The days are growing shorter and the air is growing chillier. From my cozy spot on the bench, I can see the scattering of brown and yellow leaves and smell fall—by far the best time of the year—in the air. For some of us, fall signifies the much-awaited return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at […]
The Benchwarmer’s Hopes for the 2013 NFL Season
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What Kids are Reading: Frog Trouble … and Eleven Other Pretty Serious Songs
“There’s only one thing gets a Cowboy down. It’s the kind of trouble that we’ve got in this town—Frog Trouble.” The moment I saw the cover of this book, showing three burly, green frogs, one sporting a 10-gallon hat, I knew Frog Trouble was going to be a fun read. Author, cartoonist, and songwriter Sandra […]
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Careers and charisma take center stage at Hancock
Santa Maria Valley locals can learn how to get ahead in the job market by taking two courses, Your Leadership Charisma and The Career of Your Dreams, in September and October at Allan Hancock College. The Community Education classes with instructor Cary Gray are offered Saturdays on the Santa Maria campus in room S-109. In […]
Posted inOpinion
You’ve got to read what you want to read
It’s at hand again: one of my favorite non-holiday, yet holiday-like celebrations of the year. Banned Books Week—described by organizers as “the national book community’s annual celebration of the freedom to read”—is set for Sept. 22 through 28 in 2013. This year’s efforts come just days after a controversy in Ohio, where author Toni Morrison […]
Posted inOpinion
From the depths to the heights and in between
The headline in the San Francisco Chronicle read: “Rift puts Maldonado campaign in even bigger hole.” It’s not a flattering image. Just picture the former lieutenant governor sitting, forlorn, at the bottom of a pit. Maybe there’s some gravel tumbling down the edges as they widen. He’s looking up with those big, brown eyes of […]
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Happy 75th, St. Mary!
St. Mary of the Assumption School kicked off a year’s worth of 75th anniversary celebrations this week with a pep rally, open house, and dinner. The Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity welcomed children on Sept. 14, 1938 to St. Mary of the Assumption School, the first Catholic school in the Santa […]
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Spotlight on: Creative Juices
The brand new Creative Juices Lounge in Guadalupe is not your typical juice bar—it’s closer to an actual bar and comes complete with munchies, beer, and wine. But it does have a “killer smoothie” on the menu, according to the restaurant flier. Owner Randy Kirkendoll said some of the people who stop by his downtown […]
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Political Watch 9/19/13
Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a bill authored by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) that will protect women from harassment and intimidation as they are seeking services at reproductive health care facilities. Senate Bill 340 removes a sunset clause on the Reproductive Rights Law Enforcement Act, thus making it permanent. Because of this act, […]
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Community Notebook 9/19-9/26
MONDAY, SEPT. 23 • The South County Advisory Council has its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Nipomo Community Services District Headquarters, 148 S. Wilson St., Nipomo. TUESDAY, SEPT. 24 • The Lompoc Unified School District has its board meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center Board Room, 1301 N. A St., Lompoc. […]
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Community Corner: Get healthy in Buellton
Are you or someone you know interested in getting a discount on screenings for diabetes, heart disease, or prostate cancer? If the answer is yes, look no further than the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital 31st annual Health Fair on Oct. 5. The free fair runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Santa […]
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Hobnobbing With Helen
The indomitable Liz Addamo e-mailed me and asked if I would like to join a group of 20 for wine and appetizers at the home of Etta and Buck Waterfield. If Liz was callin’, Liz was cookin’. Who could say no to the former Bistro Baroness (she recently sold her fabled tasting room and restaurant […]
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‘Green’ energy is key at the Chumash Casino and Resort
It’d be near impossible to cram information about all of the Chumash’s green energy initiatives into one article. The tribe has developed an impressive array of programs designed to make its casino, resort, and reservation as energy-efficient as possible. From solar thermal heating to LED lighting, to biofuel to waste management, the Chumash have it […]