Cover Story
Altrusa donates school supplies to local elementary schools
Just in time for the new school year, Altrusa International of the Golden Valley has donated thousands of dollars worth of school supplies, including backpacks, paper, and more, to 15 local elementary schoolsOn Aug. 13—the day before school was set to start in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District—club members dropped off the supplies at all…
The dude returns
Just over a year ago, at Santa Ynez’s Maverick Saloon, movie star/singer Jeff Bridged graced the stage with his band The Abiders and brought the house down. Bridges and the group performed songs from the soundtrack of the film Crazy Heart, which gained Bridges an Oscar for his portrayal of a down-and-out country singer, and…
Bouillabaisse time
Foodies, its time to grab a spoon and get excited: The popular but dormant Bouillabaisse Festival will return to Brander Vineyard this month after a long absence. Six years, in fact. The last Bouillabaisse Festival was held in 2006, and its return gives anyone who loves a good food festival reason to start salivating. Brander…
Athlete of the Week: Kyle Heckman
Picture young Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights as he takes his dad’s car for a cruise at the grocery store while his mother looks on, distraught. “Look Momma—I’m goin’ fast,” screams little Ricky. That’s about the age that local racer Kyle Heckman got behind the wheel of his first car. Heckman, who grew up on…
Get outside!
All weekend long, the trademark San Francisco fog bank rolling in off the sea rarely lifted from Golden Gate Park, but no one was complaining. For the fifth time, the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, a celebration of wine, cuisine, and of course, music, laid down stakes in the Bay Area’s most famous urban…
On the roster
• Joe White Memorial Dinner & Auction: One-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and other unique items will be up for bid to support Allan Hancock College athletics on Aug. 18. The event takes place at the Santa Maria Fairpark Pavilion, 937 S. Thornburg in Santa Maria. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for a social hour and…
Hit the court with a fall basketball league
Boys and girls in fourth grade through varsity level are invited to participate in the Central Coast Basketball League, which is now accepting registrations for its fall league. Games take place Sundays at the Cuesta College main gym from Aug. 26 to Oct. 28, with several games to be played in Santa Maria for South…
It’s an evening of boxing at Minami!
The Police Activities League (P.A.L.), the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, and P.L.A.Y., Inc. are combining forces to put on an amateur boxing show in Santa Maria on Sept. 8. Doors open at the Minami Community Center at 6 p.m., with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. The show is sanctioned by USA…
A Feat on Foot
Cooper Barrick, 20, traveled to Europe this summer to raise money and awareness for his autistic brother, Cameron, and the Special Olympics by embarking on a journey through Spain. He used the most ancient mode of transport known to man: his two legs. Starting from the French Pyrenees, a mountain range between Spain and France,…
What’s your favorite local business and why?
Kim Celles student/Allan Hancock College employee “Cafe Noir because it’s intimate, relaxing, and a good place to study.” Penelope Toogood cookie Cuttery “Taco Roco because they have good tacos.” Andres Lopez manager at Verizon “Macy’s because they have all the brands that I like and always have good deals.” Fatima Espinosa Macy’s employee “Verizon Wireless…
The Economics of Being a Woman comes to SLO
Women who want a better understanding of their personal finances and managing their money through investments and financial planning can attend The Economics of Being a Woman, a workshop series starting Sept. 10 San Luis Obispo. Led by Andrea Wasko, the four-class series will include topics such as an examination of women’s attitudes toward money,…
Support the Discovery Museum at a la carte
For the third year in a row, à la carte Fine Home Accessories in Santa Maria is donating 10 percent of the proceeds from its 15th anniversary sale to the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum. Members of the Discovery Museum can show their current museum membership card and also pay no sales tax! Shoppers are…
License to drive
When my kids were babies, I couldn’t wait for the day when they would wake up and be able to wipe their own asses. I love being a dad, but time has shown that I’m more of a “let’s go build a go-kart” kind of a dad versus a “let’s play peek-a-boo and then check…
Adopt a furry friend
Cats and kittens have taken over shelters in Santa Barbara County. With “kitten season” still in full swing, Santa Barbara County Animal Services is partnering with the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) and the Santa Barbara Animal Care Foundation to find homes for the felines. On Aug. 18 and 19, Animal Services, ASAP, and the…
Bad blood
It looked like a done deal. Plans for a visitor center, Chumash village, and amphitheater at the Rancho Nipomo Dana Adobe looked to be in its final stages, with SLO County supervisors set to decide on two key permitting steps on Aug. 7. However, that very same day, the Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos (DANA) board…
Truancy crackdown
Leaders from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, county officials, and local school districts recently announced their new partnership in the battle against truancy. In October 2011, a Santa Barbara County Grand Jury issued a report Where is the Truancy Program in Santa Barbara County? The report recommended that the county, the DA’s office,…
Spotlight On: Garey Grocery and Deli
On the outskirts of the Santa Maria lies the rural town of Garey. Small and quaint, the town’s population stands at just 68 people. Toward the center of town is the Garey Grocery and Deli. What once might have been a house is now a bustling deli for the farm town. Hanging above the patio…
Correction
In the Aug. 9 issue of the Sun, the phone number for Uptown Attic in Orcutt was printed incorrectly. The correct number is 459-1440. News Briefs is compiled by Sun writers from staff reporting and local and national media. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
SLO supes on seismic testing: Do it right
Driven by concerns expressed by one of their own, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors recently voted to show its support for long-awaited seismic studies to be conducted by Pacific Gas & Electric. But that support comes with conditions. County supervisors voted unanimously to send a letter to the State Lands Commission ahead…
Governor Brown appoints McGregor to judgeship
On Aug. 9, California Gov. Jerry Brown announced the appointment of John McGregor to a judgeship in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court System, replacing the retiring Judge James W. Brown. The 58-year-old McGregor is a resident of Arroyo Grande and has served the previous eight years as a Santa Barbara County court commissioner in…
Alleged victim sues Covarrubias’ estate and the city of Santa Maria in federal court
A former Santa Maria police explorer filed a lawsuit in federal court on Aug. 7, alleging deceased police officer Albert Covarrubias Jr. raped and threatened her on multiple occasions over the course of a month. The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, is suing the Covarrubias estate, the city of Santa Maria,…
Food for thought
California isn’t the only place looking out for the welfare of ducks and geese. The Compass Group, a British company that caters events such as Wimbledon, has decided it will no longer serve foie gras due to ethical concerns. It’s an important reminder that California’s foie gras ban was the right thing to do, even…
Dystiny Myers defendant to flip
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed documents that indicate at least one defendant plans to testify for the prosecution in the high-profile kidnapping and murder case of slain Santa Maria 15-year-old Dystiny Myers. Jason Adam Greenwell, 21; Frank Jacob York, 19; and Rhonda Maye Wisto, 47, of Nipomo; Ty Michael Hill, 28,…
Three-alarm dinner
One of the tastiest meals I’ve enjoyed in a long time wasn’t prepared in a state-of-the-art restaurant kitchen by a culinary academy-educated chef. It was made by some of Santa Maria’s bravest: three hard-working firefighters, in between multiple emergency calls, using unconventional tools in their firehouse kitchen, with no recipe cards or cookbooks in sight.…
DANA disagreement
The Dana Adobe in Nipomo is a Chumash Indian cultural center and museum with local historical significance. The Chumash were part of the land and worked in harmony with the wealthy trading Dana family. Today, school tours and ongoing activities are offered through docents for this nonprofit organization. Recently, the Dana Adobe qualified for a…
‘Obama Care’ isn’t the answer
I can understand and sympathize with the frustration of Maeva Considine and her HMO experience (“Damn you to health,” July 19). Having spent much time under a system too similar to the coming “Obama Care,” I am certain that under “Obama Care” (OBC) the results will be even more frustrating and result in a reduced…
We can end hunger
We appreciated the opportunity to be involved in the recent piece in the Sun, “The 99 percent.” Sustainability and localization of our food are important issues. However, the piece might have given the impression that the Foodbank was changing its core mission of providing food to emergency assistance agencies and individuals who are hungry. This…
