Cover Story
Digital afterlife
Peggy was dying. She had battled cancer for years, but at the age of 45 she was losing her fight. A wife and stay-at-home mother of three children in Ventura, Peggy had caught the online bug and couldn’t stop writing about what was happening to her and the effect the disease had on her family.…
Lavagnino says it’s time to give up the seat
On Oct. 3, Santa Maria Mayor Larry Lavagnino announced he won’t be seeking another term as mayor. Lavagnino has held the city’s top political position since 1996. Born in Santa Maria in 1935, Lavagnino has seen the city grow to 10 times the size it was during his childhood. When asked about his decision to…
What life lesson did you have to learn the hard way?
Mitch Maiden trophy shop owner “Twenty-five years of marriage isn’t easy, but it’s not about me. It’s about us.” Bill Reynolds pastor “Don’t lie. It always catches up with you.” Cathy Miller homemaker “Do not abuse a credit card.” Ron Glenn retired “Being honest.”
What’s on Deck?
Thursday, Oct. 6 Boys’ Water Polo Atascadero @ Pioneer Valley 4:30 p.m. Paso Robles @ St. Joseph 4:30 p.m. Righetti @ San Luis Obispo 4:30 p.m. Girls’ Golf Pac-7 Midseason Meet @ Arroyo Grande 1 p.m. Los Padres League Tournament @ Nipomo 2 p.m. Girls’ Tennis San Luis Obispo…
On the roster
• Fallin’ 4 A Purpose: The second annual VIP skydiving event is coming Oct. 9, sponsored by Roblar Winery and Skydive Santa Barbara. VIP jumpers will have access to their own tents and lounge areas, private airport parking, a breakfast bar, live music, a silent auction, a VIP dinner, and admission to the “Country Harvest”…
Get your motor runnin’ for an annual bike run
Motorcycle enthusiasts will be riding high on their hogs at the eighth annual Santa Maria Valley Bike Run, held this year on Nov. 12. Activities include raffles, 50/50 drawings, a barbecue, and more. The cost to participate is $25 per person and a new, unwrapped toy for a child. Proceeds will benefit the Marine Corps’…
Barbecue to raise funds for Lompoc Motorsports Park
The public is invited to help make the Lompoc Valley Motorsports Park a reality by attending a barbecue to raise money for the project on Oct. 7. From 5 to 7 p.m., Bruce’s Prime Cuts will provide tri-tip, chicken, and sodas for $8. There will also be a car show, where attendees are encouraged to…
Getting them back in the game
On any given weekday morning, just after sunrise, the lobby of Sims’ Physical Therapy Center in Santa Maria resembles a MASH unit. Student-athletes from Santa Maria to Morro Bay, some bruised and bandaged, line up to receive care from specialists trained in sports-related injuries. And the best part is, it’s all free. Therapists Doug Sims…
Get down at Addamo
October is when we all prepare for the oncoming holidays and enjoy the last bit of warmth afforded before the onslaught of winter. It’s also the time we justify dressing in a variety of costumes on Halloween, and a local venue is giving us several chances to play dress up and enjoy live music at…
Hobnobbing With Helen
Such a swanky soiree! The United Way Mayors’ Ball brought out all the swells on Saturday evening, Oct.1, at the Santa Maria Country Club. About 200 well-dressed folks showed up to honor North County’s mayors at UW’s annual fundraiser. Tickets were $125. Event chairperson Bo Cudd waved her magic wand and with the help of…
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Todd has grown up literally and entirely surrounded by men. There are no women or girls in his town, a settlement near a swamp filled with deadly crocodiles and not much else. In fact, there are no other boys, as every one of his friends has come of age and stopped interacting with him. His…
Play is very important work!
It’s a wonderful image to think of groups of children on a playground or in the backyard laughing and playing. You probably have great memories of your own childhood, with groups of friends or siblings playing dolls, riding bikes, making up games. The learning that happens when children play is some of the most important…
A little chance, a lot of love
Dealing with the grief and emptiness left behind when a loved one dies is a difficult enough mountain to climb on its own. Add to that the hardship of medical bills and the mountain can feel insurmountable. The Quarales family knows this only too well. On Oct. 17, Santa Maria High School will hold a…
Spotlight on: Panera Bread
Now before you get all up in arms about the Sun spotlighting a large corporation over a local mom-and-pop shop, read a little further. Ten years ago, Sue Stees was on the hunt for a way to help women fighting breast cancer. She herself was a survivor and co-owner of several Panera Bread franchises. What…
Air of contention
People on the sidelines of the fight to reduce airborne dust around the Oceano Dunes have fallen into one of two groups: those who think regulators are overstepping their bounds, and those who think they aren’t doing enough. Seldom has this divide been more obvious than on Sept. 28, when the San Luis Obispo County…
Farming a debate
It’s called the Legal Workforce Act, and local farm worker and agribusiness groups contend that if it ever becomes law, it would negatively impact thousands of undocumented workers and employers in Santa Barbara County. Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in June by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), the legislation mandates that…
Federal grant will help Hancock expand its math and science curricula
Students interested in studying math and science now have a new program available to help them achieve their goals. Allan Hancock College recently received a multimillion-dollar federal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant to help boost its science and math curricula. The STEM grant will help create a pathway from local high schools to…
Boys & Girls Club employee named Santa Maria Peace Builder
For 15 years, Santa Maria resident Eddie Galarza has been helping children at the Boys & Girls Club in Evans Park overcome the poverty and gang violence that have come to plague the neighborhood. On Sept. 30, Galarza’s work earned him the Peace Builder Award—the top prize during Santa Maria’s annual Peace Week. He was…
ELLEN BLACKWELL
With lyrics from the Katy Perry song “California Girls” plastered on the side of her soap box derby car, Ellen Blackwell shows the boys on the West Coast who’s fast on the track. Blackwell, a 15-year-old sophomore at Righetti High School, has been racing soapbox derby for more than six years. She’s done very well…
Golf tourney raises money for children with cancer
An annual golf tournament raised $5,000 in August for Jack’s Helping Hand in support of the Jack Ready Imagination Park. The Aug. 6 golf tournament, dubbed “The Gilbert,” attracted more than 100 people to Monarch Dunes in Nipomo, raising just more than $13,500 for the Gilbert family, whose son Jake, now in stable condition, was…
The Dunes Center seeks trees
It’s time to dress up the trees and donate them to the Guadalupe Dunes Center for its Trees of the Season raffle. The event starts with an open house at 4 p.m. on Dec. 7, followed by the raffle at 6 p.m. at the center at 1055 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. This year’s theme is “Movies…
Put your foot in
The C Gallery has put out a call for submissions for its fall group show, “One Foot at a Time.” Submitted works should be 12-by-12 inches, including the frame, in any media. Submissions are due at the gallery by Nov. 12 for a Nov. 19 opening. The title of the exhibit refers to the size…
Saints for breasts
When Jennifer Hair penned Saints of My Own Design, she heeded the advice of her former scriptwriting professor: “Write what you know.” The play, which is a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness research, addresses the topic of breast cancer and how it touches the lives of the characters involved. But in an interesting twist, it’s…
The Santa Maria River Bridge is getting wider
A construction crew has started the years-long process of widening the Santa Maria River Bridge. They’ll widen the traffic artery connecting Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties by one lane in each direction, for a total of six lanes. Politicians from the local, state, and federal level joined Caltrans and California Highway Patrol officials…
Hundreds check out new Quality Life Services Building
Capping off nearly four years of planning and construction, VTC Enterprises proudly unveiled its new Quality Life Services Building in Santa Maria on Sept. 29. Approximately 250 people gathered to see the new facility, a brightly colored, 18,300 square-foot building, which is expected to house programs for occupational training, work experience, and other services to…
Lompoc roundabout controversy continues
Caltrans officials are confident they’ll be able to move forward with plans to build a roundabout in Lompoc, despite opposition from local government officials. The Purisima Road Safety Improvement project calls for the construction of a single-lane roundabout at the intersection of Highway 246 and Purisima Road. Construction costs are estimated to be $2.6 million.…
For the love of music
Joelyn Lutz may have the soul of a rocker, but she’s got the nurturing heart of a mother. During her days as a hard-working rocker and part of the all-female band Teaser in the ’80s, the musician—who recently performed at Santa Maria Peace Week—was called Mama Joe because she handled coordination of all the group’s…
The Viagra effect
I recently came to a realization about my sexuality: I like old guys. Back off, pervs—I’m not ready for the golden handshake just yet. No, I’m using the term “Old Guy” loosely here. I’m talking about the distinguished guy, the guy who has earned a wrinkle or two and a few grays, the guy who…
Check out local vistas and vines
Fall is a special time on the Central Coast: The days get shorter but warmer, shadows grow longer, the afternoons usher in slightly chilly breezes, and it’s time to enjoy the autumnal colors. Yes, the Central Coast does put on a fall show. To see it, you need go no farther than the vineyards that…
Protest spotlights space militarization
When demonstrators gathered for a vigil on Wednesday, Oct. 5, outside Vandenberg Air Force Base, they joined a series of actions in more than 40 locations worldwide marking Keep Space for Peace Week. Actions took place in such locations as Menwith Hill, England; Jeju Island, South Korea; Nagpur, India; Kaua’i, Hawaii; and National Security Agency…
