Cover Story
Financial tightrope: Guadalupe looks to DJ Farms and increasing taxes as the keys to fixing the city’s financial woes
Guadalupe City Hall’s expansive walkways echo with footsteps that reverberate off bare walls with high ceilings as you make your way from one end to the other. The historic building’s halls are wide, tiled, and largely empty. The u-shaped former-grammar-school campus contains only the basics: city administrative offices in the middle, a police department on…
What was the best Halloween costume you ever had?
Stephanie Ward nanny “I was 11 or 12, and I dressed up as a grandma from the ’50s, afro and all.” Adam Jackson student “Roland from Steven King’s The Dark Tower. That’s what I’m being this year.” Jason Adams drummer “A homemade zombie outfit. I did all the costume effects myself.” Guadalupe Fajardo student “A…
A man for all seasons
Last month, I wrote about the changes autumn brings and how I was changing in the autumn of my life. I wrote about my graying mane of hair and how I relied on the expertise of my hairdresser and colorist extraordinaire, Bruce Lee Ent. What I did not know was that, at the time I…
Temple Beth El presents a coalition of classic rock singers
Music has a powerful connection to our memories, so much so, that everyone holds an inner catalogue of their favorite songs from growing up. These could be the chart-topping songs that debuted while you were in high school, or older songs you remember your parents or grandparents listening to. Temple Beth El in Santa Maria…
Michaels offers a pumpkin challenge
Michaels arts and crafts store is offering its annual Great Pumpkin Event and the launch if the new Trick Your Pumpkin sweepstakes. Every Friday through Oct. 31, Michaels will award a $250 gift card and gift basket to a randomly selected customer who creates a pumpkin craft. Anyone can enter to win, provided they enter…
Standing Sun celebrates freedom with art
Standing Sun Wines holds an art show tited Freedom—a showcase of impressionist art by Liz Bristow and symbolic archetype sculpture by Joseph Castle—showing through Nov. 30. The first reception event to kick off this show is set for Nov. 1 and will include painter Bristow and live music by Kayleigh Hollum followed by Gary Foshee…
Experience the country in Los Olivos
Los Olivos is holding its popular Day in the Country Festival on Oct. 18, with special events happening throughout the small community. The day begins with early morning fun runs and includes a country-themed parade, zip line and climbing wall, hundreds of craft and food booths, live music, and family activities. The festival began in…
Pumpkins go pink to benefit Marian Foundation
A special Pinktober pumpkin patch is open in Santa Maria through Oct. 31. All of the proceeds from the pumpkin patch benefit the Marian Foundation, and the patch is sponsored by Mission Hope Cancer Center, Dignity Health, and Honda of Santa Maria. Better Produce provided the pumpkins. The Pinktober pumpkin patch can be found at…
All holidays at the Santa Maria ElksElks
The Santa Maria Elks present a Holiday Craft, Art, and Gift Fair on Oct. 26 at the lodge in Santa Maria. A wide array of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas décor and gifts will be available for purchase, along with handcrafted items by local artists. Santa Maria Elks Lodge No. 1538 is at 1309 N. Bradley…
Going back for more: The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes center completes its second excavation of Cecil B. DeMille’s 1923 Ten Commandments set
In 2012, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center excavated a piece of Hollywood history from underneath the dunes sand that was the location for Cecil B. DeMille’s 1923 production of The Ten Commandments. Two rows of sphinx statues lined the approach to a 700-foot-tall façade of an Egyptian temple, all of which was buried after shooting was…
Bats, spiders, and snakes: The Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake holds a creepy crawly event for all ages
October is typically the month when kids and adults alike embrace the morbid, outlandish, and creepy side of life. Several critters from the natural world tend to come to the forefront to represent the Halloween season, including all types of things that slither, scurry, and swoop. The Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake cosponsors…
Barbieri Wines: One of the most successful Master Sommeliers in the U.S. leaves Vegas for Santa Barbara County
Considered one of America’s greatest Master Sommeliers, Paolo Barbieri has served wine to the biggest stars and wealthiest wine connoisseurs in the world. For more than two decades, he’s hand-picked millions of dollars in wines for Las Vegas restaurants. But he recently traded in that lifestyle for one with less flash by opening a tasting…
Discovery Corner: Whooose poop is that?
Those of you who have hopped aboard the museum’s U.S.S. Discovery know that different kinds of birds leave different kinds of poop! (For those of you who haven’t boarded this fine vessel, its dashboard explains the anatomy of splay—the designs made by bird droppings.) Well, during Science Saturday on Oct. 18, we’re going to take…
Hancock refinances, saves money on long-term bonds
Allan Hancock College recently resold a portion of its outstanding Series A bonds, a move the college said will save taxpayers nearly $6 million over the life of the Measure I bond. Measure I is the $180 million bond passed in 2006 that funds facility improvements and technology at the school. Hancock refinanced more than…
Adam Elementary talks about bullying
On Oct. 20, children’s author and inspirational speaker Sarah Ketsy will visit Adam Elementary School to speak to students about embracing differences and overcoming challenges. Ketsy writes books and articles for children, parents, and teachers. Her works on the development of empathy have gained national attention for their role in bully prevention and increasing self-esteem…
McKenzie students are racing for funds and fitness
Kermit McKenzie Junior High School in Guadalupe is having its annual Jog-A-Thon on Oct. 17 in an effort to raise money and promote healthy lifestyles. The funds, raised through pledges and donations, are earmarked for classroom materials, field trips, the yearbook, and the physical education department. The entire school of more than 400 students will…
Pioneer Valley students clean house
More than 120 students invaded Pioneer Valley High School’s campus on Oct. 4 to participate in a campus beautification day—they picked up trash, cleaned windows and doors, washed tables and benches, and raked leaves. Tami Barnum, an administrative assistant at the school, said the students earned three hours of community service for their work. They…
Spotlight on: Nagy Wines
Clarissa Nagy grew up trying to trade her preservative-free cheese and roast beef sandwiches and her all-natural fruit leather for other kids’ white bread and bologna sandwiches. Little did she know: Some day, it would have her making fine wine. As she got older, her mother’s eclectic, nutritious influence stuck with her. After graduating from…
Political Watch 10/16/14
• The Office of National Drug Control Policy recently awarded a $125,000 grant to Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People, a group dedicated to improving the lives of people in the Santa Ynez Valley. It was one of around 600 grants distributed through the Drug-Free Communities Support Program to address youth substance use. According to…
Community Notebook 10/16/14-10/23/14
TUESDAY, OCT. 21 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at http://santabarbara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx#current. • The Santa Maria City Council has its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Downton Abbey, one of the most popular television series ever, was the inspiration for the delightful and elegant Downton Affair Mayors’ Ball held on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Santa Maria Country Club. More than 200 people attended the United Way’s annual gala that raises money for literacy programs and honors the mayors of Buellton,…
Community Corner: Stand down comes to the Fairpark on Oct. 18
A stand down for homeless and at-risk veterans will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Santa Maria Fairpark from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Homeless and at-risk veterans will have the opportunity to receive food, clothing, health screenings, haircuts, showers, and learn about opportunities and programs, including veterans treatment court, California ID cards,…
Was an Independent Peer Review Panel cut out of PG&E’s seismic review?
Several emails made public as part of a recent legal filing have provided a rare glimpse into internal conversations between Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) officials at a time when some critics have alleged the company sidestepped independent oversight. On Sept. 16, 2013, PG&E Director of Regulatory Relations Erik Jacobson wrote to Valerie Winn, PG&E’s…
Santa Maria-Bonita focuses on healthy food through a federal program
Fighting the good food fight isn’t always easy, but that doesn’t stop the Santa Maria-Bonita School District from trying. This year, eight of the district’s schools qualified for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program, enabled through federal grant money for schools where 88 percent or more of their students qualify for free-and-reduced-price lunches. Each year,…
Well drilling in Santa Barbara County has tripled during the drought
In a normal, non-drought water year, Santa Barbara County gets 50 or so applications for new well drilling permits. In the first quarter of the 2014-2015 fiscal year, Santa Barbara County has already received 28 well permit applications, which puts the county on track for about 120 or so new wells for the year. In…
Group sues Bureau of Reclamation over steelhead losses
On Oct. 6, a watershed and fish advocacy organization filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, alleging that the bureau violated the federal Endangered Species Act by allowing steelhead to die in Hilton Creek. California Trout, represented by the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), filed the paperwork in Los Angeles federal court, saying that…
Santa Maria firefighters respond to a fire in an unoccupied home
At 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, a mass of fire fighters descended on a burning house on South College Avenue. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Mike Barneich, a Santa Maria Fire Department battalion chief, confirmed to the Sun in an email that the department is calling the fire suspicious—but wasn’t at liberty…
Remember this suit?
Way, way back a long time ago–all the way in May, which seems like it was practically a different decade at this point–I asked you whether you’d heard of a particular lawsuit. This wasn’t a salacious suit that involved sexy secrets or faulty products. This was a suit filed against the United States by a…
Oil is under assault
With the introduction of SB 1096 to prohibit drilling in the Tranquillion basin along with Measure P and the 3-2 County Supervisor vote to support 1096, it is obvious to even the casual observer that an all-out assault against oil is once again in progress and change with no alternative is advocated. The defeat of…
Stop the oil and gas takeover
These companies are fighting Measure P because they want to ramp up high-intensity extraction all around us in Santa Barbara County. Regardless of whether they use fracking, or acidization, or steam injection, the risks to our local area are the same. All of these techniques use and pollute water, hurt our health, and increase air…
Big Oil is paying cash; what will we pay?
It’s hard not to notice all of the “No on P” signs plastered all over town. Big and small, they are everywhere. Signs are expensive. Big oil has bankrolled them. They have spent more than $2 million to defeat Measure P in our county. Big Oil is the same industry responsible for (to name only…
Measure P measures opportunities
I am writing this letter to share my perspective on Measure P. I was born and raised in a war-torn country in the Middle East, where oil is very abundant but jobs are very scarce due to corruption that affects every level of society and restrains economic development and job availability. I was one of…
What’s On Deck 10/16/14-10/23/14
Thursday, Oct. 16 Girls’ Tennis OAHS vs. SYUHS @ Hancock, 3:30 p.m. SJHS vs. Mission Prep @ SJHS, 3:30 p.m. RHS vs. AHS @ RHS, 3:30 p.m. NHS vs. MBHS @ MBHS, 3:30 p.m. Girls’ Volleyball SJHS vs. AHS @ SJHS, 6 p.m. OAHS vs. SMHS @ SMHS, 3:30…
Santa Maria Westside Little League elections are on deck
The Santa Maria Westside Little League will hold its board of directors’ elections Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Straw Hat Pizza. The board will consist of at least seven members and no more than 15. The term of office lasts one year, and directors are responsible for league policies and finances. Contact David Garcia…
Orcutt water polo raises funds with a poker tournament
The Orcutt Polo Association will host a Texas hold ’em poker tournament on Oct. 19 to raise money for the Orcutt Polo Association boys’ water polo team. The tournament will be held at the Santa Maria Eagles’ Aerie, beginning with dinner at 3 p.m., followed by the tournament at 4 p.m. There is a $55…
A haunted trail will have people running scared at the Halloween Hustle
The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department encourages runners of all fitness levels to dress up and participate in the second annual Halloween Hustle 5K and Kids’ 1-Mile Fun Run. The event starts at 9 a.m. on Oct. 25 at Jim May Park in Santa Maria. Runners ages 14 and up can run…
Elisa Baro
When Elisa Baro first started working for the Sun, she would sometimes run home after work. She didn’t live down the street, mind you; she lived in Guadalupe. Her slight 4-foot, 11-inch frame would take to the pavement alongside Highway 166, with big rigs and farm trucks rolling by, kicking up dust and throwing dirt…
Indian summer: Dancers competed under a hot October sun at the Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow Wow
Plumes of feathers and colorful streaks of ribbon swirled in the hot afternoon air as the sun beat down on the dancers like the steady thump of the drum. On Oct. 4 and 5, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians played host to the 19th annual Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow at the Live Oak campground. “We’re…
