Cover Story
Wham! Biff! Pow!
The great unused potential of the comic is baffling to me. Take the written word in all its nobility, beauty, and dexterity. Compound that with all of the visceral, emotional, and evocative qualities of the visual arts. Now put them in your transmogrifier and press the button. What you expect to get from the equation…
Smith gets served
Glenn Goldin, a spokesman for Unity of Purpose for our Kids, served board member Will Smith with a notice of intent to recall at the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board of Education meeting on May 16. Additionally, the school board voted 4-1 (with Smith dissenting) to create an ad hoc committee to investigate Smith’s behavior.…
What is/was your favorite anime or cartoon to watch?
Nicole Leahy student “Hey Arnold!” Brandi Armenta student “Rugrats.” Chris Guillen student “Ninja Scroll.” Leida Vega Panda Express employee “Tom & Jerry.”
On the roster
• Titan Classic Golf Tournament: The golf fundraiser for the Nipomo High School Booster Club takes place May 12 at Monarch Dunes Golf Course. The event starts at 11 a.m. Sponsorship opportunities are available, ranging from $50 to $1,000. For more information, call the Nipomo High School office at 934-3030 or 474-3300, or visit nhstitans.org.…
Hancock softball garners awards
Allan Hancock College announced five members of its women’s softball team were named All-Conference for the 2012 season. Leading the way was sophomore catcher Caitlin Voss, who was named All-SoCal and first team All-Conference. Voss finished the season with 12 homeruns and 55 RBIs, and has accepted a scholarship offer with Cal State University-Davis. Joining…
Pro wrestling hits Santa Maria
Vendetta Pro Wrestling is returning to Santa Maria with “Melee 2012” at Lakeview Junior High School on May 11. The card features four former WWE and TNA Impact Wrestling superstars. “The Rock of Love” Billy Blade will take on Matt Hardy, and “Wrestling Personified” Rik Luxury will face “The Dominator” Bobby Lashley. Former WWE/TNA wrestlers…
Test your might at Tri-the-Bull
Tri-athletes of all fitness levels are invited to test their endurance at the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department’s fourth annual “Tri-the-Bull” Triathlon, scheduled for June 23 at Pioneer Valley High School. The event is comprised of a half-mile swim, seven-mile bike ride, and a three-mile run, with shorter distances for junior and…
Athlete of the Week: Trevor Henning
Some people try a backflip and land on their feet. Others make an attempt and land on their face. The most unfortunate land on YouTube. Then there’s Santa Maria’s Trevor Henning. His acrobatics landed him in Cincinnati to compete in the Junior Olympic National Championships, running through May 13. Henning, 14, started training in gymnastics…
Top of the mountain
Maneuvering up and down the newly opened trails at Rice Ranch Park, Righetti sophomore Marshall Smith and his teammates on the Orcutt high school composite mountain biking team practiced for their biggest race of the year, set for May 20. For the second straight time, the California State High School Mountain Bike Championships will be…
Sowing seed
Thanks to the concerted efforts of several organizations and companies, most of which are local, Santa Maria residents will be enjoying a free community concert by touring bluegrass band Special Consensus. The group, led by inveterate banjo player and performer Greg Cahill, has been touring for more than 37 years, and brings its seasoned skill…
Mothers and daughters come together in the name of art
To coincide with Mother’s Day weekend, The C Gallery in Los Alamos will present a mother/daughter photography exhibit featuring the work of Vicki Mitchell and her daughter Michelle Mitchell Drewes. The show, “Walking in the Hills,” will run through June 13. In addition to the photography, there will be contemporary sculptures, adding to the theme…
Arts Council holds 2012 Grants Showcase
Join the Santa Maria Arts Council for an evening of performance, gourmet deli, dessert, wine, and the opportunity to meet promising new artists, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 21, at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center. This year’s grants showcase honors Nancy K. Johnson. The celebration begins at 5:30 with a meeting with…
Get art and wine and join the Artist Salon
Artists are invited to gather at an informal get-together sharing conversation about the techniques they use and how they express artistic vision in Artist Salon No. 12 with host Suzi Trubitz, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, at 3251 Short Road in Santa Ynez. These gatherings of the local art community are…
Rocking the Bowl
Don’t call them a supergroup. According to bassist Michael Anthony, his band Chickenfoot is all about the music and friendship. The rest is just whatever. “We’re called a supergroup, but when I think of a supergroup, I think of a prefab kind of thing,” he said, “but this isn’t that. This came out of friendship.”…
‘As long as it is wild’
Teddy Roosevelt stands, one hand tucked behind him, on Glacier Point, his almost archetypal frame—mustachioed and bespectacled, well dressed but still undeniably rugged, solidly American in his boots and hat—dwarfing the cataract tumbling into spray in the impossibly beautiful miles behind him. John Muir stands beside the president, turned at an angle, both hands clasped…
Girl knowledge
My 12-year-old daughter is in the seventh grade. I am quickly finding out that the difference between sixth grade and seventh grade is like four grades. If sixth grade was the Beach Boys, then seventh grade would have to be the Beastie Boys. Every afternoon my “little girl” comes home from school and says something…
God bless us and protect us from stupid Democrats
We are dismayed at just what the Hillary Clinton Democratic State Department is doing in the Middle East in their foreign policy under the direction of the Obamanation in the White House. They pretend to be promoting democracy, but the net result of all their actions to date is to promote Islamic radicalism and the…
Everybody should put in and get out
As a voter who appreciates the benefits of Social Security and Medicare, I took note of an article in the conservative magazine, The Economist (April 21-27, 2012), regarding presidential contender Mitt Romney, that stated, “He has also embraced [Republican Congressman Paul] Ryan’s proposal that, starting in 2022, new Medicare beneficiaries should receive a voucher for…
County supervisors really matter
There’s so much talk and print given to national and state candidates for Washington and Sacramento. But local races are so much more important. Who we elect for county supervisor affects all of more directly. That’s why Joyce Howerton’s run to unseat Joni Gray is a key race this year. She offers us an alternative…
Why not keep it in the U.S.A.?
This is regarding your recent Biz Spotlight in the Sun, titled “OhFancyBaby,” (April 19) about a woman who made a profit by encouraging women to use cloth diapers rather than disposables. I applaud any woman who starts a business and becomes successful. The product sounds ideal for mothers who want to save the environment and…
The blame was his own
Regarding “Left behind” (April 26): It’s a sad story about Rosa. Brought here as an infant, then her father gets deported. Here’s the problem as I see it: He knew he was here illegally. He knew his wife and daughter were here illegally. He had his own business that apparently involved driving. Again, illegally. So…
Visit Shallowford while you can
Our family had the good fortune to attend The Battle of Shallowford this past weekend at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre. The play was humorous, entertaining, and just plain fun. Most of the cast is made up of local residents, and all were extremely talented. We are fortunate to have the Santa Maria Civic Theatre…
Send a message of fiscal responsibility
I oppose the Santa Maria Measure “U” Sales Tax Increase for the following reasons: The essential services of law enforcement and fire protection should be the top priority of the General Fund and not be exploited for more taxes. The levee and flood prevention is the responsibility of the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District.…
Get the skills to get a job
The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is inviting teens ages 12 to 18 years old to participate in its Job Achievement Academy at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center, 600 S. McClelland St., with instructors from the Workforce Investment Board. The academy is a free, month-long program meeting every Tuesday and Thursday…
Get ready for the big (math) game!
Attention mathletes and numbers enthusiasts: The seventh annual North County Math Superbowl will take over the Santa Maria Fairpark on May 17 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. At the event, students from 27 schools—from Lompoc to Santa Ynez to Santa Maria—will battle it out to be the North County’s top mathematicians. Fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade…
Water is essential
Students in Laura Stenzel’s third grade class at Tunnell Elementary School recently pulled off a trifecta by winning all three of the awards for the city of Santa Maria’s 2012 Water Awareness poster contest. The Santa Maria Utilities Department invited local third graders in the school district to create water conservation posters. Participating students were…
Live well and eat right
The Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department recently received grant money through the Marian Medical Foundation to offer Healthy for Life workshops to at-risk families and their children through the “Live Well, Buen Salud Santa Maria” program. Nonprofit organization People for Leisure and Youth (PLAY) and the department will share the $15,000 award. Parks and…
Spotlight on: Valley Brewers
Something new and original is brewing in Solvang, where residents Chris and Sandy Kelly are preparing to open their store, Valley Brewers. While the name would suggest the store is a new brewery, Chris and Sandy will be leaving that work to the customers. Chris and Sandy are members of the small Valley Brewers Club—a…
Healthy schools, healthy futures
Inside the Veterans’ Memorial Community Hall in Santa Maria, a Latino mother and her children approach bags full of fresh produce. A volunteer hands them one, and they move on to the stage area of the auditorium, where they watch a cooking demonstration given in both English and Spanish. The recipe of the day is…
Camp 4 proposal has some valley locals up in arms
The recent housing project introduced by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians continues to stir up emotions over whether the project could be good or bad for Santa Barbara County. The tribe bought the agriculturally zoned parcel from Fess Parker in 2010. The proposal indicates that the tribe plans to build 143 additional homes…
Loyalty’s alive in Lompoc
To say that Sissy’s Uptown Café in Lompoc has a loyal following would be an understatement. “We have people who come for lunch and dinner on the same day,” said Steve Byork, who manages and co-owns the restaurant with his wife and chef, Janan; and her family, Dave and Dorothy Springer and their son Jon.…
Loyalty’s alive in Lompoc
To say that Sissy’s Uptown Café in Lompoc has a loyal following would be an understatement. “We have people who come for lunch and dinner on the same day,” said Steve Byork, who manages and co-owns the restaurant with his wife and chef, Janan; and her family, Dave and Dorothy Springer and their son Jon.…
The awards have arrived
The Sun, and its sister paper New Times, occasionally enter contests—not, you know, for bragging rights or anything, but it’s fun to see how our papers hold up. We like to ask, “How do we compare to our fellow publications?” And the most recent answer was: pretty well, thanks. At a May 5 California Newspaper…
County sues Walmart over property
Santa Barbara County officials recently filed an eminent domain lawsuit against Walmart to obtain land owned by the corporation to complete the Union Valley Parkway extension. However, representatives for the county and Walmart will continue to negotiate in hopes of coming to an agreement over details regarding the three parcels of land needed to connect…
Economic summit details a sluggish rebound
The economy of Northern Santa Barbara County is recovering, but at a slower rate than previous post-recession periods, experts told an audience at the North County Economic Summit on May 4. Several hundred people filed into the Marian Theater on the Allan Hancock College campus for the latest UCSB Economic Forecast Project report and to…
JROTC is the latest victim of school budget cuts
More than 100 students from Lompoc and Cabrillo high schools will no longer get to participate in the local Air Force JROTC program. The Lompoc Unified School District Board of Education recently approved $3.7 million in budget cuts, including $107,000 in funding for the JROTC program, which covered teacher salaries, benefits, and student transportation costs.…
Pioneer Valley’s Magni has teaching down to a science
Biology teacher Riccardo Magni’s classroom looks a little like a taxidermist’s office—but not as creepy. In one corner there’s a collection of bone-dry skulls, including a rhinoceros cranium. A stuffed pheasant perches on the cabinets, ready to take flight. There are living animals, too: two hissing cockroaches from Madagascar, a giant millipede, and three different…
