The Santa Maria Historical Society holds an annual meeting for members to gather, eat, drink, and catch up with what the organization is doing. This year’s meeting on April 28 was unlike any that had come before because the Santa Maria Valley Historical Museum itself has never looked so good. The museum is newly reopened […]
Joe Payne
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local singer/songwriter Chris Lambert cuts to the heart of creativity with release of his 11th solo album
Almost every year since he graduated high school, Chris Lambert has released a new album of original music. But his latest album is different—it was a struggle. The Constant Education of Christopher Lambert was more than a year in the making and was released almost two years after his latest album, Lambert said. He took […]
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Spotlight on: Homes N Land and Treasures 1
Bobette Stanbridge, owner
Pure Saturday-morning light poured through the tall stained glass windows, casting magenta hues across the small crowd gathered in the sanctuary hall to listen to the speaker up front. Eddie San Jose wasn’t delivering a sermon, but rather an informative talk for those looking to buy a home. The event was held in a building […]
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The Central Coast Guitar Show welcomes guitar lovers from far and wide who are looking to buy or sell
There’s no other feeling that compares to when you’ve finally found the right guitar. The way the neck feels cradled in the palm of your hand, how your fingertips slide across the fretboard, and the warmth you feel when the sound comes—everything has to be just right. Locals searching for the perfect axe for their […]
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Sun and New Times receive California Journalism Awards
Both the Sun and its sister paper New Times have received several awards from the California News Publishers Association’s (CNPA) California Journalism Awards for reporting done in 2017. The CNPA announced on April 14 that Sun Arts and Lifestyle Writer Rebecca Rose won first place with her humor column “Generation X-It,” Staff Writer Kasey Bubnash […]
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Eric Andersen brings decades of lyrical work to Tales from the Tavern in Santa Ynez
The 1960s folk music scene in Greenwich Village, New York City, was an explosion of creativity, with artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Maria Muldaur filling the coffee shops and pubs with their no-frills sound. Eric Andersen was one of those artists, picking an acoustic guitar and sharing his unique poetry with audiences in […]
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Spotlight on: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Santa Maria open house
Charles Green, chief of Outreach and Community Relations
For the past nine years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System has staged an open house event for local veterans at the Santa Maria Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), connecting servicepeople with myriad resources for both health and success. April 18 marks the open house’s 10th anniversary, explained Charles […]
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Insurance claims from Montecito mudslides reach $421 million
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced on April 2 that insurance claims from the Montecito mudslide and debris flows on Jan. 9 have totaled more than $421 million for damages to residential properties, businesses, and public roadways. Jones explained that the “unprecedented” wildfire season was the precursor to the “devastating” mudslides, and underscored the financial […]
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Local punk/pop band Yearbooks performs across California with new album ‘Peer Pressure’
The room was dark and loud. The crowd jumped and punched, undulating with the heavy rock sound. It was the closing set of a punk rock show at Rancho Nipomo BBQ’s Gold Rush Cantina, and the local band Yearbooks was in the spotlight. The five-piece punk/pop band didn’t have more than a half hour to […]
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Santa Maria Arts Council honors Craig and Linda Shafer for decades of service to the arts
Every year the Santa Maria Arts Council awards thousands of dollars to burgeoning artists with its annual Individual Grants in the Arts Competition. While awarding the upcoming generation, the council also honors someone in the arts community for longtime contributions, giving the grants in their name. This year’s competition honors Craig and Linda Shafer, who […]
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Dulcie Taylor performs songs from new album at Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria
Singer/songwriter Dulcie Taylor has a sweet voice, but not sweet in a cotton candy kind of way. It’s more like a hickory-smoked barbecue sauce kind of sweet. It might have something to do with being brought up in South Carolina, and her relaxed Southern drawl, but the acclaimed artist has called the Central Coast home […]
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Highway 101 widening project in South County receives $226 million in state funding
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) recently approved funding for the Highway 101 widening project in south Santa Barbara County. The decision allocates $226 million to help add another lane in sections of the highway between Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, according to a release from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG). SBCAG Executive Director […]