Cover Story
Lost and found
On Dec. 17, 2012, local resident Nicol Wilson boarded his small, white plane and took off from the Santa Ynez Airport. He was on his way to the Mammoth Lakes Airport to join his family for the upcoming holiday. He never arrived. Around 12:30 p.m. that day, as Wilson was flying over Yosemite National Park,…
Splendor in the vines
When Presqu’ile Winery opens its doors to the public on Thursday, June 20, so begins an exciting new chapter in the story of Santa Maria Valley wine country. One can only expect that serious wine connoisseurs, day-tripping winery hoppers, modern architecture buffs, and the entire community for that matter, will soon be making a pilgrimage…
Nature by night
Cachuma Lake’s Neal Taylor Nature Center is a hub of information, technology, and skilled people who help locals understand the complex ecosystem at Cachuma Lake, which borders the stunning and expansive Los Padres National Forest. The nature center is central to the activities going on at the lake during the day, including multiple day hikes,…
Power is restored to the Central Coast
The blackout that left approximately 149,000 Central Coast residents without power the evening of June 23 was most likely caused by an equipment failure at the Morro Bay switchyard, PG&E spokesman Blair Jones told the Sun. Blair called the incident a “transmission-level outage” because the equipment failure caused two large transmission lines to go offline.…
Can you name a time where you got lost?
Josseline Chavarria student “When I was little, I got lost at the 99 cent store. I thought this guy was my dad and when he turned around, I realized it wasn’t him!” Christopher Licoscos unemployed “I was riding around on my bike and I made a wrong turn. I didn’t know where I was going…
ALTHETES OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUMMER GAMES
Northern Santa Barbara County athletes shone at the Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games at Cal State Long Beach on June 8 and 9. Nearly 40 local athletes competed against more than 1,100 Special Olympics participants. Rudy Gutierrez, Special Olympics operations coordinator for Northern Santa Barbara County, said the children competed in track and field,…
Polo legends return to Santa Ynez
Team Platinum Performance will return to defend its 2012 championship title at the Polo Classic on July 20 at the Santa Ynez Polo club. Platinum Performance will include brothers Memo Gracida—a hall-of-famer with the most U.S. Open wins—and Carlos Gracida, a three-time Grand Slam of Polo award winner. For VIP, patron, and general admission tickets,…
Play summer baseball with the ‘Dogs
Players of all ages and talents are invited to improve their game at this year’s Allan Hancock College summer baseball clinic scheduled for June 17 through 20 and June 24 through 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Former major league player Bryn Smith, head coach Chris Stevens, and Santa Maria Packers coach Scott Nickason…
Firestone will play host to a bike race
The largest criterium racing weekend in California is scheduled for June 29 and 30. Sponsored by Firestone Walker Brewing Company, the two-race event will benefit the Santa Ynez Valley Cycling Club and Lompoc Police Foundation. Firestone’s 805 Ale is the title sponsor. Criterium races are bike races over short distances that loop along a circuit…
Hancock athletes are headed to the big leagues
A recent press release from Allan Hancock College athletics revealed that two more Bulldog baseball players have been drafted to Major League Baseball. The Atlanta Braves drafted two pitchers from Hancock: Chuck Buchanan and Jordan Sechler, in the 18th and 19th rounds, respectively. According to Hancock, these two will go on to join other former…
Leeches and fleas and ticks–oh my!
Sure, vampires are sexy these days, but back in Bram Stoker’s era, they were less sparkly and more, well, greasy. Dracula, as he was first written, had a unibrow, a scraggly goatee, and hairy palms. He wasn’t the sort of undead guy who would wind up on a teen girl’s poster, is what I’m saying.…
How do I help an ailing animal?
Sunday morning, my spouse and I were driving down a residential street in SLO when we spotted a run-over, dead squirrel and two concerned female spectators standing nearby. As we slowly passed the squirrel, we noticed something that would radically change our day. The squirrel wasn’t dead. He was broken up, writhing in shock and…
The virus among us
� I was a good boy this year. I did the preventative maintenance thing for my body. I ate a few fruits and vegetables, I lost a little weight, and I even braved the needle and got a flu shot. I was a pillar of good health. OK, it may be a bit of a…
Party with the Pops
The Lompoc Flower Festival theme this year is a “Patriotic Party.” That theme is being explored by none other than the Lompoc Pops Orchestra, which will be presenting an upcoming concert of patriotic and American music to serve as a kick-off event to a week of hometown celebration. The Lompoc Pops Orchestra is modeled after…
Join the kids’ club
Michaels arts and crafts store offers two upcoming classes for kids. The first event is titled “Kids Club Silly Shells Event” on June 22 from 10 a.m. to noon. A “Kids Club Fourth of July Hat Event” is June 29 from 10 a.m. to noon. Crafting happens in 30-minute sessions for both events. For more…
Support campers with fireworks
Camp Fire Central Coast of California is selling Phantom Fireworks to benefit the programs and summer camps that the organization offers residents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Fireworks will be sold starting June 28 at noon through July 4 at 9 p.m. Regular hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in…
Trade show to feature Hollywood actors, set piece
The Time Travel Trade Show is coming to town thanks to the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the annual trade show. This year’s event is June 20 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. What makes the Time Travel Trade Show so outstanding is the fact that, in the spirit of the time travel…
A cabaret of the senses
The C Gallery in Los Alamos is playing host to a special “Art Cabaret” event with a local artist creating intimate paintings of live models while an audience of onlookers enjoys fine food and wine on June 29 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the gallery, 466 Bell St., Los Alamos. Suzanne Alexandra will be…
Elegance and power
The week’s events kicked off with Gordon McCall’s 21st Motorsports Revival. Bob Jacobs had gotten an extra invitation to McCall’s Motorsports Revival because he was showing his Lamborghini Aventador at the Quail on Friday. Bob and I made our way to the Monterey Jet Center for the McCall Party. As soon as we entered the…
That’s a tasty pic-a-nic basket!
On the menu for lunch June 14 at Santa Barbara County Foodbank’s Picnic in the Park kickoff event was a chicken sandwich with chips, a nectarine, carrots, and milk. When the Sun stopped by Veterans Memorial Park on Pine Street in Santa Maria, Foodbank staffers had already served more than 185 lunches to hungry local…
What Kids Are Reading
illustrated by Richard Egielski recommended for readers 4 to 8 years old Summer’s official start—as an actual season, not just the school’s-out-post-Memorial-Day dreaminess—may not be the obvious time to pick up a book about an ending, but the backward-told tale makes for a great read on these long, long afternoons and evenings. Starting at the…
Righetti High graduate’s art to show in D.C.
The image of a boarded-up Santa Barbara County diner has made it to Washington D.C. thanks to 2013 Ernest Righetti High School graduate Christa Weston. Weston won the U.S. Congressional Arts Competition for California’s 24th District with the photograph and will head to a reception in Washington, D.C., on June 26. Her image is…
Children’s Spanish classes offered at Hancock
Kids can get an introduction to the Spanish language in a new, introductory Spanish course offered through Allan Hancock College Community Education’s College for Kids. The class, “A Taste of Spanish,” is for children who have little or no background in the language who are entering second, third, or fourth grade in the fall.…
City awards Clean and Clear poster winners
More than 250 children under the age of 12 drew, painted, or colored illustrations showing how they would keep Santa Maria’s city parks free of trash and playgrounds free of second-hand smoke. It was part of the Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department’s Clean and Clear City Parks Campaign. The city partnered with PLAY, People…
Spotlight on C & E DryServ
Have you ever left your iPod in your pants pocket, and remembered it after you’ve already run the wash cycle? Or, were you out having a good time until you realized that’s your phone at the bottom of the pitcher of beer or pool? Well, don’t fret just yet! Scott Talmage has a dry service…
Education conversation
Change is coming. Ultimately, that’s the goal for parents and community members who voiced their desire for change by creating an education platform. The platform was produced by the recently formed Parents/Community Involvement Committee. Some of the group’s members are the same parents who wanted, among other things, an equal share of votes on Santa…
Minor league dreams
The city of Santa Maria is rich in baseball tradition. On June 11 at City Hall, the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Commission heard a proposal from an investment group hoping to bring some of that tradition back to Santa Maria. The purpose of the meeting was to present the idea to the commission and…
Bonds and basin levels
A dry spring led to lower-than-usual water basin levels within the Nipomo Community Services District, pushing officials to move quickly on the $17.5 million water pipeline project, which starts with the sale of $10.5 million worth of bonds. Not that low water basin levels on the Mesa are anything new for the district, said NCSD…
County supervisors add $7.13 million to final budget
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate an extra $7.13 million in addition to passing the staff-recommended budget for 2013-2014 during its final budget hearing on June 14. Additional money went to fund more than 20 programs, departments, and projects whose representatives successfully pleaded their cases to supervisors over the previous week.…
Longtime court executive officer Gary Blair will retire in July
Gary Blair—the Santa Barbara County court executive officer whose varied career includes such highlights as unifying the county’s court systems and managing the infamous Michael Jackson trial—is retiring in July after 37 years. He is the longest serving court executive officer in California. The Board of Supervisors recognized Blair for his work at its June…
