Cover Story
Target practice: How unmanaged recreational shooting affects health and safety in Los Padres National Forest
View a slideshow of target shooting in Los Padres National Forest. Jared Herrera unzipped a gun case and lifted his Saiga semi-automatic from it, smiling. “This is my baby.” He and his buddy Mario Martinez pressed protective plugs into their ears and crouched behind their rifles, aiming toward a hanging metal target on the nearby…
Sweet origins: From lab to supermarket, the strawberries we eat go through an arduous journey of production
View a slideshow from 2016’s Festival. The Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival is a celebration of one of this area’s most abundant fruits, but have you ever wondered how the strawberries we eat at the event or buy from some local stands turn out to be so sweet and perfect? There is a process, and…
Vandenberg protester Dennis Apel sentenced to four months in jail
A Santa Barbara federal judge sentenced Dennis Apel to four months in jail on April 21 for a trespassing conviction he received in August 2015 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Apel was arrested and cited by Vandenberg security after crossing the green line at the entrance to the base during a demonstration protesting the atomic…
Nipomo farmworker housing plan canceled following fire
The Mads Place development in Nipomo will no longer go forward as temporary farmworker housing under the federal H-2A program following a fire that destroyed one of the development’s structures last week. Greg and Donna France, owners of Mar Vista Berry Farms, were purchasing a development of seven three-bedroom homes with the controversial intent to…
Where do you go to shoot on the Central Coast?
Matthew Park Get R Gun Firearms store manager “Personally, I like to shoot at the Santa Maria Gun Club or up at the San Luis Obispo Sportsman’s Association.” Jackson Hooper service manager “I go shooting at a friend’s ranch off of Highway 166, and sometimes over to the San Luis gun range.” David (last name…
Good night, sweet Prince
I was writing a very different column for this week. Outside, on our roof I heard the soothing coo-hoo of a dove. We have quite a few around here on the hill where we live, but this bird’s song was different. My husband noticed it too. “Coo-hoo, coooo-hoo!” It persisted. I finally decided to take…
Bowing out: Chris A. Bowman moves on after 20 years directing the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale and Orchestra
It may have come as a surprise to fans and those involved in the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale and Orchestra, when longtime music director and Maestro Chris A. Bowman announced that he would resign from the position and move on musically, though remain in the area. Bowman began directing the local audition ensemble two…
Community Partners in Caring preparing for fundraiser
The Community Partners in Caring—a local nonprofit that offers volunteer assistance to seniors to help them stay active, independent, and safe in their homes—is preparing for their annual fundraiser dinner and auction event happening May 14 at the Santa Maria Country Club. The event will include a live auction, a fiesta-inspired dinner, and live entertainment.…
Sweet Adelines provide grant to Youth in Harmony
The Sweet Adelines International’s local chapter, the Tri City Sound, awarded a $1,000 grant to the local chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Central Coast Chordsmen, in support of the expenses from the annual Youth in Harmony Festival held last month. Young Women in Harmony coordinator of region 11 for Sweet Adelines International, Janice…
Lompoc Valley Master Chorale takes listeners around the world
The Lompoc Valley Master Chorale, directed by Kathleen Abrams Hacker, will perform a concert titled Around the World in 80 Minutes on May 6 and 7. The program is designed to deliver music from across the globe, including England, France, Germany, Russia, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Russia, Japan, Taiwan, Kenya, and the United States. The two…
Latino Outreach Council holds Cinco De Mayo celebration
The Latino Outreach Council of San Luis Obispo County presents Fiesta Latinas, a colorful and festive event commemorating Mexican Independence from Spain on May 1 in Nipomo. The event will include dinner, dancing, and live entertainment by Mariachis Mexicanisimo during dinner, and DJ Rawger after dinner. The dinner is catered by Field to Table with…
PCPA The Pacific Conservatory Theatre presents a bone-chilling ‘Richard III’
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) begins its current production with the haunting specters of victims already laid waste at the hand of the titular character, Richard III, who allude to the division within the British Monarchical class, the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The two families are signified with roses of differing…
AHC features the work of instructor John Hood at the Ann Foxworthy Gallery
Inspiration is all around us, all the time, if you look for it. Part of Allan Hancock College fine arts instructor John Hood’s teaching method is helping his students recognize that fact, often taking his classes on walks to absorb as much as possible from what’s around them. But taking that same awareness and refracting…
Festival to host free strawberry tastings
Fun fact: Not all strawberries are the same. Strawberry plants actually comprise 103 distinct species and subspecies, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. There’s a lot more to that little red berry than meets the eye, and at the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival, attendees will have the chance to taste the difference…
The Sun Center Stage is the place to be at the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival
The Strawberry Festival is always a flurry of fun for visitors looking for anything from a carnival ride and some funnel cake to mechanical-bull riding and live music. The Santa Maria Fairpark becomes an explosion of colorful attractions and activities, but at the heart of it all is the Center Stage, which is sponsored by…
Political Watch 4/28/16
• On Friday, April 22, Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) attended the eighth Santa Maria Veterans Treatment Court graduation hosted by Judge Kay S. Kuns. The ceremony celebrated the graduates’ completion of a rigorous court-supervised rehabilitation program where participants demonstrate their commitment to a clean-and-sober lifestyle. During the ceremony Capps presented certificates to the graduates.…
Community Notebook 4/28/16 – 5/5/16
MONDAY, MAY 2 • The Solvang Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. TUESDAY, MAY 3 • 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. •…
Spotlight on: Santa Maria Hot Dogs
What do hot dogs and free enterprise have in common? America, where you can have both. And there’s nothing that screams America more than a hot dog stand, which is what Guillermo Chavez and his two brothers, Mauricio and Emidio, have started as a small business. April 25 was the first day of business for…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Social evenings in art galleries are one of my favorite things. Sipping wine and noshing on classy appetizers while surrounded by like-minded people and art—well, it doesn’t get much better than that. Heidi and Robert Gruetzemacher, owners of The Frame Gallery in Orcutt, occasionally host fundraising receptions. These happenings are held on an irregular basis.…
Amid negotiations, public high school teachers in Santa Maria are one step away from striking
Nearly 100 educators from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) gathered on the front lawn of the district headquarters during the late afternoon of April 12, shortly before the district’s board meeting. All of them were from the SMJUHSD Faculty Association, which represents educators from all four of the district’s high schools.…
Santa Barbara County Fire Department stocking up on ballistic vests
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) will purchase ballistic vests and helmets to distribute among engines and ambulances throughout the county, according to Fire Capt. David Zaniboni. “It’s just another piece of equipment we’re adding to our tool chest,” Zaniboni said. “In the country and the world, and even here in Santa Barbara, there’s…
Santa Barbara County to provide eco-friendly disposal of large plastics
Santa Barbara County is giving growers a sustainable way to chuck their pesticide empties: a free, on-the-spot recycling event for agricultural plastic containers. The county has only held the event once before, more than six years ago, and it didn’t see much of a turnout, according to Deputy Agricultural Commissioner Lottie Martin. But she said…
USDA ups standards for organic livestock, poultry
Prefer your Santa Maria-style barbecue with certified organic beef? Well, new rules from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) might make that a little more difficult. The USDA announced on April 7 that it is proposing additional rules to its organic livestock and poultry requirements in an attempt to improve consistency among growers who…
Lompoc will consider a drone ordinance
The city of Lompoc is considering a drone ordinance following a citizen complaint at the April 19 City Council meeting, according to Mayor Bob Lingl. Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that often have cameras attached, used to record footage from a bird’s-eye view. At the meeting, resident Dave Marston accused a neighbor of violating his…
Science students head to state competition
A family trip to the beach resulted in a science fair win for Pioneer Valley High School senior Juan Lara. Lara is one of three students from Santa Maria headed to the state science fair after qualifying with wins at the county level. “I went to the beach with my family. I saw there was…
Jon Johnson
It’s entirely possible that a Nipomo High School boys’ tennis team would not exist if not for Titan senior and No. 1 singles player Jon Johnson. Johnson vouched for a team when it didn’t exist during his freshman and sophomore years. He rallied his friends and collected signatures from interested students. “When I was going…
The Benchwarmer: An argument for equal pay
When I hear other women say, “We have come a long way with women’s rights, we should be grateful,” I don’t quite know whether I want to cheer with them or strangle them. When you put it in perspective, damn straight we have made it a long way with being able to join the workforce,…
Desserts for every mood: Your ideal sugary fix, however you feel
There’s more than one side to every sweet tooth. Think about the different desserts your many moods require: Maybe it’s an 85-degree Wednesday and you feel like this week’s never going to end, so screw it—what sugary treat do you crave? Or perhaps your significant other just dumped you and you feel like caving in…
This city is going to the dogs
As I got my little tail feathers in gear to purchase my tickets to the third annual Pups & Purrs FUNdraiser at Fess Parker Winery in Los Olivos May 21, I marveled at the extent of outreach that the event sponsors, C.A.R.E.4Paws and Old Yeller Ranch Rescue, go through to support animals in need. C.A.R.E4Paws…
Joan Hartmann has what we need in a supervisor
I met Joan Hartmann many years ago through a mutual interest in native plants before their drought tolerance made them fashionable. Since then I have worked with her on the Buellton urban growth boundary and the Buellton visioning process, observed her on the Planning Commission, gone to yoga class with her, and joined her in…
Porter will get it done
I have closely followed the events of the 3rd District supervisor race and have been very impressed with the poise of Bruce Porter. While most of the other candidates have tried to snipe at Bruce again and again, he has refused to attack them. His steadfast focus on the things he will do as supervisor…
We are up to the challenge
I just read the letter online, in the latest issue of the Sun, sent in by Mr. Bill Denneen (“You’ve been warned,” April 21) and as much as I can understand his attitude on overpopulation and the challenges that such is making and will continue to make upon the infrastructures of governments around the world,…
Traffic safety crackdown needed
Recently, in Santa Maria I was stopped at a stoplight in the right-hand lane on Donovan Road with about five cars in front of me when the light changed, and before any of us could move a white car illegally zipped passed us going about 50 or 60 mph on our right side next to…
