Cover Story
Meet the mayor
Though the first woman to get elected to the Santa Maria City Council did so in 1930, such a victory wasn’t repeated until 1999, when Alice Patino secured enough votes to do the same. On Dec. 18, 2012, Patino made an even larger mark on local history when she was sworn in as Santa Maria’s…
Splurge. Savor. Save.
January is California Restaurant Month, a month-long, statewide celebration promoted by the state’s division of tourism. Hundreds of restaurants across California are offering special multi-course menus at incredible prices. The Central Coast is no exception: Dine Out Santa Maria Style is Jan. 13 through 20; Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Week is Jan. 20 through 26;…
Batter up!
Orcutt Youth softball sign ups begin Jan. 12 for the spring 2013 season. All players are required to offer current proof of address; new players must present a copy of their birth certificates. For ages 4 to 12, proof of school is required. Girls ages 13 to 18 will be assigned to Division III teams…
Dance, dance, dance
The Recreation and Parks department is holding a Ballet Folklorico Dance workshop at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center on Jan. 12. From noon to 2 p.m., learn traditional folklorico dance movements from the talented students of Lorenz Latin School of Dance based in New York City. These professional students will host an “energetic and…
Track time
Track season at Allan Hancock College is quickly approaching. If you like to run fast, jump, or throw far, then register for the sport at Hancock. There will be free physicals (required) offered at the school Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. Register for PEIA 150 (men) for three credits and PEIA 155 (women) for three…
On his way
Longtime baseball studs Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones are on their way to leaving the game forever, making room for the next generation of stars. The future looks bright for major league baseball, with the growing amount of baby-faced talent like Mike Trout, Buster Posey, and Clayton Kershaw taking over the league. Greener than the…
On his way
Longtime baseball studs Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones are on their way to leaving the game forever, making room for the next generation of stars. The future looks bright for major league baseball, with the growing amount of baby-faced talent like Mike Trout, Buster Posey, and Clayton Kershaw taking over the league. Greener than the…
Firsthand history
Hearst Castle has been a landmark on the Central Coast ever since it was completed in the 1940s. But it wasn’t until 1957, when the location was donated to the state of California by the Hearst Corporation, that it became a national historical landmark. Before you visit the grand location, you should know that there…
Take part in history
The South Coast Railroad Museum at the historic Goleta Depot is offering railroad fans and history buffs a chance to ride on a historical American railcar. On Jan. 19, the museum will bring the 1937 Santa Fe lounge car the Acoma back into active service. The Acoma won’t be riding alone on Jan. 19, but…
Tutors can help
The Central Coast Literacy Council is asking for any and all volunteers who are able to read, write, speak, and understand English. The volunteers will be tutoring adults in English. The council works to have a lasting impact on the vitality of the community for generations by spreading literacy through many programs. More information is…
A team effort
The Everybody Can Dance studio and the Santa Maria Civic Ballet are preparing for their June staging of Firebird, Carnival of the Animals, and Le Corsaire. The group needs boys, girls, men, and women—ages 2 through adult—to join the large production. Professional and non-professional dancers will be collaborating for the production, but no experience is…
Clearing the decks
Well, here we all are. It’s already the second week of January; the world didn’t end on Dec. 21; most people did not understand how the Mayan calendar really works. So much for the conspiracy theorists. I’m dealing with conspiracies of my own here at Waterman Manor. My British husband and newly-turned-11-year-old grandson, the Britween,…
Small in stature, grand in skill
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of classical music’s most famous composers, can serve as an example of the fact that age is no indication of degree of skill. The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society has organized its second annual “Youth Showcase” concert for Jan. 18, featuring performances by some of Santa Maria’s most talented musical youth. “When…
A melting pot of movement
Santa Barbara County represents a diverse cultural palette and therefore yields a bevy of artistic institutions and groups. Viva el Arte de Santa Bàrbara is a coalition of local groups that aims to serve the community by spicing up the artistic offerings with free community performances of Latino music and dance. For its most recent…
Justice for all
Following the holiday scramble to get the perfect gift, prepare festive desserts, and gather with family and friends in celebration, the fiscal cliff and all of the bureaucratic talk has ended—for now. It seemed like every other television channel was quoting Speaker Boehner’s or President Obama’s latest announcement regarding their efforts to reach an agreement.…
Allan Hancock College helps future business owners get a leg up
Students will have the opportunity to earn more than just a grade in Allan Hancock College’s New Venture Laboratory class, set for spring. One lucky student or group of students will also win a cash prize of $1,000. “It’s nothing like any class you’ve ever taken,” the Small Business Entrepreneurship Center’s Anne Cremarosa said in…
Students make ‘snow’ for Sandy Hook survivors
A small group of local students and their families recently took some time out of their winter breaks to make decorative snowflakes for the children and staff members of Sandy Hook Elementary School, which was ravaged by a gunman in mid December. Amy Vice Otremba was teaching art to the kindergarteners at Joe Nightingale Elementary…
Hobnobbing with Helen
January is the month of anticipation. With the whirlwind of holiday events behind us, we can now look forward to some special times in 2013. The Santa Maria Valley Women’s Network always kicks off the new year with verve and excitement. They have two hot events coming up in February and March. On Wed., Feb.…
A heart specialist with heart
Heart problems? If you have them and you are near Lompoc, then you should see Dr. Khawar M. Gul, the cardiologist who won Lompoc Valley Medical Center’s Physician of the Year Award for 2012 at the end of December. “[Physician of the Year] is an award that is voted on by all the hospital staff,…
Spotlight on: One Way
Time to shred! That was what insiders used to call—and possibly still call?—skateboarding and snowboarding. Keeping current on the activities and their associated slang can be tough, but with the November reopening of One Way, formerly known as One Way Board Shop, fans of the sports (and their surfing brethren) have a local lifeline once…
“What do you want to see Alice Patino do as mayor?”
Ruth Franklin teacher and program leader “Get our police straightened out and get them stability.” Karen Iverson volunteer “Address the homeless situation. Be supportive of organizations that help the homeless. Allow for more positive support for those organizations.” Jennifer Dullen barista “Have more public appearances. I don’t know who she is. She should be out…
It’s in the heart
Sunday is really the only day off Carrie Robinson has. She’s not busy because she works as a Wall Street exec. No, she likes to busy herself because she loves volunteering. “My family has always been big on service,” said Robinson, who has volunteered with Marian Regional Medical Center for seven years and also serves…
Correction
In the Dec. 27 Community Corner, “Bears that care,” credit for the donation of plush toys to patients at Marian Regional Medical Center should have gone to the group of independent consultants who have a contract to sell Scentsy products locally. Additionally, the donation had no relation to the Scentsy Family Foundation’s Charitable Cause Program,…
OHV Fund didn’t hide money after all
Allegations that California’s Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Fund failed to disclose $34 million in surplus revenue at the close of 2011 have been dismissed, following an extensive investigation by the Office of the Attorney General. A report published Dec. 31 verified that another $20 million had been kept from the Department of Finance by the State…
Police make 21 arrests in prostitution sting
Two recent sting operations conducted by the Santa Maria Police Department resulted in the arrest of 21 “johns” for soliciting women for sexual services, the department announced in a press release on Jan. 7. Backed up by a team of detectives and other law enforcement officials, two female undercover officers posed as street-level prostitutes at…
Two defendants in Myers case plead guilty
One defendant in the trial stemming from the 2010 kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Santa Maria resident Dystiny Myers will spend the rest of his life in prison, following a plea agreement reached with the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office. Another has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. On Jan. 3, Ty Michael Hill,…
Help our county’s homeless find ‘Common Ground’
In several weeks, hundreds of volunteers will be waking up before the crack of dawn to go find and survey the men, women, and sometimes children who live on the streets as part of Common Ground Santa Barbara County’s bi-annual vulnerability index survey and point-in-time count. Launched nationwide in 2011, the survey enables communities to…
