SHELLY CONE, Author at Santa Maria Sun

Battles of the heart

PCPA’s world premiere of Heart’s Desire tells a tale of war, racism, and the American Dream

by SHELLY CONE June 19, 2008June 13, 2024

There’s hardly a war story out there that isn’t heart wrenching, that doesn’t touch the soul on some level. In that respect, Jos» Cruz González’s play, Heart’s Desire, is no different than any other tale of wartime strife—but just when you think you’ve seen it before, this play reaches out and hits you were it […]

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Right on track

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad gets a boost from the economy and new ownership

by SHELLY CONE June 19, 2008August 11, 2025

The president of Santa Maria Valley Railroad loved trains as a kid, but never laid a penny on the track to watch a locomotive flatten it. “Most of the time they just fly off,” he explained. Such no-nonsense practicality is the driving force behind management at the railroad, led by Robert Himoto, a man with […]