Randy Freeman is good friends with a scrub jay. He’s cultivated a fond relationship with the bird, nicknamed Buddy, over the past five years. Buddy spots Freeman in his backyard, flies over to the artist’s side, and lands on his shoulder. “I’ll reach in my pocket and hold a handful of peanuts out. He’ll take […]
Santa Maria
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
The Ann Foxworthy Gallery presents After the Cut
One single cut can change everything. Two creatives explore the power of cutting with their mixed media pieces in an exhibit at the Allan Hancock College art gallery, which is up through Dec. 2. “Rather than erasing the past, the artists embrace it as part of the creative process, transforming existing elements into new compositions […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Peruse Santa Maria’s public TV programs on a new app
Keep up with local concerts, Santa Maria City Council meetings, and other informative forums with an app that recently expanded accessibility to Santa Maria’s community television programs. Content from the city’s public, education, and government (PEG) channels is free of commercials and available to locals on their devices 24/7. Residents can now download city of […]
Posted inEats
The Lemonade Boss doles out ice-cold drinks from a hot pink trailer
Inspiration for Leslie Verbryke’s side gig came to her the way a lot of today’s ideas strike: through TikTok. The Orcutt resident saw a content creator who had refurbished a horse trailer, turning it into a beverage stand. “She started selling lemonade out of it to pay for pharmacy school, so I kind of took […]
Posted inNews
Ballot countdown: Santa Barbara County’s 5th District supervisor candidates make their final pitches as Election Day looms
The Board of Supervisors’ newest addition will either be Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera or Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board member Ricardo Valencia. Aguilera—a local attorney and registered independent—received endorsements from the Santa Maria Police Officers’ Association, Santa Maria Firefighters Local 2020, California School Employees Association, Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis […]
Posted inNews
Disabled student hospitalized after ICE mistook him for ‘illegal alien’
As part of her “group home mom” role at a residential care facility in Santa Maria, Jaime Staine has experienced dealing with occupants of varying temperaments. While having looked after Erik Zepeda—who’s been in the group home since age 14 and is diagnosed with severe developmental delay and mild intellectual disability—for the past seven years, […]
Posted inNews
County supervisors will include new Orcutt library in budget talks
If Orcutt residents want to borrow books, they can visit a branch of the Santa Maria Public Library in Old Town that sits on a leased plot measuring less than 5,000 square feet. However, community planning documents from nearly 30 years ago predicted population growth that would warrant a library more than three and a […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria high schoolers harvest and donate 100 boxes of produce
In a landscape as rich as the Santa Maria Valley, Iris Valdez has been exposed to agriculture in her classrooms for years. The Pioneer Valley High School senior craved a more hands-on experience, so she enrolled in plant and soil science at the local career technical education (CTE) center and has already harvested watermelon, corn, […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
County arts and culture office ranked top in the state
Santa Barbara County earned more than $250,000 from the state for its efforts in engaging the creative community. California acknowledged the county’s Office of Arts and Culture with the highest possible ranking in the 2026 State-Local Partnership program. For the past five years, Santa Barbara County has topped the charts compared to other arts agencies. […]
Posted inFood & Drink
An Orcutt couple rolls ice cream for their hometown
With the proper technique, rolling ice cream isn’t difficult. For Lucy Genge, it’s fun and satisfying. Each order is custom-made. The ice cream shop owner pours a liquid ice cream base on top of a cold plate that sits at minus 22 degrees. Then, she presses the cream down with two scrapers, spreading it super […]
Posted inNews
State approves Point Sal conservation petition
A unanimous vote from the California Fish and Game Commission granted new safeguards to roughly 9 square miles of marine habitat off the coast of Guadalupe. “I understand how hard it is to lose yet another fishing area,” Commissioner Jacque Hostler-Carmesin said at the hearing. “However, the Chumash people were displaced. Their lands taken. Forced […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria asks residents to vote yes on sales tax increase
With a tax bump to consider on the Nov. 3 ballot, Santa Maria’s registered voters will determine the fate of some local playgrounds, pickleball courts, and public pools, according to City Manager David Rowlands. “These are all quality-of-life items, … services that are at risk due to the ongoing budget pressures,” Rowlands told attendees of […]
