Cover Story
Cycle of uncertainty: ICE worksite inspections in the Santa Maria Valley disrupt farmers and laborers and put a fragile economy at risk
It was after 5 p.m., a time for dinner and recreation. Families began their evening routines, and somewhere nearby, someone could be heard practicing a tuba. On the west side of Santa Maria, Amale and Jose, two Latino undocumented migrant farm laborers, have finished work for the day and just arrived home to their apartment.…
What do you think of Santa Maria’s new Downtown Fridays farmers’ market?
Jhunuen Carlotti Allan Hancock College student “After everything that’s been going on with gangs in Santa Maria, they’re getting the community together in a peaceful place to support local businesses.” Ernesto Lopez Allan Hancock College student “I think it’s great. It’s kind of like SLO. It’ll attract people.” Carlos Garcia Allan Hancock College student “I…
Political Watch 4/21/16
• Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) was awarded the Environmental Hero Award from the Community Environmental Council on April 16 at Alameda Park, for her commitment to advancing legislation to protect the environment and limit the adverse effects of climate change. “It’s truly an honor to be recognized by my friends and neighbors with the Environmental…
Community Notebook 4/21/16 – 4/28/16
MONDAY, APRIL 25 • The has its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Nipomo Community Services District Headquarters, 148 S. Wilson St., Nipomo. • The has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. agendas are available at cityofsolvang.com. TUESDAY, APRIL 26 • The has its regular meeting…
Orcutt’s Old Town 4-H holds general meeting
On March 15, Old Town 4-H held its general meeting. Old Town 4-H is a local club based in Orcutt with approximately 80 members. The meeting began with an ice cream social fundraiser. Members enjoyed their sundaes while the officers talked about upcoming events, and the beef project gave a presentation, according to Jacqui Huebner,…
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District members honored
Four Santa Maria Joint Union High School District team members have been recognized as 2016 Classified School Employees of the Year. Recently retired bus driver Virginia Villa, grounds maintenance worker Richard McKinley, Delta High School career technician Jamie Ellis, and Righetti High School instructional aide Alma Cervantez were honored and given special plaques by the…
May Faire to take place in Los Olivos
St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church Preschool will host its May Faire from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the campus at 2901 Nojoqui Ave., at the corner of Alamo Pintado Avenue in Los Olivos. The event celebrates the spring season with fun for the entire family; with all proceeds benefiting the preschool scholarship…
Pioneer Valley student achievement recognized
Four Pioneer Valley High School students are now part of the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) after scoring within the top 2.5 percent of all Hispanic and Latino PSAT test takers in the Western Region. The recognition allows 11th graders Erik Ruiz, Joseph Soria, Daniel Segura, and Analiese Ramirez to highlight their outstanding accomplishments to…
Spotlight on: Talley Farms Fresh Harvest
Talley Farms is known for shipping wholesale crops across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Particularly bell peppers, of which the company can expect to ship up to 12,000 boxes per day at peak season, according to Andrea Chavez, manager of Talley Farm’s Fresh Harvest program. But did you know they also sell directly to…
Lompoc residents question council member at transparency forum
A small crowd gathered in the Grossman Gallery at the Lompoc Public Library, where Lompoc City Councilmember Jim Mosby—donning a cowboy hat, jeans, boots, and a button-down over a T-shirt—stood at the front of the room. Before him, binders and stacks of government documents spread over a fold-out table. Mosby was about halfway through his…
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District approves student voter registration proposal
On April 12, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District unanimously approved a proposal that makes the voter registration process easier for high school seniors. According to AB 30, a bill passed in 2009, 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote as long as they turn 18 before the next election. Under the new proposal, teachers…
SLO Coastkeeper drops water quality lawsuit against Santa Maria
On April 14, nonprofit San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper dropped its lawsuit against Santa Maria challenging the city’s management of storm-water drainage from its landfill. SLO Coastkeeper sued Santa Maria in federal court on Nov. 4, 2015, alleging the city’s discharge permit wasn’t adequate to prevent rainwater from carrying pollution from the landfill into nearby streams. …
Lawsuit alleges police illegally entered the home of a Lompoc woman
A woman in Lompoc is suing the Lompoc Police Department (LPD) after she said officers entered her home illegally, according to a lawsuit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court on April 8. The lawsuit, which was filed in Santa Maria’s Cook Division, stems from an incident on April 9, 2014, when Jari Blake said…
Orcutt Union School District hikes teacher salaries, ending negotiations
Never say never—that’s what we’ve learned from the salary negotiations between Orcutt Union School District and the Orcutt Educators’ Association (OEA). After months of discussion, a seeming stalemate, and intervention from a state mediator, the district and OEA finally reached an agreement on April 13: The district will grant its faculty a 6 percent pay…
Santa Maria-Bonita School District hires superintendent
Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) announced its selection of Luke Ontiveros as new superintendent on April 13, following a months-long search to fill the position. SMBSD Board President John Hollinshead told the Sun the board was most impressed with Ontiveros’ collaborative leadership style, which makes him receptive to suggestions from other administration and staff. “That’s…
The most wonderful time of the year
I love a sense of the incongruent. Irony. Those situations that make you laugh at the absurdity. For instance I chuckled when I got a press release from Santa Barbara County Association of Governments announcing an April 21 unmet transit needs meeting that would give people a chance to suggest new bus routes or service…
You’ve been warned
Santa Maria had more teen pregnancies than any city in America when I moved here in 1960. I taught contraception in my biology classes at high school and Hancock College. I started Planned Parenthood, which was very small and controversial at first. Now it’s is a very busy place with about 25 excellent employees. I…
Porter has community passion
I support Bruce Porter for county supervisor for our county’s 3rd District. I’ve worked with Bruce over the years in a number of nonprofits, to include the Red Cross and Rotary. He has an amazing passion for our community and its citizens, and has dedicated countless hours in volunteer time to work hard for the…
The experience that matters
Having known Joan Hartmann for the past six years, it’s obvious why Supervisor [Doreen] Farr selected Joan four years ago to serve on our county’s Planning Commission. In 2008 Joan provided the leadership for the Measure E campaign to amend Buellton’s general plan. Buellton voters now enjoy final say in any developments that would expand…
A poet in your pocket
The written exchange between John Adams and his wife, Abigail, are true treasures of American history. But the native New Englander, away from home for months at a time in Philadelphia and Washington trying to preserve a young republic for future generations, also wrote at length to his oldest son, John Quincy, who himself would…
The California Classic
I like to consider myself quite the gentleman adventurer. The name “gentleman adventurer” sounds like a very prestigious title; however it’s completely self-subscribed and thus has no real legitimacy. I’m a gentleman adventurer merely because I say that I am and because occasionally I do stupid stuff. Simple as that. Recently I decided to do…
PCPA’s Andy Philpot explores the villainous character of Shakespeare’s Richard III
Listen to the full interview with Andrew Philpot. In the beginning of William Shakespeare’s Richard III, the titular character opens the story with one of the bard’s most famous soliloquies, which starts with the line “Now is the winter of our discontent.” Addressing the audience directly, the character goes on to explain his physical infirmity—the…
Cafe Musique celebrates new album, ‘Ebb and Flow,’ with a concert in Santa Maria
Watch the music video for ‘Libertango’ off of Café Musique’s new album. The Central Coast’s favorite bohemian string band is at it again, releasing a new album and celebrating with an upcoming CD release show in Santa Maria. Café Musique has one new member since the ensemble’s last album, and the fiery spirit and technical…
Celebrate Earth Day with poetry at Sedgwick Reserve
The Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society and the Sedgwick Reserve invite the public to a poetry reading in recognition of Earth Day featuring Paul Willis, former poet laureate of Santa Barbara. The free event happens April 23 at 7 p.m. at the Tipton Meeting House on the reserve. The reserve gates open at 5…
Lompoc Valley Arts Council presents talk on self-publishing at quarterly meeting
The Lompoc Valley Arts Council holds its quarterly meeting, which always includes a talk by an artist, on April 21. The council’s board meeting begins at 6 p.m. with a social break at 6:45 p.m., followed by a talk by author Michael Sewall. Sewall will present the talk Getting Your Words Into Print, which touches…
PCPA seeks young performer for ‘Shrek The Musical’
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) will hold auditions for two roles in the upcoming production of Shrek The Musical for boys and girls who are 10 years old. The characters of Young Fiona and Young Shrek each require a young actor who is comfortable singing by themselves in front of a large audience. Auditions for…
Gale McNeeley explores the creative spirit with one-man show ‘Archy and Mehitabel’
Watch an excerpt from Gale McNeeley’s one-man show celebrating 100 years of ‘Archy and Mehitabel.’ Gale McNeeley has never been an actor who revels in the mainstream. He left a promising career on Broadway to go to clown school, favoring a direct connection with an audience over the spectacle of other theatric forms. McNeeley has…
Al Pho in Santa Maria gets you your Vietnamese fix
I’m going to kick off this review with full disclosure. When I stepped through Al Pho’s doors on a Thursday evening, I was in tears. It had taken me three attempts to get into their parking lot—each of which drew angry honks and rude hand gestures from surrounding drivers—because the “driveway” into the complex Al…
Maxine Lopez
Ernie Garcia, head softball coach at Pioneer Valley High School, said that there’s one player on his team who, after every game, without fail, garners unsolicited praise from attendees. “Anybody who comes to watch our games always comments on our second baseman,” Garcia said. “They don’t even know who she is, but they notice her.…
Ready for championships: Chock-full of talent, St. Joseph’s track and field team is peaking at the right time
Track and field is a sport of inches and milliseconds. Just ask St. Joseph High School senior shot putter Kaitlyn Jarret, who slings a 9-pound iron ball (called the “shot”) 37 feet—a distance good for first place at the Russell Cup on April 16 and second place at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational on April 8.…
