If you can afford tickets to a playoff game for the sports fan in your life, and they can afford to take time off of work to get there, then put this paper down right now. That’s right, stop reading. You’re done—Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa is taken care of, because there’s nothing better to buy a sports fan […]
SARAH E. THIEN
See ya, Sunshine
Since writers love analogies, metaphors, and symbolism, it’s only fitting that, in my mind, my entire time here at the Sun can be wrapped up into one tiny bouncy ball—the coveted “mosaic,” as we dubbed it—and I’ve lost it. (Not my mind, the ball.) Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but I’d already decided […]
Local players get ready for playoffs as football season comes to an end
With one game to go—or none at all for some teams—the football season is almost over. Leading the PAC-7 with one week left as of press time was Paso Robles with an 8-1 record. Atascadero, Righetti, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, and Lompoc high schools followed Paso in the rankings. The Warriors have one game […]
Women’s Economic Ventures partners with Maria Shriver’s WE Invest program
Maria Shriver, in partnership with The Women’s Conference, has recently launched WE Invest, a statewide women’s economic empowerment initiative. The WE Invest program is partnering with Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) and two other nonprofit organizations in California to launch this initiative. The WE Invest partnership will help link women with WEV’s Self-Employment Training Program, the […]
Touring and Tasting hosts warehouse wine sale for charity
For the first time, Touring and Tasting Magazine and wine club is selling off cases of their inventory of limited production wines. The Holiday Warehouse Sale will take place on Nov. 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. at 125 S. Quarantina St. in Santa Barbara. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit three […]
Board of Supervisors passes resolution honoring local vineyards
To recognize the importance of wine grape vineyards and winemaking to the county’s economy, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution during their Oct. 28 meeting. The resolution was sponsored by Supervisor Joni Gray and presented to Kevin Merrill, vineyard manager for Mesa Vineyard Management in Santa Maria. “Winemaking and vineyards are […]
Doreen Farr takes over the Third District
Doreen Farr had an exciting election night party, but she wishes she hadn’t. If the votes had gone in her favor earlier in the night, she could have avoided the long, nerve-wracking hours she spent waiting for the votes to be counted. Trailing behind Steve Pappas with 48 percent of the vote to his 51 […]
One election night, many parties
Reporters either love election night or hate it. The love usually comes from the fact that beer is flowing, people are having fun, and everybody is excited to talk to you, a reporter. The hate kicks in because sometimes the party goes sour, people leave early, and no one wants to see the face of […]
Brooks Institute celebrates Emmy wins
Faculty member Tracy Trotter of Trotter Productions and Brooks Institute alumnus Stephen McGee recently brought home a couple of Emmy awards. Trotter won his Emmy as the director of photography for his public service announcement, “Voter.” The announcement is currently showing in the Los Angeles area. McGee won his third Emmy for his project, “40 […]
Classical KUSC comes to the Central Coast
The most listened to public radio station in the Los Angeles area is expanding its service to the Central Coast, starting in early 2009, according to station president Brenda Barnes. “We are very pleased to bring our all-classical format to the Central Coast. KUSC has recently been ranked by Arbitron as the most listened to […]
It’s a last-minute chance to receive loans for Gap Fire losses
Nov. 6, the same day this issue of the Sun came out, is the last day to fax in paperwork for an Economic Injury Loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA). On Nov. 6, the county is sending in the paperwork for local businesses that lost revenue during the Gap Fire. The Economic Injury Disaster […]
Karting Association members worry about losing their track
It’s not so much a surprise as it is gratifying to find out that something in Santa Maria, relatively small Santa Maria, is revered by others throughout the country. Santa Maria-style barbecue is an example, and so is the rodeo. A bit lesser known—but no less important to racing fans—is the Santa Maria Karting Association’s […]

