The Lompoc Concert Association will present “INTERSECTION” in concert on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 925 N. F St. in Lompoc. Violinist Laura Frautschi, cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper, and pianist John Novacek formed INTERSECTION in 1998. The group’s numerous recordings have been best-sellers in Asia and have topped the classical […]
Look both ways for music
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Have wicked good fun with The Kitchen Witches
I’ve never been a fan of reality-based television shows, so I thought seeing a play based on the premise of a “reality cooking show” would be a tricky assignment. But the tricks were ultimately played on me. Directed by Marian C. Stave, the award-winning French Canadian comedic play, The Kitchen Witches, proved to be a […]
Posted inOpinion
Send in your best answer
All this fuss about Sarah Palin’s speaking fees and demands raises an existential question: What is the point of CSU Stanislaus?
Posted inOpinion
Get a hobby, Nell
“Noisy hoards of fossil fueled machines that speed down a public beach … .” First, I believe it was the safety of the children: Off-road vehicles were endangering children who were at the beach. Next, it was the number of people killed at the Dunes, one or two per year—people needed to be stopped from […]
Posted inOpinion
Closing dunes to riders would bring more revenue
I have lived on the Central Coast for more than 30 years and heard the arguments for and against the ATV riders on the dunes. What prompts me to write now is the ridiculous notion that if we finally close the dunes to these outsiders (Fresno/Central Valley rats) our towns would turn into ghost towns […]
Posted inOpinion
The Minuteman spirit is still alive
The death of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is greatly exaggerated. The national organization, leaders, and founders, after years of fighting the federal and state governments’ neglect of the illegal immigration problem, are in the process of retiring the national corporation and passed the ball to the regional, state, and local Minuteman Civil Defense Corps […]
Posted inOpinion
Cuts: There’s no easy way out of this budget mess
The unfortunate truth is that the public employee unions now control the government at the state level and the county and city. The unions, of course, say they did not cause the deficits. That is true to a degree, because equally or even more so the culprits are the ones who authorized the huge pension […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Karen Hendrick
From the amount of time Karen Hendrick has spent in the pool—and from her family history of swimming—one might suspect that she’s been hiding fins and gills under her swimsuit. Hendrick started swimming at the age of 5, due to her mom’s insistence. However, it was her older sister who sparked Karen’s interest in swimming […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
It keeps you running
It’s early on a Thursday morning, and 67-year-old Tess Blake has worked up a sweat before most people half her age have even had their first cup of coffee. Blake is one of about 15 senior citizens who regularly take part in a strength training class designed to prevent osteoporosis at the Elwin Mussell Senior […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
See you at the track
The City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, Santa Maria Valley YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria are gearing up to host the annual Hershey’s Track and Field Games on May 15. Boys and girls ages 9 to 14 can compete in several running and field events with top performers […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Make ’em laugh
Seniors will have the opportunity to put the phrase “laughter is the best medicine” to the test for free starting May 20. The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is offering Laughter Yoga, an unconditional aerobic laughter exercise and complete well-being workout designed to relieve stress and strengthen the immune system. The class isn’t a […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Harlem Wizards hit town for a spell
The Harlem Wizards are coming to Allan Hancock College for a night of tricks, hoops, and alley-oops on April 23. Carrying a winning streak of 3,000 games, the Wizards hit the court at 7:30 p.m. against Cops 4 Kids, a team of local law enforcement officers. Presale tickets cost $10 for children and $12 for […]