Cover Story
Nitrogen and water: Growers and regulators push toward a future of sustainability
Shadows take up the space between rows of tarp-covered raised ground to the west of Highway 101. Darkness comes early this time of year, and the reflected sky turns the strips of black plastic into soft yellow rivers, highlighting row after row of soon-to-be-producing strawberry plants. During the day, it’s easy to see the green…
What local issue would you like to see addressed or resolved by the end of 2015?
Jessica Munoz cashier at BevMo “I think bullying in schools is a big issue in my mind because my [relative] was bullied in school and that took a toll on him, so it’s an issue I think needs to be addressed.” Alyssa Alvarez student “I think that it would be good to get more of…
Future Funk
At my house, there is an official-looking envelope that says “Do Not Open Until December 31st” which rests inside a locked fireproof safe. Inside this mysterious envelope are four different folded scraps of paper with the individual handwritten scribblings of my son, my daughter, my wife, and myself. The envelope is sealed with the family…
Certain Sparks Music moves and expands to meet Lompoc’s musical needs
Certain Sparks Music has been Lompoc’s go-to spot for quality recording sessions for years. Owner/operator Randall Sena has recorded and produced countless local projects and is well respected for his skillful recordings and friendly attitude and service. It came as a bit of a shock to the young entrepreneur when his longtime rental location went…
Santa Maria Public Library to hold eBook workshop
The Santa Maria Public Library is offering a workshop to help locals learn how to download eBooks onto various devices. Attendees are encouraged to bring their portable devices to the workshop and at least be able to connect them to a WiFi signal. The workshop is scheduled for Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. in the…
City announces holiday decoration contest winners
The city of Santa Maria’s 18th annual Lights, Sights, and Holiday Nights Holiday Decoration Contest included households across the valley vying for distinction with strings of lights, elaborate scenery, and festive festoonery. Santa Maria Recreation and Parks commissioners conducted the official judging and awarded the winners at the Dec. 16 city council meeting. Winners for…
Santa Maria native to appear on Street Art Throwdown
Bay Area-based artist and Santa Maria native Cameron Moberg will be one of several street artists competing in the Oxygen network’s new show, Street Art Throwdown, premiering on Feb. 3 at 9 p.m. on Oxygen. Moberg will be one of 10 artists competing with creativity to win a $100,000 grand prize. Moberg, who goes by…
California arts foundation is looking for talented youth in Santa Barbara County
The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) is inviting motivated high school students in Santa Barbara County to apply for its 2015 summer session. The CSSSA is the only state-supported arts summer school on the West Coast. The program meets for an immersive four-week session from July 11 through Aug. 7. Students have…
The Lompoc Museum houses local historical artifacts and information
Right in the heart of Lompoc’s downtown, on the corner of South H Street and East Cypress, is the historic Carnegie Library building, which is home to the Lompoc Museum. The fluted Roman pillars and classical façade signified the city’s main repository of information, its library, for the better part of the 20th century. Completed…
Cachuma Lake’s eagle cruises offer rare sights of wildlife
Santa Barbara County Cachuma Lake park naturalist Liz Gaspar knows that when she undocks The Osprey and embarks on another wildlife or eagle cruise, there’s no telling what she and her passengers may see. The puttering pontoon boat can float 30 passengers across the lake’s calm waters and into a myriad channels and bends, all…
Hancock professor receives a letter from Obama
Allan Hancock College music professor Ann Lucas is on the short list of people who can say they’ve received a thank you letter from the president of the United States. In a letter dated Sept. 22, President Barack Obama thanked Lucas for her generosity and service as an educator for work she did to help…
Spotlight on: El Toro
When scoping out a location to open another El Toro restaurant in Santa Maria, owners David Bonilla and Ralph Moran came across an empty building on the corner of one of the busiest intersections of town. They both peeked inside the windows and decided it was going to be the spot. Fast-forward to now, and…
Political Watch 1/1/15
• The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell announced on Dec. 16 that California will receive up to $3,000,000 to design health care payment and service delivery models that will improve health care quality and lower costs, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More…
Community Notebook 1/1/15-1/8/15
MONDAY, JAN. 5 • The Solvang Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. TUESDAY, JAN. 6 • 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.…
Community Corner: The food bank takes a bite out of hunger
Through collaboration between the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and more than 330 community partners, 9.3 million pounds of food was distributed throughout the county in 2014. Half of that was fresh produce. “The food bank thanks the community for supporting those in need of nutritious food and resources in our community,” said Eric Talkin,…
Santa Maria sues a man over the condition of his home
The neighborhood immediately surrounding North Thornburg Street consists of one-story homes, manicured hedges, and mothers pushing their babies in strollers down the sidewalk. But one house on the block seems out of place. The windows are broken, boarded-up from the inside. The lawn is covered with weeds. The half white, half pastel-green-colored house looks abandoned,…
Grover Beach man killed in Oceano Dunes crash
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 28, a 52-year-old Grover Beach man who was attending to his vehicle parked on the sand of the Oceano Dunes was struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle. According to Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area District Superintendant Brent Marshall, the man was pinned between the two vehicles and…
A fiery auto wreck on 101 in Santa Maria leads to one death
One person was killed and two people–including the driver–were injured in a car wreck that occurred the evening of Dec. 28 in Santa Maria, according to an officer from the California Highway Patrol. The wreck happened at approximately 5:30 p.m. when a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer driven by 22-year-old Travis Dashek heading southbound on Highway 101…
Police seek leads on an apparent Santa Maria homicide
Shots rang out in Santa Maria’s northwest side during the early morning hours of Dec. 22. Several people made 911 calls in response, and when police arrived, they found a man inside of a parked car along the 1000 block of W. Morrison. He had been shot several times. The calls came in around 5:22…
An alleged robber turns himself in after watching the news
When the Santa Maria Police Department sends out press releases to the news media asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect, the officers usually do so in the hopes that someone is reading or watching the news. The method worked in a recent case—except the suspect was the one who helped the police…
Santa Maria and La Habra police team up to arrest a murder suspect
On Dec. 23, officers with the La Habra Police Department announced that they had made an arrest in relation to the suspicious death of a Lompoc woman, found earlier in 2014. On July 21, a man who was out walking his dog called the La Habra department to report finding a body. Investigating officers found…
Happy New Year, ya old Northern Santa Barbara County!
I don’t know about you, but I went back and re-read my last column of 2014, and it was downright maudlin. Seems like I was in a bit of a funk as the year petered out—and maybe in that phrasing is the key to my mood. The last year didn’t close strong. It didn’t end…
Stop extreme police violence
There is a deep-seated crisis in the country, and a mounting uproar, about police violence in general and police shootings of unarmed civilians in particular. Some people excuse the behavior of police pretty much no matter what. Many more people are putting forth ideas aimed at stopping extreme police violence by reforming the system of…
Dan Ellington
Santa Maria High School’s got a new head varsity football coach. Dan Ellington, who was the head coach at Pioneer Valley High School from 2010 to 2014, is taking over the program from Gabe Espinoza, who headed up Santa Maria High’s football team starting in 2011. Espinoza will remain a part of the program, just…
Golden gloves: Santa Maria teen boxer Carlos Balderas sets his sights on the 2016 Olympics
Discipline, dedication, perseverance, and plenty of prayers—that’s proven to be a winning combination for national boxing champion Carlos Balderas, a 17-year-old Santa Maria High School senior who has earned the chance to represent the United States at the 2016 Olympics. “It’s a good feeling to know that all of my hard work is paying off,’’…
Cooking with gratitude: Om Sweet Mama weaves North African roots with local bounty
Ayda Robana believes that thoughtfully crafted food transcends sustenance or even art, that when done right, it can bridge the gap between generations and miles. The Santa Barbara-based caterer and private chef draws from her Tunisian background and worldly travels to create meals that honor both the bounty of the Central Coast as well as…
