Sorpresa! comes to Comcast Santa Maria households can say 8hola! to a new 24-hour kids’ programming station for Hispanic children. 8Sorpresa! is America’s fastest-growing Spanish-language children’s network, and will be introduced on Comcast’s Hispanic digital tier. 8Sorpresa! is a 24/7 children’s cable network televised exclusively in Spanish. The network is geared toward reaching the young […]
Arts Briefs
Spirited saint
In a time of plague, war, famine, and greed, a young girl stood up for her convictions and followed a path of unselfish servitude to those in need. Her actions in the 14th century made her revered today. Her service to the church made her a saint. Now, St. Catherine of Siena’s story lives on […]
Get a heavy dose of the tonic of laughter
Anyone incapable of appreciating the absurd would do well to stay clear of PCPA’s adaptation of MoliÀre’s The Imaginary Invalid. From the basic plot premise—a family’s antics to prevent the hypochondriac patriarch from forcibly marrying his daughter to the son of a doctor—to the characters themselves, the tale is incredulous and very, very funny, particularly […]
Arnold is holding us hostage
The legislators gridlock has created a complete mess. Hospitals, nursing homes, and community health clinics are no long being paid. Schools are trying to plan a new school year without knowing how many staff they will be able to keep. This is irresponsible. It has to stop. State workers making $6.55 an hour are not […]
Enough with change!
Some politicians are now calling for change—this might even sound good to young people who have no memory of the past. I remember when gas was 25 cents a gallon. My first house cost $29,000, and a loaf of bread was 20 cents. I remember when jobs were easy to get because things were still […]
Obama is practical; Republicans are out of touch
There was a time when the Republican Party believed in realistic goals and personal responsibility. Under the failed policies of the Bush Administration, this is no longer the case. They embrace the word “conservative” while ignoring the root of that word: “conserve.” The last eight years have been all about excess: excess military spending, excess […]
Here’s my political tally sheet
As an Independent trying to stay on top of the platforms of politics, I am dismayed by the lack of knowledge of the Democratic opinions. I don’t care for Bush, but understand his problems. Obama, like the Clintons, will promise you anything that will win your vote, even though he has no experience in anything. […]
Get the word out: Iran is dangerous
Please make it known that Iran is an imminent threat to the whole world. Iran is defiant and will not stop its nuclear ambitions. It is important for the American and world public to understand the issues and the threat that Iran poses to the world’s peace and stability.
Smoking doesn’t belong near children
I applaud the Parks and Recreation Commission considering banning tobacco products in our parks. Parks are frequented by families, especially those with small children. Children are influenced in various ways by secondhand smoke. Not only is the smoke an issue, there are cigarette butts which are also a nuisance. Most of our parks are also […]
Proposition 49 works
Six years ago, California voters passed Proposition 49, which created thousands of new after-school programs, invested in public safety, and guaranteed that funding would not be subject to political whims. However, the State Legislature is now attempting to repeal Proposition 49, through another ballot initiative. At risk are more than 3,800 after-school programs that keep […]
All Olympics, all the time
Michael Phelps is cool and all, but Jason Lezak is my new hero. By the time you read this, you’ll have heard all about him. (If you follow the news at all, that is.) The 32-year-old veteran swimmer had the race of his life the night of Aug. 10—otherwise known as the morning of Aug. […]
Athlete of the Week
Ryan Newman ran his first triathlon on a whim. That’s right: on a whim. His cousin was in town for the Lompoc Sprint Triathlon in April 2007 and her friend couldn’t race, so they had an extra spot. Newman borrowed a bike and gave the race a shot. “The first one was brutal,” Newman said. […]

