The Santa Maria Noontime Kiwanis club is inviting all local brainiacs and nerds to the 16th annual Trivia Challenge at the Abel Maldonado Youth Center on Feb. 26. Teams of four are encouraged to register for the free event, held as a benefit for VTC Enterprises. The contest will feature two divisions—high school teams and […]
It’s trivia time
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Build a Pinewood Derby car and race!
The Lompoc Police Activities League—in conjunction with Home Depot, Lompoc Parks & Recreation, and Lompoc YMCA—will be host to a series of workshops to gear up for the city’s Pinewood Derby Race on March 17 at Anderson Recreation Center. The workshops are open to all kids ages 5 and older, and will be held at […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Train for triathlons
The Central Coast Triathlon Club and Santa Maria Valley YMCA are teaming up to provide training for triathlons. The Tri-Training teams are designed to provide athletes with the tools and confidence to accomplish their first triathlons, regardless of fitness level. The teams are open to YMCA Members and non-members, who get two weekly passes per […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
PAL Boxing holds bouts
The Santa Maria Police Activities League will be holding a full card of local amateur boxing matches on March 3 at the Minami Community Center. Advance pre-sale tickets are available for $5. Regular tickets are $10. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the first bout begins at 6 p.m. The Minami Community Center is at […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Babe Ruth league holds a wood bat tourney
Santa Maria Babe Ruth Baseball will be holding a wood bat tournament for players ages 14 and younger from Feb. 24 to 26 at Elks Field in Santa Maria. The fee is $350 per team and is due by Feb. 20. Teams must provide proof of insurance before the first game and have a three-game […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Parkour brothers
Is it a sport? A discipline? A philosophy? According to its practitioners, parkour (or l’art du deplacement) is all of the above, incorporating running, jumping, climbing, vaulting, and balancing to discover efficient paths through any environment. Nipomo’s Craig Gibbons, a “traceur” (parkour practitioner) since 2009 and a student at Allan Hancock College, recently gave his […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Stuart Malm
Righetti High School’s Stuart Malm is humble, soft-spoken, and hesitant to admit any hint of his prowess as a wrestler. “I don’t think I’m that good,” he said of his wrestling abilities. However, a short video on Youtube that shows Malm in the heat of battle is confirmation of the old adage “actions speak louder […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A creative cadence
A music store is more than a simple retail outlet. It’s a nexus for a musical community where teachers, students, artists, and collectors converge and create a cultural hub. Jensen Guitar and Music Company in Santa Maria has been just such a neighborhood shop, but, due to the current economic climate, it must unfortunately close […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Get your motor runnin’
It was a fine moment. Everything was right. There I was, at the world famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, driving my racecar at ludicrous speeds around the racecourse while my pit crew timed my increasingly fast laps. The car was looking great, the team was prepared, and I was passing cars like a madman on […]
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Nonprofit grants are available to boost tourism
The Santa Ynez Valley Hotel Association announced that it’s streamlined its grant application process for 2012. The association will accept Community Grant Award applications from Santa Ynez Valley nonprofit organizations throughout the year and make awards five times per year for events that can attract overnight visitors mid-week. Grant amounts are in the $1,000 to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Artist Salon highlights sculptor
Larry Rankin, a sculptor who works in bronze, wood, and stone, will be this month’s presenter for Artist Salon No. 10. The program will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 29 at Rankin’s studio at 433 Freear Drive, Buellton. Rankin’s expression through art is to create works not only varied, but emotionally evocative. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Money available for the arts
The Santa Maria Arts Council is preparing to give $10,000 in cash awards to emerging artists in music, drama, dance, and visual arts. Artists interested in entering the competition must first attend a workshop to obtain an application. Workshops will be held at 6 p.m. at Allan Hancock College’s Lompoc campus in the LVC Café; […]