If you usually just grab any bottle of mass-produced sparkling wine at the grocery store for your New Year’s Eve celebration, ring in 2012 by popping open a bottle of “bubbly” made closer to home instead. A surprising number of Central Coast wineries produce sparkling wine; all are available in nearby wine tasting rooms, and […]
Festive fizz
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Oh what fun!
Every year during the holidays I start to cringe when I check the mailbox. I know at some point I will open the mailbox and that first Christmas card of the season will be sitting there all gold and sparkly and smarmy. Smarmy because it’s the very first Christmas card and it brings tidings of […]
Posted inNews
Another school year over
Let’s look back on what happened at schools in Northern Santa Barbara County in 2011. There were some highs—schools and organizations received some much-needed grants and supplies—and some lows, like budget cuts and layoffs. Still, teachers, parents, and administrators continued to fight the good fight of teaching children to be good future citizens […]
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Hobnobbing With Helen
Hodgepodge hobnobbing is the theme of this last column of the year: a little bit of this and a little bit of that—stuff that was overlooked in the year’s regular gad-about reports. First off, if there is one thing Santa Maria doesn’t lack, it’s Christmas tree raffles. The three Altrusa groups in town have all […]
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Little church, big heart
Every Thursday morning, members of St. Peter’s come to their little gingerbread house-style Episcopal church on Lincoln and Cook streets in Santa Maria to set up a people’s food market. Hungry people line up in front of the multi-use room to get food, clothes, and other goods. On Dec. 22, in celebration of Christmas, people […]
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Spotlight on: Lucia’s Wine Company
Though their own tasting room is just a few weeks old, Ben Gonzalez and wife Lucy Laurel-Gonzales are no strangers to the wine business. Gonzales, a third-generation grape grower from Fresno, got his start at Mondavi Properties, moving on to run Sierra Madre, Gary Ranch, and Byron vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley. His wife […]
Posted inNews
Correction
The Sun’s Dec. 22 Hot Stuff reported incorrect information about the Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society. The organization didn’t hold a special event on Dec. 24, and its leaders don’t believe it’s appropriate to give animals as gifts, especially during the holidays. News Briefs is compiled by Sun writers from staff reporting and local and […]
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Santa Maria officials appoint new city librarian
Following a sweeping national recruitment effort, the city of Santa Maria announced it has selected a seasoned library services veteran as the new city librarian. Mary Housel—most recently the managing librarian for adult services and collection development at the Monterey County Free Libraries—will begin work at the Santa Maria Public Library on Jan. 30, 2012, […]
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Union pledges to ‘hold supervisors accountable’ for cuts in new contract
The union representing more than 400 Santa Barbara County employees vowed to “take action” after county supervisors recently voted to impose wage reductions and other cuts on union members. The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Dec. 13 to impose a new contract—with only 2nd District Supervisor Janet Wolf dissenting—saying the cuts were necessary to […]
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Central Coast catches ‘Geezer’ fever
The “Geezer Bandit,” known for a string of brazen bank robberies primarily throughout San Diego County, allegedly struck again earlier this month at a busy downtown San Luis Obispo Bank of America. Though he got away this time, he left more than a few leads for local and federal investigators. As the Friday rush hour […]
Posted inNews
Doobie Dozen hit bittersweet milestone
Members of California’s largest medical marijuana advocacy group mounted a protest on Dec. 27 at the San Luis Obispo County courthouse to commemorate the anniversary of the county’s largest raid on medical marijuana providers to date. It’s been one year since people were arrested, but a majority of the defendants from “Operation Green Sweep” have […]
Posted inNews
Crazy, stupid, wonderful year
A lot happened this year. Yes, we at the Sun tend say that every 365 days, but this year really packed a punch. Everyone knows times have been hard, and the news reflects that: A handful of prominent city leaders, including a legendary actress, passed away. Two incredibly saddening murder trials either came to a […]