At 55 Regal cinemas in California, patrons can wash down their popcorn with an alcoholic beverage while reclining in front of the big screen. On Sept. 16, Santa Maria planning commissioners decided that their city wouldn’t become the 56th. “Initially, I too was looking at this as something that might benefit our community,” Commissioner Tim […]
Madison White
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Meet the Solvang seamstress who makes dresses for Danish Days maids year after year
Witnesses to Roberta Skidmore’s creativity have learned to trust her process. Even the dressmaker’s husband, Kevin. “You see this pile of material, and you go, ‘How are they going to do anything with this?’” Kevin told the Sun. “And then she finishes it, and you go, ‘Oh my God!’” Many of those who wear Roberta’s […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Cabrillo High’s aquarium gets a fresh mural
New additions at the Cabrillo High School Aquarium include seals and dolphins. However, instead of swimming around in tanks, they’re painted on the building’s interior walls. San Luis Obispo County artist Colleen Gnos began working this spring to refresh her original kelp forest mural in the aquarium, this time adding in some Chumash history. Chris […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Angelina LaPointe crowdfunds for her 2027 wildlife calendar
Lompoc block printer Angelina LaPointe is hoping to carry on a 10-year tradition of making her annual calendar of California flora and fauna. But first, her project needs to reach its financial goal. Her Kickstarter campaign must raise $3,500 before Oct. 16 or it’s a no-go. Crowdfunders will only be charged if the project reaches […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Canela Café serves sweet bread and espresso for Santa Maria and beyond
TikTok led Marisa Gomez to discover a Mexican coffee shop located roughly an hour from where she lives. She, along with many others, travels great distances to the rinconcito for colorful sweet breads, elaborate latte flavors, and the café’s signature aesthetic cups. It’s all very Instagrammable, but for Gomez, the lure runs deeper than that. […]
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Free K-8 learning center opens at Buellton Garden Apartments
Some Buellton students now have access to after-school activities at a classroom located in their apartment complex. People’s Self-Help Housing opened a learning center at the Buellton Garden Apartments on Sept. 8, according to the organization. A maximum of 20 students from kindergarten to the eighth grade can head to the classroom after regular school […]
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Life Steps Foundation hosts its annual inclusive 5K fundraiser
Learning a bus route, deciphering important pieces of mail, and calculating tips at restaurants are tasks that many people don’t have to think twice about. At Life Steps Foundation in Santa Maria, staff currently help 22 people who have developmental disabilities successfully complete those activities and countless more. “We’re person-centered,” the site’s program manager, Cynthia […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Giavanni’s Pizza cultivates a comedy community with open mics and stand-up shows
Ezra Paco had no choice but to kick-start his comedy career from a less-than-ideal launch point: Zoom. “It was really awkward,” Paco told the Sun. “The Zoom rooms were really weird because, just like with all things during the pandemic, you were at the mercy of what was going on in each person’s room.” Kids […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Zoom over to Orcutt for this year’s chalk festival
Peering down on the sidewalk during this year’s Orcutt Chalk Festival might just inspire a glance up into the cosmos. Blast Out of This World on Sept. 26 in Old Town Orcutt from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 75 students, professional artists, and beginners will transform their 6-by-6-foot concrete squares into colorful, detailed […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Start the fall with a movie in the park
Free outdoor entertainment is on the horizon in Santa Maria. Families are invited to neighborhood parks for three film screenings in September and October. Showtime is at dusk, so audience members are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. On Sept. 18 watch The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants at Machado Plaza, located at 224 […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Meraz Catering serves comfort food with a family-first mindset
Planning and adapting are two of the most important skills in Amy Meraz’s industry. “You have to be good at pivoting and knowing that if something falls off the wagon, if something changes, there’s nothing you can do other than keep going with the changes,” she told the Sun. Call for cateringFor more information about […]
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Lompoc Valley Middle to restore a school resource officer position
With a $1 million state grant and City Council approval, the Lompoc Police Department will send a school resource officer to Lompoc Valley Middle School as early as next school year. The goal is to provide early intervention and cannabis education, as the money pulls from a public safety grant associated with Proposition 64 that […]
