The Sun and its sister paper in SLO, New Times, won awards in the National Newspaper Association (NNA) annual Better Newspaper Contest. Early results show the Sun won a first place, second place, and two honorable mentions in a lineup of awards that will be issued on Sept. 29 at the NNA’s annual convention in […]
Sun and New Times win honors in national newspaper contest
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Generation X-It: From the archives
Award-winning writer Rebecca Rose once had her heart broken by a cat named Mr. T and clearly has not gotten over it. 6/7/18: Cozy up 5/10/18 Procrastination station 4/12/18 Dude: I am not dressing up for you 3/15/18 Importand advice to millennials 2/15 Wedding planning is more fun when you don’t do any actual planning […]
Posted inFood & Drink
The lemon family: Grant and Jen Sanregret’s Los Olivos Lemons serves up sweet concoctions on the go
There is something unique that sets Jen and Grant Sanregret’s business apart from the others in Los Olivos. It’s not just their physical location—a giant, bright yellow lemon parked neatly in a small space at the end of Grand Avenue, surrounded by a welcoming array of wooden lawn chairs. It’s not even their unique product, […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
New beginnings: Jody Williams takes on the role of assistant director at the Elverhoj Museum
On May 30, the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art announced that Jody Williams, co-owner of the Wandering Dog winery in Solvang, was hired to fill the newly created position of assistant director. Williams sat down with the Sun to discuss the new job, her background, and her longtime love of art history. Sun: How […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Dance divas: Santa Ynez Valley Performing Arts Company launches its 31st season of dance in the valley
Christine Fossemalle is looking forward to the future. As the director of the Santa Ynez Valley Performing Arts Company, she’s spent 30 years on the Central Coast teaching young dancers and watching them perform the annual An Invitation to Dance recital after long hours of preparation and hard work. “It’s been the title of our […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Mural installation set for iconic Guadalupe building
The Squire Foundation’s Artist in Residence, Ruben Espinoza, will begin working to install a new temporary mural on the side of the former Far Western Tavern building in Guadalupe, the future home of the Dunes Center. The mural is a result of a collaborative effort between Santa Barbara’s Squire Foundation Artist in Residence Program and […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
CORE Winery hosts annual art show for VTC artists
Artists from the Vocational Training Center (VTC) in Santa Maria will participate in an art show at CORE Winery, with a reception set to take place June 30. The event features artists sharing their work from the past year, as well as wine from CORE and appetizers for attendees. Artists’ works have been completed during […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Lompoc Pops Orchestra to close season with guest soloists for ‘Pops Extravaganza’
Ever since Brian Asher Alhadeff became the Lompoc Pops Orchestra’s artistic director, the conductor well versed in classical music and opera has tried to sneak classical repertoire past the board of directors into the orchestra’s season programming. Modeled after the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Lompoc Pops performs exclusively American orchestral music, Alhadeff explained, and any […]
Posted inOpinion
Ballot boxed
We made it through the June 5 primary without any too-close-to-call races, recounts, or tantrums thrown by the losers. Whew, now we get to do it all again in November! While it would have been interesting to see Sheriff Bill Brown face a challenger in November, neither Lts. Brian Olmstead nor Eddie Hsueh got the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Law Enforcement Torch Run
More than 30 local law enforcement officials recently participated in the last leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run, an annual event that kicks off the Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games. Santa Maria City Park Rangers ran alongside officers from the Santa Maria and Guadalupe police departments, Santa Barbara County Probation, and the Department […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: RATP Dev USA
There’s a new manager in town for Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT). RATP Dev USA, an international transportation systems company, will manage transportation services in Santa Maria beginning July 1. Santa Maria officials announced they had awarded a contract to RATP Dev on June 7 and said the agreement would run for three years with […]
Posted inNews
Race for the fourth
Recent announcements from current and potential City Council members made the first week of June an important one for Santa Maria’s upcoming elections—the first round of district elections in the city’s history. Rafael Gutierrez, a longtime Santa Maria resident and attorney specializing in criminal defense and personal injury, announced his candidacy for the District 4 […]