Cover Story
The impact of head injuries
Playing as a tight end and linebacker for Lompoc High School’s football team, Steven Morehart was enjoying a terrific junior season in 2007. Then, in a contest against Paso Robles, lightning struck. “From what the trainer told me, I took a short kickoff and tried to run it back through the wedge,” Morehart said. “They…
Boys in the ‘hood
For those who yearn to relive a moment of childhood scouting, support the organization, or just want another chance at Pinewood Derby Racing, now is the chance. Boy Scouts of America will be celebrating its centennial at the Santa Maria Town Center on Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature…
Santa Maria will discuss gang injunctions at an upcoming Town Hall meeting
Gang injunctions and their effectiveness in preventing gang-related crime will be the focus of a Town Hall meeting on Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Veterans’ Memorial Community Center, 313 W. Tunnell, in Santa Maria. Presented by the Santa Maria Police Department, the meeting will feature a panel of experts from the police department,…
Environmental group urges public to attend South County Advisory Council meeting
Members of the local activist group Safe Beach Now believe off-highway vehicle activity at the Oceano Dunes State Park is negatively impacting air quality on the Nipomo Mesa. The environmental organization is urging Nipomo and Arroyo Grande residents to attend the Jan. 25 meeting of the South County Advisory Council to demand the issue be…
Republican eyes 23rd Congressional District seat
Congresswoman Lois Capps now has reason to watch her back: After months of going virtually unopposed in the race to reclaim her seat as U.S. representative for the 23rd District, the Santa Barbara politician finally has some competition. On Jan. 5, Thousand Oaks Republican John Davidson announced his candidacy for the Congressional seat. Davidson is…
Neither rain, nor more rain
Braving the elements, cable technicians labored to restore television service to customers in Santa Maria.
A tree falls at Waller
Cleanup crews worked feverishly at Waller Park on Jan. 19 to dispose of a massive pine tree, felled as a result of a vicious winter storm that tore through the Central Coast. The storm ushered in high winds and torrential rain and caused widespread power outages lasting for up to nine hours in some areas.…
What’s the weirdest diet you’ve ever heard of?
Chris Alvarez disabled musician “The weirdest diet is the liquid diet. It’s a liquid, not a food.” Jennifer Hernandez student “The Taco Bell diet—it’s junk food!” Leshia Gier Air Force medic “Cayenne pepper and lemon juice, because who wants to eat pepper for a diet?” Candyce Estave North County coordinator of Autism Society, Santa…
Political Watch 1.21
In response to the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12, President Barack Obama released a statement urging Americans to support Haitian victims: “The reports and images from Haiti of collapsed hospitals, crumbled homes, and men and women carrying their injured neighbors through the streets are truly heart-wrenching,” Obama said in a press…
Community Notebook 1.21
MONDAY, JAN. 25 • The South County Advisory Council has its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Nipomo Community Services District Headquarters, 148 S. Wilson St., Nipomo. TUESDAY, JAN. 26 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Betteravia Government Center’s Board of Supervisors…
Santa Maria’s weighty issue
Wallets may be feeling thinner lately, but what should be more worrying is that Santa Maria residents are getting wider. People hit hardest by the economy are having to loosen their belts instead of tightening them, setting the stage for a health crisis that could have much longer lasting effects than any economic one. According…
Steps to new knees
It’s official. I’m now a bionic woman. I had to have knee replacement surgery on both knees, one performed in August and the other in November 2009. I’m still in recovery, as the muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues around my new knee joints have yet to settle down and settle in. There’s still some residual…
Correction
A dog being walked at the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society was misidentified in a photo in the Jan. 14 cover story, “Two legs, four legs.” The pit mix is Roxy Brown, and society staffers say she’s been “blossoming” in recent days and is ready for adoption. News Briefs is compiled by Sun staffers from…
First 5 is now accepting grants for a new Community Collaborative Initiative
Collaboration is key to maximizing school readiness, according to First 5 of Santa Barbara County. To help prepare children for their future education, First 5 is teaming up with several local foundations to fund grants for children and families living in high-need communities. The Community Collaborative Initiative promotes a new vision for early childhood education…
May I have this dance?
The city of Lompoc is inviting all local fathers to treat their little Valentines to a night of dancing at the annual Father Daughter Sweetheart Dance. Hosted by the Lompoc Parks, Recreation, and Urban Forestry Department, the dance is open to girls ages 3 to 18 and their fathers. Due to the popularity of past…
So you think you can sing?
Have a cocktail, grab a mic, and belt out your best Steve Perry impersonation at Elmo’s Nipomo Saloon, now offering karaoke every Thursday and Sunday night. Shawna hosts karaoke on Thursdays, beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday is Ladies’ Night, with happy hour from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring $3 well drinks, $4 margaritas on the…
Retirement community hosts crab feed
Santa Maria retirement community Merrill Gardens is hosting an all-you-can-eat crab feed on Feb. 12 to raise money for foster and high-needs children served by the Family Care Network. Tickets cost $40 and include pasta, salad, iced tea, all-you-can-eat crab, and one raffle entry. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $2 apiece or three…
Valley visitors get a guide
Tourists to the Santa Ynez Valley can find out what to do, see, and taste in the new edition of the area’s visitors guide, published by the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau and the Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association. The Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley 2010 Visitors Guide is filled with full-color photographs featuring…
Subway tries text ordering
Beginning later this month, local Subway stores will take part in a trial run of a program that will allow customers to order sandwiches via text message. Santa Maria shops will be among more than 30 Subways in Southern California to participate in the four-month trial. The stores will be using Zingle, a messaging service…
See Shinn at the Network
Santa Maria resident and internationally known ceramist Bill Shinn will be featured at the Gallery at the Network in San Luis Obispo from Feb. 1 through March 31. In 2009 alone, Shinn saw his work appear at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona, juried a show for the American Ceramic Society, spent two…
Gala supports the arts
This year’s Orcutt Children’s Arts Foundation honors local musician Terry Lawless—who just returned from a world tour with U2—at its Gala Event on Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel Santa Maria. The event includes a gourmet dinner, auction, and dancing to Unfinished Business. The Orcutt Children’s Arts Foundation Annual Gala is an…
Get trapped
Agatha Christie’s Mouse Trap, a play about a group of strangers stranded in a boarding house during a snow storm opens at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre as part of its 51st season. The suspects include the newly married couple who runs the house, and their suspicions nearly wreck their perfect marriage. Other players are…
Justin Neal
Miracles only happen on 34th street. If something happens on the golf course, like winning $10,000, then it’s skill—just ask Justin Neal, who recently won the Avila Beach Golf Resort “Cash in the Cup” challenge. “The hole was playing at about 183 yards. I used a 5 iron, and as soon as I hit it,…
Let’s dance!
The Santa Maria Valley YMCA is now registering for its Rookie Dance program, an informal class designed to provide kids with an introduction to rhythm and dance by focusing on creative movements. The registration deadline for children ages 3 to 5 years old ends Jan. 25. Cost is $48 for members and $63 for participants.…
Be an Aquaman
The Orcutt Community Building organization is inviting the public to participate in a Feast and Festival fundraising barbecue for the Orcutt Aquacenter on Feb. 20. No-host cocktails will be served beginning at noon, followed by a barbecue feast at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $100 and include lunch for two, a reverse drawing, a raffle, and…
Winter reading fun
Schoolchildren do it all the time. Reading. For fun. And maybe even prizes. But how often do adults do it? Probably not as often for fun. And even less often for prizes. As an incentive to get adults to read, four San Luis Obispo County libraries are offering up a challenge: Read 10 books and…
Faith in song
He sang a lullaby to a country scared, confused, saddened, and angered by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Daniel Rodriguez, a NYC policeman and talented tenor, raised his voice and uplifted spirits with his rendition of “God Bless America,” and in turn, the country has helped him live his dream. Since performing after the Sept.…
Krider is a chump
I had two New Year’s resolutions. The first was to stop spending all of the family’s vacation money by going out and racing cars. The second was to keep my wife, whom I love, happy. Simply enough, her happiness would automatically improve if I would stop racing. But just like 99.9 percent of all New…
The art of kicking butt
It’s 10 p.m. You just finished having dinner with some friends at a local restaurant. You’re walking out to the parking lot, fumbling for your keys in the dark, when a giant arm flies out from behind you and clinches around your neck. You have only seconds to react—what do you do? For the past…
Be informed and vote intelligently
I know California is in a deep financial crisis, but the solution will only be found by smart public voters who recognize the real problems and elect people who will honestly serve in a bipartisan way. Our elected representatives have to do what is best for California. Not the other way around. It’s time to…
Stand against health-threatening particulates
The dangerous particulate matter downwind of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation is most critically affecting the Nipomo Mesa, which includes both Nipomo and Arroyo Grande. Nipomo Mesa citizens who live in both Nipomo and Arroyo Grande are urged to attend the Jan. 25 meeting of the South County Advisory Council (SCAC) to speak during…
Be responsible: Report on Muslims’ culture of war
It was interesting to read Amy’s article on the local Muslims in your Christmas Eve publication (“Holy days,” Dec. 17). She has a nice writing style, but seems to have violated some basic journalism rules. Amy reported the Muslim view of Abraham in Genesis as historical fact rather than “Muslims believe.” I request that Amy…
Clubs and 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 Market
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
MARIAN MEDICAL CENTER offers a “Smart Eating for Kids and Teens” class meeting the first Monday of each month this year from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Medical Center at 1400 E. Church St., Santa Maria. Info: 739-3578. ONGOING SYCAMORE MINERAL SPRINGS HEALING ARTS INSTITUTE offers a range of classes including yoga and meditation,…
Art
THE MONARCH CLUB hosts an award-winning sculpture garden featuring new works by Ted Emrick, Michael Ackerman, Lucie Ryan, Rik Phillips, Nick Lomoro, and Robert Kerwin opening Jan. 23 at the Monarch Club, 1640 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo. An opening reception is Jan. 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. Info: 543-8562 or sloartcenter.org. THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC…
Learning
THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY hosts a writing workshop by Sherry Shahan focusing on molding short and simple stories for publication in the children’s magazine market on Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Shepard Hall, 421 S. McClelland, Santa Maria. Info: 925-0994, Ext. 117, or dhildinger@ci.santa-maria.ca.us. UNITY CHAPEL OF LIGHT presents the…
Recreation
THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT is extending registration for its 7-on-7 outdoor soccer league through Jan. 21. Cost is $252 for city residents, $315 for non-residents. Info: 925-0951, Ext. 260. THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY presents Shiu-Ching McSparron performing songs, dances, and fun on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the…
Kids & Family
THE SANTA MARIA PUBLIC LIBRARY presents a Chinese New Year celebration on Jan. 21 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. Info: ci.santa-maria.ca.us/210.shtml. THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY DISCOVERY MUSEUM teams up with the American Red Cross to teach kids how to be “Masters of Disaster”…
Dance Lessons
ONGOING EVERYBODY CAN DANCE offers classes in ballet dance for ages 3 to adult. Call for schedules. Boys and men receive full scholarships. The studio is located at 800 S. Broadway. Info: 937-6753 or everybodycandance.webs.com. COUNTRY WESTERN DANCE CLASSES by Jeannette and Henry are Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. for country two-step lessons and…
Stage
WORTH THE DRIVE THE SANTA BARBARA DANCE ALLIANCE present New Works: Santa Barbara Choreographers Jan. 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara. Cost is $25, $22 for members, $20 for seniors and students. Info: 966-6950 or sbdancealliance.org. UCSB ARTS AND LECTURES presents Brazilian…
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 ADDAMO VINEYARD/TASTING ROOM: 400 E. Clark Ave., suite E, Santa Maria, 937-6400. Live music Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m. CLUB 805, AKA STINKY’S BAR & GRILL: 2430 South Broadway,…
Concerts
THE SANTA MARIA PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY presents a master class with pianist Kirill Gliadkovsky on Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Louis de Montfort Church, 1190 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. Cost is $20, $15 for seniors, and $10 for students. Info: 925-0412. O’SULLIVAN’S PUB hosts a concert featuring national punk rock band Nothington and local…
SPECIAL EVENTS
THE SANTA MARIA UNIT FOR THE CALIFORNIA ONE CARE campaign sponsors a fundraiser dance featuring music, dance, food, no host bar, and film clips about California One Care on Jan. 26 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Y.O.Y.O. Club, 725 E. Foster Road, Orcutt. Cost is $10, $6 for students. Info: 347-9604. THE UNITED…
Find great eats at the mall
Young and promising, the new year has already delivered welcome rains and renewed hopes. Equally full of promise, Santa Maria’s Town Center greets 2010 with fresh paint and a sunny atmosphere, as well as a line up of local merchants and restaurants ready to serve the community in style. Nearly two years ago, Greg Kozak…
