Cover Story
Those who came before
The signs are everywhere: in place names like Nipomo, Lompoc, and Sisquoc, in art and rock carvings hidden among dim caves and wind-swept valleys, and buried deep in the soil under our feet. They’re the remnants of an ancient maritime Native American civilization that once prospered on the Central Coast, but today is struggling to…
It’s all about spin
I have a confession to make: Though I’ve lived in Santa Maria for more than 10 years, until recently I’d never played disc golf at Waller Park. After finding out that the Professional Disc Golf Association will be hosting the Santa Maria Open at Waller and Preisker parks on July 18 and 19, I decided…
Avoid the 12 cracks down on drunk drivers in Lompoc
It wasn’t quite the Michael Jackson fanfest they expected, but law enforcement officials still saw an eventful Fourth of July weekend, according to a press release from the Avoid the 12 Campaign. After canceling patrols in Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez for what officials thought would be a memorial service at the late King of…
What do you like to do in Santa Maria to get out of the house?
Jacquelyn Casarez student “I like to go to the beach, usually Avila or Grover—the dunes are too windy.” John Black student “I like to hang out at the Abel Maldonado Youth Center. We play pool or go swimming. Sometimes we go to the movies.” Adrien Flores student “I go to the mall. We always go…
Clubs & 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 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 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
SANSUM CLINIC presents a cholesterol management class on July 9 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the clinic. Cost is $8. A “Diabetes Essentials” class is July 16 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Sansum Clinic, 1225 North H St., Lompoc. Cost is $10. Info: 737-8700. MARIAN MEDICAL CENTER offers “Smart Eating for Kids…
Art
THE TOWN CENTER GALLERY opens again, featuring art created by locals at the gallery’s new location, Town Center West B-6 in Santa Maria. An opening reception and grand opening party is July 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the gallery. Info: 349-7303 or bangel4123@aol.com. THE CYPRESS GALLERY presents featured artist Lisa Toth’s gourd and…
Learning
LUCIA MAR ADULT EDUCATION offers a variety of classes through the summer. Registration and class info is available at lmusd.org or 474-3900. ONGOING EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS for inventors, entrepreneurs, new product developers, and creative individuals that feature expert speakers and resources meet every first Wednesday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. for the public…
Recreation
THE LOMPOC POLICE DEPARTMENT offers a basketball camp Tuesdays and Wednesdays through July 29 at the Lompoc Boys and Girls Club, 1025 Ocean, Lompoc. Info: 875-8152 or 875-8158. A summer golf program is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Aug. 19 at Ryon Park, at the Village Country Club, Lompoc. Info: 875-8155 or lompocpal.com. THE CITY…
Kids & Family
PCPA THEATERFEST presents two summer camps for young actors: The Young People’s Project is for 13- through 18-year-olds July 11 through 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and YPP Jr. for ages 7 through 13 July 26 through Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the PCPA Conservatory, Santa Maria. Info: 922-6966.…
Dance Lessons
THE EVERYBODY CAN DANCE BALLET STUDIO presents Summer Dance, featuring jazz, modern, character, ballet, and pointe classes for ages 8 through 14 through July 10 for Session II, and Session III Aug. 10 through 28, all from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Everybody Can Dance studio, 800 S. Broadway, Santa…
Stage
PCPA THEATERFEST presents its production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee through July 11 in the Marian Theatre, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. Cost is $29.25 to $33. Info: 922-8313 or pcpa.org. WORTH THE DRIVE KELRIK PRODUCTIONS presents its production of High School Musical 2 July 10 through 19 at the Spanos in…
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. to…
Concerts
WORTH THE DRIVE THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART presents the Music Academy of the West Concert Series featuring recitals ranging from Renaissance to contemporary on July 9, 16, 23, and 30, and Aug. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. in the Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. Cost is $9, $6. Info:…
Special Events
THE SANTA MARIA HIGH SCHOOL class of 1984 holds its 25-year reunion July 11 at the Loading Dock, Orcutt. Cost is $35. Info: smhs1984@yahoo.com. THE KIWANIS CLUB OF SANTA MARIA presents a fun and games night featuring a Reverse Bingo Drawing in benefit of the Alzheimer’s Association on July 12 at the Moose Lodge, Santa…
Stars will dance
The Dellos Performing Arts Competition Team is heading to Hollywood Connection’s National Finals in Anaheim, hoping to score big. The dancers brought home honors—including Most Entertaining and High Score Overall—at the Santa Clara regional competition before heading to Hollywood. The team consists of 32 dancers, ages 7 to 18, from Santa Maria to Paso Robles.…
PCPA announces its new season
PCPA Theaterfest has announced its 2009-2010 season, which opens with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis and adapted by Adrian Mitchell. The show will run Nov. 5 through Dec. 23 at the Marian Theatre. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth will also play in the Marian Theatre, Feb. 18 through March 7, 2010. March…
All revved up
A semi-truck roared by the gathering of classic street rod cars and their owners. The driver honked his horn loud and long. The guys, all members of the Bent Axles car club, waved in return. “We get a lot of that,” said Larry Eskew. “Trucks honk and people pass us on the road and give…
DeMille is ready for a close-up
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes have been the backdrop to a number of movies over the years. Their sands have yielded to the footsteps of movie stars and production crews, all drawn by a quality that makes the rolling horizons nondescript enough to be anything from a deserted island to an Egyptian desert. And to this day,…
Political Watch 7-9
• Santa Barbara County residents now have an archive of legislative and political information at their fingertips. On June 30, county officials launched a new online legislative research center—santabarbara.legistar.com—making it easier for elected officials and members of the public and press to view the agendas and minutes of the county’s boards, committees, and other government…
Community Notebook 7-9
MONDAY, JULY 13 • 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. TUESDAY, JULY 14 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Betteravia Government Center’s Board…
Got underwear?
Want to help your local community but don’t have much to give? Until July 31, store merchants in the Food Maxx shopping center in Santa Maria are collecting donations of new underwear and socks for United Way’s Neighbor to Neighbor program. The much-needed undergarments will be distributed to low-income people living in Santa Maria and…
Off to Neverland
As far as I was concerned, it was something that had to be done. There was something of a circus at Neverland Ranch, and I wasn’t there. An historical moment in the making. Who cares if there wasn’t a burial there, or a body? There were fans, there were news crews, and there were entrepreneurs.…
Everything you wanted to know about Santa Maria and more
The city of Santa Maria is inviting locals to learn more about the All-America City at four community meetings scheduled to take place over the next few months. The meetings are designed to provide information and guidance to residents regarding general, city-related questions. Multiple city departments—including police, fire, and recreation and parks—will be present at…
Santa Maria is now accepting bids for the levee project
Residents living close to the Santa Maria River Levee should plan on hearing the buzz and din of construction equipment this fall. The Army Corps of Engineers recently took the first step in the building process by soliciting bid proposals from contractors to repair 3.25 miles of the south levee from Blosser Road to Suey…
Legal Aid needs your help
Obtaining legal assistance is going to get much more difficult for low-income individuals and families living in the north part of the county, according to Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County. Faced with a funding shortfall, staff members at the Legal Aid’s Santa Maria office have been forced to go on furlough every Friday.…
Learn to fish at Cachuma Lake
For the sixth year, the Cachuma Lake Center is sponsoring two summer fishing workshops for kids 7 to 15 years old. Local anglers will share their expertise in fishing for trout, crappie, bluegill, catfish, and large and smallmouth bass. Teaching sessions will also cover knot tying, casting, fly-fishing, and fly-tying. The workshops will take place…
Golf balls drop for charity
Enter to win getaways to Italy or Hawaii and support the Northern Santa Barbara County Special Olympics at the same time by participating in CBS2/KCAL9’s Charity Golf Classic Golf Ball Drop on Aug. 3. During the event, a CBS or KCAL helicopter will hover over a target hole at Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake…
Robert Lopez
Second baseman Robert “Speedy” Lopez may be a Little Leaguer in stature, but the 10-year-old has a genuine Big League heart. While he’s excelled as a two-time Southside League All-Star, the fact that he can take the field at all is no small miracle. When he was just 18 months old, doctors discovered Robert had…
The middle of the road trumps extremism
Extremism in recent years seems to pop its ugly head up again and again, both locally and nationally. The vast majority of American voters tends to want America to tread down the middle of the road and not to veer off either to the extreme left or right. Today, according to recent polls, we see…
Land of the lost
When I’m driving somewhere, I refuse to pull over and ask for directions. This absolutely infuriates my wife. She doesn’t understand why I won’t simply pull the car over and ask for help. I’ve tried to explain to her that men just can’t do it. I physically can’t pull over and ask for directions anymore…
California Community Colleges get new leadership
On June 26, the California State Senate unanimously approved the appointment of four members to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. The new members are Lance T. Izumi of Sacramento, Geoffrey L. Baum of Pasadena, Scott Himelstein of San Diego, and Gary Reed of Porterville. The 17-member board—primarily appointed by the governor—sets policy and…
Former Hancock student named automotive technician of the year
Scott Stephen has come a long way since his first days as an auto mechanic, when—as a 14-year-old—he took apart a car and rebuilt it from scratch. The Allan Hancock College graduate was recently named a national Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Automotive Technician of the Year. According to a biography from the college, Stephen…
Look out for lead
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control has issued an alert to manufacturers and vendors supplying jewelry for fairs and festivals to watch for lead-tainted items. The Lead-Containing Jewelry Law went into effect on Sept. 1, 2007, and limits the amount of lead in children’s jewelry to either 220 parts per million (0.02 percent) or…
BOCH appoints governing board member
Bringing Our Community Home, an organization dedicated to ending chronic homelessness in Santa Barbara County, recently announced John McInnes as its new governing board member. McInnes was recently appointed assistant county executive officer and interim housing and community development director for the county. He’s responsible for managing the county’s Tea Fire Recovery Services, economic stimulus…
Red Cross recognizes business contributions
The Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross recognized the generosity of 11 businesses and foundations that have lent financial assistance to its efforts in responding to the Jesusita Fire. In addition to a $40,000 grant from the Santa Barbara Foundation, the chapter received $10,000 gifts from Blue Cross/BlueShield, the Hutton Foundation, Sempra…
Committee to honor former supervisor Fletcher
The Committee to Improve North County announced that former Santa Barbara County supervisor Harrell Fletcher will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the group’s luncheon on July 15. Each month, Committee INC features speakers and subjects important to Northern Santa Barbara County. Fletcher, this month’s keynote speaker, is a longtime member of the…
Art of the vine
Calling all painters, water colorists, and artists with a fondness for vineyard themes. It’s time to touch pigment to paper for the annual Mano Tinta wine label design competition, a contest that puts the winning work of art on posters, print ads, and no less than 500 cases of wine bottled to benefit area vineyard…
