Cover Story
The color of money
It’s an old saying, and a popular one: “ ’Tis better to give than to receive.” When it comes to the arts, many people would probably say they’re more likely to donate to them than to gain any monetary benefit from them. However, a new study from the national organization Americans for the Arts shows that…
Athlete of the Week: Jeremy Thomas
While this space is usually reserved for the girls and boys, the men and women who are known for their athletic abilities, the Sun’s athlete of the week for Nov. 8 is someone who spent more time sitting at his desk than chasing fly balls in a field or record times in a pool. Since…
On the roster
• Turkey Trot: Runners of all ages and skill levels will be putting their fitness to the test at the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department’s 16th Annual Turkey Trot Fun Run, set for Nov. 17. Runners age 15 and older can sign up for the 5K race, which begins at 8:30 a.m. at the…
Get into nature
Take an invigorating hike—and learn about plants and animals unique to this area while you work up a sweat—on a guided nature walk, set for Nov. 10, 9 to 11 a.m., at Los Flores Ranch. A trained docent will help attendees explore the region’s natural beauty as they get exercise, too. For more information about…
A new ‘fight club’
As one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated sports, boxing is popular among people of all walks of life. In the 21st century, the sport’s discipline and intensity draw large crowds at both the professional and amateur levels. Boxing’s popularity continues to grow even here on the Central Coast, with a number of boxing…
Grace in music
Music has enjoyed a sacred place in most congregations, the local Grace Baptist Church being no exception. The church includes music as part of its services, but also presents performances by touring and local ensembles, including the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra. An upcoming concert will feature an ensemble from the California Baptist University School of…
Chumash recognize arts and more
Arts Outreach was one of five Santa Barbara County nonprofits to receive recognition and money at the third annual Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation Dinner on Nov. 5. The event, held in honor of Native American Heritage Month and “to underscore the importance of philanthropy,” according to a press release, took place in…
Twist and shape
November marks Marilyn Hoback Cronk exhibiting “Form and Flexibility” in the Santa Maria Public Library’s Shepard Hall, 421 McClelland. The former executive director of Solvang’s Elverhoj Museum of History and Art and current member of the Artists Guild of the Santa Ynez Valley has a particular interest in the shapes of horses and Spanish architectural…
Veils and vines
Spring and early summer are often the preferred times for brides-to-be to hold their weddings. Flowers bloom, and warm weather and an overall theme of newness and beginnings fill the air. Of course, there are also the brides who know the fiery beauty that comes forth in an autumnal wedding—especially if it’s in wine country.…
Dish Boy and Laundry Girl
The magical day finally arrived. The day where my wife and I realized that our kids were old enough to contribute to the household by doing some chores. Finally, the kids were mature enough to actually help out and clean stuff instead of just messing up stuff. For years, our children only existed as little…
Playing around
Dust swirls around the ceramics room at Allan Hancock College as students busily shape, massage, fire, and paint clay in its various forms. Tall bottles, short vases, plates, bowls, and dishes lie scattered on countertops and shelves in various states of completion. Many of the pieces, when they’re complete, will be contributed to the annual…
Top-tier beer
Expect the unexpected at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company in Buellton. During my last visit a few weeks ago, a big, retro school bus pulled up, decorated with a giant 30th birthday party banner. The door opened and out walked the birthday girl and a dozen of her closest girl friends, eagerly arriving at Figueroa Mountain’s…
Put students before fish
When California imposes another round of funding cuts on its higher education system, for whatever reason, state leaders will certainly claim that such cuts are necessary. Yet one only needs to consider a series of Golden State environmental projects to recognize the hollowness of such words. Across California, billions of dollars are being committed to…
Liberals succeed!
Let me see if I understand this correctly. Our liberal friends want to redistribute the wealth from the “wealthy” in the United States to those deserving individuals who are below the poverty level. Well, actually, we have done that. We have distributed our U.S. wealth (jobs) to those overseas by sending our manufacturing jobs to…
Here’s my take on remembering veterans
Veteran’s Day, I will remember the Marines who unnecessarily lost their lives on Iwo Jima. That battle was unnecessary to win the war. The Admirals sent in the Marines to be butchered because they were seeking revenge for Peal Harbor and trying to regain the American public respect. The war’s end was near; it was…
Shame on them
Low-level felons crowd California prisons and are now transferred to local jails. My brother in Massachusetts suggests we place felons in stocks and pillories for several hours in the centers of towns before transferring them. Embarrassment, he says, is a greater deterrent to illegal behavior than the threat of incarceration. Do you agree?
Create your own hero!
Miranda Mejia was a student in the Discovery Museum’s summer writing camp, Writing is Super!, led by Sun Managing Editor Amy Asman. The students created super heroes, sidekicks, and villains, and drew their very own comic strips. Here’s what Miranda had to say about the experience: “I came up with a character named Sassy Girl.…
Sample some surf ‘n’ turf for a good cause
Who’s hungry for a little surf ‘n’ turf? If you answered yes, you’re in luck: On Nov. 10, St. Mary of the Assumption School will hold its second annual All-You-Can-Eat Surf and Turf Celebration starting at 6 p.m. in the school’s multipurpose hall at 302 S. Miller St. The dinner includes king crab legs, top…
People’s Self-Help Housing presents a college preparation workshop
College-bound teens and their parents are invited to attend a free “College and Scholarship Preparation” workshop presented by the Youth Education Enhancement Program (YEEP) of People’s Self-Help Housing and the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation. The workshops will be presented in Spanish with English translation, and will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Nov.…
Spotlight on: Paragon of Santa Maria
Fighting to keep enough space for its expanding roster of students, Paragon of Santa Maria has moved locations to 1775 S. Broadway. By upgrading from a 2,600-square-foot to a 5,000-square-foot arena—almost double the size—Paragon intends to not only accommodate its current students but also recruit more by offering new venues to help keep people fit,…
Honoring the dead
The annual gathering inside the Santa Maria Town Center mall honoring people who have passed as part of Dia de Los Muertos was quite a success this year. Many visitors attended the celebration to see the altars created for loved ones who are no longer with us. The early November holiday has its roots in…
Effort to recall school board member falls flat
On Oct. 29, Will Smith, the embattled Santa Maria-Bonita School District board member, learned he will keep his seat on the board for two more years. A recall effort initiated by the group Unity of Purpose for Our Kids failed to collect the 4,969 signatures needed to recall Smith from his post. Instead, the group,…
Seismic studies unlikely this year
The news broke on the evening of Friday, Nov. 2: A state regulating agency is not likely to hand Pacific Gas & Electric a pivotal permit necessary to kick off its controversial seismic studies off the Central Coast. Sans a permit, those tests won’t take place this year. On Nov. 2, staffers for the California…
Warning issued after 10 Santa Maria parvovirus cases
On Oct. 31, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department released a warning about a recent outbreak of parvovirus among Santa Maria area dogs. There were 10 cases in October, with six happening in the last eight days of the month. A majority of the cases originated north of Main Street and west of Broadway…
Capps holds her seat, but in a new district
Minutes before midnight on Nov. 6, former state senator and lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado released a statement summing up the election results in his race to represent the state’s new 24th Congressional District: “A short while ago, I spoke with Rep. Lois Capps, and offered her my congratulations on her victory tonight,” he wrote. “For…
What about the propositions?
Here’s a rundown on the fate of propositions on California’s Nov. 6 ballot: Proposition 30, the temporary-tax initiative for the funding of public schools, passed. In an interview with the Sun, Santa Board County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone said, “We’re very grateful for the remarkable showing of support in the state and particularly in…
Some familiar faces, some new on the local school boards
Linda Cordero was the clear winner in the race for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board of Education, taking nearly 25 percent of the votes. Incumbent Jody Oliver trailed with 17.38 percent, defeating her closest challenger, John Hollinshead, by approximately one percentage point. Challenger Michael Kon—the high school substitute who has come under scrutiny as…
Peter Adam unseats supervisor Joni Gray
Santa Maria farmer Peter Adam beat longtime 4th District Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joni Gray by a margin of roughly two percentage points—50.04 percent verses 46.88 percent—in the Nov. 6 election. The two were competing in a runoff vote after coming within two percentage points of each other in the June primary. In an early…
Residents to see changes in city leadership
Santa Maria voters have promoted longtime City Councilwoman Alice Patino to mayor. Patino beat fellow council member Mike Cordero 50.16 percent to 34.80 percent in the Nov. 6 election. “I’m very excited and very humbled that people came out and put that kind of confidence in me,” Patino told the Sun in a post-election interview.…
What is your favorite kind of art?
Maria d’Hernandez Spanish speaker “La pintura es buena. Y el teatro y la música. (Painting is good. And theater and music).” Arlene Brown body shop owner “My favorite artist is Thomas Kinkade.” Ralph Mounts pharmacist “I like landscapes.” Susan Mounts retired “[Landscapes] are my pick, too.”
