Heidi Gruetzemacher has traced out the path to the heart and nailed it to the wall. Her explorations on the topic are highlighted in Hearts Desire, an exhibit currently featured at the Valley Art Gallery. Back in September, the gallery moved from its previous home down Clark Avenue to a new-to-them space in Old Orcutt, […]
Valley Art Gallery’s new Orcutt digs features bold work from Heidi Gruetzemacher
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
New documentary ‘Lives Well Lived’ reveals advice for a happy life
For some people, growing old is a joy. For others, it’s a curse. So what’s the secret to living a good, long life? Cal Poly professor of photography and first-time documentarian Sky Bergman set out to answer this question with Lives Well Lived: Celebrating the Secrets, Wit and Wisdom of Age, which after a couple […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria hip-hop artist Samsara shares first album, performs in Lompoc
The term “samsara” originates from a Sanskrit word that signified a grand cycle of life, death, and rebirth, that all living things pass through a karmic cycle of reincarnation. Santa Maria-based hip-hop artist Samsara MC chose his name years ago, he told the Sun, inspired by the friends and family he has seen pass on […]
Posted inOpinion
What a mess
After weeks of rushing to clean up the catastrophic results of the Montecito mudslides, things are starting to return to normal in Santa Barbara County, and local officials are putting their attention back on the smaller messes they need to clean up. The Lompoc City Council decided to rustle up the Santa Ynez Riverbed, rubber […]
Posted inOpinion
Fox and chickens
In the Feb. 8 article, “Off-roaders will see changes … to Oceano Dunes,” The Tribune informed us that state parks wants to work with off-roaders, and “a lot of the ideas are coming from them.” That is exactly the problem: State parks, the fox, has been asked to take care of the chickens, all of […]
Posted inOpinion
Support offshore oil in California
We strongly support the continued oil development along the California coast. This must be considered a No. 1 priority for this state. There should be no limit to offshore drilling. President Trump is right. We oppose the efforts of the radical Democrat, 24th District Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), or 19th District State Sen. Hannah-Beth […]
Posted inOpinion
Attack on U.S. farming interests
Donald Trump’s ill-conceived bravado concerning America’s farming and industrial interest, when turned into policy, is leading America in the opposite direction of success. It’s easy to be loud and boisterous and against everything on the campaign trail, but when turned into real-life action, it is against America’s best financial interest. Slowly, ever so slowly, he […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Wedding planning is more fun when you don’t do any actual planning
I got engaged to the love of my life, my fiance Chris, a little over a year ago. It was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me, and I’m truly psyched to become his old lady. Whenever anyone asks me how the wedding planning is going, I smile and tell them, “Just […]
Posted inNews
Perfect pairing: Cottonwood Canyon Winery offers a unique Santa Maria Valley setting
On the eastern rim of the Santa Maria Valley, the landscape rolls into hill country and the wine flows. Cottonwood Canyon Winery is a sprawling 70-acre property just west of the San Rafael Mountains, a few miles east of Orcutt off Clark Avenue. The venue offers multiple ceremony spaces, including a large amphitheater that can […]
Posted inNews
Forever engaged: How long should you wait before tying the knot?
So you’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. You went out and bought a ring. You waited until the perfect moment, took them to the perfect place (a fancy restaurant, in front of Morro Rock, on Cuesta Ridge) and after, fumbling about nervously, surprised them and popped the […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Meagan Stevens
Allan Hancock College sophomore Meagan Stevens learned to surf at a young age. As a Lompoc native, the ocean was always nearby, and competitive swimming, she said, only seemed a natural progression. “I liked being in the water,” Stevens said. Stevens, 20, is now one of Hancock’s top swimmers, according to Women’s Swimming and Diving […]
Posted inNews
Hancock takes steps to save students big money on textbooks
Allan Hancock College political science professor Jessica Scarffe has long been frustrated by the ridiculous prices of textbooks required for many college courses. The costs have been steadily rising for many years now, she said, and the increased rates are significantly outpacing that of inflation. “I just was disturbed to see students, especially in the […]