Cover Story
29th annual 55 Fiction contest
Hundreds of writers put their stories on the line for New Times’ 29th annual 55 Fiction contest. Like the surf that pounds the sand, judges—Proofreader Andrea Rooks, New Times Staff Writer Chris McGuinness, and Sun Staff Writer Brenna Swanston—carefully mulled over each story in the stack, picking only those tales with the smoothest surfaces to…
Creedence Clearwater Revisited performs live at the Santa Barbara County Fair
It’s been more than 50 years since four 20-somethings from El Cerrito, Calif., changed the face of American rock ’n’ roll with their Delta blues, Southern-rock-inspired sound. Songs like “Fortunate Son,” “Born on a Bayou,” and “Rollin’ on the River” seemed to speak to a deeper American psyche than other music at the time. The…
What’s your favorite story?
Jeremiah Wiseblood student “Harry Potter. I like the whole magical universe that’s created, and just the idea of Hogwarts is super awesome to me.” Destiny Cuveas student “Hansel and Gretel because it’s kind of dark but has a happy ending.” Teisha Bustamante key holder “Probably The Vow. It’s about love, fighting for love, and how…
The white girl’s guide to pan dulce
This week’s Eats idea—an exploration of Mexican pastries—came at the suggestion of my editor. But you, my dear reader, deserve full disclosure: I know close to nothing about Mexican baked goods, and though I did my best, I’m not sure I can provide you with the most cultured analysis of them (hence this article’s title).…
Red in the face
My kids refer to me by a lot of different names, probably more names than I care to know about, but of those I have heard, strict, overbearing, tyrant, dictator come up pretty often. I prefer just acknowledging that I’m a helicopter mom. You know, one of those moms who hovers over her child, wanting…
Daytripper: Highway 1 to the Monterey Bay Aquarium yields some incredible views
The new Disney and Pixar movie Finding Dory traces the forgetful fish’s family roots back to Morro Bay, where the colorful characters find a marine sanctuary. No such place really exists in Morro Bay, but a little more than 100 miles north along Highway 1, you can find a similar facility. My family moved away…
Local artist Brian Silveira premieres a new comic book, the other-worldly ‘Bun’
In the opening panels of Bun—the new comic book released by local artist and real estate agent/property manager Brian Silveira and his wife, Lisa Nguyen—a bearded man sits atop what appears to be a horse. Beyond them there’s an expansive landscape, including windmills in the distance. Soon a subsequent panel reveals the man and his…
Connor Hayes
Connor Hayes, 15, is never afraid of embracing the role of “emotional team leader” when it is needed most. And with the fate of the Lompoc Babe Ruth 15s baseball team hanging in the balance against San Luis Obispo on June 28, Hayes felt it was necessary to call his teammates together before the game…
Best in the West: Unlikely Righetti wrestling duo Banduenga and Martinez trains for prestigious tournament in North Dakota
Righetti High School wrestling teammates John Martinez and Beni Banduenga don’t have all that much in common. Martinez is a senior; Banduenga is a sophomore. Martinez has been a wrestler since the age of 11; Banduenga picked up the sport only six months ago. Martinez goes into matches with a veteran’s mindset: He knows exactly…
For better or worse, discussions need to be open
It’s difficult to be such a small animal and have to come down on the side opposite of big powerful business interests, or government entities. But it’s kind of my job, and though it might be tough at times, it’s the right thing to do. We’re a land of oil and ag. In North County,…
The real threat
Jim Mallon, “The real threat,” June 23, wandered through seven paragraphs of his mental anguish on why we suffer through all the carnage and death that occurs in our country while dismissing the obvious lapse of mental health programs or border enforcement that really is the root of the insanity that is visited upon us…
Violence and the illusion of safety
With the tragic killing in Orlando fresh on our minds, there is again another push to ban and limit firearms. Let’s shelve firearms for a moment and look at what Orlando was about. Can we safely sum it up with “violence and the illusion of safety”? That is what we are really talking about, right?…
Spotlight on: Santa Barbara County Foodbank
Santa Barbara County has at least 52,000 low-income households that are food insecure, according to 2014 data taken by California Food Policy Advocates. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “consistent access to adequate food limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.” In other words, tens…
C.A.R.E.4Paws reaches out to northern Santa Barbara County youth
This month, C.A.R.E.4Paws is launching a countywide Paws Up for Pets campaign alongside United Boys & Girls Club and Davey’s Voice, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. The goal is to empower local youth to make a difference by showing others that they care about animals and by inspiring empathy among friends…
Orcutt library to hold summer hours
The Santa Maria Public Library announced that the Orcutt Branch Library will be open on Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m. beginning Friday, July 8. The added day of service will increase its total weekly hours from 32 to 36. The Orcutt Branch has an average of 550 visitors daily and circulates an average of…
City of Santa Maira sponsors youth volleyball clinic
The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is offering a youth volleyball clinic that will introduce fundamental skills to younger boys and girls and prepare older athletes for the upcoming junior high school fall volleyball season. All aspects of the game will be addressed including serving, passing, setting, and hitting. The program is…
American GI Forum grants scholarships
The American GI Forum Education Foundation of Santa Maria, along with LULAC Santa Maria Council No. 3252, awarded 10 scholarships to local high school graduates and college/university students at the Cornerstone Community Room on Saturday, June 25. The following students were awarded scholarships to attend these schools in the coming year: • Isaiah Aleman, College…
Hobnobbing with Helen: Mixing at CASA
On the third Thursday of almost every month, there is a free Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce mixer for members. Hobnobbing at these affairs is absolutely de rigueur. The whole point is to socialize and network. The nonprofit Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) was the enthusiastic host for this month’s event, which took place on…
Trial of a Lompoc man accused of attempted murder set to begin
It was during the early morning hours of March 11 when Kary Wise woke up to the sounds of a man screaming near her neighbor’s backyard located at 219 North L St. in Lompoc. “You shot me! Help me! I can’t believe you shot me!” she heard someone shout, according to police reports. That morning,…
Environment beats economy in Orcutt Hill oil debate
Pacific Coast Energy Company had big plans for Orcutt Hill. Since February of 2014, the company had been pushing to add 96 new cyclic steaming wells to the site, which would have doubled the number of wells on Orcutt Hill. For a while, the plans ran smoothly—Pacific Coast Energy (PCEC) gave a presentation to the…
One killed, one injured in Santa Maria Fourth of July shooting
One person was killed and a teenager was seriously injured in a shooting that occurred in Santa Maria during the evening of the city’s Fourth of July celebration, according to the Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD). Sgt. Mike McGehee of the SMPD said the shooting happened in the 400 block of N. Oakley Ave.,…
Grand Jury report puts spotlight on ethics at Lompoc school district
A Santa Barbara County grand jury investigation into the Lompoc Unified School District’s (LUSD) Board of Education has revealed inadequate financial controls and oversight of staff, as well as an apparent conflict of interest. The grand jury began its investigation in response to complaints regarding a “perceived conflict of interest” involving LUSD board member Bill…
Lompoc City Council receives second Brown Act warning in two years
Lompoc’s City Council received its second Brown Act warning last month from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s office. The warning came in response to complaints that the City Council held a closed session on Sept. 15, 2015, to discuss its position on a pending exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) with the California Space Center for…
Political Watch 7/7/16
• On June 30, Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) announced that three Central Coast companies have each been awarded approximately $1 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grants. SixPoint Materials Inc. and MicroBio Engineering will both receive $1 million for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, and Freedom Photonics LLC will receive $1 million…
Community Notebook 7/7/16 – 7/14/16
MONDAY, JULY 11 • 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. • The Solvang City Council has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. TUESDAY, JULY 12…
Alleged human trafficker arrested in Santa Maria
A man wanted in two states was arrested by deputies with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office following a traffic stop on Union Valley Parkway near Santa Maria on June 30, according to Kelly Hoover, the public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office. During the stop, police arrested Bernell Quillens, 35, of Marin, Calif., who…
Support nuclear power
Renewable power claims are misleading. Wind power is only available when the wind is blowing, and solar power is only available when the sun is shining. And wave power when there are waves. In the meantime the California statewide power supply must be designed to handle all the power demanded all of the time. California…
Santa Maria Public Library offers July programs for kids and teens
The Santa Maria Public Library announced the lineup of events it has prepared for kids and teens throughout July, and it includes story times, movie screenings, games, and art classes. Events for small children include Play, Move, and Learn with Your Toddler, which is for kids ages 1 through 3 years old. It’s held on…
Lois Capps hosts art competition winner in Washington, D.C.
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) hosted the winner of the 24th Congressional District’s Congressional Art Competition in Washington, D.C., for a ceremony at the capitol in late June. Santa Barbara High School sophomore Jillian Chierici attended the event with her father, Alan Chierici. Jillian was honored for her original piece Captured, which depicts a tiger’s…
Lompoc welcomes new bookmobile
The city of Lompoc announced a new Charlotte’s Web bookmobile, which will “weave a web of fun” with stops throughout Lompoc this summer. The bookmobile is named after longtime Lompoc civic leader and entrepreneur Charlotte Benton, and the vehicle is a green-energy fueled mobile children’s book library. The bookmobile is scheduled for stops at festivals,…
