Cover Story
Valley of the Arabians: Santa Ynez is home to some of the world’s most famous horses
Take a turn off Highway 154, into the many side roads that wind through the Santa Ynez Valley, and you’ll know instantly why it’s known in horse raising circles as the “Valley of the Arabian horse.” Dozens of horse farms fill the rolling hills that crawl out from the highway. The region has attracted horse…
A King’s dance: Ballroom dance teacher Marie King returns to teaching
“T-A-N-G-O. T-A-N-G-O. T-A-N-G-O.” As she stands in the middle of a circle of dancers inside the Oasis Senior Center on a windy Wednesday evening, Marie King’s eyes dart between their feet and their arms, diligently hovering over them like a hawk. As she watches, she spells out the name of the dance, teaching them to…
Sheriff’s Office deputy acquitted in alleged jail beating wants his job back
Robert Kirsch wants his job back. But Kirsch’s former employer, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, doesn’t want him back and filed a petition on May 9 with the county court to reverse a decision by the county’s Civil Service Commission to reinstate the former Sheriff’s deputy. In December 2016, the commission found that the…
What are you going to do this summer?
Daniel Medina student “Going to Las Vegas for the first time in my life.” Victor Rivera student “Working out.” Jazmin Vazquez works at Crunch “Going to the beach!” Omar Castaneda works at Smart Phone Fix “Just working. Have to pay for school somehow.”
Singer/songwriter Sean Wiggins returns to the Central Coast
View a video of Sean Wiggins performing at Cold Spring Tavern. She’s performed across Santa Barbara County, from the wooded Santa Ynez Mountains to Santa Maria Valley, singing songs under the oaks at outdoor festivals or setting up in the corner of a winery tasting room. Singer/songwriter Sean Wiggins may be based in Santa Clarita…
Thai-licious: Try something new at Thai Hut in Orcutt
Aside from my native Southern food, there is no better comfort food in the world than Thai. Whether it’s platefuls of pad thai smelling of freshly squeezed lime and lightly toasted peanuts or big pots of tom kha gai, there is something inherently warm and inviting about the region’s cuisine. And Thai Hut in Orcutt…
Convalescent recharge
I’ve been sick. Really, really sick. I’m better now and can talk about it, but I could not reveal that I was sick because my mother reads my column. My siblings and I learned long ago not to let on we were sick lest it unleashed Mom’s alter-ego—Mega Mother Hen! When we were kids and…
Lompoc teacher receives recognition from SB Bowl
Garson Olivieri, music teacher at Cabrillo High School in Lompoc, was named the 2018 Santa Barbara Bowl Performing Arts Teacher of the Year. This fall, Olivieri will be honored at the fifth annual A Salute to Teachers, a gala event recognizing educators from Santa Barbara County. “I was both surprised and deeply humbled to be…
Santa Ynez Valley Arts Association awards scholarships
The Santa Ynez Valley Arts Association (SYVAA) recently announced the 2017 Arts Scholarships winners for local arts students. Caira Moniot, a student at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School (SYVUHS), is the first place winner. Elizabeth Brau, also a student at SYVUHS, is the second place winner. The scholarship awards are meant to recognize achievements…
Full circle: SLO Little Theatre’s production of ‘Our Town’ gets to the meat of life
The niceties of a play—that is a set and props, elaborate costumes, and the creation of a world the audience can see but remains invisible to—are all stripped aside in favor of the stuff of life that actually matters in the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre’s production of Our Town. On opening night May 12,…
Cassy Misiewicz
Righetti High School grad Cassy Misiewicz is a self-described gym rat. Between working out five to six times a week, taking care of her dog, Mindy, and her full-time job, she barely has time to eat. It doesn’t help that she spends her lunch breaks at the gym too. “It’s walking distance from both work…
No points for prejudice: The Benchwarmer tackles racism in sports
I am starting to feel like the world/America has been transported back to a time where xenophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and racism were the norm. Ideally, sports are supposed to be a sanctuary where people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and ethnicities can come together to compete in their sport. But with the increased amount of racism…
Mad over maps
Hey everyone, pissed off yet? No? Well, some people haven’t stop being pissed off. Like the activists and organizations that spent weeks lining up for public comment to have their say at numerous Santa Maria City Council meetings regarding the new district map, only for the council to ultimately choose the map drawn up by…
Dear Rebecca Rose
OK, the tears of laughter have started to subside as I read through your story (“Culinary rube,” May 11). I am the chief chef in my house, and I have a millennial here whom I have tried to teach a few basics to. She still complains that a quesadilla has too many ingredients. Once, she…
California needs oil industry
Santa Barbara County and cities such as Santa Barbara and Lompoc are facing significant budget deficits. So far, the politicians’ and staff’s response has been to cut spending, increase taxes, and raise other fees and charges. This is the “glass half empty” approach. The “glass half full” approach is to pick the low-hanging fruit by…
Addendum to Syrian story
In Brenna Swanston’s poignant article, “Finding a haven,” (May 11) it is stated that I, Saba Soomekh, believe that Muslims are persecuted the most in Syria and, “But that’s not to say Christian churches aren’t being harmed by what’s going on there.” I would like to expound on that comment because I am fully aware…
City Council didn’t listen to the people
After years of controversy around reforming Santa Maria’s local elections, we’ve made progress, but we have a long way to go for fair representation and true democracy in our community. The story began in 2014, when local community organizations concerned about accountability at City Hall began a grassroots effort to put a district elections initiative…
Righetti art show, chalk festival coming soon
Ernest Righetti High School will host its 2017 student art show and chalk festival on Wednesday, May 31, and Thursday, June 1, where student artists will showcase more than 1,000 drawings, paintings, photographs, mixed media art pieces, and ceramic pieces. The chalk festival will include works by student teams, crafted on campus sidewalks during the…
PG&E donates CPR kits to school district
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) funded 80 CPR kits for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, where staff will lead CPR trainings for students. In a press release from PG&E, the company said the donation was an effort to curb the “dismal statistic” of those who survive cardiac arrest: Less than one-third of those experiencing…
Pioneer Valley student takes home FFA award
Pioneer Valley High School student Steven Cervantes won the agricultural mechanics design and fabrication proficiency state champion award at the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Leadership Conference on May 19. Cervantes’ metalworking career began when he was a child, according to a press release from Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. He started at…
Local charter school accused of whistleblower retaliation in lawsuit
Former Olive Grove Charter School (OGCS) teacher Nancy Watson filed a lawsuit on May 18 against the school, claiming she was wrongfully terminated for pointing out the school’s failure to comply with Common Core state standards for kindergarten through eighth grade math classes. Watson’s complaint states that she presented a letter to the Olive Grove…
Spotlight on: Santa Maria BC Central
Santa Maria may not seem like a bicycle friendly city compared to others, but native Ken Dahmen is trying to change that perception. Dahmen, 28, is the Santa Maria program director for the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, which opened up the Santa Maria BC Central at 310 E. Oak St. on April 28. It’s not…
Political Watch 5/25/17
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) confirmed to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on May 18 that there’s still no evidence of collusion between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia. On May 9, Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey for what Trump essentially described as poor job performance. Feinstein’s comments come days after The New York Times…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Breakfast Rotary’s 28th Annual Barn Party Luau was a major hoot. Their big (maybe huge) fundraiser of the year was held on Saturday, May 13, at the Santa Maria Fairpark. Fun is guaranteed, and it is always well attended—we are talking 400-plus. Incoming president and event chairperson Kristine Mollenkopf greeted guests at the door. She…
Local Laura’s Law program offers support for high-need residents with mental illnesses
A Santa Barbara County resident is dealing with mental illness and homelessness. She frequents local emergency rooms, to the point where staff there know her by name. She’s had her share of run-ins with law enforcement, as well—police have booked her a couple of times for low-level crimes, like disorderly conduct or urinating in public.…
Sun and New Times receive honors from CNPA
The Sun took home nine awards, including three first place prizes, from the California Newspaper Publishers Association’s (CNPA) Better Newspapers Contest on May 20. Winning titles for the Sun went to Staff Writer David Minsky’s photo of Javier Gaona, which placed first in the News Photo category; “Out of the shadows” by Managing Editor Joe…
SMPD investigates shooting on Broadway
The Santa Maria Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in the downtown area of Santa Maria on the evening of May 20. At approximately 9:30 p.m., according to the SMPD, officers were dispatched to the area of Broadway and Enos, where minutes earlier the reporting party told police they were heading northbound in…
County short in funds for both jails, grand jury report says
Troubles with housing all of the inmates in Santa Barbara County jails won’t go away even after the construction of the North County Jail, according to a county grand jury report released on May 18. While the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors implemented a plan to fund the northern jail, the report found, there…
DA charges stabbing suspect with attempted murder
A man who reportedly attempted to stab his parents to death on May 12 has been charged with attempted murder by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, according to court documents. Jhordy Ramirez, 21, is facing felony charges of attempted murder of his mother, Silvia Diaz, with a special allegation of inflicting great bodily…
Former addiction counselor accused of coercing patient to get favors at DMV
A man who worked for a now-closed Santa Maria addiction services nonprofit is being accused of abusing his position to get favors from a client whose wife worked at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), according to a lawsuit filed on May 9 in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court Cook Division. In the lawsuit,…
Another panga boat discovered on local beach
A citizen passerby discovered an abandoned 30-foot panga boat on Friday, May 19, 1 mile north of Refugio State Beach, according to Kelly Hoover, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The fishing vessel, which the Sheriff’s Office suspects was used to traffic drugs, was empty except for a large container holding…
