Cover Story
Getting a grip on restraint: When a teacher should intervene with a violent child isn’t always black-and-white
He was 6 years old, and he stood up on his desk with a pair of scissors, threatening to stab his classmates and teachers. Then, suddenly, he was on the ground, with two teachers restraining him. Corina Gomez, witnessed the scene as it unfolded. “It looked barbaric to me. I know they weren’t doing it…
Here’s a fortune cookie. What’s the fortune cookie say your fortune is?
Julio Gutierrez cook “‘A pleasant journey to places far away.’” Isabel Juarez mom “‘Your future looks bright.’” Kelsey Carnal mom “‘Your sly nature will get you out of a tight spot.’” Doc Boyd parts person “‘Your efforts will result in much profit.’ … Does that mean I get a raise?”
Helicopter Parenting
I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a helicopter parent. You could actually say I’m more like a battalion of helicopters with satellite tracking and state-of-the-art-ground support. It’s true. I’m that crazy sort of parent who tries to ensure that my kids are absolutely safe every single millisecond of their lives. What can I say?…
Jim Messina headlines a Solvang Festival Theatre benefit concert
The 1960s rock ’n’ roll scene was incredibly turbulent, with band after band releasing albums that morphed the popular style into many genres we still hear the echoes of today. Within this crowd of young, voracious musicians were those who wanted to turn rock ’n’ roll inward, toward the roots of blues and country that…
PCPA opens its costume shop to Halloween shoppers
The World War II era hangars that sit on the corner of College and Boone across from Allan Hancock College are still rented out to local businesses that need a lot of storage space. The hangars offer just as much height as they do width, which is a good thing for the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s…
The Great American Melodrama celebrates 40 years with Scary Poppins
The Great American Melodrama was buzzing on Oct. 3, for the first of three Octoberfest events at the Oceano theater, with an hour of live music, beer from the keg, and a German dinner before the night’s production began. As Trio Internationale performed German drinking songs and polkas, attendees crowded into the concessions area line,…
Discovery Corner: Pumpkins, spiders, and ghosts, oh my!
It’s Halloween central at the Discovery Museum this month, meaning the essence of All Hallows Eve has leaked into all of our regular programs and activities, making them extra creepy and cool! Tuesday Tales at 10:30 a.m. will feature seasonal stories that are still kid-friendly, including Peanuts favorite The Great Pumpkin Strikes Again (Oct. 7),…
SM Valley Boys and Girls Club throws a party for its retiring director
After serving 40 years with the Boys and Girls Club of the Santa Maria Valley, Bill Libbon recently retired as the club’s executive director. The club and its Board of Directors will play host to a retirement party in his honor on Nov. 5 at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge. No-host cocktails begin at 5:30…
Local educators join Cal Poly’s Teacher in Residence program
Two Santa Maria Joint Union High School District teachers are educating future teachers at Cal Poly this year, and they plan to take what they learn about the latest teaching methods back to the district. Pioneer Valley High School science teacher Kristina Duran and Santa Maria High School agriculture teacher Clemente Ayon are participating in…
Spotlight on: Lineage Logistics
Standing in front of gigantic automatic doors that lead to an indoor arctic region, it’s hard to imagine this 226,000 square-foot refrigeration plant is considered small, but plant manager Tony Caetano says it is. He ought to know, he’s been in the refrigeration business for more than 20 years. After serving a term in the…
Political Watch 10/9/14
• On Sept. 30, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson introduced after May’s Isla Vista stabbing and shooting tragedy. SB 505 requires local law enforcement to search the California Department of Justice’s database of gun purchases prior to conducting a welfare check on someone who is potentially a danger to themselves…
Community Notebook 10/9/14-10/16/14
MONDAY, OCT. 13 • The Santa Maria City Block Grants Advisory Committee has its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room, 110 E. Cook St., Santa Maria. • The Solvang City Council has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. Agendas are available at…
Community Corner: The Humane Society holds first Campaign to Save Lives
During October, the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society is holding its first ever Campaign to Save Lives, a month-long effort to raise funds that will support its no-kill adoption program for cats and dogs. The organization’s goal is to raise $100,000 that would help it prepare for a new kennel wing, which should be completed…
Lompoc candidates pondered Brown Act violations and other issues at a recent forum
Lompoc Public Library’s Grossman Gallery was a little stuffy the evening of Oct. 1. It wasn’t because of the city’s election candidates, who were waxing on about their political viewpoints—according to a few people outside the room, “they never say much of anything”—but because the small room with quilts hanging on the walls was at…
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies arrest four people in connection with counterfeit money
Thomas Berchtold was three months shy of finishing a three-year probation when he was arrested in Solvang on Sept. 30 on suspicion of trying to pass counterfeit bills. According to Kelly Hoover, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Tanya Lee Rose of Bakersfield, Melissa Jones of Bakersfield, Doreen Rowland of Bakersfield,…
Multiple shark attacks take place off Vandenberg’s beaches
Just two days after Surf Beach was reopened to the public, officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base closed it again—though, this time, it wasn’t because of snowy plovers. A shark attacked a surfer one-quarter mile north of Wall Beach on Oct. 2 around 5:30 p.m., according to a statement from the base. The attack wasn’t…
Are robbers on a Santa Maria crime spree?
Santa Maria police suspect that eight crimes–a series of robberies and muggings–committed over the course of three non-consecutive nights were committed by the same people. “It’s not confirmed, but we believe they are connected,” said Santa Maria Police Department Lt. James Ginter. On Sept. 29, two stores were robbed; on Oct. 4, two more robberies…
An Amtrak train hits a truck south of Guadalupe
A passenger train smashed into the truck bed of a Dodge pickup at 60 miles per hour around 3 p.m. on Oct. 6. The accident happened just south of Guadalupe near Highway 1 and Brown Road. After the train hit it, the truck collided with two parked vehicles. According to a press release from the…
Bubblicious: Pop the cork on America’s only sparkling wine festival, debuting this month in Pismo Beach
Imagine standing atop a seaside cliff, the fresh ocean breeze in your hair, waves crashing on the beach below, while you sip from a bottomless flute of sparkling wine. Some lucky festival-goers will be living that dream this month. Create Promotions, the event specialists behind the annual Bacon & Barrels, has created a new event…
The nature of the ocean
First, let me say this: There are always sharks. For now, anyway. Our executive editor has been on a big anti-finning kick lately, complaining about how the state of our oceans is declining fast. He doesn’t hold out much hope for the ongoing overall survival of the big, bitey fish, but that’s not the point.…
Read like a teen (even as an adult)
This week, I want to command all of you adults, lurking in the shadows of the Teen section, to come into the light! You know who you are. I am speaking to those of you who sneak in for a clandestine copy of Mockingjay, The Maze Runner, Divergent, or the latest James Dashner book. You…
What’s On Deck 10/9/14-10/16/14
Thursday, Oct. 9 Girls’ Tennis Righetti vs. AGHS @ Righetti, 3:30 p.m. SMHS vs. Orcutt Academy @ Minami, 3:30 p.m. Santa Ynez vs. Nipomo @ NHS, 3:30 p.m. St. Joseph vs. Atascadero @ SJHS, 3:30 p.m. Pioneer Valley vs. Mission Prep @ Mission Prep, 3:30 p.m. Girls’ Volleyball Righetti…
Children will benefit from Santa Maria bike run
The Santa Maria Valley Bike Run will hold its 11th annual Toys for Tots Bike Run to benefit children in the Santa Maria Valley on Nov. 9. The run begins at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge at 10 a.m. and will go up Highway 1 to Avila. The run concludes back at the Santa Maria…
Injured veterans ride to raise awareness of their challenges
Hand cycles, recumbent bikes, tandems, and road bikes will set off on a 465-mile ride from Palo Alto to Los Angeles on Oct. 5 for the United Healthcare Ride 2 Recovery. More than 200 injured veterans and their supporters will ride down the Pacific Coast Highway and make stops in Carmel, San Simeon, Pismo Beach,…
Hancock College salutes the U.S. Armed Forces
Allan Hancock College will host Military Appreciation Night at its home football game on Oct. 11. The Bulldogs take on Long Beach City College at the Ernest Righetti High School stadium, and it will be the 11th consecutive year Hancock has paid tribute to the military. The first 200 military personnel, veterans, and their families…
Kaitlin Campbell
The Allan Hancock College women’s soccer team is still finding its groove. The team’s overall record is 2-6, but both of those victories were back-to-back, just before the team entered the Western State Conference games. Both of the Bulldogs’ wins were against Cerro Coso Community College. The first one was at the College of the…
A team with a new coach and new players stays competitive in a new league
This season is full of firsts for the Orcutt Academy High School girls’ varsity tennis team. Head coach Art Lopez leads the varsity team for the first time this season with players who are new to competitive tennis, and the team is competing for the first time in the Los Padres League. For being the…
