Basketball shenanigans are on the menu when the Harlem Wizards come to Righetti High School to take on the local Law Enforcement All-Stars on March 31. The Wizards, known for their on-court antics and high-flying dunks, have toured worldwide since 1962, playing in more than 6,000 games in 22 countries. Making their inaugural appearance in […]
Harlem Wizards hit Santa Maria for a spell
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Take the kids Mutton Bustin’
Entries for this year’s Mutton Bustin’ sheep-riding event at the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo will be available during regular banking hours starting March 23 in the Coast Hills Federal Credit Union at 1203 S. Broadway. Children between ages 5 and 7 and weighing less than 60 pounds are eligible to enter. A drawing will be […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc riders flip for horse vaulting
At a ranch in Lompoc, 10-year-old Phoenix Jones balances on a horse as it trots around a ring. But she’s not in the saddle. She’s standing on one foot. “I’ve always wanted to do gymnastics, and I love horses,” she says. “So it’s fun to be able to do both at the same time.” Her […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Grape show
Adored by imbibers, feared by growers, and endlessly debated by the experts, Pinot Noir reigns as one of the wine world’s most persnickety grapes. It requires sufficiently warm days and cool nights to thrive, tends to produce a light crop marked by relatively low tannins and high acids, and vexes winemakers with its volatile, unforgiving […]
Posted inNews
Community Notebook 3-19
FRIDAY, MARCH 20 • 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
Underprivileged kids get new threads for school
New clothes are always in fashion—and sometimes a necessity. The Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties’ Assistance Leagues are combining forces to provide their Operation School Bell Program for 2009. They’ll be helping Santa Maria Valley students in need shop for school clothes and supplies they wouldn’t be able to afford without the program. […]
Posted inNews
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Patricia Hilliard sits behind her desk in the Santa Maria Town Center general manager’s office. Ansel Adams photographs dot the walls. Blueprints, lease paperwork, and all manner of this-and-that related to running the Central Coast’s largest enclosed retail center fill the room. The Santa Maria Town Center boasts 268,000 square feet of gross leasable space. […]
Posted inNews
Keep the ag spirit alive through gardening
The Santa Maria chapter of California Women for Agriculture is now accepting applications for school garden scholarships, which can be used to start a new school garden or fund an existing garden. The group is also accepting applications for individual scholarships worth $250 to $2,000. The group reported that the awards will go to outstanding […]
Posted inNews
‘Grow Healthy Kids’ with Allan Hancock College, Santa Barbara Family Care Centers
County experts will share information about growing healthy kids during the eighth annual Child Development Conference on April 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Allan Hancock College’s Santa Maria campus. The event is offered through the college’s Community Education Department and coordinated by Santa Barbara Family Care Centers’ Children’s Resource and Referral Program. […]
Posted inNews
Get ready to camp at the fair
Livestock exhibitors planning on camping for the 2009 Santa Barbara County Fair have from now until 4 p.m. on May 8 to apply for a spot at the Adams Lot. Find applications at the Santa Maria Fairpark Administration Office or santa mariafairpark.com. The Santa Barbara County Fair runs July 15 to 19. For more information, […]
Posted inNews
Nipomo fitness center opens grandly
It’s about that time of year: time to start getting back in beach-body shape. Agape Health and Fitness at 485 North Frontage Road in Nipomo takes a holistic approach to help locals do just that. Relocating from the L.A. area, owners Jason and Michiko Rice believe in an “East meets West” philosophy of self-improvement. Offering […]
Posted inNews
Wine and women mix
Kady Fleckenstein, executive director of the Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association, will talk about the role of women in the wine industry on April 4. The event is “Wine and Women … Santa Maria Style” at the Quail Meadows West Clubhouse at 866 Whippoorwill Drive. It runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Local wine […]