Cover Story
Not measuring up?
The message “S.O.S. Save Our School”—emblazoned in white on red T-shirts worn by teachers, parents, and faculty association representatives—appeared on a quarter of the crowd at a Feb. 13 school board meeting in Santa Maria. Attendees wore the shirts in response to a January KCOY 12 TV interview with Arnulfo Romero, parent of a local…
What’s your favorite subject in school?
Duane Hanna student “Chemistry, because I love learning about the different covalent bonds and also making cool mixtures.” Yovanna Rios student “French, because it’s similar to Spanish and Italian—and it sounds fancy.” Ralph Castillo emergency medical technician “Science, because of the discoveries that are made and continue to be made.” Felicia Bowen athletic trainer “Anatomy,…
New produce plant is all about economies of scale
Although it may sound like two companies combining their powers to become one entity, the 75,000-square-foot Fresh Venture Foods is just a packing plant, designed to bring the Santa Maria-based Gold Coast Packing and Babé Farms together in a partnership of economy and efficiency. Gold Coast is already settled into the new facility, as it…
County winery ordinance meetings draw to a close
Santa Barbara County residents will get their last chance to sound off about wineries, tasting rooms, and special events on Feb. 21 at a wine ordinance update meeting in Santa Barbara. This is the fifth and final meeting in a series being hosted by the county’s long-range planning division. It will focus on the ordinance’s…
Hancock instructor Willie Green appointed to the Santa Maria City Council
After 3 1/2 hours of tense deliberation, presentations from 14 applicants, and Q-and-A sessions with four candidates, the Santa Maria City Council finally filled its vacant council seat on Feb. 19. Willie Green, currently a part-time instructor at Allan Hancock College, will serve a two-year term on the council. Green also worked for 19 years…
I’m a parent–here’s my card
Having a young child sometimes feels like being an overworked superhero. They need help with even the most mundane of tasks: “Mommy, can you get that toy on that shelf?” Followed by the rewarding, “yay!” and handclap combo that conditions you to accept the next challenge: “Mommy, this sock won’t go on my foot. Can…
A breath of fresh air
Music acts have a difficult road to travel. Actually, when you’re a band like Air Supply—touring for about 130 to 150 shows a year—it’s more like scores of roads to travel. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges popular musicians face is striking a balance between playing the hits that first generated adoring audiences and continuing…
Windows to culture
Culture, at any one moment or place, is like a chrysalis of the predominating ideas, actions, and feelings of the collective group. Filmmaking is an art form especially adept at capturing the visual and aural nuances that portray a time and a place accurately. The Allan Hancock College International Film Series is a prime example…
AHC to collaborate with SLOIFF
Allan Hancock College and the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival are joining forces to provide an event celebrating student filmmaking and giving students much-needed advice on succeeding in the industry. “How to get a job in Film and TV” is the name of the event, which will feature screenings of works from 40 years…
Talented apply here
The Rotary Club is holding open auditions for Santa Maria Has Talent 2013. The show is open to all area soloists, ensembles, groups, singers, dancers, actors, acrobats, and instrumentalists. Unfortunately, bands cannot be accommodated in the talent show. Auditions are on Feb. 23 at 11 a.m. and Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m. at the Orcutt…
Got whiskers?
Those adept at the fine art of beard growing have a chance to strut their facial stuff for the 54th annual Elks Rodeo Beard-A-Reno contest, a rodeo tradition. The contest, scheduled for May 18, invites local whisker cultivators to enter the contest at the rodeo office at the Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road, in…
Rent a room, help an actor
The Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts, Santa Maria’s beloved PCPA, is calling on community members to turn their spare rooms imto temporary homes for resident artists participating in PCPA Theaterfest’s summer season. Actors and technicians will need housing with a private or accessible bathroom and an onsite laundry facility. Places near Allan Hancock College…
Texture and light
After a decade of companionship, camaraderie, and annual art shows, the Brush and Palette Art Group is meeting again with its annual Show and Sale. The group, as its name implies, is a coalition of skilled local painters who enjoy a variety of subjects. The group is comprised of seven members, including president Marilyn Dover…
Run/walk for Eric
On Sunday, April 21, the Eric Okerblom Foundation will hold its annual Eric’s 5k/10k Run, held at Orcutt Community Park. Through education, legislation, and enforcement, the foundation works to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. For participants who want to complete the 5k run/walk, the entrance fee is $30. For participants willing to…
Hit the green
The Santa Maria Country Club will be host to the 24th annual Leland Butch Simas and Felix Fly tournament on March 18. All community members are invited to participate. The entry fee is $250 per golfer and includes green fees, cart, lunch, and tee prizes. Tee off is at 10 a.m., followed by a victory…
Taking it to the mat
Wrestling—a complicated dance of body parts, agility, and power—has been a male-dominated sport since the Ancient Greeks first started grappling thousands of years ago. But the face of wrestling is slowly gaining more feminine qualities as more girls are bucking stereotypes and hitting the mat. The National Federation of State High School Associations recently reported…
Marc Baker
Take one look at baseball player Marc Baker, and it’s easy to see he was made for pitching. The right-handed hurler stands at 6 feet, 6 inches and weighs 220 pounds, but he might as well be all arm. A 2011 graduate from Nipomo High School, Baker was drafted out of high school to the…
Wine paradise
It’s the time of the year when I’m reminded just how lucky we are to live in the heart of wine country. Not one, not two, but many elite wine events take place in the coming months, right in our own backyard. Wine lovers will converge at Shell Beach, Santa Maria Valley, Avila Beach, and…
The fish rots from the head down
It seems like yesterday there were thousands of protesters at Wall Street. Why were they protesting? Some said Wall Street’s greed, corruption, the wars; some even said the protesters want some handouts! But lo and behold there are not so obvious reasons! Two words: indentured servitude. Or debt slavery. What!? That’s absurd! Well let’s take…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Wunderbar! “Passport to Vienna,” the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society’s annual dinner and fundraiser held at the Radisson on Saturday evening, Feb. 9— was truly wonderful. It was not exactly a night in Vienna: chocolat mit schlag, opera, a walk along the Ringstrasse, and all of that. But there were Strauss waltzes (think Blue Danube) bolstered…
The Lenten season begins at St. Mary’s
Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption School brought school and community together to celebrate the beginning of Lent on Feb. 13. “Fully participating in our faith and attending Ash Wednesday Mass is one of the many unique opportunities we experience,” St. Mary’s school principal Michelle Cox said in a press release. “We…
What Kids Are Reading
Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by Andrea Davis Pinkney recommended for ages 9 to 12 The American Library Association (ALA) meets annually to honor authors who represent the best in children’s books. The awards include the prestigious Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz awards, and the Coretta Scott King (author) Book Award, which…
Highway Patrol offers smart driving class
A viewing of Red Asphalt is enough to get any teenager to think hard about the responsibility he takes on when he puts his foot on the accelerator. It’s 15 minutes of unintended consequences drivers could face, and it will be shown at the next Santa Maria-based California Highway Patrol Start Smart Class for new…
County to host spelling bee
Santa Barbara County hosts its annual spelling bee on Feb. 27. Students will be competing, not vocally, but on paper. The written test will send first- and second-place winners to face-off in the state competition. The San Joaquin County Office of Education will host the state elementary bee on April 20 in Stockton, and the…
Spotlight on: Parallel Edit
Going out on a Friday or Saturday evening is something we all enjoy doing. But sometimes it gets a little hectic deciding what to wear. We all want to look our best. And for many of us, that implies some last-minute shopping for an outfit. But where does one go? In March, Parallel Edit is…
A pipe dream becomes reality
A contractor bidding war in Nipomo is coming. The board of directors for the Nipomo Community Services District voted 4-1 on Feb. 13 to approve a $14.1-million financial plan for the first phase of an inter-tie pipeline to bring water from Santa Maria to the thirsty community. Funding for the project will come from a…
VITA is vital
People who need some help with their taxes free of cost, look no further: The IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers tax preparation services to people who make $50,000 or less annually. At locations throughout Santa Barbara and SLO counties, IRS-certified volunteers will file documents electronically and look for special tax credits, such…
