After a months-long delay due to contract errors, playground construction will begin at four Santa Maria-Bonita School District elementary schools while the students are on winter break. The Santa Maria-Bonita school board unanimously approved contract agreements during its Nov. 13 meeting to build playgrounds at Fairlawn, Tunnell, Alvin, and Ontiveros elementary schools. “Though the delay […]
Tunnell, Alvin, Fairlawn, and Ontiveros playground construction starts at end of year
Waiting for care: Lompoc only has child care space available for about 7 percent of its infants
Jacob Lindley and his wife got on child care waiting lists before their daughter was born. “We had heard horror stories about how hard it was to find child care and affordable child care at that,” the Vandenberg Village resident told the Sun. “We started looking early, and it took three to four months of […]
Firestone Walker teams up with Ernie Ball on limited-release IPA
Burnin’ for you To find out more about Firestone Walker, visit firestonewalker.com. The company’s venues include breweries in Buellton (at 620 McMurray Road) and Paso Robles (at 1400 Ramada Drive). Visit ernieball.com for more info on Ernie Ball, located at 4117 Earthwood Lane, San Luis Obispo. The goal behind Firestone Walker’s new IPA project was […]
BINGEABLE: Disclaimer
Disclaimer What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus Famed Mexican auteur Alfonso Cuarón (Y tu mama también, Gravity, Roma) helms this miniseries based on Renée Knight’s 2015 novel about documentarian Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett), who receives a mysterious novel she believes features her as a central character portrayed as a […]
NEW FLICKS: My Old Ass
My Old Ass What’s it rated? R When? 2024 Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime Writer-director Megan Park (The Fallout) helms this irreverent coming-of-age story about avowed lesbian Elliott (Maisy Stella), who’s on the cusp of her 18th birthday and about to leave her family’s cranberry farm to head to college in Toronto. She and her […]
Wicked offers a dazzling Wicked Witch of the West origin story
Wicked: Part I What’s it rated? PG What’s it worth, Anna? Full price What’s it worth, Glen? Full price Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) directs this musical featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book […]
Lompoc’s Cabrillo High School choir participates in upcoming Cal Poly recital
Cal Poly Choirs presents its annual Holiday Kaleidoscope Concert at the Performing Arts Center in SLO on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. The college’s four student choirs will be accompanied by members of the Cal Poly Symphony and additional guest artists. The event will also feature performances from the Cabrillo High School student choir […]
Riptide Big Band welcomes 2025 with free Noon Year’s Eve concert
The Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens Club and Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department are partnering to co-host a free New Year’s Eve celebration, albeit about 12 hours earlier than most parties designed to ring in 2025. The Noon Year’s Eve Celebration Dance will take place at the Elwin Mussell Senior Center in Santa Maria […]
Craft & Create welcomes winter with December DIY painting events
Get crafty Craft & Create is located at 446 Alisal Road, suite 11, Solvang. Owned by Art Spot on Wheels, this DIY lounge is open Sundays and Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from noon to 5 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (805) […]
Take action to protect the Equal Rights Amendment
Women and girls in the United States still lack guaranteed equal rights. The consequences are evident in ongoing battles against unequal pay, workplace harassment, pregnancy discrimination, domestic violence, and more. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) became the 28th Amendment over four years ago and will update the Constitution to provide nationwide protection against discriminatory federal […]
Things for my kids to be grateful for when times are tough
You have a roof over your head, and if you didn’t, you’d go to Big 5 and buy a tent because you are a survivor. You have enough to eat and relatively clean water to drink. You have people who love you, and even if you didn’t, you could still give love to the best […]
Who’s really to blame for our high gas prices?
Why are gas prices in California higher than the rest of the United States? The political class in Sacramento blame the oil companies, saying that they are “profiteers.” But it is those same politicians who are driving them out of business to “save the planet.” So, who is really to blame? Maybe a recent decision […]

