Every year, the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) invites the top swimmers and divers throughout the state to compete at the CCCAA Swimming and Diving Championship. Dria Kwong, who swam for Allan Hancock College, competed in the women’s 100-yard butterfly event in 2016 and 2017. For both years now, Kwong made it to the […]
Caleb Wiseblood
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Summer camps evacuated, canceled due to Whittier Fire
The Whittier Fire sent scores of campers home from three summer camps that were evacuated July 8 after the fire blazed across acres of dry, forested mountainside near Cachuma Lake. The fire began right around the gates of Camp Whittier, according to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover. The Sheriff’s Office […]
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Spotlight on: Digi Diva Graphics
Heather Hight, owner and founder
Some studies suggest that scribbling helps people pay attention and retain information, which could be used as a defense for students who doodle in the margins of their notebooks during class. Heather Hight, owner and founder of Digi Diva Graphics, was always a student of the doodling variety—from elementary school to college. If you were […]
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Richie Robles
The last Major League Baseball player to pitch a perfect game was Felix Hernandez—pitcher for the Seattle Mariners—in 2012. To pitch a victory in which no opposing player reaches a single base is a rare feat for minor league games as well, like those organized by the Santa Maria Westside Little League (SMWLL). But 12-year-old […]
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Spotlight on: Jessica Cooper Photography
Jessica Cooper, owner
In the era of smartphones and selfie sticks, anyone can be their own photographer. What once required film, chemicals, and a dark room—or a Polaroid at least—has evolved into something far more accessible. Professional natural light photographer Jessica Cooper doesn’t use her cell phone to take photos, of clients at least, but she doesn’t dismiss […]
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Horsing around: Early Californios Skills of the Rancho showcases traditional Vaquero horse skills
More than 150 horsemen and women from across the state will convene at the Elks Unocal Event Center arena in Santa Maria for the fifth annual Early Californios Skills of the Rancho event, hosted by the Californio Bridlehorse Association (CBA). The free event runs July 6 through 9 and showcases the horsemanship and stockmanship techniques […]
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Preston Motta
Preston Motta of Santa Maria is only 9 years old, but he already has three gold medals under his belt—his gray belt to be specific. Preston won first place in all three jiu-jitsu competitions he’s entered since joining Paragon Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in 2015, and he intends to remain undefeated for as long as he can […]
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Alex Ketcham
When Alex Ketcham walks her dog, she tends to take “the scenic route” as much as possible. Rather than a casual stroll through their neighborhood, the 20-year-old and her 6-year-old pit bull, Jewels, usually opt for something a bit more adventurous. “Being able to hike with my best friend is the best,” Ketcham told the […]
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Spotlight on: VTC Enterprises
Madison Hall, 2017 Elks rodeo queen
This year marks the third in a row that VTC Enterprises’ candidate for the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Queen Contest took home the crown. St. Joseph High School student Madison Hall, 17, was pronounced rodeo queen during the 74th annual event on June 2. Hall and VTC garnered $290,000 in donations—the largest amount ever raised […]
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Ryan Hillmer
For Ryan Hillmer, June 4 was a day of accomplishment. Apart from participating in the 24th annual Marianne Talley Memorial Fun Run, Hillmer also celebrated his six-month anniversary of being clean and sober. Hillmer’s road to recovery began when he moved to the Middlehouse, a residential facility in San Luis Obispo for men working through […]
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Spotlight on: Quality Cell Phone Repair
Joel Mendoza, owner
Few people can brag about starting their own business straight out of high school, but Joel Mendoza—owner and founder of Quality Cell Phone Repair in Santa Maria—is one of them. After graduating from Pioneer Valley High School in 2010, Mendoza saw an opportunity to provide a service to the community, something he already had a […]
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Cameron Glazewski
Cameron Glazewski of Santa Maria has been playing baseball since he was 5 years old, which segued into softball at 17, when he was finally old enough to play on the adult softball league with his parents. “Baseball kind of led into softball for me, and my parents played softball pretty much my whole life […]
