People. Nature. Life. Love. These are just a few of the things Lompoc painter Tonya Romano Schultz listed as the main influences of her work. She paused on “love” to explain further. “I think more than anything else in this world, we need love and acceptance,” she said. “I try to emulate that in my […]
Joyful: Tonya Romano Schultz brings her radiant worldview to the Lompoc Valley Arts Association
Posted inOpinion
And still we hope
The United States brought nuclear weapons into the world. It is the only country to have used them and did so on innocent civilians. Nuclear weapons are now many times more powerful than the fission bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They make no nation safer but imperil all nations and the planet we […]
Posted inNews
USDA grant program serves as reminder for needed work on Central Coast
On July 30, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a series of grants and loans it awarded to help upgrade and rebuild rural water infrastructure. “[The] USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities in building their futures,” assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlet stated. “All people–regardless of […]
Posted inNews
Santa Barbara County has one of highest poverty rates in state
Santa Barbara County’s poverty rate is the third highest in the state, according to a new report from the nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The Central Coast county’s 23 percent poverty rate trailed only Los Angeles (24.3) and Santa Cruz (23.8) counties. “The picture of poverty is quite different than […]
Posted inNews
BEST OF Northern Santa Barbara County
DINING OUT Best Santa Maria Restaurant Shaw’s Steakhouse 714 S. Broadway, Santa Maria You might have the nicest roadster or hot rod in town, but you’ll still struggle to find some parking at Shaw’s Steakhouse in Santa Maria. The famous restaurant is almost always packed with locals looking for a perfect sit-down dinner experience. And […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
NTMA turns 10: The New Times Music Awards (NTMAs) calls for singer/songwriters and bands to submit new music for 10th annual competition
Without fail, just about every year now for the past decade, one or more musician friends ask me after-the-fact: “Dude, why didn’t you tell me about the New Times Music Awards?” Well here it is, unequivocally: The Sun and New Times is currently accepting entries for the 10th annual New Times Music Awards, which we […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Shop not: Rebecca fights a bored man for one Sunday of shopping
One of my biggest joys in life (aside from revelling in the downfall of Natalie Portman, but I’ll get to that another time) is shopping. I’m so good at shopping I consider it my cardio. I love nothing more than strolling around any shop picking through jewelry, clothes, shoes, decorative items, and more. That would […]
Posted inOpinion
Best wishes
Just as summer starts each year, the Sun staff goes collectively insane working on Best Of. Don’t get me wrong, we love Best Of! What a great way to celebrate excellence in our community. But seriously, it’s a lot of work. We count hundreds and hundreds of votes, contact dozens and dozens of businesses owners […]
Posted inOpinion
Pot calling the kettle black
I would like to respond to a letter in the Santa Maria Times titled, “Democrats and hypocrisy,” (July 20). A part-time janitor who worked at a processing center for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Why, Arizona, discovered plastic rosary beads and Bibles in the trash, personal items confiscated from people who supposedly entered the […]
Posted inOpinion
Carbajal doesn’t do enough for veterans
I am writing this letter with regard to Veterans Affairs in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, and specifically on how Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) plans to approach the issue. Carbajal has pushed for a mere $8 million increase in funds allocated to transportation services that allow veterans to get to Los Angeles and receive […]
Posted inOpinion
About the midterm elections
I am concerned that the Democratic Party is veering too far to the left for these midterm elections. We want to win the election, and I believe that a move towards the extreme left at this time is counterproductive to the cause. We cannot assume that the dislike of Trump and his policies and behavior […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Adrian Santini
On the baseball diamond, 12-year-old Adrian Santini is a triple threat–he can pitch better, hit harder, and run faster than just about anyone his age. Santini, an Orcutt Junior High School student, has been an integral member on each of his Little League teams since he was just 7 years old. But recently, he’s been […]
