Cover Story

Watching a child move around in the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is like trying to keep track of the silver ball as it bounces off bumpers in a pinball machine. The children are easily distracted and constantly moving, and the museum floor is alive with running footsteps on Jan. 4. In no particular order, […]

This year’s headline makers were the kinds of stories that just keep on giving—the kinds we in the journalism world like to call stories with legs. Their words continued to walk across the Sun’s pages, week after week.  Let’s take Santa Maria Energy’s oil expansion project as an example. News of the project broke in […]

Genies are mythical creatures most people associate with warm Arabian nights, not sparkling evergreen trees and the hustle and bustle of the holidays. But this year, the Sun staff decided that now is the perfect time to pull the cork on the genie bottle and grant some local nonprofits’ wishes, big and small. So take […]

We all have a body domination sadomasochist (BDSM) on our holiday gift list, right? Whether you’ve got a truly close friend or a family member who shares too much, there’s a perfect gift for those on the kinky side of things, and it’s crafted right here on the Central Coast. Tom Douvia, a third-generation master […]

While droves of pup-tent pitching fanatics finalized their holiday purchases early this year, many (including this procrastinating pen smith) have barely begun to list the friends and family who will receive some holiday generosity. But before you swarm the nearest corporate outlet, take a gander at the Sun’s Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide, which features […]

On the evening of March 9, 2011, shots rang out in the alleyway behind Reyes Blacksmithing on North Blosser Road in Santa Maria. Ultimately, one man was declared dead at the scene and another was transported to Marian Medical Center, reportedly suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. Two days later, on March 11, […]

White and pink crystals glued to the gun’s grip shimmered in the morning light as she pulled the .45-caliber pistol from her purse. Two sparkling hearts positioned precisely where this young woman clutches an undeniably lethal weapon create a curious paradox. “It can kill somebody. This is not a toy,” she said about her Springfield […]

This call will more than likely never be forgotten. If you need a refresher of this controversial decision follow this link. Perhaps one of the greatest phenomena of our human existence is how drastically and quickly our lives can change. In an instant, things can go from good to bad before we are even aware […]

The current construction site for the Nipomo Supplemental Water Project makes anyone who walks its grounds thirsty. Perched atop the bluffs overlooking the Santa Maria River Levee, the bustling spot looks like a beach without its ocean. Every piece of equipment—from a simple hand wrench to the elephantine drilling rig—is covered in a layer of […]