Cover Story
Still shining after all these years
A new millennium had dawned. The world was still easing itself into 2000, inching down slowly like the new year was a steaming hot tub, grateful that the warnings of a global technological meltdown were just the rantings of conspiracy theorists. You know, crazy people. And just as citizens everywhere were finally allowing their lives…
What do you think of the Santa Maria Sun?
Briana MacLaren manager “I think it’s fabulous.” Bob Foster retired “I think it’s a good paper, and it’s very informative.” Stephen Whitham cashier “I think it’s a pretty cool paper. It gives us a broader view of our local news.” [image-4] Laura Ochoa manager “I don’t read the Sun, or any paper at all.”
Learning
THE CITY OF LOMPOC Parks, Recreation, and Urban Forestry Department presents a “Creative Photo Album/Card Making Class” on March 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Lompoc Valley Community Center, Lompoc. Cost is $10. Info: 875-8100. THE LIGIA DANTES FOUNDATION offers “Inquiry: A Spiritual Deepening Process” with Dantes on March 21 from 10 a.m.…
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 offers a “Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Nutrition” class March 19 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. MARIAN MEDICAL CENTER presents a “Smart Eating for Kids and Teens” class meeting the first Monday of each month this year…
Art
THE LOMPOC PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM presents in its Grossman Gallery the Lompoc Unified School District Youth Art Month exhibit for the month of March. See it at 501 E. North Ave., Lompoc. Info: 875-8775. TRANSITIONS-MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION and the Healing Arts Council of Santa Barbara County are accepting art entries from locals suffering from mental…
Recreation
THE CABRILLO HIGH SCHOOL AQUARIUM is open to the public on March 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the high school, 4350 Constellation Road, Lompoc. Info: 742-2888 or cabrilloaquarium.org. THE GUADALUPE DUNES CENTER presents a “Guadalupe City Walk and Talk” on March 21 at 10 a.m., meeting at the Dunes Center, 1055 Guadalupe St.,…
Kids & Family
ONGOING LA LECHE LEAGUE SANTA MARIA offers pregnant and nursing moms free breastfeeding support and information the third Wednesday of each month. Info: 734-9895 or 938-0789. THE LITTLE VILLAGE offers a daily enrichment program for kids ages 3 to 6 during the summer and fall. Activities include arts and crafts, baking, music, gardening, and creative…
Dance Lessons
NIPOMO DANCE features free dance classes for the month of March. Info: nipomorecreation.org or 929-5437. ONGOING EVERYBODY CAN DANCE offers classes in ballet dance for ages 3 to adult. Call for schedules. Boys and men receive full scholarships. The studio is located at 800 S. Broadway. Info: 937-6753. THE DANCE STUDIO offers dance classes in…
Stage
WORTH THE DRIVE THE CLARK CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS presents Cadence and Ricky Moreno, Las Vegas based magicians performing March 19 through 21 at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. The Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie shows March 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Clark Center. Cost…
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
THE LOMPOC CONCERT ASSOCIATION presents classic American baritone Daniel Narducci in concert on March 21 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 925 North F St., Lompoc. Cost is $25, $10 for students. Info: 735-1408. WORTH THE DRIVE LEROY BELL and His Only Friends perform in concert on March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at…
Special Events
ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE presents, as part of its international film series, a film screening March 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s Forum, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. Info: 922-6966, Ext. 3209. THE LOMPOC POLICE DEPARTMENT presents a Southeast Area Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) meeting on March 24 at 5:30 p.m. at…
President Obama is still my president
Friends and I have noticed an interesting and nauseating parallel between the postures of our presidential electors: I lived with a liberal during a portion of President George Bush’s recent term whose friends and associates frequently used absurd and caustic expressions portraying and demeaning his character and demeanor. While their man was elected president this…
Good work, Assemblyman Blakeslee
Please join me in commending Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee for his work in introducing legislation that would recognize Tibet’s exiled leader, the Dalai Lama, for his “outstanding moral and religious leadership.” It would also declare March 10, the 50th anniversary of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, as Tibet Awareness Day. The brutal oppression of the…
An open letter to Steve Pappas
I attended most of the candidates’ forums and listened carefully to each 3rd District candidate expound upon why he or she should be elected. One thing came through very strongly about your character: It’s my way or no way. You have proven without a shadow of a doubt that you are exactly the kind of…
Don’t forget the local Filipino military history
Your article in the March 12 edition, titled “Veterans fight for full equity,” focused on the subject of the World War II Filipinos who fought for the U.S. Army and believed that they should receive compensation for their service. After 60 years, this has finally been granted. However, there is a local historical aspect to…
Sailing the seas of cheese
Based on the endless parade of idiotic decisions I continually make as a husband, you’d never know that I’ve been married for more than 10 years. It’s like I need to take a remediation course on relationships. The class should be titled “What not to buy your wife for Valentine’s Day, her birthday, your anniversary,…
Arts Briefs
Get wild: Volunteer The Wildling Art Museum has a new, bigger facility and is offering new volunteer opportunities. The new facility at 2928 San Marcos Ave. in Los Olivos has a large gallery, gift shop, education center, and library, and the museum anticipates doubling its attendance within two years. To show off its new facilities…
Teacher is student
They say those who can’t, teach. But Allan Hancock College instructors are turning that cliché on its head and proving they can, by featuring their work in the annual faculty art exhibit at the Ann Foxworthy Gallery. Curated by Gallery Director Marti Fast, the show will feature drawings, paintings, digital media, ceramics, photography, and conceptual…
Ghostbusting on the coast
It might have been him. The man I saw in a trenchcoat with an upturned collar smoking a cigarette on Geary Street. It could have been Jack Kerouac, if only in spirit. Something lured me to the second floor of a drafty and dilapidated motel on a chilly Saturday night. I’d decided that morning to…
Kenna Wolter
Allan Hancock College sophomore Kenna Wolter is a rising star in women’s track and field. At a recent meet in Ventura, Wolter broke the school record in the long jump by more than seven inches with an 18-foot, 7-inch leap, winning first place in the event. Wolter also won the 100-meter and triple jump events…
Harlem Wizards hit Santa Maria for a spell
Basketball shenanigans are on the menu when the Harlem Wizards come to Righetti High School to take on the local Law Enforcement All-Stars on March 31. The Wizards, known for their on-court antics and high-flying dunks, have toured worldwide since 1962, playing in more than 6,000 games in 22 countries. Making their inaugural appearance in…
Take the kids Mutton Bustin’
Entries for this year’s Mutton Bustin’ sheep-riding event at the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo will be available during regular banking hours starting March 23 in the Coast Hills Federal Credit Union at 1203 S. Broadway. Children between ages 5 and 7 and weighing less than 60 pounds are eligible to enter. A drawing will be…
Lompoc riders flip for horse vaulting
At a ranch in Lompoc, 10-year-old Phoenix Jones balances on a horse as it trots around a ring. But she’s not in the saddle. She’s standing on one foot. “I’ve always wanted to do gymnastics, and I love horses,” she says. “So it’s fun to be able to do both at the same time.” Her…
Grape show
Adored by imbibers, feared by growers, and endlessly debated by the experts, Pinot Noir reigns as one of the wine world’s most persnickety grapes. It requires sufficiently warm days and cool nights to thrive, tends to produce a light crop marked by relatively low tannins and high acids, and vexes winemakers with its volatile, unforgiving…
Community Notebook 3-19
FRIDAY, MARCH 20 • The Santa Maria City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from 10 a.m. to noon at the Betteravia Government Center conference room, 511 East Lakeside Parkway. • The Lompoc City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from noon to 1 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Conference…
Underprivileged kids get new threads for school
New clothes are always in fashion—and sometimes a necessity. The Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties’ Assistance Leagues are combining forces to provide their Operation School Bell Program for 2009. They’ll be helping Santa Maria Valley students in need shop for school clothes and supplies they wouldn’t be able to afford without the program.…
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Patricia Hilliard sits behind her desk in the Santa Maria Town Center general manager’s office. Ansel Adams photographs dot the walls. Blueprints, lease paperwork, and all manner of this-and-that related to running the Central Coast’s largest enclosed retail center fill the room. The Santa Maria Town Center boasts 268,000 square feet of gross leasable space.…
Keep the ag spirit alive through gardening
The Santa Maria chapter of California Women for Agriculture is now accepting applications for school garden scholarships, which can be used to start a new school garden or fund an existing garden. The group is also accepting applications for individual scholarships worth $250 to $2,000. The group reported that the awards will go to outstanding…
‘Grow Healthy Kids’ with Allan Hancock College, Santa Barbara Family Care Centers
County experts will share information about growing healthy kids during the eighth annual Child Development Conference on April 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Allan Hancock College’s Santa Maria campus. The event is offered through the college’s Community Education Department and coordinated by Santa Barbara Family Care Centers’ Children’s Resource and Referral Program.…
Get ready to camp at the fair
Livestock exhibitors planning on camping for the 2009 Santa Barbara County Fair have from now until 4 p.m. on May 8 to apply for a spot at the Adams Lot. Find applications at the Santa Maria Fairpark Administration Office or santa mariafairpark.com. The Santa Barbara County Fair runs July 15 to 19. For more information,…
Nipomo fitness center opens grandly
It’s about that time of year: time to start getting back in beach-body shape. Agape Health and Fitness at 485 North Frontage Road in Nipomo takes a holistic approach to help locals do just that. Relocating from the L.A. area, owners Jason and Michiko Rice believe in an “East meets West” philosophy of self-improvement. Offering…
Wine and women mix
Kady Fleckenstein, executive director of the Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association, will talk about the role of women in the wine industry on April 4. The event is “Wine and Women … Santa Maria Style” at the Quail Meadows West Clubhouse at 866 Whippoorwill Drive. It runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Local wine…
Nipomo: Enjoy Farmers Market
Support local merchants and farmers and put money directly back into the community by visiting the Nipomo Olde Town Marketplace. On Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., the open-air market sets up shop in the parking lot of the Adobe Plaza at 330 West Tefft St. The market features locally grown organic and pesticide-free foods,…
Comcast brings digital phone service
Communication giant Comcast announced, as of March 17, it’s offering Comcast Digital Voice service in communities throughout Northern Santa Barbara County. Prices start at $39.95 per month for the program. “Smart Zone” (which allows customers to manage e-mail and voicemail in one place), universal caller ID, and other features are available, too. For more information,…
Parvovirus reported in Santa Maria
Multiple cases of parvovirus—a virus that attacks the lining of dogs’ digestive systems and prevents nutrients from being absorbed—have been reported in Northern Santa Barbara County, according to an announcement from Santa Barbara County Animal Services. Parvovirus is an often-deadly disease that affects mainly puppies and other dogs that haven’t been vaccinated. Initial symptoms typically…
Santa Maria Police Department alerts locals against bank fraud
Earlier this month, the Santa Maria Police Department reported two instances of apparent bank fraud committed against elderly residents. According to a press release from the police, an individual contacted the residents claiming to be a representative from their respective banks. During the call, the suspect was able to correctly identify each of the victims’…
Local ConocoPhillips refinery to undergo routine ‘turnaround’
From mid-March to mid-April, ConocoPhillips is shutting down sections of its Santa Maria energy facility to perform maintenance work—also known as a “turnaround,” the company announced in a recent release to the media. ConocoPhillips routinely inspects and performs maintenance procedures at the refinery. The shutdown and turnaround will allow company staffers to complete work that…
Lompoc’s Celite Corporation gets federal notice
On March 16, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) put 15 mine operators around the country, including Celite Corporation in Lompoc, on notice for “potential patterns” of health or safety standards violations under the Mine Act of 1977. According to a press release from the Department of Labor, the…
VITA offers free income tax services
To help alleviate the stresses of tax season, multiple local agencies have partnered to provide Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services to low-income people living in the Santa Maria area. Offered by Allan Hancock College and United Way of Santa Barbara County for the second year in a row, VITA is an IRS-sanctioned, free-of-charge program…
Locals protest statewide cuts to education
It was a sea of pink outside Santa Maria High School on March 13 when teachers, students, administrators, and their supporters gathered in protest over budget cuts to state educational funding. The demonstration, which organizers said attracted more than 1,000 people, was just one of many “Pink Friday” rallies across the state to protest Gov.…
