JEREMY THOMAS
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Of Jesus, Nazis, and nukes

Vandenberg halts controversial briefing following First Amendment complaints
by JEREMY THOMAS

After a firestorm of controversy, the U.S. Air Force has suspended a briefing given by chaplains at Vandenberg Air Force Base that included Biblical passages intended to teach launch officers the principles of justified war. The briefing, entitled “Christian Just War Theory,” preceded a mandatory course on Nuclear Ethics and Warfare taught to young officers […]

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Blood, sweat, and tears

‘Clash at the Chumash’ packs a punch
by JEREMY THOMAS

As a regular venue for the nationally televised “Friday Night Fights,” Chumash Casino Resort is fast becoming a prime location for showcasing young, up-and-coming boxers. Most recently, on Aug. 5, fans packed into the casino’s Samala Showroom, and thousands of viewers tuned in at home on ESPN2, to watch the long-awaited “Clash at the Chumash.” […]

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Spotlight on: California Tacos

Alex Uribe, owner
by JEREMY THOMAS

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mom who can cook real Mexican food and cook it well, but at the new restaurant California Tacos in Solvang, everyone can at least get a taste of delicious authenticity. Planned for more than a year, the taco shop opened on Aug. 2, drawing crowds of hungry […]

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Betraying the badge?

Former Santa Maria police officers allege mishandling in reputed prescription drug thefts
by JEREMY THOMAS

In the predawn hours of April Fools’ Day 2004, Santa Maria resident Alane Avila awoke in her bedroom with a start. “I just heard this bang and a flash,” Avila recalled. “I jumped up and my door came flying open, and there’s all these guys with ski masks on and guns pointed saying, ‘Get on […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

The Green Milestone

The Santa Maria Country Club celebrates 90 years of golf and good times
by JEREMY THOMAS

If golf courses could talk, the Santa Maria Country Club would have tales to tell. Since they can’t, 94-year-old Sally Scaroni, the club’s oldest and longest tenured member, is the next best thing. Drawn by a passion for golf, Scaroni signed up for a junior membership at the club back in 1938. At the time, […]

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Spotlight on: Thin Line Tattoo Co.

Dean Graves, owner
by JEREMY THOMAS

Tattoo parlors have long carried the stigma of being seedy, dimly lit, and a magnet for riffraff. But as body art continues to gain mainstream acceptance, an increasing number of today’s parlors look more like dentist’s offices than Prohibition-era speakeasies. The bright, airy Thin Line Tattoo Co., a year-old Lompoc parlor recently purchased by Dean […]

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Summer school

A North Carolina surf camp visits the Central Coast for a two-week crash course in hanging 10
by JEREMY THOMAS

It’s a long way from New York City to Morro Bay, but to 15-year-old Harry Davidson, the trip was worth it if it meant he’d pick up a new addiction. “I want to really love surfing,” Davidson said. “I want to go back home and get a board and surf a lot. I want to […]

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Spotlight on: Central City Surplus

John Kinney, owner
by JEREMY THOMAS

Hidden away inside a rundown hangar, once part of the old Allan Hancock airfield in Santa Maria, historical treasures await the curious. For the past 14 years, Central City Surplus has called the rusty clamshell building home, leasing it from the Santa Maria Public Airport.  Proprietor John Kinney, a former Naval officer and Santa Barbara […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Cruzin’ for Life revs up

by JEREMY THOMAS

Cruzin’ for Life is taking donations in the lead-up to its eighth annual benefit car show and carnival, scheduled for Sept. 23 and 24 at the Santa Maria Fairpark. Contributions will go to support Marian Cancer Care Services, the American Cancer Society’s Camp Reach for the Stars, and the Young Cancer Survivor’s Scholarship Fund for […]

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