• The California Department of Conservation recently released draft regulations to implement comprehensive oil spill prevention legislation penned by Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara). In a release to the media, Nava said he created Assembly Bill 1960 in response to the high number of spills at local oil drilling companies, namely Greka Oil and Gas, […]
Political Watch 8-27
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Community Notebook 8-27
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 • The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has its regular meeting at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. Agendas are available at bos-agenda.sbcgov.net. • The Vandenberg Village Community Services District has its regular board meeting at 7 p.m. in the District Office […]
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Hobnobbing with Helen
Combine a beautiful courtyard with a bountiful buffet, an enchanting PCPA musical, and enticing silent auction items and—voila!—you have a winner. Solvang’s lovely Theaterfest grounds were the site of the Santa Maria Youth and Family Center’s annual fundraising party on Aug. 9. The center has perfected the formula for success. They combine good […]
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Two arrested at base protest
A monk and a nun walk onto an Air Force base. No, seriously. In the early hours of Aug. 23, as protesters chanted “Stop the tests!” outside Vandenberg Air Force Base, Father Louis Vitale and Sister Megan Rice crossed the thick blue demarcation line onto base property. Neither of them had permission. The […]
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The lost art of reading
It once seemed, for many people, that nothing could beat the leisurely pleasure of perusing the morning paper, or the magical enjoyment of snuggling under the covers in preparation of a favorite bedtime story. But now—as technology and culture continue to evolve at a dizzying pace—it seems people are more likely to reach for […]
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Red Cross celebrates a generous donation
Supporters of the American Red Cross’ Santa Maria office congregated on Aug. 21 to celebrate a name change to honor philanthropists James and Jeannie Dodson, who, among others, helped the Santa Maria office transform from an empty warehouse on Skyway Drive to a thriving Red Cross center with state-of-the-art equipment. The Dodsons had become […]
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Come dancing
Top ballet professional Sayat Asatryan, former principal dancer with the Moscow Kremlin Ballet, will perform the roles of Nutcracker and Cavalier with the Santa Maria Civic Ballet and Everybody Can DANCE at 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 and 3 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks in […]
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Get Wildling in the sequoias
The Wildling Art Museum in Los Olivos is planning a four-day, three-night trip to Sequoia and King’s Canyon national parks. The trip, scheduled for Oct. 9 through 12, will be led by retiring Wildling Art Museum Director Penny Knowles and her husband Joseph. It’s designed to complement the educational experience provided by the museum’s fall […]
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Here’s the story
Chris Lambert likes a good story. Most songwriters do. When he figured out how to tell a story of his own, there was no stopping him. The Santa Maria musician started writing when he was 13 years old, but he was actually experimenting with writing on an acoustic guitar at the age of 9. […]
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Turn the page: another chapter
I first started to go to Phoenix Bookstore not by choice, but by force. It was my dad who began to make me sit through his scouring for books, and, like the good child I was, I would beg for mercy to leave. I pulled the “Dad, can we go now?” Or the “Dad, you […]
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Ronnie Souza
At age 68, the Santa Maria Speedway’s oldest living champion is still sitting in the driver’s seat. Ronnie Souza was a familiar face behind the wheel for fans at the Speedway’s first-ever go-kart racing event on Aug. 17. Taking to the venue’s new kart track against 40 other drivers—some half his age or younger—Souza […]
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The Bleacher Bum Chronicles, Vol. III
I have a confession to make. No, I’m not going to watch Chuck Liddell dance with the stars—but it’s equally embarrassing: I suffer from Seasonal Geek Obsession Disorder (SGOD), a condition generally marked by a dramatic increase in weekend television watching and box score analyzing, particularly on Sundays. I begin to notice the symptoms in […]
