Cover Story
Santa Barbara County Foodbank’s Picnic in the Park program provides nutritious meals to local kids when school isn’t in session
On July 14, local resident Maria drove up to Minami Park around 11:30 a.m. Two smiling Foodbank volunteers opened a large cooler and handed her two pre-packaged meals. Patsy Aguirre, who has volunteered with the Foodbank for the last four years, said that she typically hands out 70 to 80 meals in an hour at…
GUILTY PLEASURES: GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE
GUILTY PLEASURES: GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE Where’s it playing? Netflix What’s it rated? R Co-writer and director Navot Papushado (Rabies, Big Bad Wolves) helms this action crime drama that’s essentially a female John Wick. The story focuses on Sam (Karen Gillan), a female assassin who’s assigned by her handler, Nathan (Paul Giamatti), to retrieve some stolen money.…
BINGEABLE: SWEET TOOTH
BINGEABLE: SWEET TOOTH Where’s it playing? Netflix What’s it rated? TV-14 Gus (Christian Convery) is a young boy being raised by his Papa in a post-apocalyptic world, hidden away from society for his safety because Gus isn’t like a “normal” kid in one big way: He’s half human and half deer, and there is no…
Alessio Carnevale brings handmade, artisan gelato to new Solvang storefront, Via Gelateria
Some of Alessio Carnevale’s fondest childhood memories took place at his uncle’s gelato shop in Calabria, Italy. One of these throwbacks begins with a broken arm, which may have inadvertently determined Carnevale’s career. “One summer, my uncle broke his arm, and my mother said I needed to help him out in the shop. It was…
Inside/Outside showcases diverse range of oil and pastel pieces by Central Coast artists Renée Kelleher and Jim Tyler
While differing in media preferences, one thing local painter Renée Kelleher and pastelist Jim Tyler have in common is an appreciation of light and shadow. “Jim has such a beautiful use of light in his pastels. I try to capture contrast in lights and darks, as well, in my oil paintings,” Kelleher said. “We both…
ZFolio Gallery showcases 21 jewelry crafters in new group exhibition, Together
Twenty-one members of the American Jewelry Council will be featured in a new exhibition, titled Together, at ZFolio Gallery in Solvang. The exhibit opens on Friday, July 23, and is scheduled to remain on display through the end of 2021. An artist reception will take place during the exhibit’s opening day, starting at 4 p.m.…
Entry period begins for 2021 New Times Music Awards
Central Coast-based singers, songwriters, musicians, and bands are encouraged to enter this year’s New Times Music Awards competition. The entry period for the contest begins on Thursday, July 29, and entries will be accepted through Monday, Aug. 16 (deadline is 5 p.m.). Visit newtimesslo.com for more details. Following the competition, this year’s New Times Music…
Library holds fifth annual Cowboy Poetry Contest, open to local children and teens
The Santa Maria Public Library is currently accepting submissions for its fifth annual Cowboy Poetry Contest, which is open to local students, ranging from grades K through 12. Participants are asked to write original poems about cowboys or cowgirls and their day-to-day lives (applicants are allowed to submit more than one entry). The deadline to…
In answer to your question
Vandenberg Village resident and frequent Sun letter writer Jan Lipski asked a question in the opinion section of this issue (“Still scared,” page 10) that hit too close to home. If I were in a generous frame of mind, I would figure that this is exactly what he intended to do—to ask a personal question…
A fearful, right-wing agenda
The three SLO County Board of Supervisors government obstructionists did it again. Instead of appointing the current deputy clerk recorder to fill the vacant SLO County clerk-recorder position, they want to open it up for their review of candidates. They want their hand-picked interim candidate for an elected position. They expect to get candidates from…
Tax dollars shouldn’t bail out nuclear industry
Do you want your tax dollars to be used to bail out the nuclear industry? Do you want to see between $50 billion and $100 billion of taxpayer dollars used over the next decade to keep these unprofitable, expensive, dangerous, and dirty reactors operating? Do you want to accumulate more radioactive waste with nowhere to…
Google isn’t the answer, teachers are
We’ve pretty well sorted out sex education in schools, and found that knowledge helped students make informed decisions. Rates of teenage pregnancy are down, and now school administrators and parents are arguing over whether we can trust students with the real history of this country. Never mind that any student who hears that adults don’t…
Still scared
The media did a real good job scaring everyone. So after all this time, you should let reality set in. Has anyone in your immediate or extended family tested positive for COVID-19? I had two. My son and a son-in-law. Did any of those people have symptoms, become hospitalized, or die? My family had no…
The county needs a wise decision maker
A contested development plan for a smallish lot in Los Alamos is soon to come before a county decision maker. After public comment at a hearing, its fate may be settled by the zoning administrator next month. The builder seeks to add 11 more homes to an acre-and-a-half lot that already has one dwelling, and…
Allan Hancock College resumes in-person teaching of the winemakers of tomorrow
Allan Hancock College’s Viticulture and Enology Program is the epitome of hands-on learning. Students not only learn the science behind grape growing and winemaking, but also how to operate a winery and actually harvest the crop. Walking into the college’s winery, one is met with wine-stained barrels stacked on top of one another. Against the…
Political Watch: July 22, 2021
• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 129, the state budget agreement dubbed the California Comeback Plan, on July 12. “The California Comeback Plan focuses on providing relief to those that need it most and major investments to address the state’s most persistent challenges,” a July 12 statement from Newsom’s office said. “The plan provides immediate…
Santa Maria-Bonita students taste-test milk as the district chooses a new vendor
Three dairy vendors are bidding on Santa Maria-Bonita School District’s dairy contract to provide students with milk for their free breakfast and lunch meals. On July 16 Robert Bruce Elementary third and fourth graders participating in the Migrant Summer School program put the cartons of milk to the test. Typically, vendors submit their proposal to…
Guadalupe works to establish commercial cannabis permit application criteria
Guadalupe is working to flesh out the finer details of its recently passed cannabis ordinance, and although that process might take slightly longer than initially expected, potential business owners could be able to apply for cannabis business permits before the summer’s end. On May 25, Guadalupe City Council adopted an ordinance allowing commercial cannabis…
Santa Barbara County Supervisors declare drought emergency as county contends with Central Coast Water Authority lawsuit
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors declared a local drought emergency at a July 13 meeting. The proclamation comes on the heels of Central Coast Water Authority (CCWA) filing a lawsuit against the county last month after the board put limits on the agency’s ability to sell excess water outside of the county. While…
