Every year the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) reserves its holiday production for the big, colorful shows that attract families and groups of friends. And this year, they’ve sprinkled in some fairy dust. The conservatory opened the production of Disney’s musical rendition of Peter Pan in mid-November, and continues the high-flying show straight on till Dec. […]
Fairy-dusted fun: Pacific Conservatory Theatre flies with family-friendly production of ‘Peter Pan’
Posted inNews
Water agency donates turkeys to Catholic Charities
Dozens of turkeys were donated to local families in need on Nov. 16, when Golden State Water Company staff in Santa Maria transferred the frozen birds from a company truck into one owned by Catholic Charities that morning. Food donations are an important part of the services that Catholic Charities provides in the community, explained […]
Posted inNews
Final H2-A meeting filled with opposition to city’s current plan and timeline
The final of five community meetings held by Santa Maria city officials focusing on seasonal farmworker housing was met with fierce opposition from the local ag community on Nov. 15. Of greatest concern among the several dozen residents gathered that night in a small room at the Minami Community Center was how quickly the city […]
Posted inNews
Chumash and Luiseño tribes file lawsuit against SoCal card rooms
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians released some of the details in a lawsuit that it and another tribe recently filed against several Southern California cardrooms, which the tribes say are operating games illegally. The complaint, filed in San Diego County Superior Court by the Chumash and the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, alleges […]
Posted inNews
County to implement recommended restrictions on chlorpyrifos
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced recommended restrictions on a controversial pesticide on Nov. 15, and growers in Santa Barbara County will have to comply. The recommendations–including buffer zones, application guidelines, and discontinued use on most crops–further restrict the use of chlorpyrifos, a chemical insecticide used on California nut trees, and fruit, vegetable, […]
Posted inNews
Battery-powered addiction: Vapes may be less harmful than tobacco cigarettes, but prevention specialists say the electronic devices are addicting youth to nicotine
A few years ago, Hattie Bermudes didn’t even know what vapes were. Now she asks her kids about them nearly every day. As a mother of two San Marcos High School students and a member of the Parent Teacher Student Association, Bermudes spends a lot of time on school grounds, and within the past year […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Orcutt artists collaborate on beautification project
When longtime children’s art teacher Lynnae Lane moved to Orcutt from the Fresno area earlier this year, something caught her eye immediately. It was at JJ’s Market, a display incorporating cactus and birdhouses along the side of the market, which she said was “an amazing, eclectic collage.” “That just grabbed my attention,” Lane said. “I […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Ynez Scarecrow Fest names winner
The Santa Ynez Valley Scarecrow Festival celebrated with its Harvest Cup event at the Solvang Festival Theater on Nov. 15, and named the winner of the annual festival. The competition saw businesses and residents in Solvang, Santa Ynez, Buellton, Ballard, Los Olivos, and Los Alamos set up scarecrow displays in storefronts and other areas. Locals […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc Pops dedicates upcoming concert to Alice McGonigal
The Lompoc Pops Orchestra will honor longtime flutist Alice McGonigal, who passed away in late August, at its upcoming holiday concert on Dec. 2. McGonigal served as the principal flute for the Lompoc Pops, and was a member of the flute sections of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra and the San Luis Obispo Symphony. She […]
Posted inOpinion
Warning, no serviceable parts
Back in the “olden days,” when your TV started acting up and a couple of good thumps didn’t fix it, you would take off the back cover and pull out the “tubes” (if I’ve lost you, find an old person and ask them, “What is a tube?”). The next step was to go to the […]
Posted inOpinion
Thanks for supporting Measure U
Thank you Santa Maria voters for supporting Measure U. Your generous support will allow our city to continue to provide professional public safety services and keep up with the ongoing growth we experience. As vice chair of the Measure U Citizens Oversight Committee, I will continue to work to ensure your hard-earned tax dollars are […]
Posted inOpinion
Voters, thanks for supporting Measure U
On Election Day, Santa Maria voters sent a clear and strong message about their priorities and willingness to fund local municipal services and quality of life programs, as an impressive 72.33 percent enacted Measure U2018. Thank you, voters, for extending and increasing this local sales tax from a quarter-cent to the 1-cent rate. We are […]
