February is Black History Month, and I’m pleased to share with you the recipient of the 2012 American Library Association Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, Shane W. Evans, illustrator and author of Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom. The Underground Railroad was created and run by several people, black and white, who helped fugitive slaves […]
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
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Local bands band together for St. Jude Children’s Hospital
Four local Santa Maria bands will come together Feb. 16 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at St. Joseph High School to perform a benefit concert for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The event will feature the talents of area bands The Only Rational Thing, Time for Secrets, Liquid Grasshopper, and Brandon Martinez & Cody Taecker. Band […]
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Litterbugs verses kindergartners at Simas Park
Kindergartners at St. Mary of the Assumption School in Santa Maria are learning more than their ABC’s at school. They’re also learning how to give back to their community. As part of Catholic Schools Week, the kindergartners at the school walked to nearby Simas Park and picked up trash. Led by their teachers, they spent […]
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Hobnobbing With Helen
Oh my! So much chatter and conversation. It was truly schmooze central. More than 100 ladies and a few gents trekked into the Santa Maria Room of the Santa Maria Inn. The level of the constant buzz said it all: This was a highly successful networking opportunity. More than 30 vendors were on site to […]
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Mmm, pancakes!
Since the oak chaparral covers thousands of square miles of the Central Coast, it’s no wonder that the Chumash used acorns as part of their diet. Try making this authentic Chumash dish. Acorn Pancakes Ingredients 2/3 cup acorn flour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt ¾ cup milk 1 egg, […]
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Spotlight on: Laurel Crossing
A new housing development has sprung up where the old Lompoc lumberyard once stood, replacing the rundown facility with freshly landscaped residential yards. The Laurel Crossing development, located at V Street and West Laurel Avenue, is a private, gated residential community that will ultimately contain 75 houses, varying in size from 1,100 to 2,000 square-feet […]
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A summer of belonging
Family dynamics range anywhere between the extremes of a tight-knit sitcom family from the ’50s to the dysfunctional families on reality TV today. No family is as perfect as the Cleavers, but the average family probably doesn’t have it as bad as they think. To put things into perspective: About 237 foster children in Santa […]
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Correction
The Sun’s Feb. 2 cover story on SpaceX, “The X-Factor,” inaccurately reported figures related to the company’s rocket program. SpaceX claims it can build its Falcon 9 rockets for $54 million to $59.5 million. The company will also receive $396 million from NASA upon successful completion of its contract for three test-flights. News Briefs is […]
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Architectural firm assures SMBSB’s buildings are safe
A head architect for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) presented, building by building, a report confirming the safety of the district’s buildings at a Board of Education meeting in January. The report was triggered, in great part, by a recent article published by investigative website CaliforniaWatch.org alleging there are “unresolved safety issues” at schools […]
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What’s up with Abel?
U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ (D-Santa Barbara) campaign committee recently accused Republican Congressional candidate Abel Maldonado of inflating his fundraising totals. According to a recent press release from Capps’ campaign committee, Maldonado loaned $250,000 to his political campaign on Oct.1, 2011, only to immediately withdraw the loan the following day. Capp’s campaign consultant Bill Carrick said […]
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SmartMeter opt-out finalized
State regulators have approved an opt-out program for Pacific Gas & Electric customers who don’t want a new digital SmartMeter installed on their property and those who want their old analog meter back. On Feb. 1, 2012, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) finalized terms to modify PG&E’s SmartMeter Program to provide an opt-out option, […]
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On the hot seat
In his first public appearance since the shooting that claimed the life of traffic officer Albert Covarrubias Jr., Santa Maria Police Chief Danny Macagni spoke to City Council members about the incident, and announced the department had contracted with an independent body to perform an internal investigation into the matter.