Imagine you’re 5 years old, and one day your dad doesn’t come home from work. You ask your mom what’s going on and she says, “Daddy’s going to be gone for a while.” You wonder: Is he OK? What happened? Why did he leave me? This is a daily reality for thousands of California children […]
Fathers behind bars are still fathers
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Logan Kemp
Who needs snow to take on a downhill ski run? Certainly not Righetti High School junior Logan Kemp. The 17-year-old competed in the U.S. Open of Mountain Biking downhill championships on Memorial Day weekend in New Jersey, taking third place honors out of 71 competitors in his age division—the amateur junior men. After taking a […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Making baskets
If you want food or water—those necessities of life—you need something to carry them in. Typically, that something is a basket, even though examples these days tend to come in forms more modern than their woven counterparts from yesteryear. Kathy Badrak and Karen Osland of Lavenpine Consulting like those old forms. They like them so […]
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Wretched, wretched word count
Here are 55 words for New Times’ and the Sun’s annual 55 Fiction contest: Rule one: 55 words or less. Two: Contractions count as a single word. So go to town with the shouldn’ts, wouldn’ts, won’ts, and can’ts. Trois: Hyphenated words don’t count as a single word. Star-studded-sky? Three words. Shi: Standard acronyms are a […]
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Wherefore art thou, rodeo?
As the old adage goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. One needed only to view the fans braving the warm weather for the 67th installment of the Elks Rodeo as proof the sport is still alive and kicking in Santa Maria. Despite less media exposure and a grim economic climate, […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Be better at baseball
Summer youth baseball is here, and players ages 8 to 13 will have a chance to improve their skills at one of two clinics hosted by Allan Hancock College. The first clinic will be held June 14 to 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Allan Hancock College’s John Osborne Field. The second clinic […]
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Soccer and crumpets
Serious about soccer? The Orcutt United Soccer League is bringing coaches from the United Kingdom to teach youth the finer points of the sport at its weeklong U.K. International Soccer Camp, June 14 to 18. The camps include professional coaching with an age-appropriate curriculum tailored to all skill levels, personal evaluations, and a free camp […]
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Free mediation workshop
Want to learn how to peacefully resolve conflicts? Conflict Solutions Center/Community Mediation is hosting a free hour-long mediation skills workshop in Santa Maria on June 11. With more than 24 years of mediation experience, workshop trainer Kimberly Rosa has facilitated communication workshops and provided training to businesses, government, prisons, schools, and community groups. She’ll teach […]
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All your base are belong to us
Vandenberg Air Force Base has a tremendous economic impact on the Central Coast and is required to do business with local vendors whenever possible. That’s the topic of an upcoming joint meeting of the Santa Maria Manufacturers Association and the city’s Chamber of Commerce Business Development Committee, set for June 22. The meeting’s featured speaker […]
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Manny’s happily returns
As the saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait.” Manny’s of Solvang, a family-run and family-friendly restaurant that recently closed down for remodeling, will reopen on the Fourth of July weekend. Owners Fernando and Jessie Tovalin are carrying on their father Manny’s vision of having a tasty, warm, and friendly restaurant in Solvang. […]
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Get your chi on
Need to improve your concentration and sense of personal peace? Allan Hancock College Community Education is offering a free summer tai chi and chi gung class that will meet every Wednesday, June 16 through Aug. 4, from 3 to 4:55 p.m. in the dance studio at the rear of the Lompoc Civic Auditorium, on Cypress […]
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Graduating from the workforce
On May 25, Allan Hancock College employees honored more than 20 of their peers who are set to retire this year at a special reception on the Santa Maria campus. According to college officials, this year’s retirees have contributed a total of 541 years of service to the college. The most senior retirees are electronics […]