As the end of summer break draws nearer, so does a new beginning for the Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People Youth Coalition. Dedicated to educating youth about the harms of alcohol and drug misuse through periodic visits to school campuses, this local initiative is taking a more collaborative approach with its programming this year, […]
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A Lompoc floral shop celebrates one year since moving into a new location
When Blake Lane was studying psychology and anthropology in college, he didn’t anticipate a future cutting stems or delivering bouquets. His mom opened Bella Florist and Gifts during the early 2000s, but Lane took the lead on business operations in 2012. “Creativity has always been in my life, and the arts have always been in […]
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Central Coast Cactus and Succulent Society holds 18th annual showcase and fundraiser
Plant aheadVisit centralcoastcactus.org for more info on the Central Coast Cactus and Succulent Society. The nonprofit’s 18th annual show and sale will take place at Nipomo High School on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., respectively. Nipomo High School is located at […]
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Secret Solvang tour guides show visitors and locals the best spots in town
From the professionalsFor more information about booking Secret Solvang tours, visit secretsolvang.com. Follow @secretsolvang on Instagram and TikTok for all the behind-the-scenes fun. Email info@secretsolvang.com with questions. Secret Solvang, an infamous Instagram and TikTok page, went viral for revealing all the charming bits of a town that some people view as two-dimensional. “I think people […]
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The SLO Noor Foundation celebrates its fifteenth anniversary
When Sal Caminada retired from being a professor of health and nutrition at Allan Hancock College, he wanted to spend his retirement doing something good for the community. That is how he came to volunteer at the SLO Noor Foundation, a free clinic that serves San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara County. He’s been […]
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A Central Coast photographer receives recognition from a national magazine’s photo contest
Trends have changed drastically since Amy Marlan posed for her high school senior portraits. She remembers wearing the same pearls and drape as the rest of the women in her class. The men put on the top half of a suit. Then, their family photographer took some shots of Marlan on a film camera, but […]
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Fraud victims recount their experiences on locally produced podcast, Scam Squad
Finding fresh material each week for her podcast is rarely a struggle for Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office Chief Criminal Investigator Kristina Perkins. “It’s unfortunately easy to find content for Scam Squad because there’s so much out there,” Perkins told the Sun. “It’s usually just a variation of the same type of scam … […]
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Orcutt students graduate with high school diplomas and Hancock associate degrees in a new college readiness program
Jackson Payne took his first college class when he was a freshman in high school. He arrived around 7 a.m. to Orcutt Academy High School. The campus was quiet except for his 29 other classmates in the Early College Cadre program. Soon enough their professor showed up and introduced the group members to their first […]
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Yoga instructor and self-care author hosts free monthly wellness workshops in Nipomo
Not long after St. Patrick’s Day rolled around this year, Marilyn Mercado felt it was fitting to teach the attendees of her new yoga series’ debut class about clover breathing. This breathwork technique includes four simple steps, or “clover leaves” as they’re nicknamed: inhale, hold, exhale, and pause. Casually structuring some segments of her monthly […]
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Buy aesthetic home goods from a Lompoc candlemaker
Listen for the whisperFind Esperanza Jimenez’s candles at the Oceano Seabreeze Market (410 Air Park Drive) on May 30 and at the Route One Farmers Market. Discover all her products online by visiting whisperingwoodsboutique.com and on Instagram @whisperingwoodsboutique. The warmth of a yellow flame. The crackles of a wooden wick. The enchantment of a scented […]
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Longtime hearing aid specialist takes on practitioner role with Santa Maria’s Beltone office
Constant ringing. Buzzing. Swishing. Hissing. Tinnitus can take on many different sounds for those who suffer from the condition, commonly due to hearing loss. Local hearing care practitioner Remy Salazar said one seldomly reported form of tinnitus she’s observed over the course of her career is kind of like having a song stuck in your […]
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A new live-actionrole-play chapter in Santa Maria extends a sword to prospective participants
In a land not so far away, mortals of all ages build friendships while running around the park swinging harmless weapons and defending themselves with handmade shields. Though it’s a pretend world, their bonds are quite real. Dean Scott often spends his Sundays with friends competing in live-action role-play (LARP) games. They pretend to be […]
