Cover Story
Swept away
It started with a simple question: “Where are they now?” But it turns out finding the whereabouts of 11 reported Mexican nationals arrested in a February sweep by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Santa Maria is no small task. This reporter was soon lost in the bureaucratic black hole of the immigration…
What’s your favorite Easter candy?
Troy Reynolds window cleaning business owner “Those Reese’s peanut butter eggs, ’cause I put peanut butter on everything. I just love it.” Walt Greenawald retired engineer “A chocolate caramel.” Dan Ontiveros retired “Cadbury chocolate Easter eggs.” Cesar De Alba YMCA staff “Reese’s for sure, ’cause I love peanut butter.”
What’s on Deck?
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Thursday, April 21 Baseball Spring Tournament @ Righetti HS TBA Men’s Baseball Cypress College @ Allan Hancock College 2:30 p.m. Men’s/Women’s Track Allan Hancock College @ Bakersfield College (WSC Prelims) 1 p.m. Women’s Softball Moorpark College…
Matthew Sauer, Orcutt National Little League
When 12-year-old Matthew Sauer first saw his older brother, Nick, play baseball with his friends a few years ago, his passion and interest in the sport developed. Today, Sauer is the leading pitcher and shortstop for the Giants of the Orcutt National Little League. In 13 games, Sauer has pitched 35 innings, garnering 67 strikeouts…
On the roster
• Tri For Fun Triathlon: April 30 at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA. Join the quarter-mile swim, 12.5- or 17.9-mile bike ride, and 5K run/walk. To register, call the YMCA at 937-8521. • Santa Maria Youth Football: Registration is May 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Westgate Community Room, 1300 Marsala Ave./1800…
Santa Maria High sets racing mark
Santa Maria High’s automotive racing team posted the best finish yet in the history of Saints Motorsports, taking second place at the American Nostalgia Racing Association’s season opener, held April 8 to 10 in Bakersfield. The Saints qualified in the eighth position out of a 20-car field, posting a 7.931 Elapsed Time at 169.4 mph.…
Roller derby team holds fundraisers
The Rocketeer Rollers, a Santa Maria-based roller derby squad, will be holding a series of team fundraisers beginning in May. The first Tuesday of each month will be Rocketeer Night at Me-N-Ed’s Pizza, located at 560 E. Betteravia Road in Santa Maria. Team members will bus and wait tables from 6 to 8 p.m., with…
Walk to fight Huntington’s disease
Team Hope Walk for Huntington’s Disease is hosting its annual walk and disc golf fundraiser for the Central Coast on May 21 at Waller Park in Santa Maria. The nonprofit organization needs sponsors and teams for the event, which consists of a one-mile walk around Waller Park and nine holes of disc golf to raise…
Golf tournament will support Make-A-Wish
The Santa Maria Valley Physical Therapy Group and Cleaner Cans will present their annual Golf for Wishes Tournament at Monarch Dunes Golf Course in Nipomo on May 20. The goal of the tournament is to raise $20,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties, and adopt the wishes of four local children. Wish Child Blake…
The Bleacher Bum Chronicles XIII
Maybe it’s the radiation in our milk supply short-circuiting our indignation switches, or it could just be a chronic case of American Idol-ness, but there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot that gets people riled up these days. Government shutdown? We’re better off without those clowns. Chaos in the Middle East? Wake me up…
Reduce our footprints now
From oil to coal to natural gas and now nuclear power: As one by one the use of these energy sources results in catastrophes, we keep searching for a safe alternative, but even if we champion solar, hydro, wind, ocean waves, wood, and other such renewable energy sources, our insatiable appetite for energy simply can…
Sweet spring
Tis the season when youngsters search grassy fields for hidden eggs—chocolate, hardboiled cackleberries, or plastic ovals filled with candy—and folks exchange baskets brimming with sweets. Spring has sprung, providing the perfect excuse for feasting and expressing gratitude for having survived another winter, regardless of how mild the weather may have been. In Santa Maria, the…
‘The show must go on’
Jane Russell and the Swinging Forties: Those names on the bill were a sure thing to pack the Radisson Hotel’s Vintner’s Lounge with folks looking for music with some swing—until the Hollywood icon’s passing on Feb. 28. Still, Swinging Forties has continued performing music from the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s in the hopes of keeping…
All title, no power
It’s no fun being queen bee. In a household of boys, guess who gets all the fun? To figure this out, you have to remember that despite the royal title, queen bees have a lot of work to do. They sit there and pop out babies the way a grand marshal on a parade float…
Splendid sale at the library
The Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library are sponsoring the Splendid Sale of Superior Books from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 6 and 7, in Shepard Hall at the library. Special items include history titles, art books, collectable sets, children’s books, signed first editions, and framed prints. Leading up to the sale, tickets…
Gifts on display
The art gallery at Gold Coast Art ’n Frames has a variety of art on display for Mother’s Day. Handmade jewelry, silk scarves, small sculptures, decorative trivets, small framed and unframed art, and greeting cards are available. Many of the works are available for less than $20. Visit the gallery at 613 E. Main St.…
Santa Ynez events get grants
The Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association was named a recipient of four grants totaling $15,500 from the newly formed Santa Ynez Valley Hotel Association. The grant money will be used to promote association programs, including “Trails Week” June 4 to 12, featuring trail-based events; “Wine Around the Lake” on June 19, an afternoon of wine…
Full of grace
Two minutes after meeting Melinda Marchiano, three things become obvious: She is crazy cute, she has energy to spare, and yeah, she can kick cancer’s butt. In fact, it’s easy to believe Melinda can do whatever she sets her mind to—or even just half her mind to. Beating cancer was just one item to check…
A little Austen will do you good
It is a truth universally acknowledged that no matter how many adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice exist, there will always be more. If the BBC’s epic standard isn’t to your liking, perhaps you’ll enjoy the Bridget Jones Diary twist on the tale. If you’re looking to avoid Colin Firth altogether, you could rent…
Remembering a true outdoorsman
Marian Medical Center was recently host to a ceremony at its Children’s Center to celebrate both the legacy of Jacob Knight—a pre-school student at the center who lost his life to cancer three years ago—and the completion of the Outdoor Educational Facility. The facility, named “Jacob’s Garden” in dedication, features a creek bed and manual…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Viva la Santa Maria Valley Humane Society! The group held its annual magnifique fundraising dinner, “April in Paris,” on April 9 at the Country Club. It was so c’est si bon. As well as being too much fun, the evening was a musical and visual delight, a montage of glamour and glitz. Jimmy Enos and…
Love your mother
On April 14, students at Pioneer Valley High School spent one of their last lunch periods before a much-anticipated Spring Break celebrating Mother Earth. Associated Student Body President Brooke Martin and ASB member Kennedy Coleman teamed up with teacher Erika Hirsch to host a rally in honor of Earth Day. The goal: to teach their…
Spotlight on: Custom Workouts
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We draw the lines
Keep counties whole. That was the message from an overwhelming number of residents who attended a California Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting on April 13 in San Luis Obispo. The 14-member commission made a stop in SLO County to seek comments from local voters regarding the shape of the area’s political districts. More than two dozen…
The home stretch
More than 30 years after it was proposed to prepare the community for the eventual development of the Nipomo Mesa, the ambitious—and sometimes controversial—Willow Road Extension Project is on its final leg. Construction crews broke ground on the second and final phase of the project in early April, when the Central Coast-based Granite Construction Co.…
County health: Premature death is mostly preventable
More than 28 percent of all deaths in Santa Barbara County in 2008 happened prematurely, and the top reasons for those deaths were largely preventable, according to a report released by the county public health department. The 2011 Community Health Status Report—released April 15—examines the leading causes of illness and death in Santa Barbara County…
Ventura councilman appointed to Coastal Commission seat
After nearly two decades without a local official filling a seat at the powerful California Coastal Commission, Ventura County was shown a little love by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown. Brian Brennan, a three-term councilman and former mayor for the city of Ventura, was announced as Brown’s selection to represent Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis…
Blazes beware: A new Santa Maria fire station is on the way
The city of Santa Maria held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fire Station No. 3 on April 18. The new fire station will replace the current facility at 1527 N. College Drive, which is a converted, more than 70-year-old house. The old station’s crew and equipment will move to the new station to allow…
