Cover Story
Pent up fuel: State and federal agencies focus on increasing prescribed burns for wildfire prevention, but environmental groups say that’s not the answer
An estimated 129 million trees in California are dead. It sounds apocalyptic, but it’s true. About one-fifth of those, or 27 million, died between November 2016 and December 2017. More than 60 million died the previous year. Most of the die-off has occurred in the Sierra Nevada, but forests on the Central Coast have lost…
Santa Maria raising money for disability inclusive playground
With the help of community and corporate donations, Santa Maria–and all of Santa Barbara County–could soon have its first ever all-inclusive playground. The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department announced Oct. 28 plans to partner with the Santa Maria Kiwanis for Kids Foundation in an effort to build a playground that would be accessible and…
SLO County looks to remove hurdles to farmworker housing
Amid a statewide shortage of agricultural labor and housing, San Luis Obispo County is looking at overhauling its farmworker housing regulations, which has been criticized by industry members as too restrictive. County officials held a public workshop on Oct. 16 to outline the direction of the new housing ordinance and receive feedback. Proposed reforms include…
Righetti (almost) completes outdoor science classroom
Among Ernest Righetti High School’s boxy buildings, gated boundaries, and slabs of cold concrete that pave the way to and from each classroom, there lies a budding garden. Its plants are small and just beginning to grow, but the varying wildflowers are already adorned with red and purple blossoms, butterflies and hummingbirds and students frequent…
Spotlight on: Central Coast Sports Arena
When Tobin Flamm, 27, and his mom, Lori, bought the Central Coast Sports Arena some six months ago, they did so with one goal in mind. “We just want to help give kids an outlet and encourage them to stay off the streets and shoot for their goals and dreams,” Tobin told the Sun. “If…
Papa’s best: Papa Napoli still delivers on classic Italian deli fare
I love to try new things. In my role here, I’m always looking to find the newest places to spotlight, hoping to give readers some fun fresh culinary ideas. But sometimes, I like to go back and visit the classics. That’s what brought me into Papa Napoli’s in Santa Maria. I have some pretty fond…
Making musicals: Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s returning music director preps students for Disney’s Peter Pan
The group of Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) students sits in rows, waiting for their que, eyeing the swish of Callum Morris’ wrist. Morris, the current interim music director for PCPA, guides the piano accompanist as acting intern Chynna Walker stands, singing the part penned for the title character of the upcoming production of Peter Pan…
Spooky business: Ghost hunting is a seriously scary business in Santa Maria for Central Coast Paranormal Investigators
Mitch Flores had his first paranormal experience when he was just 11 years old. “I had a paper route on the same path my mom and her friends would walk on a daily basis,” Flores said. “I went by this house and there was an old man standing in an upstairs window of the house,…
A long and winding road: The Lompoc Ten celebrates its unique interpretations of Jalama Road
Jalama Road is a little more than 14 miles of some of the most scenic landscape on the Central Coast. The winding path of road, stretching from the whirring noise of Highway 101 to a quiet strip of Jalama Beach, tells a story of the true California, a diverse state born from agriculture, ranching, and…
Time to transfer? County special needs teachers and staff face tough decisions amid transition to high school district
For more than a decade Barbara Fuston-King has worked as a paraprofessional in local special needs classes, providing health and educational services to Santa Maria’s lowest functioning high school students. She currently works in a classroom at Santa Maria High School, where she, two other paraprofessionals, and a teacher work with 10 special needs students.…
Modest measures: Shedding light on the Nov. 6 ballot’s lesser-known propositions
When SLO County voters head to the polls Nov. 6, they’re going to have a lot of decisions to make. In addition to voting for candidates running for state and local offices, as well as local ballot measures, those voters will also have to decide whether to approve or shoot down 11 statewide propositions addressing…
Hallo-nope: Rebecca is done with scary movies
Halloween is finally over and I say thank goodness. Not because I don’t like the holiday or enjoy overdosing on novelty candy, believe me I do. But I’m finally through another season of marathon-watching scary movies. I watch my fair share of horror flicks throughout the year, mostly the artsy kind where the real monster…
Allan Hancock College unveils art by former professor
A painting created by retired fine arts professor Deborah West was unveiled at the Student Services building at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria during an Oct. 25 ceremony. West is a retired art and design professor who taught at Hancock for 28 years. The event featured a ribbon cutting hosted by the Art on…
Lompoc photography contest announces winners
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County recently announced the winners of its 2018 photography contest, titled The Good Life on the Central Coast. The contest asked residents of Santa Barbara County to share images of life in their local communities. The competition was split into four categories: youth, adult, professional, and employee. Winners…
PCPA hosts gala to coincide with Peter Pan debut
Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) presents An Evening in Neverland, an opening night gala and special performance of its latest musical, Peter Pan. The black tie event takes place on Nov. 10 and includes a red carpet, champagne reception, and hors d’oeuvres made by Scratch Kitchen. The Clap Your Hands Cabaret, which includes members who are…
Vote for Gloria Soto in Santa Maria’s 3rd District
Gloria Soto, 3rd District City Council candidate, will bring energy, vision, and smart city policies that will revitalize Santa Maria and reflect its new future. Gloria understands the immense need for more affordable housing in the city and will push developers to include affordable housing units in their new housing projects. No more off-setting projects…
Commentary 2: Support Hancock at the ballot box
If you’ve seen the voter guide, you know there are a lot of initiatives and elections on the November ballot. While all issues are important, the two items regarding Allan Hancock College are particularly significant this year. The first is the election of a trustee for Area 3, which encompasses Guadalupe and southern Santa…
Quantum safety leap needed: Highway 166 either needs modern passing lanes or to become a four-lane highway
For many years I have been aware of the extreme dangers on the narrow two-lane Highway 166 between Santa Maria and Bakersfield. It was good to see the Cuyama Valley speaking up in unison requesting help with this roadway. Because we own a small ranch in the Cuyama Valley, I frequently use this roadway. Back…
School bored
After all my years in the coffee-fuelled business of journalism, I think I can say pretty definitively that there’s hardly anything as boring as a school board meeting. School boards often represent small cross sections of cities and communities and it’s mostly parents who are concerned enough to attend meetings. The only time you read…
Karli Lundberg
Golf can be a psychologically draining game, but for committed athletes like Orcutt Academy High School junior Karli Lundberg, overcoming obstacles of all kinds is no problem. Although Lundberg had a slow start this season, head coach Jim McManus said she took it upon herself to be a leader, showing Orcutt’s younger golfers that hard…
Political Watch 11/1/18
• Santa Barbara County election offices and polling places will be abuzz on Nov. 6 for the midterm election. According to the county’s website, conditional voter registration is available through Nov. 6 at 511 E. Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria, 401 E. Cypress St. in Lompoc, and 4440-A Calle Real in Santa Barbara. Ballot drop…
Lompoc Unified employee arrested, fired after assaulting student
A Santa Maria man employed by the Lompoc Unified School District was arrested and fired after footage showing him abuse a special needs student on a school bus was turned over to investigators. According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, the video shows the districts recent hire, 52-year-old Arthur Carlos, use “excessive force to…
Santa Maria-Bonita board candidates talk goals at debate
In a relatively low-energy forum on Oct. 26, Santa Maria-Bonita School District board of education candidates debated, and mostly agreed on, a variety of fiscal and educational topics. While the four candidates each had somewhat unique ideas on ways to improve the school district, they all shared similar goals for the district’s handling of Santa…
