Spotlight

The owner of Lompoc’s Skydive Santa Barbara is one of several small business owners being featured in American Express OPEN’s new TV ads: “How Can I Get Paid Faster?” David Hughes, a 22-year skydiving veteran and former British skydiving champion, has operated Skydive Santa Barbara for 15 years. The center offers an 18,000-foot tandem jump […]

If you or your family earned less than $49,000 last year and you’re puzzled by the tax law, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program can help with free tax preparation beginning Jan. 30. Sponsored by Northern Santa Barbara County United Way, VITA assists low- to moderate-income families and individuals in claiming special credits like the […]

Have a cocktail, grab a mic, and belt out your best Steve Perry impersonation at Elmo’s Nipomo Saloon, now offering karaoke every Thursday and Sunday night. Shawna hosts karaoke on Thursdays, beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday is Ladies’ Night, with happy hour from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring $3 well drinks, $4 margaritas on the […]

Santa Maria retirement community Merrill Gardens is hosting an all-you-can-eat crab feed on Feb. 12 to raise money for foster and high-needs children served by the Family Care Network. Tickets cost $40 and include pasta, salad, iced tea, all-you-can-eat crab, and one raffle entry. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $2 apiece or three […]

Tourists to the Santa Ynez Valley can find out what to do, see, and taste in the new edition of the area’s visitors guide, published by the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau and the Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association. The Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley 2010 Visitors Guide is filled with full-color photographs featuring […]

Beginning later this month, local Subway stores will take part in a trial run of a program that will allow customers to order sandwiches via text message. Santa Maria shops will be among more than 30 Subways in Southern California to participate in the four-month trial. The stores will be using Zingle, a messaging service […]

The Santa Barbara County Action Network announced the appointment of Joyce Howerton as the group’s director of advocacy and outreach. Howerton is a founding member of SB CAN and has served as the organization’s north county vice president. As a three-term mayor of Lompoc, Howerton secured pay equity for women, created a regional landfill project, […]

Throughout human history, man has sought to predict future events. The practice of IFA, with a long history of use as a divination tool in Africa and modified in the United States as Santeria, intends to bring seekers in alignment with their highest destiny. IFA priest Mario Gasca has brought his knowledge of the practice […]

Children and their families will be able to spend more time enjoying hands-on learning about marine life, agriculture, exotic animals, and creative arts at the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum in 2010. The museum, located at 705 S. McClelland, will be open on the last Sunday of every month between noon and 4 p.m. beginning […]

The 2010 Census is fast approaching, and the County of Santa Barbara Office of Long Range Planning is holding an open house in Santa Maria on Jan. 27 to inform the public of the importance of participating in the count. Anyone interested in learning more about the census or helping to encourage community members to […]

County businesses that achieved “green” certification in 2009 will be honored during the Green Business Program of Santa Barbara County breakfast on Feb. 5. Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bob Hatch will provide the event’s opening remarks, followed by a keynote address given by Wes Hagen, winemaker and vineyard manager of Clos Pepe […]

Want to learn more about alternatives to foreclosure? You’re invited to the Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Corporation’s free foreclosure prevention workshop on Jan. 13 in Santa Maria. Attendees will learn strategies to preserve homeownership and avoid foreclosure at the workshop, which will be facilitated by Brian Kerrigan, housing counselor for the nonprofit group. Kerrigan is a […]