The Santa Maria Arts Council Student Art Show goes on display in the Santa Maria Town Center April 2 to 30. The show represents local students in 7th through 12th grade in various divisions: drawing, painting, design, and photography. First-, second-, third-place, and Best of Grade ribbons will be awarded in each category. First place […]
Arts Council winners are on display
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Trailing for wine
Whether you love it or you hate it, the rain gets the best of you after a while, creating a longing to bask in those familiar California sun-soaked days. When the downpours finally do break after the storms, it’s good to look for a reminder of the beauty they can leave in their wake. The […]
Posted inNews
TAP into the future
It’s been quite some time since Andy Stenson, an assistant superintendent at Lucia Mar Unified School District, stood in front of students in his own classroom. But on this brisk day in mid-March, the district’s head of curriculum and instruction is back in his teaching element. The lesson: merit-based pay for teachers. Stenson draws two […]
Posted inOpinion
Stand firm, GOP 5
In the ongoing and difficult California budget process, the Republican Party has been called “obstructionist.” Governor Brown has challenged Republican leaders to step forward with proposals that will move California forward and solve the state’s structural deficit problems. Our own District 15 senator, Sam Blakeslee, is showing real leadership with tangible and concrete proposals for […]
Posted inOpinion
Allowing nuclear power is madness
Wise public policy is central to a society. It should be based on such principles as the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time. The policy to allow nuclear power is, by these principles, the greatest evil in history. Nuclear power creates many toxic products, including plutonium 239, the deadliest substance known. […]
Posted inOpinion
U.S. nuclear power is safe
I am sending the following to local, state, and federal officials, the media, and others regarding the important facts about Japan’s nuclear power disaster, which have been grossly neglected. The disaster in Japan regarding their old nuclear plants has been devastating. The disaster has generated the greatest media attention to radiation leaks from the older […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t compare vet techs to nurse practitioners
In response to your article titled “Nurses of the animal world” (March 24), I applaud the fact that Allan Hancock College may be teaming up with the Humane Society to produce a vet tech certification program. It is a gross mischaracterization, however, to compare a person who receives this one-year certification at a community college […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: Wine Country
After four years doing business in the Santa Ynez Valley, Wine Country owner Don O’Neill knew it was time to make a move. So he brought the cozy, no-frills wine bar he purchased in 2005 to a brand new building in the heart of Old Town Orcutt. “Los Olivos was getting pretty saturated, so we […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Old Town gets Wine Country
After a 16-month absence, Wine Country celebrates its re-opening in a new location in the heart of historic Old Town Orcutt. Locals welcome the return of the family-owned bottle shop and wine bar, a haven of thoughtful sipping and stimulating conversation within the sometimes frenetic wine world. The grand re-opening takes place April 1, 2, […]
Posted inNews
What kids are reading
“Mama, is it time to go?” asks 7-year-old Emi, as she wipes away the tears and prepares to leave her home in this haunting story by Yoshiko Uchida. Emi and her family are Japanese-Americans in California in 1942, when the United States and Japan were at war and the U.S. government sent every Japanese person […]
Posted inNews
Discovery Corner
As we all know, the Santa Maria Valley is a fabulous place to live, work and raise a family. This beautiful valley abounds with nature and easy living, and our gorgeous weather makes outdoor activities a major part of our daily lives. One of the great (or not, depending on your point of view) natural […]
Posted inNews
Meet Santa Maria’s well-read warriors
They didn’t have camouflage fatigues on, but students still battled it out at the Santa Maria-Bonita School District’s main office in March at the fourth annual Battle of the Books. To prepare for the clash, students had to read at least 15 books and answer questions based on a list of 30 books […]