Cover Story
The movies that matter
I love this time of year. I love meeting actors and filmmakers. I love serving on the judges’ panel. I love attending parties and eating cheese with film buffs. Like any journalist, I love any chance to wear a lanyard around my neck, knowing afterward I can add it to my prized collection, pretending not…
District attorney says SMPD officers involved in Covarrubias shooting didn’t break the law
Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley announced on March 12 that her office found no evidence of criminal violations committed by Santa Maria Police Department personnel in connection to the shooting death of officer Albert Covarrubias, Jr. Dudley’s office conducted an independent review of the matter in response to Police Chief Ralph Martin’s decision…
Homeland Security officials confirm a panga boat crashed near Vandenberg Air Force Base
The boat carrying at least $1 million worth of marijuana that washed up on Wall Beach near Vandenberg Air Force Base on March 7 is a panga boat, U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed on March 8. Dave Wales, the ICE agent in charge of the investigation, said the contraband marijuana weighed in at…
If you could be any character from a movie, who would it be and why?
Cindy Emerson care-giver “I’d be Denzel Washington’s character from Remember The Titans because he’s very strong willed and has a drive to reach his goals.” Michael Puente retail “I’d be Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Pulp Fiction. He really went through a life-changing experience that changed him for the better.” Katelynne Bishop babysitter “I’d be…
Make time for fitness
Allan Hancock College will now offer fitness classes beginning March 25 and 26. Classes offered will include cardio kickboxing (March 25 to May 15), pilates (March 25 to May 13), yoga for health (March 26 to May 14), and intermediate senior exercise (March 26 to May 16). Course fees apply. For class descriptions, dates, and…
Bulldog Ballers
For the third year in a row, the Hancock men’s basketball team has secured a spot in the state playoffs. According to a recent press release, the team is in the 11th seed of the California Community College Athletic Association for the playoffs. The team finished off regular season play 20-9 overall with a third-place…
Bulldog Nation
Ribbons are in place, cleats are laced up, and the diamond is chalked and ready to go. Softball season has returned to Allan Hancock College. On Saturday, March 2, the Lady Bulldogs returned home after a series of road games for a double header against LA Valley. In front of a home crowd, the team…
Athlete of the Week: Sara Dominguez
Sara Dominguez is clearly an athlete of a higher class. The most impressive thing about the junior softball player may not be her full-ride scholarship to Division 1 Seattle University, nor her ability to handle the catching and pitching positions, but her humility as a talented player and her desire to bring out the best…
Ah, men
William Shakespeare marveled, “What a piece of work is man!” in act 2 of Hamlet. But I’ll lay odds his wife, Anne Hathaway, often exclaimed, “What pieces of work men are!” I know this from experience and have good cause to agree with Mrs. S. After all, when he died, all he left the poor…
Music for the whole family
Singer songwriter Teresa Gasca-Burk calls the first time she ever attended a live concert a pivotal moment of her youth. “One of the first concerts that I saw was a classical guitar player, and I think it was a life-changing event for me,” she said. “It was really moving, a wonderful thing to see at…
Cypress goes green
The Lompoc Valley Art Association is presenting its March exhibit “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” featuring plenty of St. Patrick’s-themed art, as well as expressions using the color green, running through March 24. An opening reception event is March 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. featuring refreshments and the artists displaying at the Cypress Gallery,…
Keeping crafty
Michaels arts and crafts store presents several arts and crafts events at the 1934 South Broadway, Santa Maria, location. “Kids Club Paper Easter Basket Event” will teach kids to create an Easter basket, available every half hour on March 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. More information is available at 349-8801.
Stick up for art
The C Gallery has been featuring an “end-of-winter” theme at the art gallery, and is putting a call out to the public to contribute carved or artistic walking sticks for display and sale. Anyone with walking sticks may contribute them during the “Los Alamos 3rd Saturdays” event on March 16 from 4 to 8 p.m.,…
Meet local authors
The Santa Maria Word Wizards is a social group that meets to share conjured short stories and novels. The group is having a book signing event in Santa Maria on March 9 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Café Noir, 1555 S. Broadway, Santa Maria. The event will feature books from several genres, including fantasy…
From small town to Tinsel Town
The Academy Awards represent the top of the film industry: Once you’re in, you’re in for good. Many big-name films and their crews vie for the spotlight, with directors, actors, producers, and more hoping to take center stage to accept the coveted statue. One winner and one nominee this year can track experiences and roots…
Concours de donut
Cars and coffee. The pairing has been sweeping the nation, the world, and the Internet over the last few years. The idea is simple: Step one is to find a parking lot that goes unused over the weekend and whose owners are open to impromptu gatherings on their property. Step two is to get the…
Dinner is served!
Fans of Bell Street Farm are flocking to Los Alamos to sit down for chicken dinner. It’s the eatery’s first evening dinner series; every third Saturday night of the month, Bell Street Farm stays open late to serve supper. Patrons have pleaded for this ever since owner Jamie Gluck opened the doors in 2011 to…
It’s the environment, stupid
It surely came as no surprise to anyone that COLAB, in its accustomed role as handmaiden to big developers and polluting industries, recently occupied this space with a call to weaken California flagship environmental law (“Flies and fungus vs. jobs and prosperity,” Feb. 28). Also no surprise: Every major conservation and public health group in…
Pioneer Valley High students prep for science fair
Blacktail deer and mountain lions caught on camera tell a story about Colson Canyon that Pioneer Valley student Katlynn Randolph can’t wait to share with Santa Barbara County science fair judges on March 8. Randolph had the chance to practice telling her story on March 1, as she was arranging the pieces of her science…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Gotta dance! Gotta sing! That was surely the mantra of those who tried out for the Rotary Talent Show, which will be held April 11 to 13 at the Veterans Memorial Hall. Quite a few from the area (which includes Santa Maria and points north, south, east, and west) turned out on Feb. 23 and…
Tourist draws get help
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) recently announced the recipients of the annual Special Projects Grant sponsorship program. Every year, the bureau awards money to local organizations in an effort to support events and projects that generate tourism in the surrounding communities. Nearly $14,000 was awarded to six…
Spotlight on: Santa Maria Speedway
A Friday morning spent clearing out cement that had been night-dumped by a rogue motorist fell under Ruben Munoz’s new responsibilities as promoter for the Santa Maria Speedway. Ruben and his wife Katy took over operations and the lease from previous promoter Chris Kearns on Feb. 1. While the move may mean a new era…
Pest versus pollinator?
The discovery of two citrus pests captured on sticky paper has prompted the state to call for mandated insecticide spraying of citrus trees near the Santa Maria Public Library. The insecticide treatment being used, however, has local beekeepers worried. The pest—the Asian citrus psyllid—could carry a disease known as citrus greening, which is deadly to…
A new skate park comes to the mall
Skateboard enthusiasts gathered at the Santa Maria Town Center on March 2 to celebrate the grand opening of One Way Skate Park. Kids of all ages, their boards in hand, anxiously traveled up the escalators toward the park, ready to grind some new rail. The arena, which opened in December, features some state-of-the-art equipment built…
Capps questions new NRC head on Diablo safety
The new chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was taken to task on the need for a better understanding of the seismic landscape around the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. On Jan. 28 in Washington, D.C., the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Power had a chance to hear from NRC Chairman Allison…
Locals celebrate the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
In a rare showing of bipartisanship, the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 28 passed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that extends legal protections to LGBT, Native American, and immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. A Republican version of the bill that left out stipulations for the aforementioned minority…
New medical building is just the beginning for CHC
Fresh strawberry-basil flavored water, a silent auction, and a shiny new 28,000-square-foot building greeted hundreds of supporters who attended the Nipomo Community Medical Center dedication ceremony on March 1. The ceremony kicked off a weekend of open house festivities at the newest addition to the family of more than 25 medical centers that make up…
Take a deep breath
Worry is a good thing. Right? I mean, it can be a good thing. Like, if you never worried about cavities, tooth decay, or gingivitis, you would probably never brush your teeth, because who wants to do that mind-numbing chore at least twice a day? Seriously, I don’t understand how you humans get along with…
