In the second half of the Gloria movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Mass in C Major,” there’s a massive build and rising unison sung among the choir on the words, “quoniam tu solus sanctus,” or, “for thou alone are holy.” As soon as the cadence comes to a rest, the bass players fly out of […]
Allan Hancock College singers reunite with San Luis Chamber Orchestra for Beethoven’s Mass in C
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc Civic Theatre tackles mortality and love in On Golden Pond
From the moment you set foot inside the Ellery Room at Lompoc’s Mission Club, it’s clear something is very special about this latest Lompoc Civic Theatre production. On Oct. 27 and Nov. 3, the theater group presents a dinner theater production of On Golden Pond, the classic 1979 play written by Ernest Thompson. The play […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Nancy Jo Ward debuts solo show at Ann Foxworthy Gallery
On the day Nancy Jo Ward is interviewed by the Sun, she is busy experimenting with yet another technique in her digital art making. “It’s called a pastel ground,” she said. “It’s like a clear medium that has sand in it. I’m adding it to an aluminum print because I want to see what happens […]
Posted inNews
‘The Patch’ offers fall fun and education opportunities for local students
It was last school year in May when Hannah Limon first attended a work day devoted to developing Santa Maria’s first ever pumpkin patch. Limon, a student at Pioneer Valley High School, had heard a lot about the program from one of her agriculture teachers–about how participants would learn to grow and harvest pumpkins and […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: Treetop Yoga
For Nicole Lowe, owner and lead instructor at Santa Maria’s Treetop Yoga, a seventh year anniversary is an occasion to take in stride. The studio celebrated the milestone in mid October by hosting a series of free classes that include yoga sessions for all ages and skill levels. “It was neat to kind of have […]
Posted inNews
What went wrong: Santa Barbara County analyzes action during Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow
For a brief stretch of time spanning December 2017 to January 2018, Santa Barbara County was synonymous with the word “disaster.” First, the Thomas Fire in December scorched hundreds of thousands of acres of federal, state, county, and private land, becoming one of the largest fires in California’s recorded history. Barely a month after the […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc to spend nearly a half million on riverbed cleanup
The Lompoc City Council approved a $400,000 contract on Oct. 16 with a company tasked with cleaning the Santa Ynez Riverbed, which is filled with several tons of trash left by recently removed homeless encampments. The city has been working with Qwikresponse, a Southern California-based company that specializes in hazardous and biohazardous materials removal, since […]
Posted inNews
Solvang opts to allow only one medical dispensary
Tempers flared to close a Solvang City Council meeting on Oct. 22 when the topic of cannabis came up on the night’s agenda. The issue at hand? How many medical marijuana dispensaries should be allowed within city limits. “I’ve talked to many constituents that are totally opposed to a dispensary [in town], period,” Mayor Jim […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Bookworm hosts former local columnist
Author Steve Corbett, a former local journalist, will appear at The Bookworm in Santa Maria on Nov. 3. Corbett will present a reading from his new book, Blood Red Syrah, a thriller based in Central Coast wine country. In Corbett’s novel, killer Wally Wilson fights with “Syrah,” a voice in his head that sends him […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
SYV Historical Museum presents 34th annual Vaquero Show
The Vaquero Show and Western collectible sale, presented by Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum (SYVHM), is set to take place Nov. 9 through 11. The event, now in its 34th year, honors the lifestyle, culture, and horsemanship of the California vaquero. The vaquero lifestyle evolved into a specific style of apparel, tack, saddles, and other […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
PCPA resident artist expands engagement
Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) announced Kitty Balay, resident artist, has expanded her engagement with the group. Balay has appeared in more than 80 productions and teaches Voice and Speech within in the conservatory, and will now also serve as the conservatory’s director of engagement. According to a release from PCPA, the actress, director, and teacher […]
Posted inOpinion
Support Measure Y
I have no artistic ability except for my talent at drawing “stick people,” but I can recognize what art brings to our community. I’ve seen the studies about how exercising that portion of our brain only enhances our other cognitive abilities in math and the sciences. I read the articles and watched other communities who […]