Cover Story
To fur is human?
Ever since the term “furry” was born sometime during the 1980s, media outlets have made a sport of poaching it for their own uses. Consult the likes of MTV, Vanity Fair, or Wired, and you’ll get a description of a kinky subculture in which socially awkward, computer-interested humans—who, for whatever reason, missed the sci-fi/anime bus—join…
Wilding Art Museum moves to new building
The Wildling Art Museum will get some much needed elbow room. It’s moving in January from the historic Keenan-Hartley House behind Mattei’s Tavern, which has been its home for the past eight years, to a new building in Los Olivos next to Corner House Coffee, at 2928 San Marcos Ave. Museum representatives said…
Last-minute gifts for wine lovers
You’ve bought toys for the kids, sweaters for the in-laws, and shiny cans of car wax for the man who has everything. If you’re still in the dark about what to get for wine-loving friends and relatives this holiday season, consider these timely ideas and vintage delights. Those who are new to the wine world…
Local softball group is looking for more Stars
The California Stars Coast Girls Fast Pitch Softball Association is holding tryouts on Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Louis de Montfort’s softball field at 5075 Harp Road in Santa Maria. Tryouts are for the 12-and-under and 14-and-under teams. All interested players who would like to compete against travel teams from…
Lights were quite a sight in Santa Maria and Orcutt
The city of Santa Maria recently announced its 2008 winners for the annual Lights, Sights, and Holiday Nights contest. Grand prize winners were divided into several groups, including a Best Residence for each quadrant of the city. The North West winner is at 207 Sycamore St.; the North East winner is at 1749 Vine St.;…
It’s not easy, fighting domestic violence
“Domestic violence increases during the holidays.” So says Beverly Engel, executive director of Domestic Violence Solutions. People tend to drink more, and alcohol fuels tempers. Abused women also tend to stay with their partners through Christmas for the sake of their children. Then, in January, “we’re just inundated with calls,” Engel said. So in…
Cheer is in the air
The only thing worse than getting a Chia Pet or a fruitcake for a holiday gift is trying to get into the seasonal spirit during a recession. And boy, do we have one big Chia fruitcake of a Christmas present this year. My British husband and I are raising a 7-year-old grandson, whom we recently…
Athlete of the Week
Righetti senior Servando Perez has been playing soccer for the last eight years. He’s loved every minute of it, and it shows. He was blocking goals a few feet away during practice while Coach John Pranjic related what an exceptional player and all-around good guy he is. “He’s probably the happiest kid out there,” the…
If you could be any animal, what would it be?
Jack Whelan maintenance tech “Koala bear. Because of how rare they are.” Jeffrey Mora cook “Kangaroo. Because they’re from Australia and my favorite airline is from Australia.” Mary Glynn secretary “Wild mustang. Because they have freedom.” Gerald Walker fitness trainer “Chameleon. They change a lot of colors; they can blend in or change.”
CLUBS
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
ONGOING ARTHRITIS FDN. is a low impact, sit-in-chair exercise program held every Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Valentine St. Community Room, 280 E. New Love St. Info: 346-1981. SYCAMORE MINERAL SPRINGS HEALING ARTS INSTITUTE offers a range of classes including yoga and meditation, alternative and herbal medicine, aroma and color therapy, compassionate…
ART
DAVID RYAN GALLERY closes its doors at the end of December, and celebrates its seven years of offering fine art from all over the globe with most items 30 to 50 percent off. The gallery is located at 205 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. Info: 937-1058 or davidryangallery.com. MARILYN DOVER BENSON exhibits her paintings through December…
LEARNING
ONGOING EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS for inventors, entrepreneurs, new product developers, and creative individuals that feature expert speakers and resources meet every first Wednesday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. for the public at the eastside branch of the Santa Barbara Public Library, 1100 E. Montecito St. Info: 879-1729. SMALL BUSINESS START-UP WORKSHOP features successful…
RECREATION
THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR BALANCE AND HEALING offers free energy balancing sessions on Dec. 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Coast Yoga, 900 East Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande. Info: wnedy@globalalliance.ws. ONGOING A MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BEACH FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE with four-on-four teams, no contact, is every Sunday at the beach in front…
KIDS & FAMILY
THE NIPOMO SWAPMEET offers free “Santa Swapmeet Bucks” for kids through Dec. 21 on Sundays at noon at the Swapmeet, 263 N Frontage Road, Nipomo. Cost is $3. Info: 929-7000. THE SANTA MARA RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT offers a Winter Break Day Camp Program for kids who have passed kindergarten in weekly sessions Dec. 22…
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 Irving Berlin’s White Christmas through Dec. 21 in the Marian Theatre, Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College Dr., Santa Maria. Cost is $16.75 to $28.25. Info: 922-8313 or pcpa.org. MISSION IMPROVABLE holds a free comedy show, featuring improvised comedy by the community theater group on Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. at the…
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 SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY presents Craig Newton and his Holiday Songfest Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. at the library, 421 S McClelland St., Santa Maria. Reservation tickets required, free. Info: 925-0994 or 925-4354. WORTH THE DRIVE THE CHUMASH CASINO AND RESORT presents pop saxophone king Dave Koz in concert on Dec. 18 at 8…
SPECIAL EVENTS
THE LOMPOC VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY presents a Victorian Christmas event at the historic Fabing-McKay-Spanne House Dec. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the house in Lompoc. Info: lompochistory.org or 735-4626. RIVERBENCH WINERY features wine and Christmas cookie pairings Dec. 20 through 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the winery, 6020 Foxen Canyon…
The Sun takes you sailing!
Let’s get one thing clear right off the bat: Sailing is a sport. No, it’s not like rugby, say, or competitive foosball. But still. The Olympics and America’s Cup all say it’s a sport. You wouldn’t want to make the America’s Cup angry, would you? Our sport even comes with a rulebook. Chapman Piloting and…
Hobnobbing with Helen
It’s easy to love the little town of Guadalupe, and even easier to be totally enamored of the Dunes Center on its main street, also known as Highway 1. Situated in a lovingly restored, cozy, Craftsman-style cottage with a fireplace, the Dunes Center is dedicated to preserving the local ecosystem and educating the public…
Community Corner
The Central Coast Rescue Mission in Santa Maria will be hosting its holiday dinner and giving away toys for children in need as part of the Tubs of Love drive on Dec. 18. The dinner and toy giveaway will take place at the Veterans Memorial building at 313 W. Tunnel. Joyce Nix, who’s been with…
Shepard Hall Gallery seeks artists
The Santa Maria Public Library Shepard Hall Gallery is calling for artists to submit work for consideration for monthly exhibitions. Work will be juried, and selected artists will exhibit for one month at a time. An application and guidelines are available at the city’s website at ci.santa-maria.ca.us. The deadline for submission is Jan. 16 at…
Get your jiu jitsu at a new location
Paragon MMA and Fitness Academy (formerly West Coast Martial Arts) recently moved into its new home: a 7,300 square-foot facility at 4869 Bradley Road in Orcutt. The academy offers Brazilian jiu jitsu, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and conditioning classes, as well as a full cardio and weight area for adult members. Kids ages 3 to…
Local economic ventures will launch soon
On Dec. 16, Women’s Economic Ventures graduated a class of 82 Santa Barbara County residents, 17 of whom celebrated at a ceremony in Santa Maria. The class members were fresh from 14 weeks of lessons in finance, leadership skills, marketing, and more, courtesy of the organization’s Self-Employment Training program. The graduates are now poised to…
The Trujillo legacy
Leo Trujillo is leaving the Santa Maria City Council this month, and one of his greatest legacies to the people of Santa Maria will be toilets. “I was instrumental in making sure we had permanent restrooms installed in all the city’s parks,” Trujillo said during an interview with the Sun. “We planned to do about…
Political Watch
• On Dec. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation co-authored by U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) and U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.). The Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act (SAFER) allows for the short-term continued analog broadcast of essential information after the Feb. 18, 2009, nationwide transition to digital…
Santa Maria-Bonita superintendent set to retire
On Dec. 19, David Francis will have his last working day as superintendent of the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, though he’ll retire officially on Dec. 31. He will be succeeded by Assistant Superintendent Phillip Alvarado. Francis started as the superintendent of the district in July 1999. Before coming to the district, he spent seven years…
Set in stone
People don’t see religious miracles every day, but in everyday life, small miracles happen all the time. When Anders Johnson—a Santa Barbara man of no religious persuasion—was inspired to build a tribute to the Virgin of Guadalupe in the city of Guadalupe, it may not have been a Vatican-classified miracle, but it was a blessing…
Don’t kill a tree this season
Christmas. ’Tis the season, so they say. Many folks begin their celebrations by killing a beautiful five- to 10-year-old tree and propping up the corpse in their living room to watch it shrivel and dry. Oh, what fun, and fa la la la. Macabre? Indeed. “What a beautiful tree,” friends say. “Yep, I cut it…
Invalidate all civil marriages?
My friend Ginger is 72 years old. Ginger suffered from back pain for quite some time and doctors recently found tumors in her spine. We all were concerned it was a recurrence of her previous cancer. While undergoing tests, Ginger reflected on her life. She shared that the one thing she always wanted but never…
Go ahead: Eliminate cement from your life
Regarding the “evil of cement” letter (“Cement is threatening life on Earth,” Dec. 4): People who espouse views can gain credibility by living those views. They tend to lose it when they want others to live as they direct but will not share in the same lifestyle. May I suggest that the writer do the…
Get it straight: Take a history class
What is Norman Mehl talking about in his recent letter to the Sun (“History and another point of view,” Dec. 11)? First, he rants that teaching is a “repetitive” profession. Does he mean all teaching, or just the teaching that goes on at Berkeley? Teaching, like all professions, has its repetition, but mostly, if done…
Want to serve on the Santa Maria City Block Grants Committee?
The city of Santa Maria is seeking a representative to serve on the Block Grants Advisory Committee to fill an unexpired term ending in July 2009. Applications are being accepted until Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. Members of the Block Grants Advisory Committee assess the community’s needs, conduct public workshops and hearings, review applications for…
Santa Maria Police Department continues to crack down on DUI offenders, unlicensed drivers
On Dec. 14, the Santa Maria Police Department’s Traffic Bureau conducted a DUI and driver’s license saturation patrol from noon to 10 p.m. in the Santa Maria area. A total of eight motor officers and 20 police officers joined the citywide effort. The officers made 327 traffic stops and issued 172 moving violation citations, conducted…
Wind farms, graffiti are hot topics for Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors
On Dec. 16, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0, with 4th District Supervisor Joni Gray abstaining, to move the hearing for two appeals against the Lompoc Energy Project to February 2009. The project proposes building 65 turbines, each approximately 260 feet high (nearly 400 feet, counting rotors), on land five miles south…
Give the gift of preparedness with the Red Cross
This year, frazzled shoppers searching for the “perfect” gift need look no farther than their local chapter of the American Red Cross. Chapter offices in both north and south Santa Barbara County are currently selling a variety of inexpensive First Aid and Emergency Preparedness Kits and other items good to have on hand during emergency…
