Cover Story
It takes a village
Like any parent and teenager, high school junior Caleb Coyle and his mom, Lisa, have had their share of fights. But sometimes the arguing can escalate into unhealthy territory. Caleb described one of those fights to the Sun on a recent school night as he was waiting for Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley employees to…
The ‘Star Wars’ not so far, far away
Ridiculed as “Star Wars” by critics, the Strategic Defense Initiative, or missile defense, that President Ronald Reagan initiated at the tail end of the Cold War appears to be coming of age. On March 7, North Korea threatened to attack the United States with nuclear weapons after the United Nations passed new sanctions against the…
What was your favorite year in grade school or high school?
Michael Diaz X-Ray tech “I’ll go with senior, because I was involved in lots of varsity sports and extra-curricular activities.” Gabriela Rico assistant administrator “My favorite was senior year because I only had to be there for half of a semester.” Ana Morelos Tapia receptionist and student “My favorite year was seventh grade because we…
An ode to dedication
Playing in an ensemble band, such as the Santa Maria High School Saint’s Band or Jazz Band, is no easy task. Only diligent study will adequately prepare a musician for the many facets of concentration necessary when the conductor steps up to lead. One Santa Maria High School senior has impressed not just his fellow…
Crafting for kids
Michaels arts and crafts store offers two upcoming classes for kids. The first event is titled “Kids Club Easter Egg Mosaic” with all supplies included for $2 on March 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. A “Kids Club Hatching Chick Event” is a crafty project for kids on March 30 from 10 a.m. to noon…
YMCA offers Spring Break camp
The Santa Maria Valley YMCA offers Spring Break camps to local kids on break from their regular classes the week of April 1 through 5, meeting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA. A “Princess Camp” for ages 5 to 8 teaches princess etiquette, making a royal crown, accessories, and…
A hot centennial
The Santa Maria Fire Department is celebrating its centennial with a special event on March 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Maria Historical Museum at 616 South Broadway, Santa Maria. The event will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony of a new Santa Maria Fire Department historical exhibit, which will be open…
Pirates needed
The Everybody Can Dance Ballet Studio and home of the Santa Maria Civic Ballet is looking for males, ages 15 and up, to play the role of pirates for an upcoming stage production in June. No dancing or speaking is required, only some action. Those interested in lending their swashbuckling talents can contact the dance…
Under attack
It was one of those days that makes you want to run away from it all and join the circus. Lucky for my family, I have no real interesting skill. Still, it doesn’t mean the thought doesn’t cross my mind from time to time. It started as soon as I awoke to the familiar sound…
A’s plus art
Keeping a car running could be considered a fine art—especially if it’s an auto that’s been on the road for nearly a century. The Los Padres Artist Guild is presenting its annual Spring Art Show and, as has been tradition for the last several years, is inviting Santa Maria Model A Ford Club members and…
Equine inspiration
Out of all of our four-legged companions, horses enjoy a special place in history. Before the advent of the automobile, they were the predominant form of transport, leading the charge of westward expansion and helping tame the landscape we now call home. The Lompoc Museum is presenting a show that highlights local equines through the…
Pioneer Valley science students head to state fair
For the first time in Pioneer Valley High School’s eight-year history, students are heading to the state science fair after taking home wins at the Santa Barbara County Science Fair. Six of the eight Pioneer Valley students who went to the Santa Barbara County Science Fair on March 8 placed in the top three for…
Principal for a Day connects business with education
For Lockheed Martin systems engineer Scott Ballew, March 13 was definitely not a typical day at the office. Rather than driving down Betteravia Road to work that morning, he headed to Orcutt, walked onto the junior high school’s campus, and took over as principal. It’s the sixth year in a row Ballew has participated in…
Hobnobbing With Helen
The Big Event of the month of March was the long-awaited (for a whole year) St. Joseph High School 27th annual BASH. This chic soiree took place Saturday evening, March 9, in St. Joe’s all-purpose gymnasium. Transformed from a jock shop into a glamorous venue, the gym proved its versatility. Laura Badenall, decorations chairperson, and…
City keeps people informed
In an effort to spread awareness to the general public about the Santa Maria municipal code, City Code Compliance staffers hit the streets on March 14 as part of their “Walk and Talk” campaign. Every month the officers choose an area of Santa Maria to canvas with flyers. For March, the officers focused their attention…
Spotlight on: Sandbox Kids and Wildflower Women
Sandbox Kids and Wildflower Women celebrated a grand re-opening on March 15. The retail shop recently switched locations within the Santa Maria Town Center to a new venue next to Macy’s. According to the shop’s owner, Amber Lease, the new site is helping Sandbox Kids and Wildflower Women capture the image they’ve been looking for.…
Change is coming
There comes a point when change becomes a necessity, and now is that time for three of Santa Maria Joint Union High School District’s schools looking into tweaking policy decision-making. It’s not so much the school policies themselves that need an update; it’s the actual decision-making process. The district’s Board of Education unanimously sent that…
Correction
In the Sun’s March 14 article, “Straight from the kitchen,” Bobbi Thompson was given the wrong middle name. Her middle name is Ann. News briefs are compiled by Sun writer through reporting and local and national media. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
Trilogy Monarch Dunes takes over Rice Ranch
Construction has started again at the Rice Ranch community in Orcutt. Shea Homes, builder of Trilogy Monarch Dunes in Nipomo, announced earlier this month that it has acquired the Orcutt development and is in the process of building new homes with help from Western Pacific Land Group. Trilogy officials plan to unveil five new floor…
Rape-by-fraud bill is one step closer to being law
State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian’s (R-San Luis Obispo) “rape-by-fraud” bill cleared an important hurdle on March 12 when the Assembly Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to let it continue its journey to becoming law. A.B. 65 would extend legal protection to unmarried women and men who are raped by someone impersonating their significant other. State law…
Community meeting will focus on northeast neighborhoods
Following the success of its first town hall meeting last October, the city of Santa Maria is holding another meeting on March 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Christian Family Church of God. This meeting will focus on the city’s northeast neighborhoods. City spokesman Mark van de Kamp called the meeting a hybrid of presentations…
Blochman school district will lose its preschool
Citing shaky finances, the Blochman Union School District’s board of education decided on March 12 to close its only preschool at the end of the 2012-2013 school year. The preschool was established at Benjamin Foxen Elementary in 2009 and has never received state funding. It’s paid for through tuition and help from the elementary school’s…
Wisto and York trial: Unnerving, gruesome, and heartbreaking
The trial in the 2010 kidnapping and murder of 15-year old Dystiny Myers is well underway, with the prosecutor alleging that the two remaining defendants ran a methamphetamine ring, and defense attorneys laying blame for the actual murder on a defendant who already accepted a plea deal. Despite the stated efforts of the prosecution, proceedings…
Get outside and play!
On the third Saturday of every month from March through November, head out to Los Flores Ranch Park to explore this new educational program through the Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department. Los Flores Ranch Park docents will teach the history, geology, and biology of the park through walks and hands-on learning. Guides will also…
Righetti wrestler brings home title
Stellar wrestler and local start athlete Luke Wilson took the championship title at the CIF Tournament in Bakersfield earlier this month. According to a recent press release from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Wilson is the first champion since 1977 and the eighth in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties’ 41…
Athlete of the Week: Jeremy Grden
Righetti High School has been having anther exceptional season in swimming, and senior Jeremy Grden of the boys’ team is a big reason why. Apart from setting a number of CIF fast consideration times over the course of their five meets so far, Grden humbly gives credit to his teammates for the team’s successes. “I’m…
Warrior legacy
Luke Wilson has just finished wrestling practice for the day. Tall and lean, the senior is fidgety from nerves and adrenaline. The walls in the wrestling room at Righetti clearly paint a picture of a legacy of champions from league titles to All-American honors. The young wrestler fits right in. For the last four years,…
Playful vintners
The old proverb goes, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Well, I’ve gotten to know scores of winemakers over the years, but I’ve never met one without interesting stories to tell. I thought I would ask Santa Barbara County winemakers about their favorite things to do outside of work, and the…
Shades of Dorothy
This is the kind of thing history teachers think of when they can’t go back to sleep in the middle of the night. New Girl, I’m reasonably sure, is a kind of Wizard of Oz for the Millennial Generation. Zooey Deschanel is less Judy Garland and more Audrey Hepburn on runaway roller skates, but I…
Pardon my language
I’m tired off all the l-holes I’ve been seeing lately. No, I’m not dropping some new street slang I learned from a gang of tough canaries. I’m talking about loopholes. But saying “l-hole” feels more satisfying, because I’m angry. A few columns back, I wrote about something called “rape by fraud” and the efforts of…
