Cover Story
All worry and no play
Small-scale manufacturers of children’s products are afraid, and they’re connecting with each other online, one by one, to discuss their fears, trade research, and commiserate. Their common worry? That they’ll soon have to close up shop, put the kids in daycare, and find another means of making ends meet. A broadly written law requiring lead…
SPECIAL EVENTS
THE DANA ADOBE NIPOMO AMIGOS holds a community celebration of the group’s recent land purchase on Jan. 16 at 3 p.m. at Dana Adobe, 671 Oakglen Ave., Nipomo. Info: 929-5679 or danaadobe.org. CENTRAL COAST UNITED FOR CHANGE holds a Martin Luther King Jr. Food Drive on Jan. 17 through Jan. 19 in San Luis Obispo…
Santa Maria PD gets in on the anti-DUI action
On Jan. 9 and 10, the Santa Maria Police Department’s Traffic Bureau conducted a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and drivers license checkpoint, during which officers screened 556 vehicles. According to a press release from the department, the checkpoint yielded one DUI arrest. However, three drivers were evaluated for driving under the influence. Fifteen drivers…
If you could write a law, what would it be?
Carmen Escalante legal assistant “Public funding for recovery programs—and I would enforce penalties on correctional officers that withhold or delay medication for inmates.” Trinidad Escalante retired “Reform the three strikes law and use it as it was intended: for violent crimes.” William Bell heavy machines operator “I’d make more legal turnout points along the coast…
CLUBS & MEETINGS
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
SMOKING CESSATION CLASSES are offered on Jan. 15, 20, 22, 26, and 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Santa Maria at 2801 Santa Maria Way, suite B; 425 W Central Ave., Lompoc; 2050 Viborg Road, Santa Ynez; 915 N Milpas St., Santa Barbara; and at Cottage Hospital at Pueblos and Bath streets, Santa Barbara.…
ART
MARILYN DOVER BENSON presents her art in a one-woman show through Jan. 31 at the Grossman Gallery, Lompoc. Info: 937-8108. THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION presents “The Essential Worker,” featuring pictures by 10 area photographers, Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Feb. 13 at the Betteravia Government Center, 511 E…
LEARNING
SANTA MARIA VALLEY BEAUTIFUL presents its annual rose pruning demonstration and volunteer practice on Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Santa Maria Rose Garden, Broadway and Main, Santa Maria. Info: 441-6782. WOMEN’S ECONOMIC VENTURES holds free self-employment training orientations on Jan. 20, 28, and Feb. 3 from 6 to 7 p.m. in Santa Maria.…
RECREATION
THE LUIS OASIS SENIOR CENTER offers a senior exercise class on Jan. 16, 19, and 21 at 8 a.m. “Painters and Ceramics” meets Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. A faceting and silversmithing class is Jan. 16 and 19 at 1 p.m. HAM radio operators meet on Jan. 19 at 8:30 a.m. “People with Arthritis Can…
KIDS & FAMILY
THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY YMCA offers a Winter Break camp through Jan. 20 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday at the YMCA. Info: 937-8521 or smvymca.org. THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION is seeking adult volunteer wish granters through January in preparation for its annual training in February. Info: tri-counties.wish.org or jboehrer@tri-counties.wish.org. THE SANTA MARIA…
DANCE LESSONS
THE CENTRAL COAST SQUARE DANCE ASSOCIATION presents a Beginner’s Square Dance class starting Jan. 20 and running on Tuesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Fellowship Hall, 1010 Foothill, SLO. Cost is $5. Info: 801-8720. ONGOING EVERYBODY CAN DANCE offers classes in ballet dance for ages 3 to adult. Call for schedules.…
STAGE
IMPROVISATIONAL HUMOR CLASS meets Mondays at the Loading Dock, Old Orcutt, to teach theater games, comedy concepts, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?-style games from 5 to 7 p.m. Info: 886-8355. WORTH THE DRIVE KELRIK PRODUCTIONS presents its production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Jan. 16 through Feb. 1 on Fridays and Saturdays…
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 LOMPOC MUSIC ASSOCIATION presents Trio Musaique in concert, performing pieces by Brahms, Bloch, Elgar, Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, on Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. at the Valley of Flowers Church of Christ, 3346 Constellation Road, Vandenberg Village. Cost is $15, $6 for students and minors. Info: alliekay@verizon.net. JAIME MICHAELS performs as the featured songwriter…
Arts Briefs
Magic for music Experience some magic with the Philharmonic Society at its benefit banquet and auction, set for Jan. 24 at the Santa Maria Country Club. The theme for the night is “It’s Magic.” The evening begins with a cocktail hour and bidding on silent auction items at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at…
Rhythm of the night
Some songs seem to pulse with the very rhythm of life itself, creating a soundtrack for reality, whether slow and dramatic, loud and chaotic, happy, melancholy, or meditative. If you’re Chris Burton Jácome, your soundtrack has an exhilarating little kick. As flamenco guitarist Jácome’s fingers fly, they flick out notes one by one, which string…
Here and now
It’s rather difficult to believe it was only last year America was first able to elbow its way onto the musical stage of the Late Show with David Letterman. America. The band that rings out on commercial classic radio stations all around the world. The band that gave us modern classics such as “Horse With…
Learn more about eating healthy
The California Central Coast Intergroup of Overeaters Anonymous will celebrate almost 50 years of pursuing its mission of battling binge eating, bulimia, anorexia, and more from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 17. Two speakers will share the group’s history and explain the 12 steps to overcoming eating disorders. The event is free and open…
Keep your healthy New Year’s resolution
The warehouse on Frontage Road is conspicuously empty and quiet. At 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, a group of women will spread through the large space, running through a variety of karate workouts, maybe kicking at the three long black bags that hang near one wall like ominous cocoons. But for now, the room is still,…
Stefanie Clark
Stefanie Clark is training for a smoker. There’s not necessarily one in her immediate future—none have been scheduled that she knows of—but she’s training nonetheless. Clark practices Muay Thai (essentially Thai kickboxing), and a smoker is an unsanctioned fight. Despite the mysterious-sounding name and description, there’s not any back-alley brawling involved. A smoker is simply…
Walls will always divide people
Ronald Reagan’s perhaps finest moment came when he stood next to the shameful Berlin Wall and challenged the Soviet premier: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Not too long thereafter, the wall did come down, and with it the Soviet Empire. Now, two decades later, it is the U.S. Empire erecting or supporting shameful walls…
Don’t give bike-riders a break
The federal bike-to-work tax break is a subsidy to the physically healthy who already make a good living and a tax on all others, including physically handicapped, who cannot ride a bike to work. This stupid tax break should be stopped or else anyone who rides on public transportation or in car pools should get…
Speak up about transit needs
The Unmet Transit Needs season is once again upon us. This is an annual reminder that the holidays are over, a new year underway, and state money for public transportation will be fought over: $14 million in Transit Development Act (TDA) sales taxes for Santa Barbara County. The South Coast transit agency, MTD, will receive…
Let housing prices settle back down
I agree with the government affairs director of the Homebuilders Association of the Central Coast that we are facing “the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression” (“Get home buyers back in the market,” Dec. 25). Although the Homebuilder’s lobbyist and I agree that there is a problem, I strongly disagree with his organization’s statement…
Healthy comfort
The roast turkey, glistening ham, and juicy prime rib are just a memory, and the holiday pies and frosted cookies have been eaten down to the last crumb. With the new year well underway, many revelers feel the urge to simplify not only their social calendars, but their diets, too, by incorporating lighter fare, along…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Food, glorious food.” That refrain, from one of the songs in the musical Oliver, reminds us that food can sometimes be hard to come by and that basics like rice, beans, and bread are beyond glorious when you are hungry. Thanks to the Northern Santa Barbara County United Way, hundreds of pounds of food were…
Can’t sleep? Allan Hancock College is here to help
Allan Hancock College is set to offer a four-week class on shut-eye health. The free class, titled “Sleep Wellness: Using Relaxation to Alleviate Sleep Disorders,” is designed especially for people suffering from sleep disorders, including veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or other stress conditions. Allan Hancock College Community Education is repeating the class three times…
Parents: It’s time to head back to school
Parents in Orcutt and the Santa Maria area are invited to go back to school for a series of parent education sessions provided by the Orcutt Union School District Parent Education Program and the Santa Maria Valley Council of PTAs. The first class in the series, titled “Effective Solutions to Common Parenting Dilemmas,” will be…
Let Peoples’ Self-Help Housing allay your fears
Worries of questionable mortgages may plague homebuyers in today’s market, but Peoples’ Self-Help Housing is helping put those fears to rest with a predatory lending seminar on Jan. 14. Brian Kerrigan, housing counselor for Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, will lead the free event, sponsored by Bank of America, Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, and Rabobank. The seminar runs…
New site points searchers to healthcare providers
Find the perfect dentist you’ve been searching for all these years with help from centralcoasthealthsource.com. The site compiles information and profiles on local healthcare providers, including doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies, all sorted by areas of expertise. There’s no medical advice on the San Luis Obispo-based site, but it does encourage Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo,…
Lunch with Andy Caldwell
Have a bite to eat, and learn a little more about COLAB at the same time. Andy Caldwell, founding executive director for the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture, and Business, Santa Barbara County, will speak at the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Development Committee luncheon on Jan. 20. Caldwell hosts a radio talk show…
Political Watch
• The Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley is inviting the public to celebrate President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony in style at its Inaugural Celebration Dance on Jan. 20. The dance will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at Yoyo Hall, 725 E. Foster, in Santa Maria. Dr. Danger will provide music, and light…
Community Notebook
MONDAY, JAN. 12 • 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, JAN. 13 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Betteravia Government Center’s Board…
Pass the pajamas
Traditionally, bedtime revolves around a special routine for children, filled with soft, cozy pajamas and comforting stories read by a loving parent. But for many children—especially those living in unstable environments—such an ideal tradition isn’t necessarily a reality. The nonprofit Pajama Program collects and distributes new pajamas and books to children in need. Since its…
Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors postpones fee increase decision
After a brief discussion between board members and county staffers, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to postpone action on another fee increase proposal made by the Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder’s Office. The issue will come up again on Jan. 27. The Clerk-Recorder’s Office is recommending that fees charged by the county…
Good morning, Santa Maria!
Santa Barbara County 4th District Supervisor Joni Gray put down roots in local public radio when she was a sophomore at Santa Maria High School. There, she co-anchored a weekly, half-hour show called Saint Speaking, in which she discussed everything “Saintly”—that is, everything about the goings-on at her now alma mater. “That was quite fun,”…
To serve Santa Maria
The City of Santa Maria recently extended its application deadline for several boards and committees, including the Santa Maria All-America City Committee, Code Compliance Board, and Landmark Committee. According to city officials, applications for the Santa Maria Code Compliance Board will be accepted until Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. There will be one appointment made…
Santa Maria Valley Humane Society sends record-breaking number of animals home for the holidays
The holidays were good to the animals at the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society, which saw a record-breaking number of adoptions in December 2008. In a release to the media, Humane Society Executive Director Kelly White O’Neill said 34 cats and dogs found new homes during December—the shelter’s largest number of monthly adoptions in its…
Santa Barbara County reopens Disaster Loan Outreach Center
On Jan. 12, Santa Barbara County’s U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Center reopened to serve California residents impacted by a string of autumn wildfires, including the Tea Fire in Montecito. The Disaster Loan Outreach Center is located in the Santa Barbara County Administrative Building, 105 E. Anapamu St., in Santa Barbara. The…
To burn or not to burn?
A prescribed burn scheduled to begin on Jan. 12 in the Los Padres National Forest has been postponed because of unfavorable weather conditions, according to U.S. Forest Service personnel. The burn was supposed to cover 5,835 acres along Pine Canyon Road near Horseshoe Spring Campground. District Ranger Kathleen Phelps told the Sun, however, that recent…
