Cover Story
In search of self: Collegiate athletes struggle with identity after sport retirement
“Who am I?” ranks high on the list of most obvious questions an introspective person can ask, but the answer doesn’t come so easily. A person’s identity tends to correspond with the roles he or she leads in life: Mother. Father. Teacher. Friend. Doctor. Then there’s the role of athlete, an identity based on dedication,…
Lompoc hillsides burn in the San Miguelito Road fire
The original reports of the fire that broke out May 13 near San Miguelito Road in Lompoc were a little scary: 1,200 structures were threatened by the fire and evacuated that afternoon. Videos and photos posted online of the fire show flames on hillsides directly behind residences. Luckily, the fire occurred during a week that…
Lompoc Theater edges closer to financial freedom
The city of Lompoc and the Lompoc Theatre Project Corporation (LTPC) have finally come to a fork in the road that could point Lompoc’s dilapidated historic theater down a path to restored victory—eventually. The memorandum of understanding signed by both parties during the May 6 Lompoc City Council meeting should lead to a transfer of…
What sports did you play when you were younger?
Mollyn Trimble student “I did soccer, and I’m still doing swimming.” Erin Trimble county employee “Crowd surfing! I went to a lot of concerts when I was younger.” Tyler Schirmer host “As a child, I played T-ball, soccer, and basketball.” Jake Sarver student “I used to play youth soccer, but I would pick grass instead…
The Lompoc Valley Master Chorale presents a varied spring program including a restored historical piano
It can certainly be said that Lompoc is a city in touch with its rich cultural history. From the historical murals seen throughout the city to the various cultural institutions, the town is filled with the efforts of dedicated and creative locals. The Lompoc Valley Master Chorale is one of several leading musical community ensembles…
Zombies invade the library
The Santa Maria Public Library invites teens in junior high and high school to join in a murder mystery party, which includes a zombie theme on May 16 at 4 p.m. Those interested in participating in the clue-filled caper can sign up at the Santa Maria Public Library’s youth services desk by May 15. More…
One-man show at Bedford Winery
Bedford Winery will celebrate Memorial Weekend with a critically acclaimed one-man play called Underneath The Lintel on May 24 and 25. The play features Randy Kovitz, who plays a librarian leading the audience through an existential detective story after a library book is returned 113 years overdue. The event will be preceded by a simple…
The Dunes Center celebrates
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a special event and several community hikes. The Anniversary Party is May 15 at 6:30 p.m. and will include a food- and beverage-pairing event with all proceeds going to the Dunes Center. A Family Dunes Hike, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,…
Video store still ‘Evergreen’
Evergreen Video, the video rental store in the Evergreen shopping center in Orcutt, has definitely proven that a video store can survive the onslaught of Blockbuster, Netflix, and the Internet. The store is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special event on May 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring giveaways, free hot dogs,…
Santa Maria begins Movies in the Park
The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department presents a new event series to be held in city parks. Movies in the Park is made possible by donations from Comcast, the Santa Barbara Foundation, PLAY Inc., and the Recreation and Parks Department. The series will run through the summer, starting with a screening of Captain America:…
Annual Pioneer Picnic moved to August
The Santa Maria Valley Pioneer Association recently announced that it’s celebrating its 90th annual Pioneer Picnic event in August, rather than in July, which is the tradition. The Pioneer Picnic is a full-day event at Pioneer Park in Santa Maria that celebrates the residents who have pioneer roots. The event is being held Aug. 9…
Catching up with Corey Jones
One of the most memorable things about former PCPA resident artist Corey Jones is his voice. That deep, silky bass-baritone helped bring to life numerous characters at the Marian and Solvang Festival theatres, including the titular Moor of Venice in Othello, the lovable fool Bottom in A Midsummer’s Night Dream, and Booker T. Washington in…
The Righetti High School Film Festival will feature student-produced films
Room 205 at Ernest Righetti High School was buzzing with the noise typical of the advanced film class students. There was talking, though not much, because most of the students were sitting at computers with headphones on, pointing and clicking. Robert Garcia, the film and journalism teacher at Righetti, walked among the students, making sure…
Mission impossible
Every woman has a minor quest that she maybe doesn’t ever think she’ll accomplish but she refuses to give up. For some women, it’s losing that last 10 pounds. For others, it’s finding that perfect pair of shoes, or getting their kids to put the cap back on the toothpaste. For me, it’s getting certain…
True blue: Santa Barbara Blueberries opens u-pick for season
What some consider America’s ultimate “super food” is now ripe for the picking in Santa Barbara County. Chock full of antioxidants and nutrients, the blueberry is one of the best food choices one can make. It’s not only extremely healthful, but so tasty, too. The Santa Barbara Blueberries farm at Restoration Oaks Ranch between Buellton…
Discovery Corner: Summer camps are heating up
Fun, excitement, and hands-on learning experiences are heating up here at the Discovery Museum! As summer quickly approaches, we couldn’t be more thrilled to announce our three super cool summer camps for hot summer days! Crazy Critter Camp is a three-day camp designed for families that want a short but fun camp experience for their…
Miller School raises money for a track
The Miller Elementary School Parent Teacher Council is holding a fundraiser barbecue on May 17 to help pay for the construction of a running track on the school’s playground. The track will be named the Elaine Barnard Memorial Track after a fourth-grade teacher at the school who died in March. Miller Assistant Principal Raine Mollenbeck…
A Santa Maria FFA team gets dirty for the state title
A team from the Santa Maria High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) racked up another state title this year. The land judging team claimed the 2014 state championship during the Cal Poly State FFA finals on May 3. A press release from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District said the team showed…
Political Watch 5/15/14
• California’s Senate Health Committee recently approved a bill that would establish a system of subsidized health insurance for undocumented immigrants, according to the Sacramento Bee. Senate Bill 1005, authored by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), was approved after the committee heard from dozens of immigrants’ rights and health care groups. The Bee reports that…
Community Notebook 5/15-5/22
TUESDAY, MAY 20 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at http://santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx#current. • The Guadalupe Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall,…
Hobnobbing With Helen
Talented—and gutsy—Santa Marians sang, danced, and played musical instruments at the fifth annual Santa Maria Has Talent contest sponsored by the Rotary Club of Santa Maria South. Getting up on stage and performing can be scary and daunting, but a slew of contestants of all ages pulled it off in a three-day event held on…
Community Corner: Local fire departments add Jaws of Life to their rescue toolbank
The Santa Maria Fire Department recently received $200,000 in regional grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Funding will benefit five local fire agencies, which will receive advanced rescue equipment that could help save the lives of people involved in vehicle accidents. On May 15 at 10 a.m., firefighters will demonstrate a hydraulic…
Spotlight on: Poppy Jane Candle Co.
A scent can be magical. Mystics and healers have been harnessing the power of aroma for centuries, and it’s this aromatic potential that the Central Coast’s Erin Lundeen shares with the world through her unique candles. “I’ve been interested in aromatherapy probably for about 10 years now,” said the creator of Poppy Jane Candle Co.…
A long line of candidates wants Lois Capps’ seat in the House
The crowd is thick in the race for U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ (D-Santa Barbara) seat in Congressional District 24: Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. Nine candidates are registered for the June primary, but if you follow the money, Capps is holding her incumbent head well above the rest of the political hopefuls.…
Economists say Northern Santa Barbara County’s growth is ‘slow, but steady’
Local business owners and community leaders listened to economists predict Northern Santa Barbara County’s economic future on May 9 while dining on a continental breakfast of coffee, eggs, and toast at the Santa Maria Radisson Hotel. Peter Rupert, executive director of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project, told audience members the county is seeing “slow, steady…
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District reaches a tentative agreement with teachers
After an overnight negotiating session that followed more than a year’s worth of inconclusive negotiations, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District and the district’s faculty association reached an agreement—albeit a tentative one. Both the district’s school board and members of the faculty association still need to ratify the agreement before it becomes a…
Santa Maria Energy pulls out of the Hyde Park merger
After backing out of a merger with the Hyde Park Acquisition Corp., Santa Maria Energy is going back to its raising-private-equity ways. Beth Marino, the energy company’s vice president of legal and corporate affairs, said the decision came after Santa Maria Energy believed Hyde Park wouldn’t have enough shareholder votes by the May 1 deadline.…
Did you say north or no?
Everything’s great in Santa Barbara County! Right? The folks behind the North Santa Barbara County Economic Summit announced on May 9 that unemployment was down—hurray!—in the county, meaning only 6.3 percent of us are out of work. That’s the same rate as the nation as a whole! The numbers are certainly better now than they’ve…
Don’t turn a blind eye to conservation
As a certified sustainable gardener, I practice water conservation in my gardens and in my home. Having worked with the best landscape designers in the Santa Cruz area during the initial signs of this water crisis in late 2012, I have witnessed firsthand the impact drought can have on a community. At that time, Santa…
What’s on Deck? 5/15 – 5/22
THURSDAY, MAY 15 SOFTBALL Pioneer Valley vs. Atascadero @ AHS, 4 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 16 SOFTBALL Nipomo vs. Morro Bay @ NHS, 4 p.m. St. Joseph vs. Paso Robles @ PRHS, 4 p.m. Santa Ynez vs. Templeton @ THS, 4 p.m. BASEBALL Nipomo vs. Morro Bay @ NHS, 4 p.m.…
Hancock women to host basketball camp
After its most winning season in more than a decade, the Allan Hancock College women’s basketball team announced it will be holding a week-long basketball camp this summer. According to Hancock Athletics, the clinic will run from June 16 to 20 at the Joe White Memorial Gymnasium. Each session will run from 10 a.m. to…
Los Olivos tennis courts unveiled
Earlier this month, the Santa Ynez Valley Tribe of Chumash Indians unveiled the results of its $120,000 project at Los Olivos Elementary. The school is now equipped with a newly renovated multi-purpose tennis facility. Thanks to the help of Sport Court from Southern California, the courts feature a professional surface, new netting, and basketball hoops.…
Airport Day
The Santa Ynez Airport is holding a free community Airport Day May 17. The day will include more than 30 local aircraft on display. The event will also feature aeronautics programs with local flight instructor Jeff Millard. There will also be time for the public to offer their comments to the Santa Ynez Valley Airport…
Bulldogs upset Palomar
With their regional playoff appearance on the line, Bulldog baseball rallied to take two games from No. 4 Palomar last week. According to a press release from Allan Hancock College Athletics, the team took the first game 3-2 and followed up with an 8-2 win in the second game. The Dogs have now improved to…
Chelsea Dionisio
“First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming,” Pioneer Valley High School senior Chelsea Dionisio announced. The humble gratitude she gracefully expressed in front of friends and family on May 7 was that of a young woman who fully appreciates the unique opportunity she has to continue a career in wrestling.…
State of the martial art at Cho Chi Zen Karate Studio in Santa Maria
Karate is a fairly familiar sport to most people in the United States, thanks to the way it’s been popularized by movies, comic books, and TV shows. However, despite wide awareness of the sport, actually taking a karate class taught by a trained instructor is more rare. A dojo in Santa Maria called Cho Chi…
