School officially began for the Spartans on Aug. 22, as Orcutt Academy opened the doors to its two new campuses. Orcutt Academy, operated through the Orcutt Union School District, is a public charter school geared toward providing alternative education methods to local students. The Casmalia campus—formerly Winifred Wollam Elementary School—caters to students in kindergarten through […]
Orcutt Academy opens its doors
Posted inNews
Locals celebrate the new library
Hundreds of Santa Marians gathered at the site of the city’s newly constructed Santa Maria Public Library, where officials spoke and celebrated the opening of the building on Aug. 23. The ceremony opened with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. City Librarian Jack Buchanan greeted the crowd in a black-and-white tuxedo, and City Councilwoman […]
Posted inNews
Gas theft plagues at least one area in Santa Maria
Gasoline prices are slowly falling, much to the relief of drivers everywhere. According to the Automobile Association of America (AAA), prices are down in Santa Barbara County from a high of $4.70 in June to a current tally of $4.04. And, in at least one part of Santa Maria, gasoline is free—with a little bit […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Arts Briefs
Celebrate music in the garden After seven successful seasons, the Santa Maria Philharmonic begins its eighth on Sept. 27 with a concert of selections from Weber, Schubert, Elgar, and Tchaikovsky. To kick off the 2008-2009 season, the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society will host a fundraiser on Sept. 7, titled “Garden Party at Ambrosia,” at the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
About face
For some artists, perhaps the only other thing more valuable than their work is time—time to create, and time to think about creating. Such time was an elusive thing for artist Carol A. Kemp, who goes by the moniker of CarolK. To make the most of what she had, she committed to a project that […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Custom crush
Noted for its converted dairies and makeshift barrel rooms, Santa Barbara County’s early wine scene harbored surfers-, cyclists-, and retail clerks-turned-vintners who tackled harvest with second-hand equipment and jerry-rigged crush pads. Rustic and colorful, the early 1980s saw the birth of a local industry destined for greatness, no matter how humble its beginnings. In 1987, […]
Posted inOpinion
The boy wizard trumps all
I have a confession to make. A couple of weeks ago, I told Mark van de Kamp, a management analyst for the city, that the Santa Maria Public Library doesn’t need any more money. A week before that, I said the same thing to Phil Alvarado, the new Santa Maria Bonita School District Superintendent and […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Golden Dukes are the best team in town
Coach Doug Sims was not surprised to learn that his team, the Golden Dukes, had won Best Local Youth Sports Team in the Sun’s annual Best Of poll. Happy? Yes. Surprised? No. “It’s our parents,” he said, explaining how they got the votes. “We have great parents.” The Golden Dukes is a basketball team. They […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Pest Control Operators host golf tournament at Monarch Dunes
They may deal with pests every day, but in their off hours, the Pest Control Operators of California are hosting their fourth annual golf tournament at Monarch Dunes in Nipomo. The tournament takes place Sept. 20 and is open to the public. The cost is $100 and must be prepaid by Sept. 12. The entry […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Former Cal Poly coach joins men’s basketball staff at Hancock
Veteran basketball coach Ernie Wheeler will join the team as assistant coach to Ralph Gorton during Allan Hancock College’s upcoming men’s basketball season. Wheeler was the head coach at Cal Poly for 14 seasons, from 1972 to 1986, and has more than 45 years of experience coaching basketball. At Cal Poly, he holds the record […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Athlete of the Week
Some athletes are dedicated to their sport, and some athletes are really dedicated to their sport. Anthony Robinson, 17, falls into that second category. He loves soccer so much, he drives to Santa Barbara twice a week for practice and down to Los Angeles—or, if he’s lucky, Santa Barbara again—for games. “That’s where the best […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
CLUBS & MEETINGS
ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. of SANTA MARIA, a nonprofit business and professional organization, meets the second Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m., in the downstairs conference room at United Way, 1660 S. Broadway. Info: 352-0026 or 937-4071. ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL INC. OF THE CENTRAL COAST meets at noon the second and fourth Monday of every month at […]