Cover Story
Seeds for tomorrow: California’s water managers harness storms for drought relief
The storm is rolling in. It’s January. A parched fall, thus far followed by an abnormally dry winter—which helped produce the largest fire in California’s recorded history—is already giving the state’s farmers and water managers visions of imminent, crippling drought. And while the deluge associated with this particular moisture system rolling in off the Pacific…
The Great American Melodrama delivers a perfect sendup of ‘Les Miserables’ with ‘Less Miserable’
When I first announced to colleagues that I was seeing a production of Less Miserable over the weekend, there was an audible gasp of horror. How could I, a purported theater geek, ever butcher the name of perhaps the greatest musical in the history of Broadway? I quickly assured them the title was a pun…
Nature Beckons show at Gallery Los Olivos features Carol Talley’s landscapes
Carol Talley isn’t much of a city girl. The artist said she is more at home exploring the environment in and around her home in Santa Barbara. For her, the wooded hills and seemingly endless stretches of tawny beaches are both home and work. This is where she comes to find subjects for her paintings.…
The Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra closes season with fierce finale
Music is always a journey through time, and some performances can span centuries within an evening. The Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra’s last concert of the 2017-18 season was April 28, and though the evening’s music was finished around 9 p.m., sounds from across the generations came to the eager ears there. From the Viennese opera…
Schaffer vs. Christensen: The nonpartisan race for Santa Barbara County auditor-controller gets political (and personal)
The Santa Barbara County auditor-controller office may be staffed with accountants, but something isn’t adding up. Ballots for the June 5 Statewide Direct Primary Election will be mailed out on May 7, and while Californians will have an opportunity to cast votes in support of various measures and officials, the race between Santa Barbara County…
Child injured by vehicle in Santa Maria
A 5-year-old child was hit and injured by a car on April 30 in Santa Maria after the child allegedly ran into the street on the 800 block of West Harding Avenue. The driver of the car, according to the Santa Maria Police Department, tried but failed to stop and collided with the child. The…
Santa Barbara County supervisors adopt cannabis business license ordinance
The picture portraying how Santa Barbara County plans to rake in the green became a little bit clearer on May 1. That day, the county’s Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance establishing a commercial cannabis business license by a 4 -1 vote, with 4th District Supervisor Peter Adam dissenting. Now, anyone engaged in commercial activity,…
Chumash, Santa Ynez Valley Coalition leaders testify at hearing in Washington, D.C.
Santa Barbara County residents testified on April 25 at a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs public hearing on H.R. 1491, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Land Affirmation Act of 2017. H.R. 1491, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2017, would reaffirm the secretary of the interior’s decision…
Community Action Partnership offers LGBTQ+ inclusive sex ed
When St. Joseph High School student “M.” has a question about developing a healthy, same-sex relationship or about having safe sex, he Googles it. He hasn’t learned about LGBTQ+ specific issues at his school and he would never risk asking. “I’d rather just not get that attention,” M. said with a nervous laugh. “I know…
Spotlight on: Santa Maria Valley Historical Museum
The Santa Maria Historical Society holds an annual meeting for members to gather, eat, drink, and catch up with what the organization is doing. This year’s meeting on April 28 was unlike any that had come before because the Santa Maria Valley Historical Museum itself has never looked so good. The museum is newly reopened…
Santa Barbara County supervisors approve contract for Thomas Fire suit
Southern California Edison found itself the target of litigation following unanimous approval from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on May 1 to contract with the law firm Baron and Budd to prepare and handle a lawsuit filed on behalf of the county, along with its fire protection, flood control, and water conservation districts.…
Here’s how to judge a pie baking contest
I have discovered one of the Great Truths of the known universe: Judging a pie baking contest is tough work. I say this now as an expert in all things pie-eating related. I was recently asked to be a judge in Idler’s Home’s 34th annual Mom and Apple Pie Contest. (We weren’t judging moms, just…
Orcutt Community Theater holds auditions for murder mystery dinner
Orcutt Community Theater will present Murder at Café Noir, a mystery dinner theater fundraiser on July 21 and 22 as well as July 28 and 29. The group is holding auditions for the play on May 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and May 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Righetti High…
Allan Hancock College youth dancers to perform ‘Tarzan’
Dancers with Allan Hancock College’s youth program are set to perform Tarzan during the Magical Moments Spring Recital on May 12 and 13. Courtney Grimnes, coordinator of the youth dance program, will choreograph and direct the cast of more than 150 young performers in various dance styles including ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, contemporary, and folklorico.…
Anatomy of a conspiro-nut
Oh boy, I can already hear the conspiracy theorists creeping out of the woodwork. This week’s cover story (see page 10) is about cloud seeding, and if you didn’t know, spraying stuff out of airplanes is like catnip for idiots. Take whoever keeps responding to the Sun’s Twitter posts, warning us about all the chemtrails,…
Thank you, Beverly Scofield
Thank you Beverly Scofield for your kind words about my April letter in the Sun, “Capitalism needs your help!” (“Gloege hit the nail on its head,” April 12). My point is that capitalism, ourselves, and especially our sons and daughters need government action to immediately do all we can to slow the onrushing threat of…
Lynn Compton listens
This is an election season has that has been a bit hard to understand since we have experienced first-hand support from our 4th District Supervisor Lynn Compton. We need to do everything we can to procure and save our water resources, so as to make them available to all of us who live and work…
If you run, we’ll support you
If you feel the leaders of Santa Maria do not represent the needs and concerns of all of the people in your community, then run for City Council. November 2018 begins our first district elections. If you are a registered voter and at least 18 years old and you live in the southeast or southwest…
Erin Jenkins
San Luis Obispo County’s girls all-star basketball team kept the game close on April 14, when high school basketball players from around the coast participated in the 28th annual Kiwanis Central Coast All-Star Basketball Spectacular. But Cabrillo High School senior Erin Jenkins fought hard for northern Santa Barbara County, according to Gary Prober of the…
Political Watch 5/3/18
• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) spoke at the National Action Network’s 2018 Convention on April 20 and reflected on leaders of the civil rights movement. A member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Harris said that the current political climate “is requiring us to speak the truth” that “in so many ways the pendulum is swinging…
