Free movies are playing on two upcoming Fridays outdoors in Santa Maria, organized by the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department. The city is showing Moana 2 on Sept. 19 and Cars on Sept. 26. Both films will be screened at Rotary Centennial Park, located at 2625 S. College Drive in Santa Maria. Viewers should […]
Madison White
Posted inNews
A $9.5 million grant aims to boost the Central Coast space industry
The state of California awarded a $9.5 million grant to a group of regional organizations aiming to help the Central Coast become a leader in the space industry. The group plans to use the grant for Space Vandenberg, a program that will fund innovation, education, and infrastructure to improve economic growth. One of the key […]
Posted inNews
The Lompoc botanic society offers a community for all degrees of plant-lovers
Plant puns, snacks, and social hour. Those are three things Christine Zuhlsdorf enjoys about being a member of the Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticultural Society (LVBHS). “Plant people tend to be pretty happy people,” the nonprofit’s president told the Sun. “Unless you get someone going on gophers.” Or deer, another sore subject for gardeners, which […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A Nipomo author supported local businesses with the production of her debut novel
Fellow authors have described Maggie Yore as a unicorn—she has a knack for numbers and words. Though she always loved to write, it wasn’t until she became a business owner a few years ago that she got the numbers part down. Turning pagesBuy Maggie Yore’s debut novel on Amazon, her website, or at local bookstores […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A bluegrass and rock concert benefits Santa Barbara County children in emergency foster care
Join the Bullfrogg Blues Band at the Party with a Purpose concert benefiting Santa Barbara County children entering emergency foster care. The Blast Stockyard in Orcutt is hosting the event from 4 to 8 p.m. with food from Blast 825 Brewery. Guests can expect “a soul-shaking, feel-good evening of live music, local eats, and big-hearted […]
Posted inArts
Hancock College graduates’ art exhibit is on display at the Foxworthy Gallery
Art created by two Allan Hancock College alumni is featured at the Ann Foxworthy Gallery on campus until Oct. 2. The exhibit, called Made in Santa Maria, highlights the professional accomplishments of Ruben Espinoza and Aaron Cribbs, who both started their careers at Hancock’s art program. Espinoza and Cribbs will be talking about the exhibit […]
Posted inArts
Lompoc committee is accepting art submissions for exhibits at libraries
Central Coast artists can submit samples of their work for a chance to be displayed in two galleries at Lompoc libraries. The Lompoc Public Library Art Advisory Committee will evaluate the submissions during its meeting on Sept. 18. The committee is looking for representative bodies of work, consisting of at least six original pieces that […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria PD to issue citations for the state’s new parking law
For the past nine months, the Santa Maria Police Department has issued warnings for vehicles violating a new state parking law. The officers will begin ticketing individuals later this month with $100 citations. The “daylighting” law, AB 413, prohibits drivers from stopping or parking vehicles within 20 feet of corners, intersections, and crosswalks, even if […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A local author with global reach releases a new young-adult mystery
There have been numerous times that Pismo Beach author Wendelin Van Draanen thought she’d written her last novel, but she keeps thinking of plot ideas—more than 30 to date. Her latest novel, The Steps, was released on Sept. 2. Plus, Van Draanen has another book coming out in the fall of 2026, and she’s working […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Businesses donate top-notch food, beverages, and dessert to to the Chapman Estate’s tenth annual Swingin’ by the Sea fundraiser
The Chapman Estate, a fixture on the bluffs of Shell Beach overlooking the Pacific since 1930, is home to a koi pond, a colorful begonia house, a windmill, and the Tudor-style abode. “This is what we’re working to preserve. It’s worth saving, and it’s worth opening the doors to let people see,” volunteer Lillian Jewell […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Flare whips up Korean fusion food and soju cocktails in Lompoc, filling a gap in the local food scene
When Cristian Cho moved from Los Angeles to Lompoc, he longed for LA’s diverse food scene. For seven years he worked as a manager at a sushi restaurant and eventually began planning the concept for his own restaurant to fill a gap in Lompoc’s market. Find the fusion flairFlare, located at 510 W. Ocean Ave. […]
Posted inArts
The Santa Maria Library’s Bookmobile now visits Bob Orach Park
The Santa Maria Public Library’s mobile library will now visit Bob Orach Park near Liberty Elementary School on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. instead of Armstrong Park. The Bookmobile, a van retrofitted with bookshelves and overhead lighting, makes 11 stops each week. Visitors can check out and return books, search for media in English […]
