Cover Stories
Interpreting the signs
Hours after our so-called “perfect baby girl” was born, not only was she put to the test, but so was our idea of perfection. My husband and I were moments from dressing Sienna Dorothy in a pink velour onesie, tucking her in an infant car seat for the first time, and gingerly driving her home,…
Willing hearts
Marian Medical Center is a hub of activity. Groups of people flow in as others stream out. Some are on their way to cheer up a loved one who’s in for a short stay. Others are rushing to greet the latest edition to this world. Still others are there to say their goodbyes. All of…
On the roster
• Adult Softball League: Santa Maria’s Recreation and Parks Department will be taking registrations for its Adult Softball program until Jan. 26. Leagues include men’s, co-ed, and men’s 40 years and up. Play begins Feb. 10, and all games will be held at the Hagerman Sports Complex, 3300 Skyway Dr. Fees are $394 for resident…
No ice? No problem!
There’s still time for youth to sign up for the Santa Maria Valley YMCA’s 2012 Rookie Sports Floor Hockey League, where children can learn the basics of hockey in a fun environment. The program is designed to develop skills and character, as well as teach rules and traditions of the sport to children ages 3…
Bears! Bears! Bears!
Want to learn more about the black bears in your own backyard? The Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake will be welcoming expert Kate McCurdy, director at UCSB’s Sedgewick Reserve, for a talk on local bears and other large mammals on Jan. 22. The presentation is the first lecture of the Center’s Food for…
Seminar addresses training for student athletes
Think you’ve got what it takes to take your game to the next level? Coaches, parents, and student-athletes from seventh to 12th grade are invited to attend the “Sports Performance for Youth” seminar on Jan. 28 at Anytime Fitness to learn about cross-training on a consistent basis. The seminar, sponsored by SpeedSac, runs from 11…
Ryan McGready
Righetti High came out with guns blazing on the basketball court in 2012, and a big tip of the hat goes to forward Ryan McGready, who’s emerged as the Warriors’ version of “Mr. Versatility.” After 14 games, the 6-foot-4 senior is averaging a double-double at 23 points and 10 rebounds per game, while leading the…
The will to ride
When Solvang resident April Vossler retired as a speech therapist three years ago, she needed something worthwhile to fill her newfound free time. With a history of working with children, and as a former horse owner herself, she found her calling with the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, a nonprofit group providing equine therapy…
A sound experience
Musicians are naturally giving people. A musician must first of all give endless hours of time to practice and hone the craft. But above all, music is to be shared, and some very giving locals donate their talents to help the wellbeing of community members in care facilities all over the county. Marian Extended Care…
Sing a song sweetly
Sweet Adelines International Chapter choruses throughout Northern Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties will present a combined concert and open house: “A Capella—A Sweet Choice,” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 14 in the multi-purpose room at Arroyo Grande High School, 495 Valley Road in Arroyo Grande. The concert will be a free…
PCPA to hold youth auditions
PCPA Theaterfest is holding auditions for the youth role of Bert in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27, at Columbia Business Center, 900 E. Stowell Road, in Santa Maria. The role of Bert is a youth who looks to be 8 to 10 years old. Bert is a boy…
Santa Maria Civic Theatre seeks actors
The Santa Maria Civic Theatre will hold auditions for the comedy Battle of Shallowford on Monday, Feb. 20, and Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the theater, 1660 N. McClelland St. at 7 p.m. Battle of Shallowford is written by Ed Simpson and directed by Richard Dresp. For more information, call the theater at 925-5022.
Oh, Maya!
It is 2012 and, now that the celebrations are done and hangovers cured, we can all get back to the normal day-to-day grind of work, looking for work, and wondering when our government is going to get to work. But I’ll leave those worries for the Canary to chirp on. After all, I wouldn’t want…
Guitar heroes
Calmenco! has performed all over the Central Coast as a duo made up of Tony Harmon and Ray Pannell, but for their upcoming “An Evening of Guitar” concert—a fundraiser for Equine Alliance Youth Foundation—they’ll be performing with an expanded lineup. Harmon and Pannell were practicing at Jensen’s Music in Orcutt one day when they heard…
Follow Mark Kurrian
Curtis L. Cornell is the author of Leprechauns, Unicorns and Mark Kurrian. The former Santa Maria resident recently took some time to talk with the Sun about his latest book, which begins as 11-year-old Max Garret learns his mom is critically ill. A good friend of the family, Mark Kurrian, then reveals himself to be…
Rising star
The national spotlight is shining on a talented, young Santa Maria winemaker. Forbes magazine has selected 25-year-old Gavin Chanin for its first-ever “Top 30 Under 30” issue highlighting movers and shakers younger than 30. The group was described by the publication as tomorrow’s brightest stars. Chanin joins the likes of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and…
Help Santa Maria protect and maintain essential services
On Jan. 17, the City Council will decide whether to declare a State of Fiscal Emergency and place an Essential City Services ballot measure before the voters this June. While many of our neighboring communities have multiple local funding mechanisms, this will be the first time we have placed such a measure before our voters.…
The Crowfield Curse, by Pat Walsh
This wintry tale is set at Crowfield Abbey in 1347, when a young William Paynel—orphaned by a fire that mysteriously didn’t harm him and now working for the few monks who toil in the cold halls—stumbles into an unexpected world of supernatural creatures. First, he frees a “hob” from a hunter’s trap, after which he…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Bloom where you are planted. That’s a familiar theme often used by folksy-homesy artist Mary Englebreit. The saying certainly applies to Santa Maria’s Shirley Contreras, a well-known-about-town pillar of the Santa Maria Historical Society. She moved here from Boston in October 1991. “Since I didn’t know anyone here, I started volunteering at the [historical] museum…
Get money for college
According to Allan Hancock College officials, local high school seniors and their parents can eliminate some stress—and possibly lessen the financial burden of paying for college—by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and applying for a Cal Grant. The FAFSA application might provide an opportunity for low-interest loans, and Cal Grants offer…
Never stop learning
Lucia Mar Unified School District Adult Education’s class schedule for spring and summer 2012 is now available. The Adult Education program offers vocational classes for people interested in becoming pharmacy technicians or clinical medical assistants. There are also “just for fun” classes focusing on subjects such as glass fusion, Millefiori jewelry making, watercolor, laptop proficiency,…
The Glendon Association launches a new webinar series
Want to learn how to become a better parent or child-care provider? The Glendon Association and PsychAlive are launching their 2012 webinar series with classes from parenting expert Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, co-author of The Whole Brain Child with Dr. Dan Siegel. Participants will learn new strategies to nurture the developing minds of their children,…
Care for Paws
Dreams really do come true. Just ask Isabella Gullö, co-founder and president of C.A.R.E.4Paws, whose organization was recently awarded four major grants totaling $66,000. “This money will allow us to do much, much more for the local animal population in 2012, and we will be able to expand our outreach into the community immensely,” Gullö…
All down the line
It’s a sunny and clear Christmas afternoon in downtown San Luis Obispo and the streets are mostly empty, save for a few revelers hopping from one pub to another. The most happening spot in town appears to be the Amtrak station, where about 70 people walk by with bags slung over their shoulders. Young families…
The great outdoors
When you were a kid, did you spend lots of time outside climbing trees or exploring a nearby field or creek? If you answered yes, you’re officially old. Countless health and childhood education advocacy groups—including the Outdoor Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—are reporting that children are spending considerably less time…
Spotlight on: Wacky Party Pics Photo Booth
Just hearing the name of this new business makes you want to smile for the camera. Wacky Party Pics Photo Booth, which has been operating since November 2011, can be hired for birthdays, weddings, graduations, corporate events, quinceañeras, school fairs, holiday parties, baptisms, proms, or most other special occasions. After the celebration is over, guests…
Correction
Some of the photos in the Sun’s Dec. 29 Eats column were incorrectly credited and captioned. The Lucas & Lewellen photo was courtesy of Lucas & Lewellen, and the Riverbench Winery photo was taken by Brianna Owens Photography. The picture with the two champagne flutes was of Riverbench’s 2009 Cork Jumper Blanc de Blancs. News…
Caltrans starts construction of La Purisima roundabout
Despite receiving some forceful resistance from local officials, the Department of Transportation has started construction on a single-lane roundabout at the intersection of Highway 246 and La Purisima Road. Drivers can expect delays in that area Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 3:30 p.m., Caltrans representatives said in a press release on Jan. 4.…
Gallegly chooses retirement, and Blakeslee is considering his options
Rep. Elton Gallegly, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties’ Republican congressman for the past 25 years, will be calling it quits at the end of the current Congressional session. According to his office, Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) informed a gathering of friends and family of his decision to not run for re-election on Jan. 6, calling his…
Santa Maria-Bonita officials say all school buildings are safe
Government watchdog and investigative website CaliforniaWatch.org recently released a report alleging “unresolved safety issues” at schools throughout the state, including some in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. From 2000 to 2005, the now bankrupt contracting firm TurnKey managed more than a dozen projects for the district, worth approximately $62 million. The California Watch report cites…
Local KCOY/FOX affiliate downsizes its staff and changes evening news segments
Citing “tough economic times,” management at KCOY 11 and FOX 12 laid off employees, including meteorologist Jim Byrne, on Jan. 4. The layoffs affected all divisions of the company, including editorial, production, and business/administration. The Sun received word of the downsizing not long after it occurred from sources close to the station. However, KCOY General…
Are you more of a cat person or a dog person?
Teena Adams office manager “I have both. I have two cats, two dogs, and a fish. I love them all the same.” Jeanette Couture site supervisor “Cat person. I don’t like dogs. I got bit by a dog when I was 5 and almost lost my leg.” Eddie Beck student “Cat person. Cats are great.”…
