorial Golf Tournament on Oct. 13 at Blacklake Golf Resort, to raise money for Reed’s surviving family. Reed, a coach and teacher at Pioneer Valley and a former basketball player with the University of Indiana, died suddenly on July…
Take a walk with Rec and Parks
The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department’s ninth Community Walk is coming up on Oct. 13. Participants will meet at 10 a.m. at Jim May Park, 809 Stanford Dr. The walk will follow the multi-purpose trail along the perimeter of the pond. The walk is free, and no pre-registration is required. Light refreshments…
Special Olympics athletes go for the gold
More than 200 Special Olympics athletes from the Tri-Counties and Kern County will be competing for medals at the North Regional Fall Games in Santa Maria on Oct. 13. The festivities kick off at 9:30 a.m. with the opening ceremony and a parade of athletes from each county represented at the games. Honored guests will…
Athlete of the Week: Brian Price
During their intense 49-40 victory over Moorpark on Sept. 22, Brian Price came up with some big plays for Allan Hancock College’s Bulldogs. The freshman defensive lineman made six tackles, two of which were solo. This was only his latest performance in what’s turning out to be a great first half of the season for…
Zooming right along
After two years, the Lompoc Valley Motorsports Park Committee is making great strides on its proposed racing complex, dashing headlong into the fundraising stages. Committee members say the project—which includes an eighth-mile drag strip and tracks for motocross dirt bikes and go-karts—will be a “huge” addition for racing fans on the Central Coast, drawing hundreds…
Move somewhere else if you like costly gas
This latest spike in gas prices is an act of greed by the oil companies. They want gas to be $5 per gallon, and they will ease it up and then down and up again until they get what they want. It’s a game with them, and they are getting away with it. What will…
Check out the truth, then think!
Wanting to attend an important county meeting the night of the presidential debate, I recorded the program. When I viewed it later that evening, I was disturbed by the president’s uncharacteristically dispirited performance in the face of some blatantly untrue statements made by an energized, constantly smiling Mitt Romney. After viewing it another time, I…
Keep Joni Gray in office
It is important to the citizens of 4th District (Lompoc, Orcutt) that Supervisor Joni Gray be re-elected as Santa Barbara County supervisor. She has been an outstanding member of the current Board of Supervisors that is a cohesive group and has proven by working together they can solve Santa Barbara County’s most demanding and pressing…
Hearing a lot about Proposition 37?
Proposition 37 gives Californians the chance to vote for our right to make an informed choice when buying food—specifically the choice of whether to consume food that has been genetically engineered. In polls, more than 90 percent of us want genetically engineered foods labeled. Nearly a million California voters signed petitions to get Proposition 37…
Spotlight on: The Family Thrift Store
Some of us enjoy sifting through clutter, always looking for a bargain buy. Treasures can be found—with persistence and luck—whether we intend to resell the find, use it, or cherish it. During a time when frugality is a must, savvy shoppers might be looking for the best deals on eBay. But stepping foot into the…
Buy books for breast cancer awareness
The Allan Hancock College bookstore has stocked up on merchandise from the nonprofit Save the TaTas Foundation to promote National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month, 95 percent of the proceeds from bookstore sales will go to Student Health Services to pay for breast cancer awareness education on campus. The remaining five percent will benefit…
Pancake breakfast to raise money for Santa Ynez Valley schools
Get ready to eat a hearty breakfast for a good cause: Santa Barbara County Firefighters will hold the 21st annual Buellton Firefighters’ Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon on Oct. 13 at the Buellton Town Center. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, and eggs, and will be served by the firefighters. All proceeds will benefit…
God bless ye merry animals
Pets big and small—and even some teddy bears—were the guests of honor at the feast of St. Francis of Assisi blessing on Oct. 4 at St. Mary of the Assumption School. Students and families joined millions of people around the world to have their pets blessed. Father Rolly Clarin led the prayer service and blessed…
Vote by mail
Even though polling centers won’t open for close to a month from now, the 2012 general election has already begun for some voters. Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters Joe Holland announced in a press release that vote-by-mail ballots were mailed out to voters on Oct. 3, the same day as the first 2012 presidential…
Remembering the fallen
This year in Santa Barbara County, at least four women so far are suspected to have been murdered at the hands of their lovers during a domestic dispute. Every year, Domestic Violence Solutions of Santa Barbara County (DVS) holds a candlelight vigil to honor such women, who died as a result of domestic violence. October…
Educating the electorate
Four of the six candidates running for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board of Education spoke at a public forum on Oct. 4 at Tommie Kunst Junior High School. For two hours, board incumbents Linda Cordero and Jody Oliver and challengers Ricky Lara and John Hollinshead spoke about meeting children’s educational needs in a financially…
DJ Farms inches closer to development
Guadalupe City Council members were expected at their Oct. 9 meeting—after the Sun went to press—to finalize the resolutions needed to move forward with the DJ Farms housing project. The 209-acre parcel of farmland at the intersection of Highway 166 and Highway 1 has stood undeveloped for years. The project was first introduced to the…
The Santa Maria-Bonita school board drama continues
The Oct. 3 school board meeting for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) was more subdued than some meetings past, but officials and community members alike still had plenty to say. During the public comment period, three individuals got up to speak, including former SMBSD student Joseph Goldin and his father Glenn Goldin, chairman of…
One door closes, another opens
An institution in Guadalupe for more than 50 years, Far Western Tavern was host to its last dinner at the historic Palace Hotel on Oct. 7. The closure is only temporary, however, as the restaurant’s staff will be moving into its new home at 300 Clark Ave. in Old Town Orcutt, which is on track…
Wine appreciation 101
Sore backs, finger cuts, dirt and sweat, and a whole new respect for wine are all things Bob and Kathy Thomson walked away with after a morning spent picking grapes in Santa Maria Valley wine country. On Sept. 14, Cottonwood Canyon Winery invited customers to participate in the first day of the 2012 grape harvest.…
