Cover Story
The thought that counts
Two homeless men sit handcuffed on the pavement. As far as we know, they’ve done nothing wrong, and it’s because of us that they’re detained here. This isn’t how the morning was supposed to go. It’s well past 7 a.m., and we’d been waiting for the police to arrive for at least a half hour,…
City and county were aware of mudslide risks, lawsuit states
Amid a flurry of litigation connected to the Thomas Fire and the deadly Montecito mudslides that followed in its wake, Southern California Edison is pointing the finger at the county of Santa Barbara, city of Santa Barbara, and other government agencies claiming they’d long been aware of the potential for deadly debris flows in the…
Oceano neighborhood ‘in shock’ over homicide
As the SLO County Sheriff’s Office continued to investigate the homicide of 90-year-old Larry Bross, friends and neighbors of the well-known community activist are still reeling from the news of his death. “The whole neighborhood is in shock and sorrow and misses him deeply,” Nell Langford, who owns a vacation home on the same street…
Santa Maria issues 57 accessory dwelling unit permits in 2018
Just eight months ago, nothing more than a hollow, wooden frame stood on the expansive dirt lot at 2811 S. Bradley Road. Construction on the then just budding project has since wrapped up, and the lot is now host to a sturdy 2,138-square-foot house and its mini-me, a 1,000-square-foot accessory dwelling unit—the first of its…
Foodbank to continue distributions for federal employees in wake of shutdown’s end
The partial government shutdown ended—for now—and local federal employees were back at work on Jan. 28, but the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County will continue distributing free food to those impacted by the shutdown through Feb. 8. “We realize that the moment a paycheck comes in doesn’t mean everyone will be instantly relieved,” said Judith…
Hobknobbing with Helen: Mahjong tournament
BY HELEN ANN THOMAS Mahjong, anyone? Eighty-eight devotees of the game expressed a resounding “yes!” on Friday, Jan. 22. They gathered at Minami Community Center for the city’s fourth annual mahjong tournament. Donna Eschen is the energetic, imaginative, and efficient force behind this benefit for the Special Olympics program, which is sponsored by the Deptartment…
The Sweet Spot is bringing treats from all over the world to Santa Maria
As I type this, I’m singing the words of one of my favorite songs loudly to myself: 1972’s “The Candy Man” by the late and great Sammy Davis Jr. The music is an appropriate accompaniment to this story, although the song might be more aptly titled, “The Candy Family” or “The Candy Shop” (this is…
Charlie Overbey puts a somber spin on alternative country in Buellton
When Kenny Chesney sings “When The Sun Goes Down,” not many listeners stop to consider the consequences of that sun never coming back up again. The subject matter found in Broken Arrow, the latest LP from alternative country artist Charlie Overbey, isn’t quite as dismal as global annihilation, but it’s still light years away from…
Off with his balls
For many years my house was split right down the middle, perfectly even along gender lines. We had me as the patriarch of the family, my wife as the actual boss of the family, our handsome son was our oldest child, and our beautiful daughter was our youngest. Life was perfect, and there was a…
Valley Art presents Greater Shades of Love
Valley Art Gallery in Orcutt hosts Greater Shades of Love, a new show that runs through Feb. 23. The curated show features work from many Valley Art participants. A meet-and-greet reception for the artists is planned for Feb. 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Valley Art Gallery. The gallery is located at 125…
Santa Maria Library introduces book delivery
The Santa Maria Public Library is now offering service from Zip Books, which enables readers to order books and audiobooks not currently owned by any of the library’s branches and have them sent to their home at no cost. Items from Zip Books typically take three to five days to arrive and can be returned…
Elverhoj Museum presents painting workshop
The Elverhoj Museum of History and Art will host a three-day workshop with local artist Nancy Yaki from Feb. 28 through March 2. Yaki’s acrylic painting workshop will center on a new topic each day to help aspiring artists or hobbyists learn how to better utilize the medium. Day one features exploring acrylic paint and…
Melinda Palacio’s writing touches on issues of cultural identity and history
“Black cormorants on bare branches spread their wings as if in prayer. A sunny day in Summerland and the tree, visible only from the highway, hides its penitent perch from cars racing by too fast.” The stark visual contrasts in Melinda Palacio’s poem, “The Praying Tree,” show just how skilled she is at…
SMCT outdoes themselves with a solid production of A Streetcar Named Desire
It’s a play known for one of the most iconic moments in acting history, but what’s probably most remarkable about Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is its impressive and often intense timeliness. The Santa Maria Civic Theatre is currently staging a revival of the 1947 classic, featuring the story of doomed heorine Blanche DuBois…
Kainoa Keuma
St. Joseph High School senior Kainoa Keuma has made leaps and bounds since his first year with the school’s boys’ basketball team—and it shows. The numbers don’t lie: The point guard averages about 14.5 points a game, according to head coach Tom Mott. He makes more than 40 percent of his shots from the…
Payday
I just got the first press release I’ve had from the Los Padres National Forest since before Christmas! Why does that matter? Well, I’m glad you asked. It means that—drum roll please—the United States of America is back, baby! The federal government is no longer partially shut down! For at least three weeks, possibly longer,…
Refreshing approach to a tough problem
The primary election for 2020 is just 13 months from now in March of 2020; it’s time to start thinking about who the Santa Barbara County supervisor of the 4th District should be. The incumbent has announced that he doesn’t intend to run again, so the seat is open. The county, like almost every other…
The importance of mentoring
Being a mentor is one of the most important roles we may fulfill. We benefit from mentoring relationships throughout our lives. This is especially true for kids. Kids need mentors. They need positive role models from whom they can learn and trust. If you think back to your own childhood, you may recall an adult…
Political Watch Jan. 31, 2019
• On Jan. 28, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced the reintroduction of his first piece of legislation in Congress, the California Clean Coast Act—now of 2019. The bill, House Resolution 279, would permanently ban future offshore oil and gas leasing in areas of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of California. His…
Mayor’s Task Force to launch two youth-focused programs
Since its creation, the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Safety has been criticized by community members as excluding the very group it’s supposed to be focused on: youth. Now the city is gearing up to launch two programs that would bring local teens to the table. Both programs, dubbed the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board and…
Spotlight on: SMHS Business Economics
For more than a decade, Santa Maria High School (SMHS) teacher Cindy Quaid has incorporated the Stock Market Game, an online simulation of global capital markets intended for grades four through 12, into her business economics and marketing courses. The program, started by the SIFMA Foundation, is meant to spark participating students’ interest in economics…
