Cover Story
A taste of the American dream
Carne fresca 100% de res, puerco, chorizo, pollo, chivo, cabeza de res*. The fresh meat sits neatly arranged at a counter in Abad Barrera’s Carniceria El Amigo Abad in the Williams Bros Shopping Center on Main Street in Santa Maria. His is one of several carnicerias—Mexican butcher shops—that can now be found all over Santa…
Where do you get your fresh meat and produce?
Danielle Lewis assistant restaurant manager “I go to the commissary because I’m from a military family.” Daniel Stecker sales “I usually just get it at Vons.” Jennifer Marco barista “I shop at Fresh & Easy because it’s right around the corner, and the prices are good for me.” Ian Kohlenstein sales “Vons, because it’s close.…
Muddy mayhem
Get off the couch, get in shape, and get ready to get dirty for a good cause at the inaugural Muddy Madness 5K charity race at Sky Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley on June 1. Race proceeds will benefit scholarships and various programs at Allan Hancock College. The event will feature a barbecue, live music,…
See wine country on two wheels
Local nonprofit People Helping People (PHP) announced that registration is now open for the fourth annual Wine Country Bike Trek, set for June 14 through 16. Home base will be at Midland School in Los Olivos; the ride is 30 to 50 miles of rolling hills and flat terrain. Participants can choose to race one,…
New faces!
• Pioneer Valley released a press release announcing the hiring of Alan Brafman as the new head soccer coach. According to the release, Brafman brings with him a high level of energy and Pioneer Valley is excited about Brafman’s enthusiasm and expertise. Brafman is a well-known local coach, former player, and referee. From 2004 to…
Athlete of the Week
Jacob Carey is swiftly running to the finish line of his high school years, but not before leaving his mark with the fastest mile time Santa Ynez High School has witnessed. The 6-foot-tall track and field/cross-country athlete is currently competing in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs, and is looking forward to heading off to…
Get on the bus!
Many of the 195,000 children with parents in the California State Prison System can’t afford to visit, write, or call their parent. With the help of students from St. Joseph High School and the Center for Restorative Justice Works, children with parents incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo County will get…
The forgotten path
This is my favorite time of year on the Central Coast. The longer days are here, the warmer months are coming, and the grasses are drying and releasing a sweet aroma that signals summer is right around the corner. Now is the perfect time of year to get outside, clear your mind, get some exercise,…
America’s shame
Regarding your “sponsorship” of the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo. Rodeos are the cruelest, ugliest form of animal torture man ever dreamed up. In an attempt to legitimize this horrendous cruelty, stock contractors, sponsors, and ruthless contestants are desperate to align themselves with Western tradition, and cowboys are painted as heroic figures. In reality, rodeos are…
News with an opinionated twist
Sometimes I really wish I was a full-time staff writer for the Sun. I love writing my column (now every week!), but every once in a while I get the urge to sink my beak into some hard news. Case in point: I wanted to cover that press conference at which former Lt. Gov. Abel…
Troublesome numbers
Templeton’s Twin Cities Community Hospital landed in the Sacramento spotlight May 14 with the release of a report by a nurses union pushing health-care reform. The California Nurses Association (CNA) published the report just as Assembly Bill 975—a proposed law to ratchet up state regulation of nonprofit hospitals—seemed to stall in committee. According to the…
Each drop is priceless
It’s the time of year when rain is rare, and your water bill is higher than usual. Sprinklers are being put to use, and long showers are being taken after that nice soak in the sun at the beach. According to epa.gov, the average American family of four is using 400 gallons of water per…
Spotlight on: InSPArations
The reception room at the InSPArations full-service salon and spa in Old Town Orcutt is warm and relaxing. Its European-inspired décor, comfortable chairs, and complimentary strawberry-infused water make the room a cheery cocoon from the stress of the outside world. These thoughtful touches were all part of owner Sheila Gibilisco’s plan when she opened the…
Changing of the guard
With around 600 teachers, 15,000 students, and an ever-increasing enrollment, the Santa Maria-Bonita School District is one of the only districts left in the valley able to open up new teaching positions. That’s according to district spokesperson Maggie White, who said Santa Maria-Bonita created 16 new teaching positions this year in addition to a normal…
Lompoc wind farmgets two more years
The Bedford family lost yet another battle against the Lompoc Wind Farm project on May 15, when the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission upheld a decision to extend the project’s conditional use permit for a second two-year time extension due to economic hardship. George and Cheryl Bedford live on a property close to the 3,000-acre…
Abel Maldonado is striving to repeal A.B. 109
Former Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado recently made a stop in his hometown of Santa Maria to ask Californians to help him “end this crazy thing called A.B. 109.” Enacted in October 2011, Assembly Bill 109, or the prison realignment act, aims to solve overcrowding problems at the state’s prisons by releasing low-level offenders to county…
Good, clean fun
Nothing can stop a fun day of playing in the sandbox faster than finding a used cigarette butt or some other form of refuse mixed in with your kid’s toys. That’s why the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department needs locals’ help in keeping city parks clean and playgrounds free from second-hand smoke. Picking up…
Righetti High welders bring home the metal
For the second time in five years, Ernest Righetti High School’s FFA welding team members secured themselves as champions of California student welders. They recently battled 18 teams and 68 competitors at Cuesta College to tamp down first place. Team members Tanner Tuttle, Devin Miller, Justin Rich, and Patrick Stemlock also slammed down the most…
It’s mutton-bustin’ time
Third-graders from two counties and a big handful of elementary schools will descend on the Elks Unocal Event Center May 30 to see something nobody else will get to see: the Minetti Mini Rodeo. The event kicks off the big rodeo show, which runs from May 30 through June 2. The Mini Rodeo is specially…
Golf course grub
One of the most popular restaurants in Santa Maria hasn’t advertised since it opened six years ago; it’s situated in an industrial park next to the airport district, and yet hundreds of people pack the dining room daily. Owners Keith and Ruth Moles bought the Sunset Ridge Golf Center 13 years ago, always planning to…
The Maestro who moves
Music is an active art form, requiring physical effort and hours spent honing the body’s skill. And yet, rarely do the worlds of exercise and music-making connect—until now. Maestro David Dworkin is an East Coast conductor who’s worked with many professional orchestra companies to produce beautiful renditions of the classics we love. Now, he’s using…
Kids’ craft time
The Santa Maria Michaels store offers upcoming arts and crafts classes for kids. “Kids Club Craft Your Own Super Hero” event is May 25 from 10 a.m. to noon. A “Kids Club National Drawing Day Event” is June 1 from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, contact Michaels at 349-8801 or visit the store…
Healing art
The Transitions-Mental Health Association and the Healing Arts Council of Santa Barbara County present the “Art of Recovery” show in Santa Maria, an exhibition of art by people dealing with mental health issues. The exhibition will show May 23 through 31 from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Recovery Learning Center at…
Swing it
The Kings of Swing Dance Studio is offering classes for dancers of varying levels at the studio in the Santa Maria Town Center. Swing dance lessons for beginners will be offered May 27 at 7 p.m. at the studio. Singles and couples are welcome. The session runs for four weeks and the cost is $45…
Celebrate local open space
Santa Mara Valley Open Space is an all-volunteer group of locals who helped facilitate the first public open space and non-urban trail system in Orcutt. The group is planning a celebration of the trails with a group hike event followed by a free hamburger cookout for the general public. The event is scheduled for June…
The ups and downs of dieting
Allow me to explain a particular moment I consider to be the greatest time in my life. I am talking about the moment when I have successfully dieted, exercised, and lost enough weight to fit into my favorite old board shorts. It is at that exact moment that life is great. It isn’t great because…
A full circle of skill
The Allan Hancock College Dance Department has been wildly popular for quite some time, so much so that a Youth Dance program has been a welcome supplement, providing guidance in various dance styles to local elementary, middle school, and high school students The current director of the Youth Dance program at the college can attest…
A run up Pacific Coast Highway 1
Ed. Note: This is the first part of a three-part series cataloging freelance writer John Ready’s journey and experience at last year’s Pebble Beach Councours d’Elegance. Watch for parts two and three in the arts section in June and July, respectively. There is a road west of my town named Pacific Coast Highway 1. Younger…
