Cover Story
Electing to create: Central Coast artists make a statement on everything from The Donald to the local housing crisis
I want to touch it, but that sort of thing is frowned upon. Layers and layers of thick black, red, and white paint ebb and flow to create the likeness of none other than Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. At the top of the painting are the words “Can’t Even” and below is a direct…
Sleep gains
Five a.m. is a sucker punch to the gut. It’s cold and it’s ugly and it’s lonely. At the same time there’s a specialness to 5 a.m. And if you’re one of the people who start their day that early you wear that specialness like a tiara, setting you apart from everyone else because you…
Are the bike lanes dangerous in Santa Maria?
Jackie Lopez unemployed “They’re very unsafe, to be honest with you.” Tom Wolff unemployed “They’re totally unsafe. We hardly have sidewalks on Skyway.” Chris Taylor education consultant “I do find that bike lanes are not as well maintained.” Paul Evans development manager for Welsh government “I’ve experienced worse.”
Political Watch 9/29/16
• On Sept. 21, Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) celebrated the passage of H.R. 2713, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce full committee. The bill passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. As Congressional Nursing Caucus Co-Chairs, Capps and Rep. David Joyce (R-Russel Township) co-authored this bipartisan…
Spotlight on: LVL Salon
When it comes to looking your best, the one feature that has the most instant effect on your appearance is the hair on your head. Perhaps because of that, it’s difficult to trust just anyone to trim and tease those precious locks. So for some people the client-hairstylist relationship is a loyal one, especially because…
Cal Poly awards Allan Hancock College staff member with Honored Alumni Award
Nohemy Ornelas, the associate superintendent and vice president of Student Services at Allan Hancock College, has received another major recognition for her commitment to helping students succeed. Ornelas will receive the Honored Alumni Award from the Alumni Association of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is one of only seven Cal Poly alumni selected to…
Hobnobbing with Helen
Five members of the Elks barbecue crew turned out on Friday evening, Sept. 23, at the Veterans Community Cultural Center, to grill and serve up the most delicious chicken and top block for a very good cause: a fundraiser for Santa Maria Valley Youth Football. This program, about which I knew nothing until the event,…
Buying a stake: Family-owned wineries often get help from top investors
It’s not easy starting a winery on the Central Coast. Vintners deal with a litany of issues ranging from land-use regulations to money. Take for instance the process of opening up a tasting room. Until a Santa Barbara County Planning Commission decision last month, vintners of small-acreage wineries who wanted people to taste their wines…
Santa Maria area housing among most expensive in country, study says
A housing affordability study named the Santa Maria metro area the second least affordable housing market in the United States, based on the median salaries for residents of various age groups. The study, conducted by finance publication MagnifyMoney, assessed housing market affordability in 380 metro areas across the nation. Executive Editor Mandi Woodruff said the…
Nipomo resident sues CHC for allegedly disclosing his mental health records
A Nipomo man is suing Community Health Centers (CHC) for what he said was a breach of his private mental health records. In a lawsuit filed on Sept. 19 in the Cook Division of Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Christopher Lemoine alleges that CHC negligently violated his privacy by including his mental health records as…
Heat breaks records, cuts school day short in Santa Maria
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the classroom—at least, that was the mantra at Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) schools on Tuesday, Sept. 27. According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday hit 99 degrees in Santa Maria, where the average temperature for Sept. 27 is 74 degrees. It doesn’t…
Ventura County firefighter killed en route to Vandenberg AFB brush fire
The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) is mourning the loss of one their own when a water tender overturned on Sept. 21 while on its way to provide support for the Canyon Fire at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The crash occurred early in the morning, according the VCFD, where Purisima Road meets the roundabout between…
Community Notebook 9/29/16 – 10/6/16
MONDAY, OCT. 3 • The Solvang Planning Commission has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang. TUESDAY, OCT. 4 • 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. …
Altrusa of Santa Maria announces fall grants
The Altrusa International Foundation of Santa Maria Inc. announced its fall grants cycle. The foundation considers programs to grant money to and focuses on literacy, child care, and disability programs that aid the community. There is also a memorial fund, which receives donations from those wishing to honor departed friends. A new grant application form…
Santa Maria Arts Council includes birdhouse raffle at Autumn Arts Festival
The annual Autumn Arts Festival is a huge celebration of arts and the fall harvest. The Santa Maria Arts Council will be there in spades, as usual, at the annual fine arts exhibit during the festival with the Arts Council’s regular booth, where locals can buy raffle tickets for the annual birdhouse fundraiser. The Santa…
Valley Art Gallery needs help matching funds
The Valley Art Gallery recently received a windfall with the donation of $10,000 to the community art center. There is one caveat, however. The $10,000 is only available if locals can collectively donate the same amount for a matching campaign that will total $20,000. The Valley Art Gallery is currently working to raise funds with…
Swingin’ into fall: The Riptide Big Band performs October dance concert for the Santa Maria Valley Seniors Club
There was a time before rock ’n’ roll, before Elvis wiggled his hips and The Beatles shook their hair while singing “Woo!” That was the age when the big band ruled the musical roost, when the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Glenn Miller were topping the charts and filling dance halls. But for…
Singing with Seuss: The Santa Maria Civic Theatre presents a hilarious, tuneful, and family-friendly production of ‘Seussical’
If you love Dr. Seuss you’re in for a treat, because the Santa Maria Civic Theatre has a show that’s quite neat. It’s full of laughter and music and fun, in a poetic production that welcomes everyone. I wish I could write the rest of the review for the Santa Maria Civic Theatre’s (SMCT) production…
The cutest cupcakes in town: Daisy Delights brings gourmet baked goods to Nipomo
Who doesn’t love a good cupcake? Seriously—they’re adorable. They’re tasty as hell. They come in all these creative gourmet flavors. They make it possible to eat an entire cake by yourself and feel like it was an OK decision. So whenever a cupcake bakery opens up nearby, it’s a joyous occasion—as it was when Daisy…
Rick Bloom
After Pacific Christian Center’s lead pastor Rick Bloom lost his wife at the beginning of this year, he found himself home alone and depressed, he told the Sun. While taking time off from his ministry to grieve the loss, he found solace in an unlikely activity. “I was just kind of sitting around the house…
On the run: Orcutt mother and daughter prepare for Memphis marathon that supports St. Jude
There are a lot of reasons that compel someone to lace up a pair of running shoes and train to run a grueling 26.2 miles. For some it’s bragging rights. Others do it for the personal challenge and the camaraderie. And some do it for the race medal and T-shirt. An Orcutt mom and daughter…
Turning up the heat (and hopefully the AC)
If you weren’t already terrified at the incredibly small amount of water currently in the Cachuma Lake Reservoir, than the insane heat wave probably won’t assuage your drought concerns. If I remember sixth-grade science class, which I don’t, heat leads to evaporation. I also remember wanting to fly through the sprinklers when things got this…
Porter has experience and qualifications
I have known Bruce Porter for 15 years in several capacities: in his business, the American Legion, his position on the school board, and a number of other community activities. I am proud to be his friend and have found Bruce to be an outstanding citizen—straightforward, honest, thoughtful and a great team member when it…
County government needs someone who can get things done
Yesterday I drove by Lake Cachuma. The fact that it’s basically empty (less than 8 percent capacity), is testimony that our county government has failed in its responsibilities to ensure a reliable supply of water. We can’t blame it all on a drought that we know happens rountinely, however, an effective county government would have…
Campaign ads are misleading
Dawn Ortiz-Legg’s dirty attack ads on the television and radio are misleading. Here are the facts: Jordan Cunningham is the candidate supported by virtually all of law enforcement. That includes SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow, SLO County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, California Correctional Peace Officers Association, California Association of…
Porter holds the best interests of the environment
Many people believe that the environment should be our government’s priority, but for people like my wife and I who live in the valley, it’s much more than just that. When a politician says the word “environment,” I hear that, and I also hear words like “agriculture” and “water.” With the drought and our many…
Age is an issue with this year’s presidential candidates
Unlike the past two presidential campaigns both parties have old people running for office. Hillary is 68 and The Donald is 70. Neither has released full health information, but let’s face it, they both are probably on medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, and maybe even thyroid. It’s a fact of life for most folks older…
Who will speak for the dunes?
The public outrage over the destruction of oak woodland in North San Luis Obispo County is justified. I applaud and support the Land Conservancy’s efforts to protect our land and wildlife. I wish I saw a similar outrage over the destruction of the Oceano Beach and dunes and a similar effort to protect this fragile,…
Celebrate art in October
Once a year, each October, the nation recognizes Arts and Humanities Month, and the first Saturday of October is when Santa Maria showcases its own artists. Local arts groups and supporters—including, but not limited to: Los Padres Artists Guild, Valley Art Gallery, Orcutt Children’s Arts Fund (OCAF), Discovery Museum, PCPA, Santa Barbara County Arts Commission,…
