The First Tee of Central Coast is starting spring sessions of its “More Than a Game” junior golf program at Blacklake Golf Resort and Sunset Ridge Golf Course. Sessions for children ages 7 and up will teach young golfers of all levels basic golf skills, rules and etiquette, appreciation for the game, and interpersonal and […]
Learn golf fundamentals with First Tee
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Poker for the Packers
If you know when to hold ’em, and when to fold ’em, the Santa Maria Valley Packers want you to join ’em for a poker fundraising event on April 21. Organizers will be giving away a champion’s bracelet and a 40-inch TV to the night’s big winner. A $50 donation secures a buy-in, with re-buys […]
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The Bleacher Bum Chronicles Vol. XXIV
The start of spring on the sports calendar can best be summed up in two words: March Madness. And what a tournament it’s been; hopefully your brackets (and bank accounts) weathered the storm. Not one, but two No. 15 seeds beat No. 2s in the first round: Lehigh stunned Duke, and Norfolk State toppled the […]
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Espresso yourself
The only thing that’s introduced me to more friends than music is coffee. Over a steaming latte, minutes swirl into hours of talk, laughter, and peaceful contentedness. Welcome complements to a day at the coffee shop include music and poetry; Café Noir, a local coffee shop, is doing its part in providing a venue for […]
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Second chance, more gifts
I’ve been married for a long, long time to the same woman, my wife, whom I love. We tied the knot more than 15 years ago. That means that for more than 15 years I have been wrong about just about everything, and I haven’t gone a day when I skipped shaving without getting grief […]
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Foreigner sings at the county fair
The Santa Maria Fairpark has announced that Foreigner will be at the Santa Barbara County Fair on July 13 on the Main Stage. Foreigner released such hits as “Feels Like the First Time,” “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent,” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You.” In all, the group has had 14 Top 20 hits. Foreigner will […]
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Meet Doyle Burkey and other artists
The Lompoc Valley Art Association is holding its monthly meeting and art program at 7 p.m. on April 3 at Stone Pine Hall, 210 South H St., Lompoc. Social “hour” starts at 6:30 p.m. The guest artist will be Doyle Burkey, a retired technical illustrator now enjoying his creative freedom working in watercolor. He’ll be […]
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Color and design
The latest show at Gallery Los Olivos is marked by soft pastels, references to nature, and slight feminine touches. It features the jewelry designs of Patricia Watkins and the watercolor works of Peggy Fletcher. Watkins’ creations feature beaded elements coupled with sterling silver and gold-filled findings. She also occasionally uses brass and copper, as well […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Charting a life course
Mapmaking is like a science, requiring exact measurements and precise points. Casual observers may have a hard time imagining how artistic flair may fit into the cartographic process. But for 20 years, Connie Brown and Redstone Studios have created maps that aren’t just works of art, but are significant representations of life events for people […]
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Fighting Back wins grant money
The Fund for Santa Barbara Youth Making Change recently awarded a $1,850 grant to Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley’s Youth Involvement Group hold bullying- and violence-prevention events at two local junior high schools. “Despite the best efforts of local schools, students continue to report frequent bullying and harassment which can lead to tragic consequences,” said […]
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Athletes like LeBron James could soon be replaced with robots like Leonidas
A team of high school engineers called the Spartatroniks from Orcutt Academy High School created a robot that has the ability to rebound like Dwight Howard and score like Kobe Bryant. And, unlike Lebron, Leonidas has already won a championship. The Spartatroniks took home first place from the Los Angeles Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in […]
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Strega Nona’s Harvest
Strega Nona, previously appearing in the pop-up Brava, Strega Nona!, returns with a serious green thumb. The wise woman knows her plants, and she dispenses advice to her companions, Bambalona and Big Anthony, as she carefully plans her garden with a packet of seeds saved from a previous year. Strega Nona walks her audience—including little […]