Cover Story
Budget woes and California’s cuts: a history lesson
Caren Ray teaches social sciences at Santa Maria High School. Throughout her career, she’s taught that subject at the advanced placement and honors level, as well as to learning-handicapped students. She’s currently working on her administrative credential. She’s on track to have her master’s degree completed in July. She also recently received a pink slip.…
What’s your view on state budget cuts concerning teachers and education?
Sheryl Shaw customer service manager “I don’t think they should be cutting teachers. We need them to educate our kids.” Alyssa Giorgi business entrepreneur “Well, I know a lot of people who wanted to become teachers, and now they have to change their future plans due to budget cuts.” Dixie Arthur teacher “I’m against it.…
Sitting down at the table of brotherhood
The Santa Maria-Lompoc National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is kicking off its Centennial Celebration with a prayer breakfast served buffet style. The grassroots-based civil rights organization began on Feb. 12, 1909. Association members aim to eliminate race prejudice and ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority group citizens…
Community Notebook 4-2
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at bos-agenda.sbcgov.net. • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular board meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office…
The ABCs of education finance
When the state Legislature passed its budget in February to close the state’s $42 billion deficit, many Californians heaved a sigh of relief. The budget’s passing indicated that the state economy could hopefully begin the slow and arduous journey to recovery. For the state’s teachers, however, the budget’s passing was a call to arms. To…
Santa Barbara County supervisors kill La Purisima Resort project
A Lompoc businessman’s plans to build a resort, restaurant, and timeshare were shot down by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on March 24. The board voted 3-2, with supervisors Joni Gray (4th District) and Joe Centeno (5th District) dissenting, to kill the project, which has been in the preliminary planning stages for two…
Clarification
In the Sun’s March 24 issue, the news brief “Union Valley Parkway prompts complaint” incorrectly reported details of an Orcutt Citizens For Better Environment lawsuit attempt. According to court documents, the group first attempted to sue the city of Santa Maria in 2000. That case, however, was dismissed because the judge determined the group’s claims…
Volunteer for justice
The Santa Barbara County Superior Court is currently seeking volunteers for the 2009-10 Civil Grand Jury. Grand Jury members serve a one-year period, from July 2009 to June 2010, and spend about 25 hours a week composing investigative reports. Some of the tasks carried out by jury members include investigating and reviewing government departments and…
It’s census time
Employees working for the U.S. Census Bureau are expected to hit the streets beginning April 6 to collect data for the 2010 Census. The Census Bureau has trained about 140,000 people, including 200 Santa Marians, to canvass neighborhoods throughout the country. According to a press release from the regional Census Bureau office, this will be…
Medical team from Vandenberg heads to Costa Rica
Members of the 30th Medical Group from Vandenberg Air Force Base will be taking part in a humanitarian air mission to provide medical care to rural areas of Costa Rica. According to a press release from the base’s public affairs office, the 30th Medical Group, along with specialists from Lackland and Bolling Air Force bases,…
Santa Maria, Lompoc to receive stimulus funding for energy programs
Under the terms of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the city of Santa Maria will receive a grant of more than $800,000 to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, according to a statement from Congresswoman Lois Capps. She listed several possible outcomes of “smart investments” in the release, including greater energy efficiency and…
Construction begins on Tepusquet Bridge project
After years of planning, the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department broke ground on March 30 on the Tepusquet Bridge project. The long-awaited bridge will connect the Tepusquet Canyon community to the rest of the county, improve public safety services, and increase potential tourism to local wineries. “This is a $4.2 million shot to the…
Chamber recognizes strawberry industry
The Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce is holding its 19th annual Strawberry Industry Recognition Dinner on April 8 at the Santa Maria Fairpark to promote and honor strawberry industry workers. Two strawberry growers, one cooler or processing company, one sales association, and one supervisor or manager will be honored at the event, which begins at…
Workshop tackles Form 990
Trent Bendetti, a certified public accountant and proprietor of the accounting firm Bendetti Associates, will present a Form 990 workshop on March 31 at the Santa Maria Public Library. New features on the tax form include changes to reporting on governance and management practices, executive compensation, endowments, conflict of interest policy, and whistle-blower policy. The…
Get the 411 on the I-9
Employers with questions about the new rule changes to the I-9—the Employee Eligibility Verification Form—are encouraged to visit a Santa Maria United Staffing Associates meeting on the topic on April 22. USA staffers in the know will hold a pair of hour-long workshops that day—from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30…
Domestic abuse agency names interim director
Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County recently announced Richard Kavetz as its new interim director. “Domestic violence is on the on the rise during these stressful times, when our organization has suffered from government cuts. We are determined to continue to offer shelter and counseling to the families in our five facilities in the…
Hey! Ho! Let’s go!
Before I was a husband and a father, I was an impressionable boy attending Cal Poly. Like most impressionable boys, my main task was trying to impress girls. I tried all sorts of schemes: surfing (never very good), growing my hair long (never washed it), and getting my nose pierced (never again). Surprisingly, girls weren’t…
Ontiveros students take reading to a new level
Students at Ontiveros Elementary School in Santa Maria recently took first place in the sixth annual Comcast Fifth Grade Reading Challenge. Earlier this year, Comcast challenged fifth grade classes throughout the Santa Maria area to improve their literacy levels by reading the most books in a one-month period. The contest was open to all…
It’s never too early to learn
High quality child care can be found in local neighborhoods, according to members of the Santa Barbara County Child Care Planning Council and First 5 of Santa Barbara County. To share that message with local families, the Child Care Planning Council and First 5 recently launched a website, qualitychildcaresb.org, that lists high quality child-care providers…
Arts Briefs
Vintners’ Festival poster art unveiled Local artist and muralist Angie Hamlin was selected to have her artwork featured for the 2009 Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival. The painting, titled Purisima Road Vineyard, is featured on the annual poster for the event. The Vintners’ Festival takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. on April 18 at…
Twisted metal
Allan Hancock College’s welding shop boasts cold metal tables, concrete floors, intimidating equipment, and scraps of steel. Even a brief visit is enough to reveal: Welding is a dirty job. It’s not a getting-paint-on-your-fingers or getting-clay-on-your-hands kind of dirty, but a blue-collar, middle-class America dirty found in a Bon Jovi or Bruce Springsteen song. Hancock’s…
A story in need of telling
During the Vietnam era, cities across America gave their sons to the war effort. Guadalupe, a small town of only 2,500 citizens in 1970, gave an extraordinary amount for a city of its size. The significance of that contribution changed the town and its residents forever. For decades, Guadalupe’s veterans kept their pain inside, suffering…
Girls bring the pain
Maggie Suarez dances around the ring, bobbing and weaving as she delivers a series of left jabs and right hooks to the firm padding of her coach’s mitts. She wipes the sweat from her brow, takes a sip from a water bottle, and does it all over again. Four days a week, she’s in the…
Garett Passmore
Righetti High School’s very own 6-foot-9 middle hitting senior, Garrett Passmore, has made quite the name for himself. After only two years of being on Righetti’s boy’s volleyball team, he’s been recognized as one of the team’s best players. Passmore (No. 0) first got involved in sports when he was a child. Since he’s always…
Practice diamond skills at a new facility
Baseball and softball players of all ages and skill levels can hone their craft at the Pitchout, a new facility in Santa Maria. Located at 2305 A St. between Betteravia and McCoy, the facility includes indoor batting cages and a live pitching and hitting tunnel. It’s open Monday through Friday from 3 to 8 p.m.,…
Solvang School girls’ basketball is perfect
The Solvang School’s girls’ basketball team wrapped up a perfect 10-0 regular season with a Santa Ynez Valley Championship trophy, defeating Dunn School 30-15 in the tournament final. The girls, many of whom were also a part of the school’s 2009 champion volleyball team, entered tournament play as the No. 1 seed and finished the…
Hancock baseball rolls into spring
The Allan Hancock College men’s baseball team is enjoying its most successful season in a decade as it heads into spring tournament time. The team recently rode a five-game winning streak, including a pair of victories over Western State South Conference leader Cuesta College. As a result, Hancock moved up to No. 13 in Southern…
Goooooooaaaaalllll!
Soccer players from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will take the field for the second annual Cesar Chavez Soccer Cup at Allan Hancock College on April 5. The tournament features 45 adult soccer clubs, with play beginning at 8 a.m. The morning games will be followed by a formal opening ceremony at noon.…
Eureka! We’ve been selected for a re-zone!
It’s hard to find examples of success in the State Housing Mandate program because there are not many. It’s a program that does not work, but rewards bureaucrats and developers. Those who favored or spoke in favor of high density rezoning in recent county meetings were mostly landowners and bureaucrats whose job depended on the…
Wine and the wild west
Before the American West turned notoriously wild, Franciscan padres from Spain set up shop on some of the region’s finest real estate. In addition to building dams and irrigation ditches, they planted vast vegetable gardens, olive groves, and, of course, hundreds of acres of grapevines for making both sacramental and everyday wine. These so-called mission…
Clubs & Meetings
4-H welcomes anyone interested in the group to sign up now. Find a nearby club by contacting the Santa Barbara County 4-H Office at 692-1730 or zmhughes@ucdavis.edu. ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL, INC. of SANTA MARIA, a nonprofit business and professional organization, meets the second Wednesday of each month, 6:30 p.m., in the Altrusa Theatre of the Santa…
Spiritual
BAHA’I interfaith worship services are the second Sunday of each month. Info: 489-4172. Children’s classes are the first Saturday of each month. Info: 937-9451. Study circles about The Life of the Spirit are ongoing in Santa Maria. For questions, dates, and times: 614-0963. Info: 937-9451. BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH holds worship services Sundays with Holy Communion…
Farmers Markets
SANTA MARIA 100 S. Broadway at Main, Wednesdays, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Features local beekeepers’ honey and bee pollen, breads and pastries, plants and flower bouquets, fresh fruits and vegetables. ORCUTT Corner of Clark and Bradley, Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fresh honey, flowers, and eggs, along with fresh fruits and vegetables.…
Barbecues
ONGOING FILIPINO COMMUNITY OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY barbecues Filipino food at the Smart and Final parking lot, N. Broadway on Saturdays and Sundays. Menu items include tri-tip, chicken, beef kabobs, chicken adobo, salad, rice, and bread. Meals cost $6. Info: 922-3422 or 922-3799. FILIPINO CATHOLIC SOCIETY, under the direction of St. Mary’s Church and St.…
Health
SANSUM CLINIC offers a “Diabetes Essentials” class on April 9 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. A “Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Nutrition” class is April 16 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. The clinic is located at 1225 North H St., Lompoc. Info: 737-8700. MARIAN MEDICAL…
Art
THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY presents a demonstration of Ukrainian Easter egg art by local artist Beth Ostapiuk on April 4 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Santa Maria Public Library’s Shepard Hall, Santa Maria. Info: 925-0951, Ext. 117. TRANSITIONS-MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION and the Healing Arts Council of Santa Barbara County are accepting art…
Learning
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL presents Peter Conn speaking about health care reform on April 5 at noon at the Valley of the Flowers United Church of Christ, 3346 Constellation Road, Vandenberg Village. Info: 733-333 or healthcareforall.org. THE WORKFORCE RESOURCE CENTER presents a “Winning at Interviewing for Employers” class on April 7 from 8 a.m. to…
Recreation
THE CITY OF LOMPOC PARKS, RECREATION, AND URBAN FORESTRY DEPARTMENT presents a Photo Album Making Workshop on April 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 to 5 p.m., or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lompoc Valley Community Center, Lompoc. Cost is $10 for four hours, $25 for an all-day session with lunch.…
Kids & Family
THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT, along with People for Leisure and Youth, Inc., host a Family Fun Night titled “Visions for the Sea” on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Community Center, 313 West Tunnell St., Santa Maria. Info: 925-0951, Ext. 268. THE SANTA MARIA TOWN CENTER welcomes all…
Dance Lessons
ONGOING EVERYBODY CAN DANCE offers classes in ballet dance for ages 3 to adult. Call for schedules. Boys and men receive full scholarships. The studio is located at 800 S. Broadway. Info: 937-6753. THE DANCE STUDIO offers dance classes in Santa Maria and Nipomo in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Acrobatics, and Dance Team. Info:…
Stage
PCPA THEATERFEST presents its production of Les Miserables April 9 through May 10 at the Marian Theatre, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. Cost is $33 to $35. Info: pcpa.org. THE ST. JOHN NEUMANN CATHOLIC CHURCH and the Spanish Youth Group “Anawim” present their production of La Via Dolorosa, with part 1 performed on April 9…
Night Life
The following venues offer either regularly scheduled live entertainment or DJ-hosted dance music. Most performances start after 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. IN THE AREA CLUB 805, AKA STINKY’S BAR & GRILL: 2430 South Broadway, 614-9316. DJ Davey D Saturday nights. THE COACHMAN: 1531 S. Broadway, 922-5556. Thursday through Saturday: DJ from 9 p.m. to…
Concerts
THE RIGHETTI HIGH SCHOOL MARIMBA BAND AND BALLET FOLKLORICO present their annual Big Show! April 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ethel Pope Auditorium, 901 S. Broadway, Santa Maria. Info: 937-2051, Ext. 2716 or 2502. THE PACIFIC CHRISTIAN CENTER presents Run Kid Run, Wavorly, and A Current Affair in concert on April 4…
Special Events
SANTA MARIA HARLEY DAVIDSON presents a bike night featuring music, food, and motorcycle events on April 2 at Harley-Davidson, 2022 Preisker Lane, Santa Maria. Info: 928-3668 or santamariaharley.com. THE CENTRAL COAST HOME EDUCATION CONFERENCE is April 4 at Grace Baptist Church, Santa Maria. Info: 938-7858 or srvnghanz@verizon.net. THE CENTRAL COAST GREENHOUSE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION presents its…
