As of Jan. 8 of this year, Vandenberg Air Force Base will receive about a third of its power (over the next 25 years) via solar energy. On April 10, the base held a dedication ceremony for the 65,000 panel, 129-acre solar array. “This is a really big event for the base, and for the […]
Vandenberg plugs in to massive new solar array
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Start your batteries: Die-hard radio-controlled car enthusiasts meet up to race, jump, and kick up some dirt on the Central Coast
Rain usually cancels the regular meetup of Central Coast radio-controlled (RC) car enthusiasts at a home on the Nipomo Mesa. But it wasn’t quite raining on April 7, more of a drizzle, and plenty of diehards still made it out. The heavy fog didn’t slow down Tony Drake or his black and red-striped Traxxas RC […]
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Political Watch 4/19/18
• A public forum for Santa Barbara County Sheriff candidates is scheduled for April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Center, Board of Supervisors Room, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria. Current Sheriff Bill Brown, along with candidates and current Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office lieutenants Eddie Hsueh and Brian Olmstead, […]
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Spotlight on: Paradise Trading Post
Don’t call it a pawn shop. At least not in front of Paradise Trading Post’s owner, Mike Alexander, 57, who will quickly remind the offender what the store really is. “We’re not a thrift shop either. I like to refer to us as kind of an antique store for men,” he said in early April, […]
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Youth Sports Comittee holds first meeting
More than 30 youth sports leagues in Santa Maria Valley provide kids with ample athletic opportunities, but rundown fields, overpopulated facilities, and a general lack of communication have become major issues for local coaches. “I think probably it’s the No. 1 thing I hear from the people I represent, is the need for access to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Marcos Hillje-Enthoven
After four years on Orcutt Academy High School’s varsity swim team, breaking numerous school records, and a currently undefeated season, senior Marcos Hillje-Enthoven plans to continue his swimming career at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida, next year. As captain of his team, Hillje-Enthoven often leads meetings and acts as a mentor to younger […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Santa Maria’s North China continues to dominate the valley’s restaurant landscape
I will admit I grossly underestimated the food at North China Restaurant. When I was first asked my thoughts on the Santa Maria staple, I scowled and realized that for some tragic reason, I had managed to overlook them in my quest to eat my way through every restaurant in the Central Coast. Now, I […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Grants available for Santa Maria Valley artists and performers
Artists and performers can now apply for the Santa Maria Arts Council’s Lester B. Hayes Project and Performance Grant. The total available amount for the grant is $1,000. The goal of these grants is to support Santa Maria Valley programs through short-term projects that enhance the arts. Emphasis of the project should be on youth […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Orcutt Community Theater’s production of ‘Mama Won’t Fly’ highlights the soul of local theater
Backstage in a dressing room, tucked behind a dark corner, Dixie Arthur is busy fixing her hair, while Emily Zaas puts the final touches on her makeup. Jo Grande is similarly busy, wrapping up a repair for a costume for another performer, all the while taming another wig to be used in the Orcutt Community […]
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Jo-Neal Boic brings influences from Yosemite and Italy to her watercolors on display at Gallery Los Olivos
It’s a promising sunny Friday morning as Jo-Neal Boic takes her dog Dea for a swim in Morro Bay. The 14-year-old Labrador retriever, a beloved companion of the painter, is in need of a hydrotherapy session for her aging joints, and today is the perfect day. The sea waters and panoramic view of Morro Bay […]
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Eric Andersen brings decades of lyrical work to Tales from the Tavern in Santa Ynez
The 1960s folk music scene in Greenwich Village, New York City, was an explosion of creativity, with artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Maria Muldaur filling the coffee shops and pubs with their no-frills sound. Eric Andersen was one of those artists, picking an acoustic guitar and sharing his unique poetry with audiences in […]
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Spotlight on: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Santa Maria open house
For the past nine years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System has staged an open house event for local veterans at the Santa Maria Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), connecting servicepeople with myriad resources for both health and success. April 18 marks the open house’s 10th anniversary, explained Charles […]