Singer/songwriter Dulcie Taylor has a sweet voice, but not sweet in a cotton candy kind of way. It’s more like a hickory-smoked barbecue sauce kind of sweet. It might have something to do with being brought up in South Carolina, and her relaxed Southern drawl, but the acclaimed artist has called the Central Coast home […]
Dulcie Taylor performs songs from new album at Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: My805Tix
A new ticketing portal for live events is now available to Central Coast residents. The recently launched My805Tix owned by New Times Media Group (the Sun’s parent company) promises to provide a one-stop shop for locals to find and purchase tickets to local concerts, events, and shows. The media group, which also includes the New […]
Posted inNews
Lompoc City Council shoots down proposed cannabis tax
The nearest legal marijuana dispensary is currently some 120 miles from Santa Maria proper. That number promises to drop once the industry slowly establishes a foothold in Lompoc, which is just a 20-minute drive away. Santa Maria and Lompoc stand in stark contrast to each other on the issue of the cannabis industry. The Santa […]
Posted inNews
Second sexual assault lawsuit filed against Church for Life and former pastors
A second civil lawsuit was filed against two former Santa Maria residents and pastors on March 7, accusing them of sexual battery, harassment, assault, and gender violence. The suit, which was filed in Santa Maria Superior Court anonymously by three women, also claims that Santa Maria’s Church for Life failed to appropriately investigate the women’s […]
Posted inNews
Never again: School shootings are a norm that some local students are no longer willing to accept
Passing cars honked in support as dozens of energetic community members stood outside Get R Gun—a gun store situated directly across from Santa Maria High School—and chanted, “Hey, hey, NRA: How many kids have you killed today?” The store was empty—it had closed for the day as usual by the time protesters gathered outside the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Dragonette Cellars in Los Olivos stocks an elegant array of locally sourced reds and whites
It’s always a treat when you stumble into something that’s been right in front of you the whole time. That was the case recently with myself and an impressive local winery that’s carved out a niche on the Central Coast. Don’t let the size of Los Olivos fool you. Within its 2.5 square miles there […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Doggy dance: Krider’s dog doesn’t respect his sleep patterns
Most people these days wake up every morning using an alarm on their iPhone. At my house we do it much more organically. Instead of an electrical device with an app, we just have a 20 pound dog. It is very green of us. The only setback with the dog is we don’t get to […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Valley Art Gallery features Jill Iversen
Valley Art Gallery in Orcutt announced Jill Iversen as the featured artist of the month for April. Iversen’s collection, Down on the Farm, is available for view in the gallery from April 3 through 29. Iversen graduated from the Art Center School of Design at Pasadena and works in oil, acrylic, and watercolors. She is […]
Posted inOpinion
Locals speak out on some serious problems
I get called jaded on a good day, but there are some serious problems coming to light across all levels of our society. From the national to the local spheres, the news cycle is like a traffic jam of systematic problems, incompetence, and scandal. The big issue across the nation and on our own streets […]
Posted inOpinion
Not the NRA
The recent March for Our Lives rallies around the country focused their ire on guns and the National Rifle Association (NRA). The violence in schools and other public places is the result of deranged people who have some hidden or public agenda and think killing is a way to express that agenda. These break down […]
Posted inOpinion
Agriculture: backbone of the Central Coast
From the vineyards to the strawberry fields, the Central Coast is host to world-class agribusiness. Agriculture contributes more than $3.8 billion to our district’s economy and accounts for more than 40,000 local jobs. Our history here at home is deeply rooted in agriculture. It’s more than just an industry. It is a culture—a way of […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Swim Club
The Santa Maria Swim Club sent eight swimmers to Orlando, Florida, on March 13 for the Next College Student Athlete Junior National Championships, an intense competition where many young athletes are scouted by college coaches for the first time. More than 1,600 swimmers from across the nation competed at the meet. Central Coast New Tech […]