Cover Story
A very bad joke?
John Denver, Sisyphus, and a survivor Twinkie. This assortment of characters has all the makings of the worst joke ever told. Or the best assortment of short stories ever published. You’ll have to be the judge. I can’t believe that the cold, clinical measurements and algorithms of science and math could ever be applied to…
CLUBS & MEETINGS
ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. of SANTA MARIA, a nonprofit business and professional organization, meets the second Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., in the downstairs conference room at United Way, 1660 S. Broadway. Info: 352-0026 or 937-4071. ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. OF THE CENTRAL COAST meets at noon the second and fourth Monday of every month at…
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…
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…
HEALTH
SANSUM CLINIC offers a “Cholesterol Management” class July 10 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. The clinic is located at 1225 North H St., Lompoc. Info: 737-8700. ONGOING ARTHRITIS FDN. is a low impact, sit-in-chair exercise program held everyWednesday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Valentine St.…
ART
THE DAVID RYAN GALLERY features the art of a new artist every month. An art-and-wine party featuring the current artist and/or information on the current art is every first Friday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The gallery is located at 205 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. Info: 937-1058 or davidryangallery.com. THE CYPRESS GALLERY…
LEARNING
WORTH THE DRIVE THE LADY HOOKER FISHING CLUB offers a Fish Filleting class July 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the San Luis Yacht Club, 1st Pier, Avila Beach. Cost is $15. Info: 748-1964. THE EXPLORATION STATION hosts a Super Sitter Class instructed by the American Red Cross July 12 from 9 a.m. to 4…
RECREATION
ONGOING A MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BEACH FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE with four-on-four teams, no contact, is every Sunday at the beach in front of the Sandcastle Inn, Pismo Beach. Cost is $3 per player. Rain cancels. Registration: 489-1340. ARK TENNIS LESSONS for third through eighth graders are Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at…
KIDS & FAMILY
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH presents a Star Bible Camp July 7 through 11 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. each day at the church, 4465 S. Blosser Road, Orcutt. Cost is $10, $5 for second child. Info: 937-0339. THE LOMPOC POLICE DEPARTMENT hosts a Junior Police Camp for kids ages 8 to 12 July…
DANCE LESSONS
DANCE LESSONS in preparation for the Obon Festival are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 3, 9, and 17 at the Veteran’s Memorial Cultural Center, 313 W. Tunnel St., Santa Maria. Info: 937-7026 or 934-1797. THE EVERYBODY CAN DANCE BALLET ACADEMY presents a five-week intensive dance teaching session featuring Jordi Ribera and Aubrey Walker for…
STAGE
THE SANTA MARIA CIVIC THEATRE holds auditions for its upcoming production of “Sugar! Oh, Sugar!” July 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. at the theater, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria. Auditions for musicians are July 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. at theater. Info: 928-4545 or SMCT.org. PCPA THEATERFEST presents its production of the…
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.…
CONCERTS
WORTH THE DRIVE THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY BAND performs a Twilight Concert July 3 and 10 at 7 p.m. at Mitchell Park, at the corner of Pismo and Osos St., SLO. A special July 4 concert is 11 a.m. at Mitchell Park, SLO. Info: 543-5691, or cgrosse@charter.net. THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART presents…
SPECIAL EVENTS
THE WORLD FAMOUS LIPIZZANER STALLIONS perform July 2 and 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Santa Barbara County Fairgrounds, Santa Maria. Cost is $19.50, $17.50 for kids and seniors, and $22.50 for gold circle seats. Info: tickets.com, 1-800-882-8258, or lipizzaner.com. THE CITY OF LOMPOC presents a Fireworks celebration July 4 at Huyck Stadium, Lompoc. Info:…
Arts Briefs
Poster contest winners know how to rock The Santa Maria Fairpark announced the winners of the Santa Barbara County Fair poster contest. Fatima Cacho, 11, of Santa Maria, and Adrianna Diaz, 19, of Lompoc took first place in their respective categories of younger than 18 years of age and 18 and older. The contest called…
Building an image
Ever walked into a building and thought “If only these walls could talk?” Well they do, to photographer Collette Christel. From the romanticism of a crumbling castle to the majesty of a towering bridge, Christel sees inspiration in the structures most people use on a daily basis, and through her photography she tries to convey that…
Living life in color
Some people create art for a living and others are living works of art. Dawn Shute is the latter. Shute carries the philosophy that you should dare to be different in your clothing and in your life, that you have to be satisfied with yourself and in what you create. She also carries a denim…
Wine winners
Alfresco activities pair naturally with fine weather, and as we head into summer, Central Coasters find all kinds of reasons for heading outdoors to play. Come July 9, look for the crowds to be flocking straight to the Santa Maria Fairpark, where the 117th annual Santa Barbara County Fair unfolds in a blaze of music,…
We must change or face extinction
Global warming is finally being taken seriously, and with a new administration coming in, hopefully more will be done to cut greenhouse gas emissions and with dispatch, which has not been the case for all too long. There are still too many leaders all over the world who refuse to admit this is a deadly…
Go ahead and close the parks
Though I dislike tax increases and cuts in essential programs, I must speak out against those who want more government services for free. With so much already being spent on government aid, something has to give. Closing some parks would be a good start. These are not essential to anyone’s well being, and I’ve learned…
Write to your representative
Please support Representative Dennis Kucinich’s resolution for impeachment of Bush and Cheney, which was introduced on June 9, 2008. It is my belief that the Democrats should have launched impeachment proceedings as soon as it was known that Bush lied in order to invade Iraq. I am bitterly disappointed with Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic…
This governor isn’t as good as I hoped he’d be
Schwarzenegger. What a disappointment. When I voted for Schwarzenegger, I believed we would have someone in the state capitol who would understand that, if you don’t have it, you don’t spend it. I knew he would be up against the liberals who want the government to provide all their wants, but I forgot that he…
Do the research and get educated about medicine
It’s sad that you’re propagating the duplicitous medical establishment’s lies and disinformation, as evidenced by Kirsten Flagg’s “Support the fight” AIDS commentary (June 10). She states, “More people have AIDS in the U.S. than ever before,” and “Clearly, this is still a public health crisis,” but doesn’t reveal the real reason and who’s to blame:…
Let me clear up some confusion surrounding the bridge
I am writing to correct a couple of misperceptions that appeared in Sarah E. Thien’s article on June 19 (“Suicide ‘destination’ may soon be no more”). First, note that I am not a member of Friends of the Bridge. Second, opposition to the proposed suicide barrier on the Cold Spring Canyon Bridge is not growing because…
Running on the levee
The Fields to Fair 10-mile run is no more. Instead, the annual race has been reinvented as the Guadalupe Half Marathon. It’s got a new name, a new distance, and a new beneficiary—the Guadalupe Sports Hall of Fame, Inc. Savvy observers, or just hard-core runners, may have already heard of the Guadalupe Half Marathon. This…
Hancock football team will compete in new conference in 2008
The Bulldogs start off the season in September in a newly reorganized Southern California Football Association, which has absorbed Hancock’s former league, the Western State Conference, the Mission Conference, and Foothill. The Bulldog’s will still be playing against some of their old rivals in 2008, including Santa Barbara, Canyons College, Bakersfield, Moorpark, and Ventura. Righetti…
Sign up now for Indian’s baseball clinic
It’s almost time for the Santa Maria Indian’s youth clinic. This year, the event will be held July 15 to 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Elks Field in Santa Maria. The youth clinic will be led by the Santa Maria Indians head coach and former professional baseball player Bobby Brown, who has…
Athlete of the Week
Multitalented must be an adjective Heidi Lethcoe hears attributed to her quite often. Playing a varied mix of shortstop, second base, and catcher for the Orcutt All Stars, this 12-year-old doesn’t shy away from stretching her abilities to cover the whole field. After all, softball is in her blood. “My dad coaches,” she said, and…
Learn from home with Allan Hancock College
Enrollment in the Allan Hancock College’s distance learning classes (classes taught online and outside of the classroom) has increased dramatically over the last several years, from 500 students in 1996 to 2,800 students in 2008, according to a press release from college staff. This fall, the college plans to offer 190 distance learning classes, including…
Need cash for college?
Last year, a large portion of Allan Hancock College students received more than $4 million in grants, scholarships, and loans last year, with students receiving up to $8,000, helping them make their dreams of a college education come true. “I encourage every student to apply for financial aid,” financial aid specialist Nohemy Ornelas said…
Gifts Gone Gourmet online store opens showroom in Santa Maria
Based in Santa Maria, but with most business done over the Internet, Gifts Gone Gourmet is a local online success story. The shop carries gourmet foods, specialty foods, wine, and gift baskets. Though online shopping is easy and fast, locals who want to see in person what Gifts Gone Gourmet has to offer can visit…
Last chance for laser tag at MotionZ
The place to go for laser tag, video games, and some good clean fun, MotionZ, is shutting its doors for the last time on July 27 at 7 p.m. “The economic times have affected everyone and has hit us especially hard. We are proud of the product we have offered to our guests and patrons. It…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Our recent bout of record-breaking heat did not deter animal lovers from attending “A Four Legged Affair —A Night Among the Stars,” Saturday evening, Jan. 21 at the Addamo Estates Vineyard on Clark Avenue. Starting at 6 p.m., this outdoor fundraiser for the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society (SMVHS) attracted about 200 guests. The $100 tickets included…
Helping the Red Cross Help You
Emergencies don’t often happen when expected. The unforeseen is usually what contributes to panic and disorder during a crisis. This is when the American Red Cross Preparedness and Response Center in Santa Maria would step in. That is, if it existed. In order to help residents of northern Santa Barbara County more efficiently the Red…
What was the last book you read?
Jonathan and Abraham Students “We like to read comics and Star Wars books.” Arlene Martin Teacher “I don’t know if I should say … Skinny Bitch in the Kitchen.” Betty Ramos Instructional Aid “We Were the Mulvaneys.” Larry Durgess Director of IT “I normally read a lot of publications, like magazines.”
Santa Barbara County joins efforts to ease volatile fire season
Planning on grilling steaks or roasting marshmallows over a campfire during the Fourth of July weekend? Well, don’t do it—unless it’s at a designated campfire location. According to a press release from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the county fire department, in conjunction with all other fire departments in the county, is banning open…
Federal funds for repairs to Santa Maria River Levee await final approval
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved the earmarking of $8.5 million in the 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill on June 25, to help stabilize and repair the Santa Maria River Levee. Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) requested federal funding to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin…
Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury questions status of Child Welfare Services
A recent Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury report, investigating the county’s Child Welfare Services, found that the department “lacks stability.” According to the report, “While Child Welfare Services (CWS) has a process to deal with the children at each age stage in the system from initial contact, to court hearing, to permanent placement, to…
Meet Matt Kokkonen
To hear him answer the question “How do you see yourself?” Matt Kokkonen is a living embodiment of the American Dream. “I’m just an immigrant boy from Finland,” he answers, deliberately understating his achievements and his ambitions. He may have washed up on the shores of New York with only a single suitcase, and 16…
Born free
Members of the local organization Birth Action Coalition gathered on June 23, outside Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, carrying signs in one hand and babies in the other, to protest what they called the hospital’s “ban on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).” The coalition’s goal is to “help create supportive natural birth environments in the…
