Cover Story
Never again: School shootings are a norm that some local students are no longer willing to accept
Passing cars honked in support as dozens of energetic community members stood outside Get R Gun—a gun store situated directly across from Santa Maria High School—and chanted, “Hey, hey, NRA: How many kids have you killed today?” The store was empty—it had closed for the day as usual by the time protesters gathered outside the…
Brian Olmstead gathers support in bid for Santa Barbara County Sheriff
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Lt. Brian Olmstead was the sole challenger to Sheriff Bill Brown. Lt. Eddie Hsueh is also running as of March 8, 2018. The current favorite to derail Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown’s continued tenure is Lt. Brian Olmstead, 48, a New Cuyama native with nearly…
Nipomo High School students and faculty happily stranded on Ag Island
Community members watched as Christine Ready, an agricultural science teacher at Nipomo High School, poured acetic acid into a glass flask containing sodium bicarbonate. The ingredients—more commonly referred to as vinegar and baking soda—combined to create carbon dioxide, a gas that Ready said can smother flames. “It’s actually the same principle used in fire extinguishers,”…
Santa Maria Arts Council honors Craig and Linda Shafer for decades of service to the arts
Every year the Santa Maria Arts Council awards thousands of dollars to burgeoning artists with its annual Individual Grants in the Arts Competition. While awarding the upcoming generation, the council also honors someone in the arts community for longtime contributions, giving the grants in their name. This year’s competition honors Craig and Linda Shafer, who…
Betteravia Gallery showcases the student art exhibit Come Together
Hands clasped in loving solidarity. Two figures locked in the moment before a kiss. The view of a lemon distorted through a glass jug. These are all images featured in a new exhibit in Santa Maria that highlights the work of some of the region’s most promising young artists. Come Together features artwork created by…
Dulcie Taylor performs songs from new album at Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria
Singer/songwriter Dulcie Taylor has a sweet voice, but not sweet in a cotton candy kind of way. It’s more like a hickory-smoked barbecue sauce kind of sweet. It might have something to do with being brought up in South Carolina, and her relaxed Southern drawl, but the acclaimed artist has called the Central Coast home…
Spotlight on: My805Tix
A new ticketing portal for live events is now available to Central Coast residents. The recently launched My805Tix owned by New Times Media Group (the Sun’s parent company) promises to provide a one-stop shop for locals to find and purchase tickets to local concerts, events, and shows. The media group, which also includes the New…
Lompoc City Council shoots down proposed cannabis tax
The nearest legal marijuana dispensary is currently some 120 miles from Santa Maria proper. That number promises to drop once the industry slowly establishes a foothold in Lompoc, which is just a 20-minute drive away. Santa Maria and Lompoc stand in stark contrast to each other on the issue of the cannabis industry. The Santa…
Second sexual assault lawsuit filed against Church for Life and former pastors
A second civil lawsuit was filed against two former Santa Maria residents and pastors on March 7, accusing them of sexual battery, harassment, assault, and gender violence. The suit, which was filed in Santa Maria Superior Court anonymously by three women, also claims that Santa Maria’s Church for Life failed to appropriately investigate the women’s…
Dragonette Cellars in Los Olivos stocks an elegant array of locally sourced reds and whites
It’s always a treat when you stumble into something that’s been right in front of you the whole time. That was the case recently with myself and an impressive local winery that’s carved out a niche on the Central Coast. Don’t let the size of Los Olivos fool you. Within its 2.5 square miles there…
Doggy dance: Krider’s dog doesn’t respect his sleep patterns
Most people these days wake up every morning using an alarm on their iPhone. At my house we do it much more organically. Instead of an electrical device with an app, we just have a 20 pound dog. It is very green of us. The only setback with the dog is we don’t get to…
Valley Art Gallery features Jill Iversen
Valley Art Gallery in Orcutt announced Jill Iversen as the featured artist of the month for April. Iversen’s collection, Down on the Farm, is available for view in the gallery from April 3 through 29. Iversen graduated from the Art Center School of Design at Pasadena and works in oil, acrylic, and watercolors. She is…
Locals speak out on some serious problems
I get called jaded on a good day, but there are some serious problems coming to light across all levels of our society. From the national to the local spheres, the news cycle is like a traffic jam of systematic problems, incompetence, and scandal. The big issue across the nation and on our own streets…
Not the NRA
The recent March for Our Lives rallies around the country focused their ire on guns and the National Rifle Association (NRA). The violence in schools and other public places is the result of deranged people who have some hidden or public agenda and think killing is a way to express that agenda. These break down…
Agriculture: backbone of the Central Coast
From the vineyards to the strawberry fields, the Central Coast is host to world-class agribusiness. Agriculture contributes more than $3.8 billion to our district’s economy and accounts for more than 40,000 local jobs. Our history here at home is deeply rooted in agriculture. It’s more than just an industry. It is a culture—a way of…
Santa Maria Swim Club
The Santa Maria Swim Club sent eight swimmers to Orlando, Florida, on March 13 for the Next College Student Athlete Junior National Championships, an intense competition where many young athletes are scouted by college coaches for the first time. More than 1,600 swimmers from across the nation competed at the meet. Central Coast New Tech…
Hobnobbing with Helen: March keeps moving
Well, wasn’t this special? I’m referring to the month of March in Santa Maria. So much going on! Among the events of note were the OASIS Center’s annual fundraiser organized around the theme “Forever Rooted in Our Community.” Then there was the Minerva Club’s recently minted Furs and Spurs event. The Women’s Network’s eagerly awaited…
Political Watch 3/29/18
• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) joined a bipartisan group of senators in announcing the inclusion of election security funding in the Omnibus Appropriations bill on March 22, the day before the bill was signed by President Donald Trump. The bill gives $380 million for states to improve election security, including cyber security guidelines and replacing…
Highway 101 widening project in South County receives $226 million in state funding
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) recently approved funding for the Highway 101 widening project in south Santa Barbara County. The decision allocates $226 million to help add another lane in sections of the highway between Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, according to a release from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG). SBCAG Executive Director…
Former Lompoc Mayor John Linn accuses local papers of libel
A retired Central Coast city politician is crying foul following the publication of an article he claims is both defamatory and libelous. Former Lompoc Mayor John Linn, through attorneys at the law firm Lynberg and Watkins, sent a letter—obtained by the Sun—to the Santa Maria Times, the Lompoc Record, and local columnist Ron Fink alleging…
Gallery Los Olivos hosts three artists in April
Jo-Neil Boic, Sheila Underwood, and Patricia Watkins are all artists featured at Gallery Los Olivos in April. Boic is a fine artist, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, who lived and taught in Santa Cruz County before moving to Arroyo Grande. Her work features watercolors of landscapes and flowers. Watkins, a 10-year…
