Cover Story
Follow the money: The Sun takes a look at who’s funding whom in the 24th Congressional District race
Everybody wants a piece of California’s 24th Congressional District. Last April, longtime Congresswoman Lois Capps announced that she would retire at the end of her term. Political jockeying and campaign fundraising didn’t hesitate. Within a few days of her announcement, contenders were already proclaiming their intentions to grab the seat, and additional candidates weren’t far…
Who do you want to vote for in the June 7 primary?
Emiliano Escamilla biology student at Allan Hancock College, from Lompoc “I’m voting for Bernie. I like his plans.” Ulises Perez civil engineering student at Allan Hancock College, from Santa Ynez “I’m going to say Clinton, but Trump’s got some ideas. However, I don’t like his idea for building a wall on the Mexican border.” Mario…
First & Oak, Solvang’s fine French dining spot, will hook you with each plate
This week’s review is more than that. It’s a story. But first, take note: I approach this food column not as a platform to showcase the pretentious musings of a food and wine connoisseur (being that I know nothing about food), but rather as an excuse to experience as many types of food and drink…
Swedish Fish and Styrofoam
My husband, The Brit, and I have lovingly been raising our grandson, The Briteen, since he was 3 years old. This sweet little boy has been a joy and a blessing in our lives. Until now. Now our little boy is growing up and I want to know what the hell is happening? He used…
The First United Methodist Church of Lompoc welcomes the Ohio Northern University National Tour Choir for May 26 concert
The First United Methodist Church of Lompoc is well known in the town as a great musical hub. The chapel seats more than 400 and offers an acoustic clarity that makes it the home of choice for the Lompoc Pops Orchestra, the Lompoc Concert Association, and the Lompoc Valley Master Chorale. But the church also…
Solvang named ‘Best Historic Small Town’ in travel poll
The Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau announced that Solvang was voted as a winner in the 10 Best Reader’s Choice 2016 travel contest sponsored by USA Today. Solvang won in the Best Historic Small Town category, explained visitors bureau Executive Director Tracy Farhad. “Solvang is the only community in California to be honored as Best…
Santa Marian appears on special ‘The Price is Right’ episode
Inge Garvin is a self-described “super fan” of the show Survivor, so how did that lead her to appear on an episode of The Price is Right? The Santa Marian was invited to join in one of three special primetime episodes of the beloved show hosted by Drew Carey that invited super fans and stars…
Chumash Casino Resort unveils bronze sculptures
The Chumash Casino Resort unveiled six new bronze sculptures during a tour and celebration for tribal members at the newly expanded resort. The tribe commissioned nature and wildlife artist Dan Chen to create the sculptures, which pay tribute to the ancestors of the Santa Ynez Chumash. “The story of our tribe is one of perseverance,…
The Great American Melodrama presents a production of ‘Across the River’ that would make Mark Twain proud
The Great American Melodrama has always had a down-home, old-timey feel to it, so when the Oceano theater produces a play set in the frontier times or the American South, it just makes sense. The latest production of Across the River is no exception. The musical by Thom Babbes and Brad Carroll is an adaptation…
Teen Arts Mentorship program shows results at Betteravia Gallery
The Betteravia Gallery North and South—located at the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Administration Building—buzzed with the excited chatter of teenagers and adults during the early evening of May 18. It was the opening reception for the Spring 2016 Santa Barbara County Teen Arts Mentorship Group Exhibition, and the teens that participated in the program were…
Dylan Maiden
When everybody was looking for the Santa Ynez Valley Unified High School baseball program to continue dominating the Los Padres League (LPL) this spring, Cabrillo High School shortstop Dylan Maiden and his teammates had other plans. The Conquistadores dethroned the Pirates in the LPL this season, winning their first outright league title in more than…
Draft drama: The Benchwarmer loves football but would rather skip the draft
The NFL draft annoys me, I find it quite dumb. Phew, I finally said it. Before I continue, let me preface this by saying my future brother-in-law is a HUGE football fan, albeit a Cowboys fan but we won’t bother with that today. He loves football, he has played football, and he has coached a…
It’s not a matter of want, but need
I hate paying bills. I can’t stand to see my paycheck go toward something as mundane as the electric or water bill when I’d much rather know that I worked hard and earned the money to buy myself a little something nice. When paying utilities all I can think is: “Two hours in that staff…
Porter and Christensen for supervisor
With the recent announcement that the Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association is backing Bruce Porter for 3rd District Supervisor and Jennifer Christensen for 1st District Supervisor, I thought it would be appropriate to add my two cents’ worth. Having the backing of the men and women who protect us every day is a powerful…
Don’t let people outside of the district elect our next representative
Now more than ever, it’s important for voters to do their own research when it comes to choosing your next representative. However, research doesn’t stop at what the candidates just say, but also what is not being said—whom they are raising money from. After hearing Bill Ostrander, one of the candidates in the 24th Congressional…
SB County shouldn’t fund Diablo Canyon study
Diablo Canyon Power Plant is the last remaining nuclear power plant operating in California. The plant lies just 30 miles up the coast from Santa Maria, well within the range of the radiation fallout should a meltdown occur. A radiation release could affect hundreds of thousands of people. PG&E originally built Diablo based on the…
Public education is necessary for a successful society
Public education has always been the glue that binds our citizens together and forms the foundation for our democracy. The very birth of our nation was created on the premise of free public education for all. Our founding fathers believed it was the duty of all adults in a community to provide an education for…
Santa Barbara supervisors move forward with North County Jail despite a nearly $15 million shortfall
Construction for the North County Jail might actually end up happening after the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the project during a special meeting on May 23, despite bids exceeding the estimated cost by at least $14.75 million. It’s the latest and most significant step taken to build the jail…
Students to participate in drumming event
On June 3, kindergarten through sixth grade students at Taylor Elementary School will come together from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. to make music and experience the power of teamwork in an enormous drumming performance. In groups of about 60, students will take turns drumming on buckets. More than 700 students will drum throughout the hour-long…
Saint honored with Champion Award
Santa Maria High School (SMHS) student Cristal Robles-Flores was recently honored with the Champion Award for using her youth leadership skills to selflessly help others—even though she faced personal adversity and socioeconomic hurdles. Robles-Flores received the recognition during the Youth Impact Awards ceremony at the County Education Office auditorium in Santa Barbara. The KIDS Network’s…
Santa Maria school district board appoints new member
At a special meeting May 17, the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board of Education selected Santa Maria native and retired teacher Vedamarie Alvarez Flores as a new board member to fill a vacant seat. Alvarez Flores taught elementary grades in the district for 39 years and also coordinated the Santa Maria-Bonita School District’s (SMBSD) mentor…
Spotlight on: Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce
When taking a drive through Northern Santa Barbara County, one thing becomes clear: This place is freakin’ beautiful. From mountains, hiking trails, and wineries, to ocean scenery just a short distance away, North County has a little bit of everything. Heck, we even have tri-tip. Santa Maria may not attract as many tourists as its…
Community Notebook 5/26/16 – 6/2/16
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 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,…
Political Watch 5/26/16
• It’s been a year since a ruptured pipeline spilled nearly 143,000 gallons of crude oil onto land and into the ocean at Refugio State Beach. On May 19, Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) issued the following statement in recognition of that day: “The Refugio oil spill was devastating, killing more than 200 birds and…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Several years ago, Jared Bailey (owner of Santa Maria Physical Therapy Group) and his friend Danny Sheridan were sitting in a garage talking about—well—things, and the conversation got around to what they could do for the community. Lucky for the Tri-Counties Make-a-Wish Foundation, Jared and Danny settled on a project: raising money for chronically ill…
Can’t-abis: Santa Maria issues injunction against a ‘dispensary’ operating in the city
On May 17, an injunction was filed in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court Cook Division against David Melena, a food truck owner and a medical marijuana events promoter who Santa Maria city officials believe was operating a dispensary within city limits. Last month, on April 17, Melena sponsored the Central Coast Cup, essentially a…
Groundwater basin laws raise concerns in Santa Barbara County
You’ve probably heard: Year five of the drought is upon us, and it’s bringing along a flurry of state-mandated water conservation measures. California Gov. Jerry Brown is signing executive orders, the California Department of Food and Agriculture is pushing for efficient irrigation systems, and the California Water Commission is passing groundwater basin regulations. But for…
Voter registration surges in the 24th District
Voter registration for California’s 24th Congressional District rose by 11 percent since Jan. 1, according to a report issued May 17 by Political Data Inc., a Los Angeles-based firm that keeps track of such statistics. The report compared voter registration between Jan. 1 and May 1 from the 2012 and 2016 voting cycles. Democratic Party…
Two men found guilty in Santa Maria human trafficking case
Two men were found guilty on May 18 in what’s being described as one of the county’s first human trafficking trials. A jury found both defendants, 24-year-old Humberto Carranza and 27-year-old Cameron Joseph Jones, guilty of trafficking a then-16-year-old female in October 2015, according to court records. Carranza was found guilty on all counts, which…
Betteravia Farms aims to build facility to house farm laborers
Betteravia Farms has applied for a conditional use permit to build a 30-unit “farm labor camp” on nearly 400 acres of land along Highway 1 west of Orcutt, vying to house up to 600 guest laborers under the federal H-2A program for temporary foreign farmworkers. Principal Planner David Swenk told the Sun that if “all…
Lompoc City Council votes to continue motorsports park discussion
Lompoc City Council changed course in a vote on May 17 to continue discussion on the controversial Lompoc Valley Motorsports Park. Councilman Jim Mosby told the Sun the motorsports park will return to the City Council’s agenda at its next meeting, scheduled for June 7. The decision was prompted by a passionate public comment period…
