Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Looking for talent

Santa Maria Rotary South is sponsoring Santa Maria Has Talent!, a talent show open to contestants of all ages from Santa Maria, Nipomo, Lompoc, and Guadalupe. First prize is $1,000. Prizes will be awarded for best talent, funniest acts, and best costumes. The event will be held March 4, 5, and 6 at the Santa […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Watch the masters

The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society will present a master piano class with world-renowned pianist Kirill Gliadkovsky at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 at St. Louis de Montfort Church, 1190 E. Clark Ave. in Orcutt. The class is a special public piano recital where several students will perform works for the audience while the master teacher […]

Posted inOpinion

How has volunteering changed your life?

Austin Gruber lieutenant “I haven’t been changed by a volunteer, but I’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity in Virginia and was part of the Airmen Against Drunk Driving—basically seven years of volunteering.” Judy Sachson retired “When I first saw the Santa Maria Dog Shelter and what they do there, it made me want to volunteer, […]

Posted inNews

Two legs, four legs

Wanted: Volunteers to cuddle babies, play with puppies, and taste ice cream. Looking for volunteer opportunities? You won’t find that ad—not in real life, anyway. Then again, you probably won’t see one detailing the true work behind an opportunity: Wanted: Someone to wash 20 loads of laundry, mop poopy kennels, and rake dirt. For free. […]

Posted inNews

Political Watch 1.14

It seems to be katching on—San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Katcho Achadjian recently announced that 15 current and former city council members have endorsed him in his campaign for the 33rd District Assembly seat. The council members, such as former Lompoc Councilman Will Schuyler and former San Luis Obispo Councilwoman Dodie Williams, join a growing […]

Posted inNews

Community Notebook 1.14

FRIDAY, JAN. 15 • The Santa Maria City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from 10 a.m. to noon at the Betteravia Government Center conference room, 511 East Lakeside Parkway. • The Lompoc City/County Coalition for the Homeless has its regular meeting from noon to 1 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors conference […]

Posted inNews

Hobnobbing with Helen

This first column of the year is more about what’s coming than what has been. Consider the coming attractions: Is this shaping up to be a great, fun year or what? NASCAR races, New Orleans Jazz Festival, cruises The above are included in live auction packages available at the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society’s annual fundraising […]

Posted inNews

With a little help from the docents

The Central Coast is a wonderful place: sleepy foggy mornings, consummate rolling hills that shelter the voluptuous wine grapes, and sunsets that bleed orange throughout the open skies. And it’s home to the historically and scenically rich Dana Adobe in Nipomo. The Dana Adobe, also known as Casa de Dana, was a ranch built by […]

Posted inNews

Reporting for duty

They may not carry guns or have academy-grade training, but members of the Santa Maria Police Department’s volunteer program are an integral part of the city’s police force. Since 1995, civilians have been doing certain tasks that “free up employees to go on and do something else,” volunteer coordinator Penny Pastore said. The services provided […]

Posted inNews

Continue the holiday gusto

For Christmas, Santa Claus can’t please everyone and sometimes leaves gift cards to people who will never use them. In an effort to put such gifts to great use, Make-A-Wish Foundation is offering to take them to fund its organization. Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties uses the unused gift cards as “first gifts,” meaning a […]

Posted inNews

Orcutt school district moves ahead

In an effort to counteract revenue losses, the Orcutt Union School District is moving forward with plans to lease district-owned land for the development of about 250 senior housing units in Old Town Orcutt. The plan would require the rezoning of nearly 10 acres of land, located between Soares Avenue and Rice Ranch Road, purchased […]

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