SANTA BARBARA COUNTY picks up Christmas trees for recycling through Jan. 8 in North County, through Jan. 9 in Buellton, Guadalupe, Santa Maria, Solvang, and the rest of North County. Trees should be free of stands, ornaments, and tinsel and be placed in or around green waste or trash cans. Info: 922-2121 or lessismore.org. A […]
SPECIAL EVENTS
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Orcutt Aquacenter moves closer to reality
At the tail end of 2008, representatives from the Orcutt Aquacenter announced that the project had received a $50,000 grant from the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation. “We are currently over 90 percent through the permit process and are anxious to begin the actual ground breaking and site development,” Director of Development Terri Lee Coleman said in a […]
Posted inOpinion
What’s the best thing that’s happened to you in 2009 so far?
Maxima Sales certified nurse’s assistant “We spent New Year’s Eve in our new house that we bought last June.” Jennifer Ramirez mom “My daughter Jenna’s birthday is on Jan. 23, so she’s really looking forward to that, and I’m busy planning.” Amber Mendez (left) student “Hanging out with friends.” [image-4] Brandon Womack Taco Bell employee […]
Posted inNews
Fires beware
Wood chips are flying. Smoke billows everywhere. Grandma, a 1929 American LaFrance fire engine, sits in wait as Guadalupe Fire Capt. Rick Galindo hacks his way out of a wire-strung box as part of a training exercise. It’s just another Tuesday night for the Guadalupe Fire Department. Guadalupe is one of the last “paid […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Arts Briefs
Turn photos into paintings Linda Blevins will lead a demonstration titled “Photos to Paintings, the Process of Translation” at the Los Padres Artist Guild monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 9 at the Luis Oasis Senior Center, 420 Soares Ave. in Orcutt. Blevins will discuss evaluating photos to determine what to paint […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Crossing borders
No matter what side of the border it comes from, there’s one language anyone can understand: art. Though cultural differences and experiences may skew a viewer’s perspective, a piece’s meaning generally comes through, proving just how very small the world can be. Shepard Hall Gallery will reach below the equator in January to show […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A tap and a tune
Some people can do amazing things with a guitar, and Vicki Genfan is one of them. Using her guitar and her bare hands, she coaxes sounds, rhythms, and tunes that have drawn listeners’ attention around the country. Her style caught the ear of guitar idols like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Elliot Easton of the […]
Posted inOpinion
Israel needs to learn some schoolyard truths
Regarding the Israel/Hamas fiasco, when the schoolyard bully beats up on the skinny kid, his friends will come to the underdog’s aid, even if he deserves a beating. Israel, the bully in this case, has not learned this fundamental truth.
Posted inOpinion
Don’t forget what is really important
Take a deep breath, America, as we look at the number of foreclosures, the stock market dive, and the percent of unemployment. What is the reverse of those numbers? Ninety percent of people are still in their homes, a large population of people are still working, and a lot of people weren’t in the […]
Posted inOpinion
I stand by my original opinion
A couple of weeks ago, I gave an opinion about Tom Knepher’s commentary in the Sun, and it attracted a juvenile response from a Michael Smith (“Get it straight: Take a history class,” Dec. 18), who felt that I was wrong about most every opinion. I reread my submission (“History and another point of view,” […]
Posted inOpinion
End the recession by bailing out the states
Once again, our bumbling president and his cohorts have proved they know nothing about our economy or how to fix it. To top it off, this crew single-handedly brought about a worldwide recession. What a legacy! Their ineptness and hindsight saw fit to bail out our financial institutions and the auto industry with billions of […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Special athletes need stellar volunteers
When athletes test their bodies and wills at Northern Santa Barbara County Special Olympics’ area games at Vandenberg Air Force Base in April, the base will provide its own volunteers to make sure the track and field events run smoothly. When competitors need help with drills at their weekly basketball practice, or tips […]