What separates the Color Vibe run from other 5K races is the color, of course—runners are blasted with colored powder just as often as they take water breaks. Noemi Mariscal, 22, has run nearly a dozen 5Ks, but somehow managed to miss Color Vibe every year. That finally changed on Aug. 12 when she ran […]
Caleb Wiseblood
Erik Kinnebrew
During the 2016 to 2017 basketball season, Allan Hancock College’s Erik Kinnebrew played in all 30 of the school’s games. Kinnebrew averaged 7.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game overall. If Kinnebrew had to relive something over and over again for the rest of his life, it would be achieving a triple-double during […]
Lompoc welcomes skaters to College Park for annual skateboard competition
College Park in Lompoc occupies the same land where the original Lompoc Airport once stood, which was also used as a Navy blimp base during World War II. Although planes no longer take off or land at the site, skateboarders get air time there on a daily basis. The 4.6-acre park, which also houses the […]
Claire Scattini
Is ballet an art or a sport? Ballerina Claire Scattini of Nipomo argues, “Why not both?” Scattini, 18, has been dancing since she was 3, when her parents enrolled her in the California Arts Academy in Fresno, where she grew up. “Ballet is very physically demanding, but it still requires a lot of emotion and […]
Spotlight on: Hair Extensions by Emily
Emily Lawson had a revelation while studying psychology at Cuesta College—the same realization many students have at least once in their academic careers—to switch majors. Lawson knew exactly what she wanted to pursue, but it meant changing schools as well. Having nearly enough units under her belt already, Lawson stayed to receive an assoicate degree […]
Maddie Smith
Although 13-year-old Maddie Smith currently resides in Oxnard, Santa Maria will always feel like home to her for many reasons. During winter and summer breaks, Maddie returns to visit friends and relatives. The city has a special place in her heart not only because she grew up here, it’s also where she discovered her favorite […]
Santa Maria Swim Club to send seven athletes to the NCSA Junior Nationals
Three girls and four boys from the Santa Maria Swim Club (SMSC) qualified to compete at the National Club Swimming Association (NCSA) Junior National Championships this year. The competition takes place Aug. 1 through 5 in Indianapolis, Ind. The seven athletes make up the largest group of Nationals qualifiers from the club since 2009, Coach […]
Adam Miranda
Ernest Righetti High School graduate Adam Miranda used to be a Warrior, until he became a Spartan. Miranda competed in the 2015 and the 2016 Reebok Spartan Race—one of the most popular obstacle course tournaments in the country. Miranda will compete again at the 2017 race this August in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium. “I […]
One Way Water Polo Club team heads to the National Junior Olympics for the first time
Thirteenth place might sound humbling elsewhere, but not for the Santa Maria 12-and-under One Way Water Polo Club team. For the first time in team history, One Way qualified for the Water Polo National Junior Olympics (NJO)—the largest age group water polo tournament in the country. One Way earned its spot by finishing 13th at […]
Courtney Tuskan
Female rock climbers from around the globe, including Lompoc resident Courtney Tuskan, gathered at Owen’s River Gorge in Bishop, Calif., for the 2017 Flash Foxy Women’s Climbing Festival. “During those three days, I met and camped out with some amazing women from all over the world,” Tuskan told the Sun. “The climbing community are generally […]
Spotlight on: Helping Hand Document Services
It’s never too late to start over. This was Corina Yee’s mantra after losing her job at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Yee worked for the United Launch Alliance (ULA) for almost a decade and expected to retire there. But when she was laid off during her ninth year, her future was unclear. “The ULA had […]
State denies Santa Maria’s grant request for proposed multi-sports field complex
“We regret to inform you” is the last thing anyone wants to read at the beginning of a notice—a phrase commonly found in rejection letters from universities. The city of Santa Maria didn’t apply for college this year, rather a $1 million grant from the state. Earlier this month, the California Department of Parks and […]

