Spotlight

If you haven’t yet made it out to the Sensorio Field of Light and the more recently installed Light Towers in Paso Robles, or perhaps you’re looking for a reason to make a second visit, Sensorio Gives Back might be the perfect occasion.  One night a month, locals can enjoy artist Bruce Munro’s entrancing light […]

Holiday activities will extend from morning to night for Buellton residents and visitors during the town’s annual Winter Fest celebration, said Kathy Vreeland, executive director of Buellton’s Chamber of Commerce.  “It’s a fun community activity and just a way to gather,” Vreeland said. “Last year was tricky [since] we were heading into another shutdown, but […]

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to devour delicious turkeys, homemade stuffing, and creamy pies. It’s a time when you unbutton your jeans to fit more food and indulge in the cheat day of a lifetime.  But for some people, it’s an opportunity to get a run in and stay active before that traditional feast of […]

After three years of planning and development, Dignity Health opened a new primary health care center in Nipomo.  “We are very excited to have another office in a growing community on the Central Coast to provide primary care support and rotating specialists that allows us to do some additional outreach,” said Dr. Scott Robertson, president […]

What started as a way for his son to get Boy Scout credits became a passion for Chad Hinkle.  The president of Santa Maria Valley Open Space—a grassroots organization dedicated to establishing public trails in a natural setting for hikers, bikers, and recreaters, and works to maintain trails through cleanups and advocacy—was Hinkle’s son’s scoutmaster. […]

When the Women and Infants Mobile Health Clinic opened to see women after the pandemic, staff saw conditions, illnesses, and pregnancies further along than most doctors prefer, Operations Director Dr. Suzanne Phelan said. “There’s a pressing need for health care and general women’s wellness because many of the health care facilities have been impacted [by […]

About 26 percent of women and 15 percent of men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime before age 18, according to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Nearly 1 in 11 female high school students and 1 in 14 male high school students reported experiencing physical dating violence in the last year. In […]

After a family member faced a lack of understanding of their gender identity from the community, Lata Murti decided to create an LGBTQ-plus educational opportunity for Santa Maria’s residents. “We may know about diversity in gender and sexual orientation, and we may not have anything against anyone’s identity, but there’s this idea that it exists, […]

Cancer research funding at the American Cancer Society (ACS) dropped by more than 50 percent in 2020.  “Unfortunately, just because COVID is here doesn’t mean cancer stops,” said ACS Santa Barbara County Development Manager Heidi Gavlak. “For the first time in ACS history, it’s been challenging to get funds for cancer research.”  With a goal […]

National Alliance on Mental Health’s (NAMI) parent-to-parent instructors have experience helping loved ones with mental illnesses, and they can provide insight to other families facing similar issues.  Santa Barbara County NAMI President George Kaufmann is one of the instructors for the parent-to-parent program at the national nonprofit’s new Santa Maria location, which opened in early […]

Pediatric cancer is already one of the worst predicaments that a child and family can face. Having to contend with that illness and a global pandemic at the same time is almost unthinkable. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senior Development Director Brittany Avila Wazny with the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation—which has served families […]

The Dana Adobe and Cultural Center held its Heritage Day on Sept. 11, a gathering celebrating the historic landmark and the mid-19th century Californio era that it signifies. “We’re trying to bring it back annually, because it’s really a big event where there’s reenactments and so many community groups that come together to celebrate,” Executive […]