Caleb Wiseblood

Fond memories of the Elks Rodeo, Strawberry Festival, and other definitive Santa Maria Valley gatherings race through yoga instructor Natalie Zimmerman’s mind as she returns to her hometown. The Orcutt native currently resides in Los Angeles, but she’s bringing her latest workshop—a combination of yoga, meditation, and journaling—to the Central Coast for one day only. […]

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Fannie Farmer (Jocelyn Lonquist) notices a mysterious bat-shaped figure approaching her family’s ranch. The creature appears more and more anthropomorphic with each glance. Batman?  Unfortunately not, although he is wearing a cape. The non-Batman introduces himself as Norman Zinfandel, Farmer’s uncle visiting from Atascadero. We—the audience—know that’s not true, as we’ve just […]

From starring opposite Tim Curry on Broadway to performing in countless PCPA productions over the last two decades, local thespian Erik Stein still considers teaching theater arts the most rewarding aspect of his career. “Of all the things I do, nothing compares to feeling like I might be making a difference in a young actor’s […]

“There is a pure joy in playing like a child who does not need to look over her shoulder to see who is watching,” said Joanne Beaule Ruggles, describing her artistic process.  Ironically, the content found in most of her figurative pieces is anything but playful. “Unfortunately, many visual artists believe they must limit their […]

I used to love “borrowing” my parents’ camcorder to record my own horror movies, often using my siblings and neighbors to play zombies, Martians, murderous butlers, and other fleeting obsessions. It was my favorite childhood hobby, and watching the featured short films in the Lompoc Library’s upcoming Youth Filmmaker Showcase reminded me how much I […]

Drained by the stresses of everyday life, the protagonist of Last Flight Out—the latest book from novelist and journalist Robert Eringer—takes an impromptu night drive to the nearest airport. On impulse alone, he wanders inside and buys a ticket to wherever the last evening flight should take him. After arriving in Sausalito, California, the novel […]

Like any worthwhile tale, the origin story behind Metal Fusion—Valley Art Gallery’s latest exhibition—begins with a yard sale, but more specifically, a “failed yard sale,” the exhibit’s featured artist, Shamrock Acosta, told the Sun.  Acosta’s initial goal was to make some dough selling all of his construction tools, a collection assembled throughout a 40-year-plus career […]