Cover Story
On life online
In cyberspace, you can be who you want to be, reveal what you want to reveal, hide what you want to hide, and even get your fix of human interaction—all without moving from out of the glare of your computer screen. From texting to social media sites to creating a life in a virtual world,…
What are you looking forward to most this Thanksgiving?
Joe Real retired “Food, family, and a good glass of wine. I really enjoy my family; they’re fun.” Donald Baily Air Force “Spending time with my family. I’ve been away from my family so long; I am thankful to be back with them.” Steven Ornellas cook “Being with my mom for a nice Thanksgiving with…
Political Watch – 11.18
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Community Notebook – 11.18
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Hobnobbing With Helen
Noontime Rotary did it again! Their California Dreamin’ beach-theme “fun raiser” on Saturday evening, Nov. 6, at the Fairpark was a super, smashing success and, as promised, sooo much fun. Ticket sales chairman Scott Dunn reported, “This is the largest crowd we’ve ever had.” It was 450 compared to last year’s 380—almost a 20 percent…
Things they left behind
Construction workers clearing space for a new recreational area in the Los Padres National Forest came across an unnerving find. Barely concealed in the brush was a big heap of nastiness: a meth dump. On Nov. 4, crews found a large cache of solidified chemical compounds—known by authorities to be byproducts of methamphetamine production—loosely wrapped…
Prepare for a new installation
Pacific Gas & Electric is gearing up to expand its industrious-yet-controversial Smart Meter project into Santa Maria in late November. In anticipation of the change, the utility will begin to send letters to its customers in the city, notifying them of the upcoming switch. According to PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno, installations are expected to begin…
Give thanks
The First United Methodist Church of Santa Maria will host the 10th annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Eve Service on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. Located at the intersection of Cook Street and Broadway, the church invites everyone to attend for a night of music, prayer, and fun. The event was established a decade ago by Nipomo…
Fatal Santa Maria house fire investigation continues
Santa Maria police and fire officials are still trying to determine the exact cause of a fatal house fire that killed a 4-year-old boy in the northwest part of the city on Nov. 10. With bystanders and anguished family members looking on, city fire crews and units from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties…
Orcutt school district board meeting sees mild unrest
Minutes after the Orcutt Union School District Board of Education wrapped up the charter school-related portion of its Nov. 10 meeting—where topics focused on the successes of the system and upcoming fieldtrips—parents walked in, ready to fight for their public schools. The district has been in the midst of a financial crisis: Student populations have…
Locals remember former Santa Maria Police Chief John Sterling
John Sterling, who served as Santa Maria’s police chief from 1998 to 2003, died Nov. 14 at Stanford Medical Center due to complications from a liver condition. He was 60 years old. City Councilmember Mike Cordero, who worked under Sterling at the Police Department, confirmed his former boss’ passing to the Sun on Nov. 15.…
Local students have music in their hearts
The Santa Maria-Bonita School District band program needs your help to win a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project. The district, with help from the Santa Maria Boys and Girls Club, recently submitted a band instrument grant request called “Music In Their Hearts.” If selected as a winner, the district would be able to…
See that 500-pound gorilla?
We are a small-town coffee klatch: One guy is a tea bagger, two others are very conservative Republicans. Two are moderate something-or-others, and I am the lone progressive. We are talking about the federal budget deficit and the burgeoning national debt. We all agree something has to be done, and it would be immoral to…
Dancers prep for Nutcracker
Santa Maria Civic Ballet and Everybody Can Dance will present their annual performance of the Nutcracker on Nov. 27 and 28 at 3 p.m. at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks, in Arroyo Grande. The show goes on even as founder and artistic director for the last 25 years, Diane Zink,…
Guillermo Medina
At age 36, Santa Maria’s Guillermo Medina isn’t running away from anything. In fact, he’s running toward something. Medina hopes to become the first 100-year-old to run a 26-mile marathon—and he’s still got plenty of time to practice. So far, Medina has run a total of 18 marathons, beginning when he accompanied his wife in…
Big excitement in little Nipomo
For the students at Common Era Ministries (CEM) Judo, one of the best things in life is free: judo. In fact, so many people have been attracted to the dojo that it’s been propelled into the top-20 most active clubs in America—out of about 1,000 total. And because of its great success, Gary Goltz, president…
We just want to pump … you up
Get in shape for the holidays with new Body Pump classes at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA, beginning Nov. 20. With Body Pump, participants can burn up to 600 calories per class for fat loss. Other benefits include increasing strength and general fitness, shaping and toning muscles, and improving bone density to ward off osteoporosis.…
Saints to remember former coach
Santa Maria High School will honor one of their own on Nov. 19, holding the first-ever Terry Butler Memorial basketball game at the school’s Wilson Gym. Butler played basketball at Allan Hancock College, where he was a third team National All-Junior College player in 1990, and later went on to play for New Mexico State.…
Clubs & Meetings
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Spiritual
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Farmers Markets
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Barbecues
@font-face { font-family: “Geneva”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }span.Absatz-Standardschriftart { }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } ONGOING FILIPINO COMMUNITY OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY barbecues Filipino food at the Smart and Final parking lot, N. Broadway on Saturdays and Sundays. Menu items include tri-tip, chicken, beef…
Health
@font-face { font-family: “Geneva”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }span.Absatz-Standardschriftart { }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } ONGOING THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR BALANCE AND HEALING offers free energy balancing sessions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every third Saturday of the month at Sierra Vista Hospital,…
Art
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Learning
@font-face { font-family: “Geneva”; }@font-face { font-family: “NimbusSanDLigCon”; }@font-face { font-family: “Univers-CondensedBold”; }@font-face { font-family: “Univers-CondensedLight”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }span.Absatz-Standardschriftart { }p.hapstext, li.hapstext, div.hapstext { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: 9pt; font-size: 8pt; font-family: NimbusSanDLigCon; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } WORTH THE DRIVE …
Recreation
@font-face { font-family: “Geneva”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }span.Absatz-Standardschriftart { }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } ONGOING A MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BEACH FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE with four-on-four teams, no contact, is every Sunday at the beach in front of the Sandcastle Inn, Pismo Beach. Cost…
Kids & Family
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Dance Lessons
@font-face { font-family: “Geneva”; }@font-face { font-family: “Univers-CondensedBold”; }@font-face { font-family: “Univers-CondensedLight”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }span.Absatz-Standardschriftart { }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY YMCA presents a Body Pump fitness class Nov. 20 8 a,m,, 10 a.m., and noon, Santa Maria Valley…
Stage
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Night Life
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Concerts
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Special Events
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McNeeley and Faas make music
Actor, singer, and dancer Gale McNeeley will entertain at Unity Chapel of Light, 1165 Stubblefield Road in Santa Maria, on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. in a program of songs from Broadway and movie musicals. He’ll be accompanied on piano by Betty “Sister Betty” Faas. The show will include songs from Les Miserables, Barnum, Finian’s…
Santa Maria Civic Theatre needs actors
Auditions will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 22 and 23 for the Santa Maria Civic Theatre’s next production, Doubt. The play, written by John Patrick Shanley (the 2008 film version starred Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman), will be directed by Stuart Wenger. Performances at the theater, 1660 N. McClelland St., in Santa…
Hear New York and Southern sounds
Have a few laughs and get your toes a-tapping with a night of Broadway tunes, comedy, and blues at Temple Beth El. Diane Borad-Mirken, who specializes in musical comedy, will kick off the program by singing a selection of popular Broadway tunes. Borad-Mirken has extensive experience in the Broadway genre. She was a featured singer…
Peace, love, and art
The ’60s conjure images of peace and love, war and unrest, and—maybe more than anything else—rock’n’roll. The music of the time made as much of a statement as did the youth who listened to it. The colorful decade—its tumult, its sound, its revolution—shines through in a series of concert posters that have become iconic and…
Give thanks for wines
For those who drink wine only on special occasions, Thanksgiving offers an ideal excuse to open a bottle or two of the wonderful stuff. Wine lovers who pop the cork for any reason at all—“All the lights were green!” or “It’s Monday!”—derive endless pleasure from matching new finds and old favorites to their Turkey-day recipes.…
Life Line holds stroke screenings
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of permanent disability. Life Line Screening, a preventative health company, will be holding a stroke and osteoporosis screening in Santa Maria on Dec. 8 to help seniors reduce their risk of stroke or bone fracture. The screenings identify potential…
Old Town hosts wine pour
Enjoy a fine wine? Visit Old Town Market in Old Orcutt for its first ever Premium Wine Pour on Nov. 20 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and let your taste buds be inspired. Five 90-plus point wines that can only be found at the finest restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas will be featured,…
Small business owners find help
Owning a business may be the biggest financial, physical, and emotional investment people ever make. Starting a business is difficult, as is keeping it afloat. Defined Business Solutions, a consulting company focused on the long-term success of small business, is holding an online “grand opening” to help provide businessmen and women with an understanding and…
Magic Dragon restaurant opens
Magic Dragon, a new family-owned and operated Chinese food restaurant, is now open in Landmark Square in Santa Maria. Owned by Allan Wang, Magic Dragon offers fresh family dishes based on secret recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation—and there’s even a vegetarian menu. Magic Dragon, located at 800 S. Broadway, suite…
