Cover Story
‘Nobody will sit with me’
Ed. note: Freelancer John McReynolds took a couple-year hiatus from Sun projects to work on an independent book: Vanished: Lompoc’s Japanese. He explored what happened locally in the days after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the anniversary of which was just a few days ago. The following story is an excerpt from his book. Copies…
Political Watch – 12.09
• Feel compelled to serve the city of Santa Maria? Local officials are now seeking representatives for several boards and committees. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Dec. 30: • The All-America City Committee: Two at-large and one youth/education appointments will be made for two-year terms. This committee works to enhance the civic…
What Christmas song do you think is overplayed?
Brianna Sheehy student “‘The Christmas Song.’ It’s personally my favorite, but there are so many versions—country, jazz, and classical. Alex Kelly CNA “‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,’ the Michael Jackson one. I hear it all the time in Wal-Mart.” Ashley Hylton photographer “‘Santa Baby.’ It’s even on right now.” Brittany Wright receptionist “‘Jingle Bells.’…
Community Notebook – 12.09
MONDAY, DEC. 13 • The Santa Maria City Block Grants Advisory Committee has its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room, 110 E. Cook St., Santa Maria. TUESDAY, DEC. 14 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Betteravia Government Center’s…
CALMing effect
Child Abuse Listening and Mediation (CALM)—a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization dedicated to putting an end to child abuse—has opened its doors to the North County community. Thanks mainly to a grant from the county’s Department of Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services, the organization will be offering counseling and preventative treatment to local families affected…
Chemical warfare
After years of debate and strong opposition from scientists and environmental groups, the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) gave final approval on Dec. 1 to using the pesticide methyl iodide on California’s strawberry crops. Methyl iodide, also known as iodomethane, is listed by the state as a carcinogen under Proposition 65. It’s a fumigant…
Donate a warming guide
With Old Man Winter already lurking about Santa Maria, and the economy still in a bad place, there are more people in need of basic supplies these days. That’s where RaboBank and the Santa Maria Noontime Kiwanis chapter come in. They’re holding their 13th annual December Coat Drive, but they can’t help those in need…
Christmas marches in Old Orcutt
The Old Town Orcutt Christmas parade will start at noon on Dec. 11 in downtown. Enjoy discounts with local merchants, business tours, drinks, and free desserts at various locations after the parade. Old Town Market will have a Toys for Tots box outside to collect unwrapped gifts, and Marines will be on hand to collect…
Regulators reject Smart Meter moratorium
California utility regulators won’t block Pacific Gas & Electric from completing installations of its controversial Smart Meters, despite questions about long-term health effects. On Dec. 2, the California Public Utilities Commission rejected a request by a safety watchdog group to postpone PG&E’s installation of the new digital meters until further studies on potential health impacts…
Lujan takes stand in his defense
The Lompoc man charged with the murder of his former girlfriend’s 4-year old son spent an entire day testifying in his own defense. James Lujan, 30, of Lompoc, spent Dec. 1 fielding questions from defense attorney David Bixby. The prosecution was able to cross-examine him for roughly 30 minutes before trial convened for the day.…
Michael Wilson’s sentencing gets postponed
Victims of sour business deals orchestrated by Orcutt businessman Michael Lee Wilson will have to wait another week to have their day in court. Wilson, who pleaded guilty to nearly 60 felony counts of grand theft, was set to receive his sentence on Dec. 3. The hearing, however, was delayed because of a family emergency…
Psst … a secretive spacecraft lands at Vandenberg!
After seven months in Earth’s orbit, the U.S. Air Force’s first unmanned reusable spacecraft, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, landed amid a shroud of secrecy at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Dec. 3. The landing, overseen by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office and performed remotely by an astronaut pilot, happened at 1:16 a.m. and…
Lambert releases fourth album
Santa Maria musician Chris Lambert is set to release his latest album, called Phoebe, on CD and vinyl, as well as a name-your-own price digital version. As a supplement, listeners will also be able to download an entire stripped-down acoustic recording of the album, titled Phoebe, Naked. The album is Lambert’s fourth self-released album and…
Raffle for a quilt
Lompoc Museum is holding a quilt raffle to raise money to support the museum store’s Pine Hall Fund. The quilt is handmade, inspired by the 1909 Burpee Seed Catalog. The cover was used in the 2009 Lompoc Museum exhibit poster honoring the 100th anniversary of the sweet pea coming to Lompoc. The drawing will be…
The reveal
Betteravia Gallery’s “I Can See Your Tag: Portraits!” exhibition explores emotional revelations, and the result is both an inner and outer view of various individuals. Curated by Connie Rohde, director of C Gallery in Los Alamos, the show’s theme plays with the notion that clothing may disclose something about the wearer, but so may body…
Growing art
Francis Michael Dawson was a little late to the game when he heard about the deadline for submitting his work to the Jardin de las Granadas exhibition space in Santa Barbara. But Dawson’s a bit of a spontaneous type, so with a deadline two days away, he went to the exhibit space and sat and…
Dishwasher woes
It was a dark time at my house recently. Our dishwasher committed suicide, choosing death over the thought of having to try to wash another dish my wife refused to rinse before jamming it into its belly. After some time fighting over who was going to hand wash the dishes every night, we finally had…
Healthy Holidays from Lassens
Celebrating nearly 40 years in business, Lassens Natural Foods and Vitamins is showing appreciation for its customers with a holiday fair at its Santa Maria location on Dec. 11. Lassens is inviting the public—frequent customer or not—to come for a day of free gift basket giveaways, raffles every hour on the hour, taste tests, and…
County fair announces exhibitor deadlines
The 2011 Santa Barbara County Fair is still months away, but the deadline to register as an independent livestock exhibitor is coming up on Jan. 31, 2011. Independent exhibitors include those not affiliated with the 4-H Club, Future Farmers of America (FFA), or the Grange Club. Exhibitors must be at least 9 years old, but…
Enjoy a brighter shopping season at the mall
Coinciding with the busiest shopping time of the year, Santa Maria Electric, Inc. is installing brighter and whiter lighting at the Town Center mall’s city-owned parking structures, replacing the amber-colored sodium lights used previously. The contractor replaced lighting on the lower level of Parking Structure A with induction lights, resulting in better visibility for shoppers…
They’re Big Bear bound
Pacific Christian Center’s Fourth Quarter Student Ministries is asking for donations to help send some of the school’s sixth- through 12th-graders on the Big Bear Lake Snow Camp the weekend of Dec. 31. The 80 or so students can apply for a partial scholarship toward the $145 event fee. Student Ministries is also providing dessert…
Robot Titans set their eyes on Orlando
The Nipomo High School Titan Robotics Club kicked some shiny metal butt on Nov. 13 at the High Desert VEX Tournament in Hesperia, Calif. The club’s Robot 563 went 3-2 in the qualifying matches, and then 2-1 in its quarterfinal match, but lost 1-2 in the semi-final match. Robot 563B finished its qualifying rounds 4-1…
Camille Zumbro
Scoring 20 points would be a good night for any basketball player, and scoring 30 points would be a career night for most players, but for Camille Zumbro, it’s merely ordinary. The freshman phenom is the leading scorer for the Allan Hancock Lady Bulldogs, and she’s scored at least 20 points in nearly all her…
Santa Maria Westside seeks coaches
Want to get involved in Santa Maria’s Little League? Westside Little League is currently accepting applications for managers and coaches in all divisions for the 2011 season. For more information, call Robert Ruiz at 896-0867 or e-mail the league at Eteamz.com/SantaMariaWestside
Shoot for arena soccer
The Santa Maria Valley YMCA is registering youth and adults for arena soccer, a fast-paced, non-stop version of the sport designed for fun and fitness. Men’s, women’s, youth, and co-ed leagues are available, and teams play an eight-week season with playoffs during the ninth week of play. Registration for adults ends Jan. 14, 2011, and…
Tasty tidings
At this time of year, even die-hard humbuggers find it impossible to resist the tempting aromas drifting from kitchens up and down the Central Coast. Regardless of race, creed, or constitution, hunger strikes and tastebuds tingle at the mere thought of the delectable dishes connected with this festive season. There’s something about the heart of…
Getting back on track?
Nick Firestone calls the Santa Maria Karting Association’s racetrack at the Santa Maria Public Airport “the Fenway Park of karting.” He should know a good track when he sees one. Firestone has raced on some of the most famous go-karting tracks in the world—Long Beach, Silverstone, Barcelona, Monaco—and has 10 major wins, including the one…
More people than me are worried about the gorilla
Those obviously conservative readers who took offense to my Nov. 18 commentary concerning the 500-pound gorilla (the budget of the defense department) obviously missed something. In the article, I cited a quote from Donald Rumsfeld—you know, the Secretary of Defense in the Bush Administration—who in essence said the Pentagon and its costs are among the…
Check your family tree
After reading Justin M. Ruhge’s opinion letter (“Sophisticated defense doesn’t come cheap,” Dec. 2) I felt compelled to submit a response. Mr. Ruhge’s proclamations were some of the most ignorant, misguided statements I have read in some time. Mr. Ruhge makes a number of offensive assertions, including accusations that “The Muslims have been the menace…
This is why the rest of the world hates Americans
Regarding “Sophisticated defense doesn’t come cheap” by Justin Ruhge (Dec. 2): As a Canadian traveling through the area, I was appalled by the statements made in this letter and the fact it was even published. “The Muslims must be defeated with focus and determination by freedom-loving people in the world.” How do you “defeat” a…
Beware peacocks parading as patriots
I’m glad Mr. Ruhge is retired from his 40-year military and aerospace career. Good riddance. In his Dec. 2 letter (“Sophisticated defense doesn’t come cheap”), he repeatedly exhibits an odious and blatant religious bigotry against adherents to Islam and an ideology constituting a threat to our national security. He conjures “The Muslim threat to the…
Clubs & Meetings
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Spiritual
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Farmers Markets
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Barbecues
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Health
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Art
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Learning
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Recreation
@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-BoldCond”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-LighCond”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } MEGA HOLIDAY ICE SKATING features a real outdoor ice rink with skates to rent, music, and holiday ambiance Dec. 10 through Jan. 9 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.,…
Kids & Family
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Dance Lessons
@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-BoldCond”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-LighCond”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } ONGOING BLUE MOON HAVEN BELLY DANCE currently teaches American Tribal Style dance classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in Lompoc and Thursdays in Grover Beach. Info: 709-4686 or…
Stage
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Night Life
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Concerts
@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-BoldCond”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-LighCond”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-LighCondItal”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } GINA ALSTON will be performing a concert of “Christmas Music” Dec. 11 from 2 to 5 p.m. and Dec. 22 from 5 to 8…
Special Events
@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-BoldCond”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-LighCond”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanD-LighCondItal”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FOODBANK presents it annual Holiday Food Drive through Dec. 31. The Santa Maria warehouse is at 490 W Foster Road,…
