Cover Story
Winning Images 2021
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then we’ve got 32,000 beautiful, captivating, intimate, and skillfully wrought “words” for you this week. We’re pleased to present the top photos from this year’s Winning Images annual photography contest. Despite pandemic shutdowns, these intrepid photographers of all ages got behind their lenses to capture moments of…
Kay’s Orcutt Country Kitchen reopens for indoor seating after six-month closure
Why watch the Friends reunion when you could just live it instead? While Father’s Day weekend marked the official reopening (albeit, a “soft opening”) of Kay’s Orcutt Country Kitchen (closed since last November), the iconic eatery is formally celebrating the occasion with an upcoming reunion of its own. On June 26 and 27, five of…
![Live, in-person theater makes a Central Coast comeback with SLO Rep’s ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [abridged]’](https://i0.wp.com/www.santamariasun.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/e6633b28c829244fea10a3d665ff1a5d.webp?fit=1%2C1&ssl=1)
Live, in-person theater makes a Central Coast comeback with SLO Rep’s ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [abridged]’
To see, or not to see, that is the question. In the case of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [abridged]—San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre’s first live, in-person production in more than a year—the answer is yes! Cast members Billy Breed, Suzy Newman, and Jeff Salsbury—three very familiar faces to Central Coast theater buffs, each…
Solvang allows electric trolleys
The Solvang City Council approved a license program for electric trolley services on June 14. Tracy Beard, executive director of the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber supports electric trolleys and advocates for that service in the city. “It’s part of the [Santa Barbara Go Green programs] that we have for going into the…
Gallery Los Olivos holds July duo show, Inside/Outside
Inside/Outside, an upcoming duo exhibition at Gallery Los Olivos, premieres on Thursday, July 1, and is scheduled to remain on display through Saturday, July 31. This exhibit showcases pastel paintings by Jim Tyler and oil paintings by Renée Kelleher. A pastel painter for more than 20 years, Tyler is best known for his distinctive style,…
Santa Maria Civic Theatre and HOPE co-host A Benefit Drag Show
The Santa Maria Civic Theatre presents a special one-night fundraiser event, A Benefit Drag Show, in collaboration with House of Pride and Equality (HOPE), on Saturday, June 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. Attendees of this adults-only show (only ages 18 and older will be admitted) are required to wear masks inside of both the…
One woman is bringing paletas to the catering scene with her new pushcart
Brittany Gonsalves was looking to get her creative juices flowing last year after the pandemic halted her business operations. “I was trying to find something to keep occupied, be creative, and have an outlet to stay hopeful and keep going,” she said. She and her husband, Rigoberto Guzman, had started the Central Coast Tacos Catering…
With state rental assistance slow to arrive, tenants and service groups look anxiously to the end of eviction protections
Adam Schooley of Los Osos owes more than $4,000 in back rent to his landlord after he lost his job in December for the second time during the pandemic. So in March, when the state announced a new rent relief program that would assist the estimated 900,000 California households also behind on rent due to…
Santa Maria Recreation offers summer fun despite staffing challenges
The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is gearing up to bring local residents a summer of fun with new programming and opportunities for everyone from youth to the elderly. Finding the staff to operate these programs, though, has proven difficult. Recreation Services Manager Dennis Smitherman said that while the past year was challenging for…
Political Watch: June 24, 2021
• On June 17, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced that the IRS is extending a small businesses tax credit through September. The credit covers the cost of paid sick and family leave for workers. Workers can use leave to care for themselves or family members who are sick and to get their COVID-19…
Santa Maria gives another $2 million to Police Department in budget amendments
Tax revenues ended up being higher than anticipated for the city of Santa Maria over the past pandemic year. The City Council recently passed budget adjustments that will increase funding for public safety and other departments, which the Police Department plans to use for a mental health response vehicle. The city passed its biennial budget…
Details, decals
What’s better than a cop with little to no mental health training responding to someone in crisis? That same cop rolling up in a random, unmarked sedan! During a June 15 meeting, the Santa Maria City Council approved mid-cycle budget amendments that will tack on an extra $2 million to the Police Department’s nearly $30…
When it comes to mockers, COVID-19 may have the last laugh
Many thanks to Rita Casaverde’s Sun commentary (“Jordan Cunningham mocks COVID-19 restrictions,” April 15) calling out Jordan Cunningham’s sardonic efforts at making fun of COVID-19. When I think of the hundreds of thousands who have suffered family deaths, illnesses, and long-term side effects due to COVID-19, I find Cunningham’s remarks beyond the pale. While he…
Is drug use a victimless crime?
On June 4, in Indianapolis, Crystal Martin admitted before a court to giving her 3-year-old son, Johnathan Johnson, two 100mg pills of Zoloft, an antidepressant drug, before leaving him unsupervised to play near a creek, where he was found face down in 4 feet of water. Three Heritage Ranch residents were recently charged by San…
