Members of the public are welcome to sit in on a free music master class, hosted by acclaimed violinist and Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo, at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria on Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. The following day, Yoo will take part in a special Chamber Concert with Festival […]
Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo conducts free master class in Santa Maria
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Great American Melodrama’s Grave Mistakes is a rave-worthy romp
Norms we cannot weather The Great American Melodrama presents its production of Grave Mistakes through March 16. The two-act show, which opened in early January, is followed by the Melodrama’s new vaudeville revue, Whatever the Weather We’ll Weather the Weather Together. The theater is located at 1863 Front St., Oceano. Call (805) 489-2499 or visit […]
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Board of Supervisors unanimously approve funding new CalFresh positions
Facing a 69 percent increase in CalFresh caseloads from 2016 to 2023 while staffing increased just 28 percent, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved 86 new CalFresh positions for the county’s Social Services Department. “For years our funding in the CalFresh program has been constrained by policies in the early 2000s, which […]
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Solvang plans to amend recreation master plan amid pickleball dilemma
Hans Christian Andersen Park is home to Solvang’s two dedicated pickleball courts, both on the verge of closing to the public, according to Parks and Recreation Director Jenny McClurg. “The current courts are getting to the point where it could become a safety hazard and could warrant a closure,” McClurg, who attributed some damage to […]
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Cost of living
Santa Maria firefighter Shea Weidler has lived in a van since October because he can’t afford housing costs with the salary he makes. “As a 30-year-old, you see yourself owning a home and more stable, but when you’re living in a van, living paycheck to paycheck, it kind of wears on you,” Weidler said. “While […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Philharmonic Society performs at Grace Baptist Church
Under the direction of maestro Michael Nowak, the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society will present its next concert, titled In the Classical Style, at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Maria on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The show’s song selection will highlight works by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Beethoven. Call (805) 925-0412 or visit […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Pacific Conservatory Theatre presents new take on William Shakespeare’s Henry V
Tickets are currently available to the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) next production, Henry V, which is scheduled to open at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria on Friday, Feb. 15, and run through Sunday, March 3. Director Mark Booher is at the helm of PCPA’s new iteration of the iconic play by William Shakespeare, written […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Music as medicine
Want to help? Visit ecologistics.org to help support the nonprofit that funds Brynn Albanese’s efforts to bring the healing power of music to the Central Coast. For more information on future events or to contact Albanese for her services, visit brynnalbanese.com. The calming sound of a violin string being played echoes in the room as […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local graphic novelist Arvind Ethan David reimagines Dorian Gray with a twist
Story time To celebrate the launch of his latest graphic novel, local author Arvind Ethan David will host a talk at Story of Soil Wine in Los Olivos on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Admission is free. Donations to benefit the Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley […]
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Central Coast organization helps restore beaver habitat, spread awareness about the semiaquatic rodents’ benefits
Beavers were once one of the most widely distributed mammals in North America, but unregulated trapping, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict changed all of that. A growing recognition of the beavers’ role in ecosystem restoration and conservation efforts led California to start the beaver restoration project in 2023. Acknowledging the benefits beavers have on California’s […]
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Political Watch: February 8, 2024
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) joined an “overwhelming majority” of the U.S. House of Representatives to advance a bipartisan tax package that includes an expanded Child Tax Credit and housing affordability tax credits and would provide additional support for small businesses and families affected by recent natural disasters, according to a Jan. 31 […]
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County Planning Commission approves Cuyama oil well testing project
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted 4-1 (with 3rd District Commissioner John Parke dissenting) during its Jan. 31 meeting to approve a proposal to drill a single oil and gas “exploration well” in the Cuyama Valley. Michigan-based oil and gas company West Bay Exploration Company proposed the Hidden Canyon Test Well, which would be […]