Cover Story

At the national level, this election season saw lipstick on pitbulls and pigs, “terrorist” fist jabs, a plumber becoming a campaign figurehead, and Saturday Night Live finding its footing again. On the local level, to be honest, things weren’t as exciting. Sure, any election is a noteworthy event in that let’s-all-celebrate-democracy sort of way, but […]

Good news, everyone! Gas prices have dropped to less than $3 a gallon. In Santa Maria, prices have been spotted as low as $2.99. That’s a small ray of sunshine for commuters in an otherwise bleak and dreary economic climate. But, as it turns out, it’s not the only one. As the old saying goes, […]

In a state brimming with natural beauty, it’s little wonder that the photographers who have traipsed its expanses are as revered as the landscapes themselves. It’s difficult to imagine Yosemite Valley without the majestic work of Ansel Adams working its way into the visual reckoning or the coastal treasure trove of Point Lobos revealing itself […]

Who was the first in your circle to take the plunge and buy a computer? Or a cell phone or an iPod or ; (drumroll) ; who was first to park the car and bicycle to work? Was it goofy Uncle Jimmy, who used to ramble on about health and flax seed tea? Or was […]

When the storm clouds that would become Hurricane Gustav began swirling over the Caribbean in late August, hundreds of state and federal officials, along with an army of trained volunteers, sprang into action against what would become the nation’s first big test since Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the Gulf Coast in 2005. But even […]

In a generous land where row crops and wine grapes thrive in neighboring fields, the happy activity of harvest calls out for a celebration. As Central Coast farmers bring in their crops, chefs create edible masterpieces, and artists interpret the colorful interplay of life all around, what better way to acknowledge the bounty than with […]

The wait always seems longer when it’s almost over—and the wait was on its way to excruciating as this paper hit its press deadline for the week. California spent more than 80 days without a state budget, and the mood in Santa Barbara County seemed to shift as the wait got longer. When Gov. Arnold […]

Last month, federal authorities successfully wrapped up an eight-month-long sting operation that resulted in the arrests of 55 people accused of using peer-to-peer computer software to trade and view child pornography. Led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the sting marked the first time law enforcement agencies have […]

There are two types of visual effects: the in-your-face explosions and monsters and aliens for some muscle-bound actor to blast, and the low-key, the subtle, the kind you can’t pick out at all. This summer, someone at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences saw something in the second category—something that most viewers don’t usually […]

In 2007, there were 36,247 people living in poverty in California. In a state with a population of 36 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, that means one out of every 1,000 people in California is living in poverty. In Santa Barbara County, the latest Census Bureau information (from 2004) showed that 12.5 percent […]

Forget all that X-marks-the-spot business. If you’re looking for treasure, drop the map and grab a copy of this year’s Santa Maria Sun Best Of readers poll. No booby traps. No dead men’s chests. Just a bounty of booty, from top restaurants to hip shops to community movers and shakers. Sun Calendar Editor Joe Payne […]

In 2006, Santa Maria resident Abigail Garcia went to visit an ailing friend of the family. The woman had been sick for some time and was living in a skilled nursing facility where she could receive around-the-clock medical care. The visit, though only about an hour long, made a powerful impact on Abigail, whose then-84-year-old […]