Sun, August 24, 2023

BY SUN STAFF

Strays

We asked you to kick the tires and light the fires, dear readers, and you responded. In our annual Best of Northern Santa Barbara County issue, we’re giving an “attaboy” to the eateries, drinkeries, businesses, and people that you said were alphas, top dogs, air bosses. We didn’t have room for any goon ups or delta sierras in this dogfight—only the best flyers made the cut. You can take off and soar through more than 170 categories, starting with our Dine and Devour section [10]

In addition, you can read an update on overdoses and prevention in the county [5]; an environmental pledge to go along with the Wildling Museum’s new mural [70]; and the wine celebrations that Pico has in store for Los Alamos [74]

Camillia Lanham editor

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement on Aug. 1 in response to reports of former President Donald Trump’s indictment on four counts related to his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. “Over the past two and a half years, more than a thousand people have been charged for their role in attacking our democracy and attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Today, that list now includes the ringleader,” Carbajal said in the statement. “Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the result of his last election led to multiple schemes to deny the will of American voters and obstruct its legal and democratic result, including the Jan. 6 insurrection. These charges—while hardly a reason to celebrate—prove once again that in our nation, no one involved in such conspiracies is above the law.” The indictments affirm the case laid out by the U.S. House of Representatives during its bipartisan impeachment proceeding as well as the work of its Jan. 6 Committee, Carbajal added in his statement. “I am grateful to those Capitol Police officers who held the line against Donald Trump’s violent instigations and those who worked around the clock to ensure the American people saw and understood the full extent of these criminal acts,” he said.

• Following a week of extreme heat advisories and temperatures greater than 105 degrees in the Central Valley, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) joined union members and workers from United Farm Workers (UFW) in Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Central Labor Council, to announce his legislation to implement an enforceable federal workplace heat standard, according to an Aug. 18 statement from Padilla’s office. July was the hottest month on record, putting 170 million Americans under extreme heat alerts and creating increasingly dangerous and life-threatening conditions for workers. During his visit to Forty Acres in Kern County, Padilla heard directly from workers about their experiences with heat stress in the workplace— including the story about Elidio Hernandez , a farmworker working outside of Fresno who reportedly died that week due to heat stress, according to Padilla’s office. Padilla discussed his recently introduced bill, the Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which aims to protect the safety and health of workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, a California farmworker who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. “It’s long past time we step up to protect both indoor and outdoor workers who are facing increasingly severe temperatures and stifling heat waves,” Padilla said in the statement. “Every day that we fail to act is another day someone risks their life to provide for their family.”

• The California Department of Conservation, through the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) program, awarded more than $72 million to communities across the state to build fire-resilient communities, according to an Aug. 17 statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. This brings total investments to $140 million for regions working to improve ecosystem health, community wildfire preparedness, and fire resilience—part of $2.7 billion the Newsom administration has committed to achieve the goals of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. Listos California was created by Newsom after the 2019 Camp Fire made clear that a more expanded and culturally competent disaster warning system was needed. The $25 million in grants distributed to more than 70 community partners will expand these services in areas of the state most susceptible to emergencies, with a focus on vulnerable communities—older adults, people with disabilities, the homeless, immigrants, and refugees, as well as rural Californians and those living in areas with limited broadband access. Already this year, Listos California has provided more than 1 million Californians with personalized interactions, meeting Californians where they are and helping them prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, according to Newsom’s office. m

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REVERSAL RATES: According to the Sheriff’s Office, the 10 percent reduction in fentanyl-related deaths—70 from January to June 2022 compared to 63 in the same time frame for 2023—is likely due to the widespread availability of the opioid antagonist naloxone hydrochloride.

Sheriff’s Project Opioid continues as overdose deaths increase

There were 118 opioid overdose deaths from Jan. 1 to July 31 in Santa Barbara County this year, with 63 related to fentanyl—an opiate 50 times more potent than heroin—according to the Sheriff’s Office. This compares to 105 overdose deaths during the same period in 2022, with 70 related to fentanyl.

“These numbers reflect the exponential growth in overdose deaths generally, and fentanyl-related deaths specifically,” Sheriff’s Officials said in a statement. “Of note, in the 2020 calendar year there were 113 overdose deaths, with 37 related to fentanyl.”

The Sheriff’s Office announced on Aug. 21, National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, that it is continuing with Project Opioid—a coalition of community leaders and elected officials working to address the opioid crisis.

Along with bringing community leaders together, Project Opioid launched the Narcan Distribution Project where residents can pick up naloxone hydrochloride (commonly known as Narcan)—a medication that reverses an opioid overdose’s effects—for free at any Sheriff’s patrol stations throughout the county, no questions asked, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Since the program’s launch about six months ago, the office has distributed more than 1,790 doses to community members.

“Narcan is a harmless yet miraculous drug that reverses the often-lethal effects of an opioid overdose. Simply put, it’s easy to use, and it saves lives,” Sheriff Bill Brown said in a statement. “Making more Narcan available to community members will help us lower the unacceptably high rate of overdose deaths that is prevalent in our community and across the nation.”

Along with making Narcan widely available, Brown said in a 2022 interview when he first launched the coalition, that he wanted to see about 60 to 70 leaders participate, find a direct source of funding, and hire a full-time executive director to run Project Opioid. Brown told the Sun on Aug. 22 that Project Opioid still has no direct source of funding and no staff specifically dedicated to this project, but he’s hoping that the Board of Supervisors will allocate some opioid settlement funds to Project Opioid when it goes before the board, potentially in November.

“The county is in the midst of determining how its litigation monies are going to be distributed, and we’re going to be asking for some of those to see if we can get somebody to be a full-time advocate for what we are trying to do at Project Opioid and get the message out to everyone,” Brown said.

About 20 community leaders meet on a monthly basis to discuss and implement education and prevention programs, including working with

school districts to distribute information and provide presentations to students. The organization also launched the Santa Barbara County Project Opioid website that provides a list of resources for those impacted by substance use, he added.

“There’s a few sectors we’d like to see more people from, but it’s not just to get a huge mass together. It’s to get leaders together to come up with policy direction and a coordinated approach between disciplines. It’s more of a think tank or strategy-developing organization and not so much a grassroots organization where we’re trying to get a huge number of people involved,” Brown said.

Pacific Pride Foundation Executive Director Kristen Flickinger told the Sun that she likes that all of the decision makers are brought to the table to discuss the opioid epidemic and can gain an understanding of the network around opioid response, overdose prevention, and other services.

Pacific Pride Foundation is the partner that distributes naloxone and provides trainings to county agencies and the general public, and it runs the county’s only syringe exchange program— which is designed to meet people who use drugs where they’re at by providing sterile syringes, a safe disposal site, and access to naloxone, she said.

The nonprofit distributed more than 10,000 fentanyl testing strips—which test substances for fentanyl—and saw the demand for naloxone increase throughout the year, with 176 doses distributed in January and 370 doses distributed in June, according to Pacific Pride’s 2022-23 fiscal year data.

“We are increasing the number of doses distributed, partially because we have four locations we are distributing on a regular basis in addition to working with other organizations, getting them trained, and getting them more naloxone,” Flickinger said.

At the state level, California approved a $61 million investment in harm reduction programs for four years—a follow-up to the 2019 California Harm Reduction Initiative Grant that was set to expire in September. While Pacific Pride’s syringe exchange program won’t be impacted because it relies on the county for its naloxone distribution and private donors to help run the syringe exchange, Flickinger said this is a positive shift.

“It’s hard to find harm reduction funding. The state has been on the forefront of recognizing the importance of harm reduction work and should be applauded for that,” she said. “It will allow organizations that urgently need this funding to continue to exist and provide good services to people who need it.”

Moving forward, Flickinger said she hopes to see additional funding toward Pacific Pride’s syringe exchange program, which would enable it to hire additional staff, conduct more outreach, and be more visible in the community.

“If we have additional staff, we can provide additional days. We’d like to be in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Isla Vista every week, that’s our goal,” she said. “We still meet significant resistance in the county, often areas of the county that need us the most.”

Santa Maria nonprofit Let’s Make a Difference and other local syringe exchange programs will also honor lives lost through International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. Santa Maria nonprofit Let’s Make a Difference’s fundraiser on Aug. 31 will be at Pioneer Park—1150 E. Foster Road—from noon to 3 p.m.

—Taylor O’Connor

Buellton Commission OKs renewal of Hub mixed-use development

Originally set to expire in 2021, the tentative tract map for a 17-acre mixed-use project in Buellton is on track for its third time extension.

The Buellton Hub—an upcoming plaza of residential apartments, business offices, and recreation areas planned for Industrial Way—was revisited by the Buellton Planning Commission during its Aug. 17 meeting to consider whether to renew its parcel map for another year without needing it to be completely resubmitted.

“Staff feels that it is reasonable to recommend approval of the time extension request at this time, as the applicant has made a lot of progress on processing the final map,” Buellton Planning Director Andrea Keefer said at the meeting.

Keefer explained that the city’s municipal code enforces that tentative tract maps for approved projects expire after three years, but allows up to three applications for one-year time extensions.

The Buellton Hub was originally greenlit by both the Buellton Planning Commission and the Buellton City Council in 2018. In 2021, the project earned an automatic 18-month extension thanks to a state statute adopted during the pandemic to assist housing developments in progress.

The project’s property owner, SBID LLC, was granted its first one-year extension from the city in August 2022 and submitted its application for its second in July 2023.

According to the staff report, SBID LLC is “actively working toward compliance with relevant conditions of approval,” and city staff is “unaware of any reason to deny the extension.”

During public comment at the Aug. 17 meeting, Buellton resident and former City Councilmember John Dorwin criticized staff’s latest assessment of the project as outdated, since the project’s environmental review was approved in February 2018, prior to the January 2023 storm.

Dorwin specifically challenged a section in the staff report that states “no changes have occurred with respect to the project, or its environmental surroundings, to require subsequent environmental review.”

“You can’t make these findings due to the flood, which occurred across the entire project on Jan. 9,” said Dorwin, who added that the project site was “inundated by Zaca Creek coming out of its banks” during the storm.

Dorwin argued that those circumstances should require a new environmental review “as a trigger event under CEQA” (the California Environmental Quality Act) and believes “the city has to go back and review all of the thresholds for environmental review relating to Zaca Creek flood control, the floodway, and this proposed residential use adjacent to the Zaca Creek floodway.”

“We’ve had some real tragedies here in the county. Some of us remember 1969 when every bridge on the [Santa Ynez] River was taken out,” Dorwin said. “A lot of people were lost, not just because they were sucked into drainage facilities or they drowned adjacent to draining facilities. Quite a number of them perished trying to escape from one area to evacuate to another area.”

Buellton Planning Commissioner Art Mercado sided with staff’s findings and motioned for a recommendation that the City Council grant the Hub project another one-year extension.

“Staff has already seen fit to say that this process should be followed, so I think it’s within reason that we vote yes on this,” Mercado said, shortly before the motion passed with a 4-0 vote. Planning Commissioner Laura Romano DeFazio recused herself from voting due to a proximity conflict.

—Caleb Wiseblood

Supervisors unable to take action on ExxonMobil valve project

Three rounds of presentations, 41 public comments, and an hour of deliberation led to

inaction from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on a proposal to install safety valves on the pipeline that caused the 2015 Refugio oil spill.

With only four supervisors on the dais, the board voted 2-2 twice on the issue during their Aug. 22 meeting, with 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson and 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino supporting Pacific Pipeline Oil Company’s proposal to install 16 safety valves and 1st and 2nd District Supervisors Das Williams and Laura Capps voting to deny the project.

Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann recused herself from the discussion because the pipeline runs through the northeast boundary of her property. Without a majority vote, the board wasn’t able to take any action.

“It’s similar to a denial, but it doesn’t carry that prejudice,” Williams said at the end of the hearing. “The applicant could reapply in a year. … Normally a denial would prohibit applying for a year, but the lack of action wouldn’t prohibit that.”

The proposal came from the pipeline’s previous owner, Plains Pipeline L.P., and county planning staff approved the project in August 2022, giving Plains the go-ahead to install 16 new safety valves on pipelines 901 and 903. This project would help it comply with a state mandate (AB 864) that requires oil operators to use the best available technology to prevent spills, a piece of legislation that Williams authored as an Assembly member.

However, the Gaviota Coast Conservancy, the Tautrim Family, and Grey Fox LLC appealed county staff’s decision in September with concerns about a pipeline restart. The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted to uphold the appeal and deny the project during its April 26 meeting, citing health and safety concerns, Gaviota Coast viewshed obstruction, and outdated permits.

Pacific Pipeline Company—a subsidiary of ExxonMobil that received approval for the

pipelines’ ownership transfer in June—appealed the commission’s decision, and county staff recommended the Board of Supervisors grant the appeal and approve the project.

Normally, county staff doesn’t sway away from the Planning Commission’s decision, but it does happen on occasion, Planning and Development Director Lisa Plowman told the supervisors.

“We do that when we believe that the recommendation that was originally made is consistent with the law and provisions of our code and any requirements,” Plowman said. “In this case based, really grounded, in the state law is where we came from in deciding to make that determination.”

If the county doesn’t allow Pacific Pipeline Company to install the valves, it would have to propose an alternative in order to still be in compliance with the state law. While Supervisor Capps argued that installing valves would signal restart, the applicants argued and staff agreed that this project is to focus solely on valve installation.

“I respect that we are asked to talk about valves, but it defies logic for me that you would need safety valves [while it’s not operating],” Capps said. “With due respect, it’s not improper for me to look at the big picture, it’s actually my job to look at the big picture. I was elected to look at the big picture and the big picture is climate change.”

Supervisor Lavagnino said he didn’t want to risk another legal battle with ExxonMobil or see the company submit an alternative application and risk another oil spill without safety valves—creating not just an environmental disaster but a public relations disaster.

“I look at this as what we’re supposed to be discussing today and I appreciate you looking at the big picture, but the reality is sometimes our jobs are to work inside of a legal framework,” Lavagnino said. “That makes it very difficult for us to make the decisions that our emotions want us to.” m

—Taylor O’Connor

Food’s origins

Santa Barbara and Ventura nonprofit SEEAG hosts annual Farm Day for residents to meet farmers in their backyard

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

Growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York, Mary Maranville said she always felt a deep connection to farming and saw value in understanding where our food comes from.

“When I moved to California 24 years ago, that connection continued and led me to want to educate students on where our food comes from. I think education leads to appreciation, which leads to conservation,” Maranville said.

As a result, Maranville developed Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG)—a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating students about where their food comes from by visiting local farms and learning about the effort it takes to provide food to local, state, and national communities, she said. SEEAG focuses on teaching third graders 200 days of the year by taking students to local farms where they get to experience a working ag enterprise, ask questions, and taste food right from the ground.

“You give a carrot to a kid in the kitchen and they won’t want to eat it, but at a farm, for whatever reason, they pull a carrot out of the ground and will start eating,” Maranville said. “They’ll pick and eat a tomato, they’ll try broccoli when it’s cut. I think something visceral happens when you’re at farms—you want to pick things and eat them.”

Now in its 15th year, SEEAG has educated more than 100,000 students in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, she said.

“After educating thousands of students over the years, I realized that a lot of parents didn’t know about agriculture. That’s why we came up with Farm Day: a family friendly day for thousands of people to go out and meet a farmer in their own backyard,” Maranville said.

Santa Barbara County Farm Day returns this year on Sept. 23 with local farmers across the county participating and welcoming residents onto their properties to educate families on how they grow their crops, she said. It’s the largest inperson educational event SEEAG provides, and it’s free for anyone to attend.

“This is an event where people can get produce, taste test, go on tours, and it’s all for free, and that’s also due to the generosity of our sponsors,” Maranville said. “We have over 5,000 people that meet farmers in their own backyard, do some taste testing. If 5,000 people walk away and learn one fact they didn’t know, that will make me happy.”

Maranville added that she believes people don’t realize all of the work that goes into harvesting produce like strawberries and how that impacts costs for grocery shoppers.

“I was told by a grower that to produce strawberries you need 500 people at the quantities California produces,” she said. “People in New York and Maine want to eat strawberries, but six months out of the year they’ve got snow on the ground. So our farmers here in California grow an abundance of food to feed the whole country and other countries.”

Wineries and vineyards are new Farm Day participants this year. People will have the opportunity to tour vineyards and taste grapes, and adults can

taste wine, she said. Allan Hancock College’s vineyard will act as the “viticulture hub,” and people can branch off to other wine producers like Riverbench and Coastal Vineyard Care. As of Aug. 16, SEEAG was looking for more wineries and vineyards to participate.

“We’re hoping these vineyard managers and wineries can talk about the viticulture side of wineries, for example the soil composition and what makes great soil for syrah, for pinot,” she said, adding that she hopes they would touch on how water, weather, and fertilizer use impact grapes.

Overall, Maranville said she hopes education will lead to active preservation of agricultural lands, getting voters to support local agricultural measures and use their voices against large developments on agriculture property.

“For instance, I live in Los Alamos and a big development is coming in and they’re going to have 800 feet of a buffer zone, and that means 800 feet of agricultural land is going to get taken away. That’s just a little tiny example,” she said. “There are all of these encroachments on agriculture. If people go out and meet the farmers in their own backyard, ask questions, and build relationships, then it’ll show that we need to protect these farmers and their farmland.”

Pre-register for Farm Day by visiting my805tix. com/e/sbfarmday. Pre-registration is not required, but it will make visiting individual farms a smoother process, Maranville said. Tours run from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Visit santabarbaracountyfarmday.com or call (805) 892-8155 for more information and the latest list of farm participants.

Highlight

• Santa Maria-Bonita School District Robert Bruce Elementary School third grade teacher Andy Watson received the Key to the District Award from board President John Hollinshead during the board meeting on Aug. 9. Each school year, each board member has an opportunity to select a staff member, volunteer, student’s family member, supporter, or community partner who has had a remarkable influence on the schools and students of the district. Watson has been a teacher in the district for 25 years and is a third-generation teacher. He’s been a member of the Local Control and Accountability Plan Advisory Committee since its inception. He is a member of the Fine Arts Action Team and worked on the district’s recent visual and performing arts five year plan. Watson is a member of the Santa Maria Elementary Education Association (the teachers’ association) and has served on its council and executive board. He has been the longtime treasurer of the association’s political action committee and has worked on several campaigns for school board candidates. m

Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@ santamariasun.com.

WHEN DEEP CALLS TO DEEP

FOR A

IN CRISIS

The challenges of our times are demanding more than just political reforms. They are compelling us towards journeys of the soul that will ask not only for great courage, but new understandings of power and inclusive leadership, new mythologies of collective heroism, more diverse communities and organizational models that are more sustainable ecosystems than hierarchical power pyramids. We invite you to engage with contemporary issues and the latest in depth psychological thinking and practices, join interactive learning sessions on the cutting edge of practice and theory, and explore all that Pacifica Graduate Institute has to offer for your personal and professional journey.

Dr. Susan Rowland PGI Core Faculty C.G. Jung Award Recipiant

Dr. Leonie H. Mattison PGI President/CEO

Dr. Thema Bryant APA President

Roland Palencia Documentarian, Filmmaker Dr. Emily Lord-Kambitsch PGI Myth Co-Chair

Dick Russel, Author James Hillman, Soul in the World Jemma Elliot PGI Counseling Co-Chair

Dr. Bayome Akomolafe Psychologist, Philosopher, Author

Dr. Dylan Hoffman PGI Core Faculty Jungian & Archetypal Studies

FARM TOURS: People can enjoy hay ride tours, produce tastings, giveaways, and kid-friendly activities at SEEAG’s Santa Barbara County Farm Day on Sept. 23.

What kinds of impacts do you think the ag enterprise ordinance would have?

40% It will steer our landowners away from our most important industry in the county.

40% Ag landowners could now have multiple sources of revenue.

20% Landowners could use their land in multiple ways and open up to the public more.

0% It might have a negative impact on food, crops, and produce.

Hypocrisy

Local supervisors, planning commissioners change land-use rules to punish some and reward other applicants

BY RON FINK

It never ceases to amaze me how the powers that be, including the Board of Supervisors and the county Planning Commission, can abuse the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to punish some applicants and reward others. Two recent cases demonstrate the county’s bias when applying CEQA requirements and its own land use code requirements.

5 Votes

Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.

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The first case is the Strauss wind energy project south of Lompoc. This project has been under construction for the last few years, but the developer forgot one critical process—obtaining a U.S. Fish and Wildlife incidental take permit to allow them to kill golden eagles, which have used the area for centuries.

Strauss (an affiliate of BayWa r.e. Wind LLC) developers requested a waiver of this condition so they could start operations because they didn’t submit their application in a timely manner.

The staff report provided recently to the county Planning Commission specifically stated: “A revised permit shall be processed in the same manner as a new conditional use permit: in compliance. The proposed project is being processed in the same manner as a new conditional use permit.”

But it wasn’t, the Santa Barbara County Land Use Code, Section 35.82.060, D 1 says: “After receipt of an application for a conditional use permit, the department shall review the application in compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.” Since Strauss was requesting a change of an approved condition of approval, and specifically because it involved an environmental issue, it appears that county regulations would require a new CEQA review.

However, the Planning Commission and planning staff decided to change the rules by commission fiat on a 3-2 vote, instead of following long-established procedures to favor this project. They said, “Significant environmental impacts will be mitigated to the maximum extent feasible. However, the requirement to obtain an ITP [incidental take permit] prior to operation is no longer feasible due to the potentially lengthy timeframe for ITP issuance and the urgency to commence SWEP [Strauss wind energy project] operations.”

Of course, this flies in the face of logic; even though it was perfectly feasible to obtain a permit, Strauss simply forgot to submit their application on time. And waiving federal law isn’t within the authority of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors.

Santa Barbara County Planning Commission hypocrisy was on full display when another large project, the historic Rancho La Laguna property parcel split, didn’t get the same preferential treatment. Instead CEQA was used to deny a landowner the ability to develop their land. According to a Noozhawk report, they proposed dividing their 4,000-acre ranch into 160- to 605acre “ranchettes.”

One concern was that their project would disrupt the agricultural economy and spirit of the Santa Ynez Valley. But it’s conceivable that parcels of the size being proposed could easily support continued ranch/farm operations. However, in the case of the Strauss wind energy project the ability to use the property as a ranch is no longer feasible, thus disrupting the agricultural economy and spirit of the Lompoc Valley.

Another concern was that the Rancho La Laguna project would conceivably endanger 57 rare wildlife and plant species, including the California condor, Environmental Defense Center officials said. Thus because of the potential environmental damage, they shouldn’t be allowed to proceed with their proposal.

A seemingly coordinated effort by the EDC and the Board of Supervisors to deny the project was approved by a judge in the Santa Maria Superior Court.

Here we should note that the EDC was silent concerning the Strauss project, which would kill any number of golden eagles as they flew through the blender-like 200-foot blades; the Audubon Society was not supportive of this move and opposed both waiving the ITP requirement and the county’s proposed new conditions to justify their conditional use permit condition of approval change.

It seems that when a project desired by environmental activists in government, who are naive enough to believe that they can save the Earth, is before them, the Planning Commission/ Board of Supervisors can change the rules to accommodate the project without following established processes.

In the Strauss case, it was at least a direct violation of the county land use code, and at worst they aided and abetted a felony, which “taking” an endangered species without an incidental take permit is.

And who will stop them; they have been getting away with this behavior for decades in this county. m

Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.

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Our local leaders are selling us out to transplants, visitors

For years I have been hearing that California has a “housing crisis.” Where is this growing demand for housing coming from? It appears to me that what California actually has is a “population crisis.” The marketing forces imposed on locals by an everincreasing population of nonnatives is driving up the cost of existing housing and making it almost impossible for those of us who were born here to find a home and stay here. Transplants with “deep pockets” are responsible for the “housing crisis” on the Central Coast, not a “housing shortage.” There would be plenty of housing if they just stayed away.

Fueling the artificial “housing crisis” are our local politicians, who focus way too much of their energy on growing the tourist trade. Instead of apartments, we get hotels; instead of homes, we get weekend rentals. They are selling us out—literally. If our local leaders really wanted to solve the “housing crisis,” they would take steps to end the profitability of owning a second or third house on the Central Coast. Why should local families go homeless while houses sit empty waiting for weekend visitors? Why not convert some of the hotels to apartments? Why should permanent residents have to choke on particulate matter just so weekend visitors can drive air-polluting ATVs around in circles on the sand? Why should another forest of air-cleansing, oxygen-producing California native oaks be sacrificed to the god of lucre for a tract of houses that none of us now living here can afford? What about our demand for sufficient water, open space, clean air, and less traffic pollution?

If politicians really wanted to solve the “housing crisis,” they would require residents, and potential residents, of the Central Coast to obtain a certified copy of their birth certificates. Then have them find the box that indicates “place of birth”… and tell them to go there!

Lisa Casillas-Siemsen Orcutt

On the record Opinion

Let the record show that Leah Braitman from “beautiful Lompoc” flipped 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino off during an extremely entertaining hearing about valves on an oil pipeline.

In what may have been a first for the longestserving supervisor on the dais, Braitman was over her time limit during the public comment period, took her reading glasses off her head, put them on her face, and pushed them up with her middle finger as she said that she drove a Prius to the Betteravia Government Center that day. That hybrid Toyota containing a gas tank must be proof that she wants to get oil out.

Here’s what Toyota states about the Prius: “The vehicle always requires gasoline to operate properly.”

The argument—over whether the pipeline that spilled oil on the Gaviota Coast in 2015 can have the valves installed that are legally required by the state—was out of hand, as usual. And flipping a supervisor the bird epitomizes the lengths that people go to express their feelings when their emotions about climate change, oil, and the future get the best of them.

Look, Braitman: I get it. The climate is screwed up and “oil suits” helped bring us to this place—the brink of disaster or an actual disaster depending on what weather-fueled event we are in the midst of or struggling to recover from. You think your Prius, which still needs that oil to run around, is a step in the right direction when it comes to our world’s over-reliance on fossil fuels. You believe you have a right to clean air. You want to save the planet. We all do.

Installing new safety valves on a pipeline doesn’t guarantee that oil will be pumping through it again. Flipping an elected official off at a public hearing isn’t going to get us to a cleaner, greener, future where we don’t rely on oil. And stopping one of the industry’s giants from putting technologically advanced valves on their nonoperational pipeline isn’t going to do it either.

Oil and all the products it’s enmeshed in are embedded into our lives. If we stop consuming it, ExxonMobil will stop producing it. It’s simple capitalist math. Trade that Prius in for an electric bicycle that isn’t made with any plastic or rubber.

Meanwhile, our county government was unable to take any action on the project because of a stalemate between North County and South County that couldn’t be solved by Central County, because part of the pipeline runs adjacent to 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann’s property. She recused herself. The vote was 2-2. Wild.

It was big picture with climate change at the center for 1st District Supe Laura Capps and big picture with a potential lawsuit coming down the pipeline for Lavagnino. Neither is wrong. How can they both be right? My birdy brain is in a tizzy!

So the county Planning Commission’s decision to deny the project is the law of the land. Even though, from the sounds of it, Santa Barbara County staff believed that, legally, the county should have approved the project. Is there another lawsuit in the county’s future? I might bet money on it, if I was a betting bird. ExxonMobil isn’t afraid of anything. m

The Canary will only bet other people’s money. Send comments to canary@santamariasun.com.

Best Santa Ynez Restaurant

S.Y. Kitchen

1110 Faraday St., Santa Ynez (805) 691-9794

sykitchen.com

office@sykitchen.com

facebook.com/SYKitchen @sykitchen

Best Restaurant. Period .

The Hitching Post

3325 Point Sal Road, Casmalia (805) 937-6151 hitchingpost1.com

greatbbq@hitchingpost1.com

A STAPLE

The Best Nipomo Restaurant is many things: a local watering hole, a destination, a community landmark, and a place where the steaks are aged, hand cut, and cooked over red oak fire. Try the 20-ounce ribeye, aka the Spencer, the next time you find yourself wandering in to Jocko’s Steakhouse. You can even order it at the bar.

Best Santa Maria Restaurant The Swiss

516 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 347-7800

swissrestaurantandbar.com

plemmonscatering@gmail.com

facebook.com/theswissbarsm

@swiss_restaurant

Best

Best Lompoc Restaurant La Botte Ristorante Italiano

825 N. H St., Lompoc (805) 736-8525

labotteitalianrestaurant.com

facebook.com/La-Botte-Italian-Restaurant-166105592493 @labottelompoc

Nipomo Restaurant Jocko’s

125 N. Thompson Ave., Nipomo (805) 929-3686

jockossteakhouse.com

@jockossteakhouse

Best Orcutt Restaurant

Kay’s Orcutt Country Kitchen

127 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 934-4429

kayscountrykitchen.com

kaysorcuttcountrykitchen@gmail.com

facebook.com/kayscountry.kitchenorcutt @ orcuttcountrykitchen

Best Guadalupe Restaurant Nardo’s Restaurant

871 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe (805) 343-2588

Best Los Alamos Restaurant Charlie’s

185 Bell St., Los Alamos (805) 344-4404

charliesfood.com/los-alamos facebook.com/charliesplaceslo

@ charlies_place

Best Los Olivos Restaurant

Nella Kitchen & Bar

2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos (805) 686-1359

nellakitchen.com

office@nellakitchen.com

facebook.com/NellaKitchenBar @nellakitchen

Best Buellton Restaurant Hitching Post 2

420 E. Highway 246, Buellton (805) 688-0676

hitchingpost2.com info@hitchingpost2.com

facebook.com/HitchingPost2 @hitchingpost2

Best Solvang Restaurant Mad & Vin

1576 Mission Drive, Solvang (805) 697-7048

thelandsby.com/dining reservations@thelandsby.com

facebook.com/thelandsby @ thelandsby

facebook.com/HitchingPostCasmalia @hitchingpostcasmalia

Best Breakfast

Kay’s Orcutt

Country Kitchen

127 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 934-4429

kayscountrykitchen.com

kaysorcuttcountrykitchen@gmail.com

facebook.com/kayscountry.kitchenorcutt @ orcuttcountrykitchen

Best Weekend Brunch

Historic Santa Maria Inn

801 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 928-7777

santamariainn.com

innkeeper@santamariainn.com

facebook.com/SantaMariaInn @ thehistoricsantamariainn

Best Outdoor Dining

Blast 825 Brewery

241 S. Broadway, Orcutt (805) 934-3777

blast825brewery.com

wendy@cc-rg.com

facebook.com/Blast825Brewery @blast825brewery

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM

SUSHI 805

Sake Sushi

Best Cheap Eats Charlie’s King Falafel

320 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt

1024 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 937-2779

charlieskingfalafel.com

facebook.com/charlieskingfalafel @ charlieskingfalafel

Best Restaurant to Impress The Swiss

516 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 347-7800

swissrestaurantandbar.com

plemmonscatering@gmail.com

facebook.com/theswissbarsm @swiss_restaurant

Best Place to Go On a First Date

The Swiss

516 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 347-7800

swissrestaurantandbar.com

plemmonscatering@gmail.com

facebook.com/theswissbarsm @swiss_restaurant

Best Family Meal Pizzeria Bello Forno

119 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 623-7111

belloforno.com

pbf@belloforno.com

facebook.com/bellofornopizza

@pbf_pizzeriabelloforno

Best Kid - Friendly Restaurant Blast 825 Brewery

241 S. Broadway, Orcutt (805) 934-3777

blast825brewery.com

dferdinandi@milano_ri.com

facebook.com/Blast825Brewery @blast825brewery

Best Chinese Food North China Restaurant

113 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 925-3705

ilovenorthchina.com

gotnorthchina@gmail.com

facebook.com/ilovenorthchina @northchinarestaurant

BEST THAI FOOD

Thai Hut Restaurant

I’m a recent convert to Thai food and I have Thai Hut to thank for it. It’s a cozy, friendly, family-run spot, and it’s easy to see why it’s a fan favorite. Thai Hut has something for everybody. You can’t go wrong with their fragrant combination fried rice packed with a gallery of beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, egg, and tomato. I always have a hard time resisting the fried chicken wontons. But my favorite is the Pra Tod: a steamed whole pomfret fish that comes with a choice of three toppings, like sweet and sour sauce, ground pork, or a chili herbs sauce. Dig in with a side of fluffy white rice, and you’ll believe you’re in Thailand.

—Bulbul Rajagopal

Best Italian Food Trattoria Uliveto

285 S. Broadway, Orcutt (805) 934-4546

trattoriauliveto.com

contact@trattoriauliveto.com

facebook.com/Trattoria-Uliveto-132924290079769

@ trattoria_uliveto

Best Mediterranean Food The Garden Mediterranean Restaurant & Café

122 E. Boone St., Santa Maria (805) 347-1112

thegardensm.com

thegarden122@gmail.com facebook.com/TheGardenSantaMaria @ thegarden.sm

Best Japanese Food Mikado Sushi

209 Town Center West, Santa Maria (805) 928-1455

santamariamikado.com

facebook.com/mikadosushisantamaria

Best Authentic Mexican Food La Unica

2530 S. Broadway, suite G, Santa Maria (805) 346-2433

launicasm.com

launicasm@gmail.com

facebook.com/La-Unica-MexicanRestaurant-543282686124546 @launicasm

DINE & DEVOUR continued page 14

Best Thai Food Thai Hut Restaurant

120 E. Foster Road, Santa Maria (805) 934-0911

facebook.com/thaihutsantamaria

Best Seafood Mariscos Ensenada

1127 W. Main St., suite C, Santa Maria (805) 922-9095

mariscosensenadasm.com

facebook.com/mariscosensenda @mariscosensenada_

Best Sushi Mikado Sushi

209 Town Center West, Santa Maria (805) 928-1455

santamariamikado.com

facebook.com/mikadosushisantamaria

Best Barbecue * TIE The Swiss

516 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 347-7800

swissrestaurantandbar.com

plemmonscatering@gmail.com

facebook.com/theswissbarsm @swiss_restaurant

The Hitching Post

3325 Point Sal Road, Casmalia (805) 937-6151

hitchingpost1.com

greatbbq@hitchingpost1.com

facebook.com/HitchingPostCasmalia @hitchingpostcasmalia

Best Vegetarian Food The Natural Café

2407 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 937-2735

thenaturalcafe.com

facebook.com/TheNaturalCafe @naturalcafesantamaria

Best Breakfast Burrito Orcutt Burgers

1099 E. Clark

DELISH DISH

Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 287-9891

thehomesteadoldorcutt.com

facebook.com/thehomesteadoldtown @ thehomesteadoldorcutt

Best Steak

The Hitching Post

3325 Point Sal Road, Casmalia (805) 937-6151

hitchingpost1.com

greatbbq@hitchingpost1.com

facebook.com/HitchingPostCasmalia @hitchingpostcasmalia

Best Tri -Tip

The Swiss

516 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 347-7800

swissrestaurantandbar.com

plemmonscatering@gmail.com

facebook.com/theswissbarsm @swiss_restaurant

BEST ICE CREAM OR FROZEN YOGURT

Nite Creamery

This year marked Nite Creamery’s fifth year in business in Santa Maria, where it stays open as late as 10 p.m. to quench those late night ice cream hankerings. It’s no surprise to me that the “All Niter”—a nitro-frozen mix of coffee and Oreo ice cream topped with additional Oreo crumbs—is listed as a top seller on Nite Creamery’s menu, as I’ve enjoyed devouring this divine dessert on several occasions over the years, during trips to both the company’s Santa Maria location and second storefront in San Luis Obispo. With a plethora of other flavors to choose from, sold by the scoop via cup or house-made waffle cone, Nite Creamery is a sweet spot that knows how to hit the sweet spot.

Vero Rodriguez (left) and Sofia Figueroa serve up a chile relleno at Nardo’s, our readers’ choice for the Best Guadalupe Restaurant.

DINE & DEVOUR from page 14

BEST OF NSBC 2023

—Caleb Wiseblood

DINE & DEVOUR continued page 18

SECRET TO SUCCESS

Best Wings Wingstop

560 Betteravia Road, D, Santa Maria (805) 614-9464

wingstop.com

facebook.com/Wingstop @wingstop

Best Pizza Klondike Pizza

2059 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 348-3667

klondikepizza.com

facebook.com/KlondikePizza.SantaMaria @klondikepizza

Best Wood - Fired Pizza Pizzeria Bello Forno

119 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 623-7111

belloforno.com

pbf@belloforno.com

facebook.com/bellofornopizza

@pbf_pizzeriabelloforno

Best Salad Urbane Cafe

655 E. Betteravia, Santa Maria (805) 330-2230

urbanecafe.com

info@urbanecafe.com

facebook.com/urbanecafe

@urbanecafe

Best Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt Nite Creamery

2003 Miller St., Santa Maria nitecreamery.com operations@nitecreamery.com

facebook.com/nitecreamery @nitecreamery

Best Doughnut Golden Donut

4850 S. Bradley Road, suite F, Santa Maria (805) 937-6989

Best Dessert

Gina’s Piece of Cake

307 Town Center East, Santa Maria 205 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 922-7866

ginaspieceofcake.com

email@ginaspieceofcake.com

facebook.com/Ginaspieceofcake @ ginaspieceofcake

Best Panaderia

La Tapatia Bakery

419 W. Main St., Santa Maria (805) 922-4448

facebook.com/La-Tapatia-Bakery-100590794948825

Best Bakery

Gina’s Piece of Cake

307 Town Center East, Santa Maria 205 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 922-7866

ginaspieceofcake.com

email@ginaspieceofcake.com

facebook.com/Ginaspieceofcake @ ginaspieceofcake

Best Food Truck

The Shift Food Truck (805) 264-7871

theshiftrestaurant.com

theshiftfoodtruck@gmail.com

facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/The-ShiftFood-Truck-Catering-115164883365539 @ the_shift_ft

Best

Caterer

Testa Catering

2218 S. Thornburg St., Santa Maria (805) 739-0809

testacatering.com

teamtesta@testacatering.com

facebook.com/testacateringandevents @ testacateringsm

Shrouded in the mysteriously steamy cold that only dry ice can yield, Nicole Lagan freezes ingredients into ice cream at the place that earned accolades for having the Best Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt in Northern Santa Barbara County, Nite Creamery.

DINE & DEVOUR from page 16

BEST OF NSBC 2023

info@presquilewine.com

facebook.com/presquilewine @presquilewine

info@presquilewine.com

info@presquilewine.com

facebook.com/presquilewine @presquilewine

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM BEST OF NSBC 2023 L i q u i d C o n n e C t i o n s 115 E Clark Ave, Orcutt • 7 days a week 10 am - 2 am

ank y f v ing us Best Bar!

BEST SPORTS BAR , BEST PLACE TO CATCH A BAND, and best outdoor dining

Blast 825 Brewery

Whether you’re rooting for LA or the Bay, Blast 825 Brewery is the place to be. Located in Orcutt, Blast offers myriad great food options to pair with your unbridled sports passion. From the flame grilled tri-tip sandwich to savory lobster mac and cheese, there is something for every fan to enjoy while they support their squad. Not feeling super hungry? No worries, try some of the “Tappetizers” like the golden onion ring stack or chili cheese waffle fries. Don’t forget to match your sports-watching dining extravaganza with a craft beer available in the beer garden or straight from the bar.

—Adrian Vincent Rosas

Best Wine Bar

Best Brewery

Naughty Oak Brewing Co.

165 S. Broadway, suite 102, Orcutt (805) 314-2368

naughtyoak.com

info@naughtyoak.com

facebook.com/N.O.BrewingCo

@naughtyoakbrew

Best Dog - Friendly Winery Rancho Sisquoc

Winery

6600 Foxen Canyon Road, Santa Maria (805) 934-4332

ranchosisquoc.com

sisquoc@ranchosisquoc.com

facebook.com/ranchosisquoc @ranchosisquoc

Best Tasting Room

Presqu’ile Winery

5391 Presqu’ile Drive, Santa Maria (805) 937-8110

presquilewine.com

info@presquilewine.com

facebook.com/presquilewine @presquilewine

Old Town Wine and Brew

165 S. Broadway St., suite 101, Orcutt (805) 631-0496

oldtownwineandbrew.com

oldorcuttvino@gmail.com

facebook.com/people/Old-Town-Wine-andBrew/100063528461753 @ old_town_wine_and_brew

Best Tasting Transportation

Santa Maria

Wine Trolley

614 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 925-2403

santamariavalley.com

vcb@santamaria.com

facebook.com/SantaMariaValleyWineTrolley @santamariavalley

Best Happy Hour

Cool Hand Luke’s

1321 Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria (805) 928-6196

coolhandlukes.com

inquiries@heritagerb.com

facebook.com/CHLukes @ coolhandlukesca

Best Bar

Elmer’s

115 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 934-1664

elmers@live.no

facebook.com/Elmers-114026931984741

BEST BREWERY, best place for a beer , BEST PLACE FOR TRIVIA , and best outdoor dining

Naughty Oak Brewing Co.

If you’re looking for a nice place to sit back with your friends, sip a cold beer, and enjoy live music, Naughty Oak Brewery and Taproom is for you! The patio and indoor seating area provide such a comfortable spot for people to hang out, and it’s an easy-going environment. With year-round beers on tap—including a Mexican lager, blonde ale, red rye ale, an IPA, and a double IPA—there are options for any beer lover. For those not down for hops or a beer, the brewery has hard seltzer with flavors of passionfruit, orange, and guava. Become a Naughty Oak Coin Club Member to get 20 percent off all Naughty Oak purchases, member parties or member nights, early beer releases, weekly raffle entrances, and a free birthday pint.

Best Bartender

ShannonLouie B’s

213 E. Main St., Santa Maria (805) 925-1193

facebook.com/louiebsbar

LIQUID CONNECTIONS continued page 22

—Taylor O’Connor

LIQUID CONNECTIONS from page 19

DJS , DRINKS , DELIGHT

Best Dive Bar

Elmer’s

115 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 934-1664

elmers@live.no

facebook.com/Elmers-114026931984741

Best Sports Bar

Blast 825 Brewery

241 S. Broadway, Orcutt (805) 934-3777

blast825brewery.com

wendy@cc-rg.com

facebook.com/Blast825Brewery @blast825brewery

Best Craft Cocktail Chido Bar

221 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 631-5007

805chidobar@gmail.com

facebook.com/ChidoBarSantaMaria @ chidobarsm

Best Michelada

Chido Bar

221 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 631-5007

805chidobar@gmail.com

facebook.com/ChidoBarSantaMaria @ chidobarsm

Best Margarita

Louie B’s

213 E. Main St., Santa Maria (805) 925-1193

facebook.com/louiebsbar

Best Place for a Beer

Naughty Oak Brewing Co.

165 S. Broadway, suite 102, Orcutt (805) 314-2368

naughtyoak.com

Info@naughtyoak.com

facebook.com/N.O.BrewingCo @naughtyoakbrew

The Chido Bar in Santa Maria has music almost every night and drink specials every damn day. It also happens to house the Best Craft Cocktail, the Best Michelada, and the one and only Mangoneada—which you have to go there to taste.

SANTA MARIA FAIRPARK Have your event at the

Call Today!

Schedule a tour of our facility and the numerous buildings we have to offer.

• Park Plaza

• The Convention Center

• The Fountain Pavilion

• Other Areas of the Fairpark

Save the Date

November 11, 2023

SMV Wedding & Quince

Showcase

Venues for large weddings, quinceañeras and special events

Our venues are large enough to hold up to 600 people!

Santa Maria Fairpark is easy for guests to locate and is in close proximity to hotels.

BEST OF NSBC 2023

BEST THEATER GROUP

PCPA - Pacific Conservatory Theatre

Be it Solvang or Santa Maria, whichever PCPA location you pick to enjoy an evening of theater will first make you gasp at the intricate set design. It’s an immediate visual delight that becomes a sensory feast with the addition of a stellar cast, dynamic music and lighting, and a thrilling plot. The outdoor Solvang shows are otherworldly thanks to the theater under the stars, and the indoor programs in Santa Maria are timeless. Enjoy some of the best stage artistry Santa Barbara County has to offer and be sure to catch American Mariachi and The Book of Will before the end of summer!

—Bulbul Rajagopal

Best Place to Get a Tattoo

Copper Coffin

104 W. Chapel St., Santa Maria (805) 310-4536

coppercoffin.com

coffintattoos@gmail.com

facebook.com/coppercoffin @ coppercoffintattoo

Best Bookstore

Gavin’s Books

230 Betteravia Road, suite K, Santa Maria (805) 922-4282

gavinsbooks.com

info@gavinsbooks.com

facebook.com/gavinsbooks @ gavinsbooks

Best Place to View Art

Santa Maria Public Airport

3249 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria (805) 922-1726

santamariaairport.com

facebook.com/smairport @smxairport

Best Museum

Santa Maria Valley

Discovery Museum

705 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria (805) 928-8414

smvdiscoverymuseum.org

programs@smvdiscoverymuseum.org

facebook.com/smvdiscoverymuseum @smvdiscoverymuseum

Best Event Planner

Events by Krissy (805) 680-2628

eventsbykrissy.com

events@eventsbykrissy.com

coelhomusic.com

coelho_music@msn.com

facebook.com/coelhomusic1 @ coelho_music

facebook.com/eventsbykrissy805 @ eventsbykrissy

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT continued page 30

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT from page 26

Copper and Stone

Copper and Stone founder and artist Jessica Rangel puts it best on her Instagram page: “Hi, I’m Jessica! A coppersmith who loves rocks!” There might be no better way to describe the type of person who blends the two into small yet intricate pieces of jewelry. Rangel is commended by her customers for bringing out the best of both worlds of copper and stone and creating impactful and creative art. Whether complex earrings or simple necklaces, each piece of jewelry is crafted with a sense of passion and joy that is sure to spread to whoever is wearing it.

—Adrian Vincent Rosas

Best Place for Trivia

801 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 928-7777

santamariainn.com

innkeeper@santamariainn.com facebook.com/SantaMariaInn @ thehistoricsantamariainn

Best Limo Service * TIE Gold Coast Executive Transportation

P.O. Box 6345, Santa Maria (805) 937-5466

goldcoastlimos.com

info@goldcoastlimos.com

facebook.com/goldcoastexecutivetransportation

Nipomo

450 Saturn Court, Nipomo (805) 249-8481

nipomo.limo

Best Media Personality Jessie and

2325 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria (805) 922-1041

sunnycountry.com

listers@sunnycountry.com

facebook.com/SUNNYCOUNTRYFM @sunnycountryfm

Best

and Brew

165 S. Broadway St., suite 101, Orcutt (805) 631-0496

oldtownwineandbrew.com

oldorcuttvino@gmail.com

facebook.com/people/Old-Town-Wineand-Brew/100063528461753

@ old_town_wine_and_brew

Naughty Oak Brewing Co.

165 S. Broadway, suite 102, Orcutt (805) 314-2368

naughtyoak.com

Info@naughtyoak.com

facebook.com/N.O.BrewingCo @naughtyoakbrew

Best Place for a Big Bash

Santa Maria Elks

Lodge 1538

1309 N. Bradley Road, Santa Maria (805) 922-1538

santamariaelks.org

lodge@elks1538.org

facebook.com/SantaMariaElksLodge @santamariaelkslodge

Best Place to Have a Kids Party

Rockin’ Jump

Santa Maria

215 Town Center East, suite G-58, Santa Maria (805) 266-7080

rockinjump.com

facebook.com/RockinJump @rockinjump

Best Place to Shop for a Quincea Ñ era

Casa Blanca Bridal

901 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 928-7977

facebook.com/pages/Casa-Blanca-Bridal/141426082565008 @ casablancabridal805

Ana Ybarra greets customers at the Little Pete’s Farm storefront on Highway 1 in Santa Maria, voted the Best Farm/Produce Stand in Northern Santa Barbara County. In addition to selling the “best strawberries in the world,” Little Pete’s offers seasonal produce, including lettuce, kale, beets, carrots, tomatillos, broccoli, squash, habaneros, and white corn.

Best Home Decor Steller Home

255 Union Ave., Orcutt (805) 287-9599

stellerhome.com

wendyasteller@gmail.com

facebook.com/stellerhomeorcutt

Best Mattress Store

Christian’s

Mattress Xpress

1490 Broadway, Santa Maria

621 E. Betteravia Road, Santa Maria (805) 922-7700

christiansmattress.com

info@christiansmattress.com

facebook.com/christiansmattress @ christianmattressca

Best Solar Company

Sunrun

775 Fiero Lane, suite 200, San Luis Obispo (805) 322-4759

sunrun.com

customercare@sunrun.com

facebook.com/sunrun @sunrunsolar

Best Carpet/ Flooring Company

Abbey Carpet & Floor

2051 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 347-1121

santamaria.abbeycarpet.com

facebook.com/abbeyofsantamaria

Best Hardware Store

Oak Knolls Hardware

1155 E. Clark Ave., Santa Maria (805) 937-3536

oakknollshardware.com

orcutthardware@outlook.com

facebook.com/oakknollshardware

@ oak_knolls_hardware

Best Flower Shop

Back Porch Fresh

Flowers & Gifts

4850 S. Bradley, suite D1, Orcutt (805) 938-1965

backporchflowers.net

info@backporchflowers.net

facebook.com/backporchflowers @backporch

BEST

Spencer’s Fresh Markets

Growing up in Santa Maria, there was something about Spencer’s that always stood out to me as a kid, compared to other grocery stores I’d tag along with my parents to shop at. Maybe it was the appetizing aroma of the deli counter, or the fun coupon dispensers that used to be in every aisle, or the hidden toy section at the back of the store where I first discovered Sticky Hands. It always felt homey and welcoming to me, and those feelings never really went away. Whether it’s for steak, salmon, a box of Rice-A-Roni, or all of the above, Spencer’s is my personal go-to for all things grocery.

—Caleb Wiseblood

Best Local Nursery/ Garden Store

Whispering Tree

Nursery

110 Norris St., Orcutt (805) 937-3808

Best Pet Supply Store

Lemos Feed & Pet Supply

Santa Maria, Solvang, Lompoc, Nipomo (805) 925-6606

lemospet.com

info@lemospet.com

facebook.com/lemospet805 @lemospet805

Best Feed Supply Store

Lemos Feed & Pet Supply

Santa Maria, Solvang, Lompoc, Nipomo (805) 925-6606

lemospet.com

info@lemospet.com

facebook.com/lemospet805 @lemospet805

Best Used Car Dealer

Toyota Santa Maria

1643 S. Bradley Road, Santa Maria (805) 567-6988

toyotasm.com

toyotasalessm@toyotasm.com

facebook.com/Toyotasantamaria @ toyotaofsantamaria

GETTING GOODS continued page 40

DIVINE DECOR

BEST THRIFT STORE New Image Thrift Store

Whether you’re browsing for cute cowboy boots, a new (used) pair of jeans, glassware, camping gear, or some new home decor, New Image Thrift Store has everything under the sun. New Image has been serving the Central Coast for more than a decade with the goal of providing quality, pre-owned items. Every day has a new deal with 10 percent off for teachers and students on Mondays, 50 percent off select clothing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and 25 percent off for military and first responders on Thursdays. Along with affordable options that can meet anyone’s needs, New Image partners with Domestic Violence Solutions to furnish shelter locations and provide other household needs to their clients, and partners with the city of Santa Maria to collect textiles and clothing—which New Image donates to other countries.

—Taylor O’Connor

Best Place to Buy Kids Clothes

Best Eyewear Store

Lens Masters of Orcutt

1140 E. Clark Ave., suite 160, Santa Maria (805) 934-4801 orcuttlensmasters.com

info@orcuttlensmasters.com facebook.com/orcuttlensmasters

Wildflower Women & Sandbox Kids

3388 Orcutt Road, Orcutt (805) 922-9195

wildflowerwomenboutique.com/sandbox-kids amber@wfwboutique.com

facebook.com/WildflowerWomenBoutique @wildflowerwomenboutique

Best Women ’ s Clothing Store

Wildflower Women & Sandbox Kids

3388 Orcutt Road, Orcutt (805) 922-9195

wildflowerwomenboutique.com/sandbox-kids amber@wfwboutique.com

facebook.com/WildflowerWomenBoutique @wildflowerwomenboutique

Best Place to Buy a Wedding Dress

Casa Blanca Bridal

901 N. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 928-7977

facebook.com/pages/Casa-BlancaBridal/141426082565008

@ casablancabridal805

Best Jewelry Store Fischer’s Fine Jewelry

225 E. Main St., Santa Maria (805) 928-4108

fischersjewelry@verizon.net facebook.com/FischersFineJewelry

Best Gift Shop Company’s Coming

1108 E. Clark Ave., suite 140, Orcutt (805) 937-8766

companys-coming.com

facebook.com/martycocoming33 @ companyscomingorcutt

Best Cannabis Dispensary

Elevate Lompoc

118 S. H St., Lompoc (805) 819-0077

elevatelompoc.com

elevate@elevatelompoc.com

facebook.com/ElevateLompoc420

Best Cannabis Delivery Service

Elevate Lompoc

118 S. H St., Lompoc (805) 819-0077

elevatelompoc.com

elevate@elevatelompoc.com

facebook.com/ElevateLompoc420

Orcutt Academy Charter School would like to thank Santa Maria Sun readers for their support! GO, SPARTANS!!!

807 S. Blosser Road, Santa Maria (805) 928-5756

nishimorilandscape.com

nishimorild@aol.com Best

(805) 406-5343

truelandscape.net

truelandscape805@gmail.com

facebook.com/TrueLandscape805

@ truelandscape805

Best

Electrician

everreadyelectric.com

ere.sparky@gmail.com

facebook.com/Ever-Ready-Electric-308776245861416 @ ever_ready_electric

Best Moving Company Meathead Movers

meatheadmovers.com

customerservice@meatheadmovers.com

Pest Control Service Labans

Professional

2011 Preisker Lane, suite A, Santa Maria (805) 925-0199

jacksplumbing.net

contact@jacksplumbing.net

labansprofessionalpestservices.com

labanspest@yahoo.com

facebook.com/LabansProfessionalPestServices

ABOUT TOWN continued page 48

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM BEST OF NSBC 2023

ABOUT TOWN from page 44

WE TAKE PRIDE IN CARING for both the physical and emotional needs of your child.

Our team at Pediatric Medical Group is dedicated to the health and well-being of your child. Whether you have an infant, preschooler, or teenager, we work closely with parents to make sure that our care meets their children’s personal needs.

Dr. David Ikola, MD

Dr. Joseph Nunez, MD

Lynn Peltier, CPNP

Jessica Prather, CNP

Dr. Shane Rostermundt, DO

Dr. Michele Kielty, DO

Geronna Leonards, NP

Dr. Ryan Leachman, DO, MDA

BEST OF NSBC 2023

Best Tree Trimming Service

Bunyan Bros. Tree Service

(805) 929-2299

bunyonbros.com

contact@bunyonbros.com

facebook.com/bunyonbrostreeserviceSLO @bunyanbrostreeservice

Best Window Cleaning Service

Royal Pane Window Cleaning (805) 878-2885

royalpanewindowcleaning@yahoo.com

facebook.com/royal.pane.window.cleaning @royalpanewindowclean_rpwc

Best Car Wash Splash N Dash Car Wash

Orcutt, Santa Maria (805) 937-3243

splashndashcarwash.com

mbsplashman@gmail.com

facebook.com/splashndashcarwashsm @splashndashcarwash

Best Auto Maintenance / Repair Rizzoli’s

Automotive

1149 W. Tama Lane, Santa Maria (805) 254-7127

rizzolisautomotive.com

karen@rizzolisautomotive.com

facebook.com/RizzolisAutomotive @rizzolisautomotiveinc

Best Oil Change Rizzoli’s

Automotive

1149 W. Tama Lane, Santa Maria (805) 254-7127

rizzolisautomotive.com

karen@rizzolisautomotive.com

facebook.com/RizzolisAutomotive @rizzolisautomotiveinc

Best Smog Check Rizzoli’s Automotive

1149 W. Tama Lane, Santa Maria (805) 254-7127

rizzolisautomotive.com

karen@rizzolisautomotive.com

facebook.com/RizzolisAutomotive @rizzolisautomotiveinc

Best Car Audio / Security

Atlas Custom Sound

908 N. Broadway, suite A, Santa Maria (805) 928-2432

atlascustomsound.com

atlascustoms@verizon.net

facebook.com/Atlas-Custom-Sound-178083118884937 @atlascustomsound

Best Accounting Practice

Dorothy J. Hamilton, CPA

314 E. Chapel St., Santa Maria (805) 922-5805

dorothyhamiltoncpa.net admin@dorothyhamiltoncpa.net

Best Law Office

Michael B. Clayton and Associates

400 E. Orange St., Santa Maria 410 E. Ocean Ave., Lompoc (805) 928-5353

wedefend.net

mbclayton@wedefend.net facebook.com/michaelbclayton @mbclayton

Best Local Bank / Credit Union CoastHills

Credit Union

Santa Maria, Orcutt, Nipomo, Lompoc (805) 733-7600

coasthills.coop memberservices@coasthills.coop facebook.com/CoastHillsCU @ coasthillscu

Best

Best Pediatric Office

Pediatric Medical Group of Santa Maria

1149 W. Tama Lane, Santa Maria (805) 254-7127

rizzolisautomotive.com

karen@rizzolisautomotive.com

facebook.com/RizzolisAutomotive @rizzolisautomotiveinc

Best Alternative Healer

Reiki by Kristi

2880 Santa Maria Way, unit D-10, Santa Maria (805) 260-1540

reikibykristi.com

kristinickason@yahoo.com

facebook.com/ReikibyKristi @reikibykristi

Best Acupuncture Office

Dr. Herb Kandel, Acupuncture Center of Santa Maria

225 E. Mill St., Santa Maria (805) 922-4490

acupuncturecentersantamaria.com

facebook.com/pages/Kandel-HerbLac-Omd/159408767427393

Best Chiropractic Office

Miller Chiropractic

2441 Professional Parkway, Santa Maria (805) 934-5703

westcoastfunctionalneurology.com

wayne@weadju.com

facebook.com/MillerChiropracticSM

Best Doctor ’ s Office

915 E. Stowell Road, suite C, Santa Maria (805) 775-8226

Best OB - GYN Office

Dr. Mitchell Adler

1300 E. Cypress St., building B1, Santa Maria (805) 922-8006

dignityhealth.org

1430 E. Main St., Santa Maria (805) 922-3548

pmgsm.com

facebook.com/p/Pediatric-Medical-Groupof-Santa-Maria-Inc-100063792439976

Best Dentist Office

DDS, Ng Dental Care

Derek Ng

610 E. Chapel St., suite A, Santa Maria (805) 928-0363

ngdentalcare.com

derekngdds@gmail.com

Best Orthodontist Office

Central Coast

Orthodontics

1311 S. Miller St., No. 201, Santa Maria (805) 347-4444

centralcoastorthodontics.com/santa-maria-officece reception@centralcoastorthodontics.com facebook.com/centralcoastorthodontics

Best Optometry Office Shepard Eye Center

Santa Maria, Orcutt, Lompoc, Santa Ynez (805) 667-0100

shepardeye.com

info@shepardeye.com

facebook.com/ShepardEyeCenter @shepardeye2020

Best Senior Living Community Merrill Gardens

1220 Suey Road, Santa Maria (805) 310-4102

merrillgardens.com

marketing.santamaria@merrillgardens.com

facebook.com/Merrill-Gardens-at-SantaMaria-100664878902111 @merrillgardens

BEST OF NSBC 2023

LOCAL LAW

The Best Law Office in Northern Santa Barbara County, Michael B. Clayton and Associates, specializes in bankruptcy, criminal, personal injury, and family law. Clayton (pictured) has been practicing for more than two decades in Santa Maria, and the firm has had a second office in Lompoc since 2005. For the past 22 years, the local lawyer has hosted an annual Veterans Day free barbecue and flag ceremony in Santa Maria.

Best Charter School Orcutt Academy Charter School

610 Pinal Avenue, Orcutt (805) 938-8550

orcuttschools.net/orcutt-academy contactus@orcutt-schools.net

facebook.com/Orcutt-Union-SchoolDistrict-747370015312341

Best Veterinary Clinic Evergreen Animal Clinic

3389 Orcutt Road, No. 101, Santa Maria (805) 937-6341

evergreenanimalclinic.com

evergreenanimalclinic@gmail.com

facebook.com/EvergreenAnimalClinic

Best Place to Pamper Your Pet That’s Fetch

3564 Skyway Drive, suite B, Santa Maria (805) 361-0802

thatsfetch805.com

thatsfetch805@gmail.com

facebook.com/thatsfetch805

@ thatsfetch805

Best Hair Salon InSPArations

130 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 934-8682

insparations1.com

sheila@insparations1.com

facebook.com/InSPArationsSalonandSpa @insparationssalon

Best Barber Shop Old Orcutt Barber Shop

156 S. Broadway, Orcutt (805) 937-6575

oldorcuttbarbershop.com

info@oldorcuttbarbershop.com

facebook.com/oldorcuttbarbershop @ oldorcuttbarbershop

Best Nail Salon

Lux Nails

457 Betteravia Road, Santa Maria (820) 946-4300 luxnailsm.com

luxnailsllc2022@gmail.com

facebook.com/luxnails.ca @lux.nails.santamaria

Best Place for Skin Care InSPArations

130 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt (805) 934-8682

insparations1.com

sheila@insparations1.com

facebook.com/InSPArationsSalonandSpa

@insparationssalon

Best Tanning Salon * TIE Bikini’s Optional

2043 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 346-1155

facebook.com/bikinisoptional

@bikinisoptional805

Tanners Cove

1439 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 922-7377

tannerscove.net

tannerscove805@gmail.com

facebook.com/tanners805

@ tannerscovesb

Best Place to Get a Massage Hula Hands Massage Therapy

201 E. Main St., unit C, Santa Maria (805) 714-2756

hulahandsmassage.org

parisward79@outlook.com

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063705213616

@hulahandsmassage79777

Best Nonprofit Oasis Center

420 Soares Ave., Orcutt (805) 937-9750

oasisorcutt.org

information@oasisorcutt.org

facebook.com/oasisorcutt

Best Environmental Watchdog Andy Caldwell

P.O. Box 7523, Santa Maria

theandycaldwellshow.com

andy@colabsbc.org

facebook.com/The-Andy-Caldwell-Show-97490963436

Best Eco - Friendly Business Servpro

1279 W. Stowell Road, Santa Maria (805) 345-2837

servprosantamaria.com

sp5720@verizon.net

facebook.com/servprosantamaria

@servpro_of_santamaria

Best Person Behind the

Badge Santa Maria Police Chief Mark Schneider

1111 W. Betteravia Road, Santa Maria (805) 928-3781, Ext. 2272

cityofsantamaria.org

GIDDY - UP

Northern Santa Barbara County residents of all ages find the Best Horseback Riding along the 50 miles of trails at Alisal Ranch in Solvang. The ranch offers lessons, private rides, two-hour group rides, and a three-hour breakfast ride to Adobe Camp for flapjacks and more by the campfire. Here, 4-year-old Cameron Gooden from Irvine sits astride one of Alisal Ranch’s trusty steeds during a lead-around ride, where wranglers walk the horses and young riders through the barnyard.

Best Hotel or Resort

Historic Santa Maria Inn

801 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 928-7777

santamariainn.com

innkeeper@santamariainn.com

facebook.com/SantaMariaInn

@ thehistoricsantamariainn

Best Staycation

Historic Santa Maria Inn

801 S. Broadway, Santa Maria (805) 928-7777

santamariainn.com

innkeeper@santamariainn.com

facebook.com/SantaMariaInn

@ thehistoricsantamariainn

BEST DOG PARK W.O.O.F. Pac Dog Park

Exposure to nature improves psychological and social health, which is also true for our four-legged friends. Tucked inside of Santa Maria’s Waller Park is the perfect place for you and your canine companion to reap nature’s benefits. The 3-acre W.O.O.F. Pac Dog Park is fully fenced, has segregated areas for small dogs and big dogs, watering stations, restrooms, park benches, and a self-service token-operated pet spa. Like all dog parks, there are two cardinal rules: pay attention to your dog’s behavior and pick up his or her poop (waste bags provided). FYI, W.O.O.F. stands for Winners Of Off-Leash Freedom, the group that lobbied for the creation of the park.

—Glen Starkey

BEST DAY TRIP Solvang

Solvang is a place where you can stroll through Danish architecture and munch on Aebleskivers, slip into one of the 150 boutique shops, wet your whistle at 20 beer and wine tasting rooms, grab a bite at more than 35 restaurants, and if you want more than a day trip, post up in one of 20 hotels. Check out the five windmills, the Little Mermaid Fountain, the giant red clog, and the round clock tower. Visit the Elverhøj Museum of History and Art, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum, and the Solvang Amber Museum, Old Mission Santa Inés, and the Solvang Festival Theater (aka PCPA), with plays in June through September.

—Glen Starkey

Best

Hike

Orcutt Hills

5800 S. Bradley Road, Orcutt santamariavalley.com/attractions/orcutt-hill-trail

Best Horseback Riding Alisal Ranch

1054 Alisal Road, Solvang (805) 693-4208

alisalranch.com

reservations@alisal.com

facebook.com/AlisalRanchResort @alisalranch

Best Dog Park

WOOF Pac Dog Park at Waller Park

300 Goodwin Road, Santa Maria (805) 568-2460

countyofsb.org/parks/day-use/waller.sbc

contact@sbparks.org

facebook.com/sbcoparks

23rd

Thank you For 20 years of support

Renee Waddle, Kayla Gardener, Jen Haskell, Daniella Urena, Ashley Anderson, Desteni Bisio, Xo Gallo, Karissa Sanchez, Sheila Gibilisco, Cracelia (Sheila) Ramirez, Mauri McLoughlin.

Not pictured: Paige Maxwell Trego, Celeste Valladarez, Ashly Mock, Kelsea Hazard, Debra Gandall, Carol Wallace, Caitlyn Salazar, Leland Resnick, Kristen Vassaur.

Santa Barbara County Readers Poll

ALEX FERREL PAINTING

I previously spoke about power washing prior to painting your house. But how about power washing afterwards? Living in this valley the climate brings wind, fog and dust that little by little accumulates on your house. Take a look under your eaves and see the buildup of dirt behind your fascia. If you can reach, you can use your broom and see how thick it is. Eventually thru time the dirt sticks to the woodwork and your fascia looks soiled. Create a maintenance schedule and power wash your house every year for removal of the dirt. Use the white tip for the project because all we want to do is rinse the dirt off. The white tip is equivalent to a car wash tip. If you’re not capable of power washing, call your local painting contractor for the project. Bring back the fresh look to your house by removing the dirt and at the same time have your windows cleaned also. CALL US FOR ADVICE, IT’S ALWAYS FREE. (805)

Lic. #874418

Hot Stuff

BY THE BOOK

The Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s (PCPA) latest production, The Book of Will, runs at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria through Sunday, Aug. 26. The show will be held at the Solvang Festival Theater Thursday, Aug. 31, through Sunday, Sept. 10. The cast includes Isabella Lind (left) and Andrew Philpot (right). For tickets to the show or more info, call the PCPA box office at (805) 922-8313 or visit pcpa.org.

—Caleb Wiseblood

ARTS

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

ARTISTIC SELF ART STUDIO For adults ages 50 and over. Bring your art projects and supplies and work on them in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere with other artists. This is a drop-in program. Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m. through Dec. 27 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria. BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE

CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. 805-928-7799. Kleindancesarts. com. KleinDance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.

THE BOOK OF WILL By Lauren Gunderson. William Shakespeare is dead. Bad Hamlet knock-offs and children’s acting troupes litter the stages of Elizabethan London. And the King’s Men are running out of time. Rooted in real events. Aug. 25, 7 p.m. and Aug. 26 1:30 & 7 p.m. Starting at $25. 805-922-8313. pcpa.org/events/the-bookof-will. PCPA: The Pacific Conservatory Theatre, 800 S. College, Santa Maria.

CABARET Presented by SMCT. Visit site for tickets and more info. Through Aug. 27 my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN

DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. ongoing Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805-937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.

LEARN CALIFORNIA’S OFFICIAL DANCE: WEST COAST SWING Learn west coast swing in a casual, friendly environment,

taught by Texas state swing champion, Gina Sigman. Free intro from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Beyond the Basics ($10) is 7 to 7:45 p.m. $10 entry includes social dance (7:45 to 8:15 p.m.). Tuesdays, 6:30-8:15 p.m. 805-344-1630. Cubanissimo Cuban Coffee House, 4869 S. Bradley Rd., #118, Orcutt.

SATURDAY CRAFTERNOON: ART

BAZAAR OPEN WORKSHOP Relive pasts crafts or try something new. Registration is required. For patrons 18 and older. Aug. 26 Free. cityofsantamaria.org/citygovernment/departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805-925-0994.

TEEN ANIME CLUB Teens who are interested in anime or manga, come to Anime Club. Hang out with other fans, eat Japanese snacks, and do fun activities. New members are always welcome. Aug. 25, 4:30 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Shepard Hall Art Gallery (Santa Maria Public Library), 421 South McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

AMERICAN MARIACHI: SOLVANG

An uplifting comedy about family, the freedom to go after your dreams, and the music that unites us. WednesdaysSundays, 8 p.m. through Aug. 27 Starting at $25. 805-922-8313. pcpa.org/events/ american-mariachi. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang.

INSPIRED BY LIGHT A captivating exhibit by Carrie Givens and Karen McGaw. These artists unite their distinct styles in works that depict California’s Central Coast landscapes and fauna. Mondays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Aug. 31 Free. 805688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

LAUGH THERAPY AT MAVERICK SALOON

Show’s headliner is Sacramento’s Marcus

Mangham, who has rocked all the biggest Bay Area clubs (Laughs Unlimited, Punchline, etc.) and feature Wendy Wilkins hails from upstate New York and has entertained audiences nationwide. Also featuring Mav Viola and drag comedian Spacee. Aug. 30, 8-10 p.m. $20. 773-4012998. my805tix.com/. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez.

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE An installation by Northridge-based artist Elizabeth Criss. Through Feb. 1, 2024 wildlingmuseum.org.

Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-1082.

SEDGWICK RESERVE: A CONSERVATION

STORY Through Oct. 16 Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-1082, wildlingmuseum.org.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

GOLD FEVER AT THE ROUGH AND READY Boo the villain and cheer the hero at this show full of colorful characters. Through Sept. 9 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ACTOR’S EDGE: ACTING CLASSES

Actor’s Edge offers film and television acting training in San Luis Obispo, plus exposure to Los Angeles talent agents. All ages and skill levels welcome. Classes available in SLO, LA, and on zoom. ongoing $210 per month. actorsedge.com. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES Anam

Cre is a pottery studio in SLO that offers a variety of classes. This specific class is open to any level. Teachers are present for questions, but the class feels more like an open studio time for potters. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

New Times and the Sun now share their community listings for a complete Central Coast calendar running from SLO County through northern Santa Barbara County. Submit events online by logging in with your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account at newtimesslo.com. You may also email calendar@newtimesslo.com. Deadline is one week before the issue date on Thursdays. Submissions are subject to editing and approval. Contact Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood directly at cwiseblood@newtimesslo.com.

ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART

CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

CENART AFTER DARK: CENTURY 21 HOMETOWN REALTY An exhibit of pastel paintings by Bobbye West Thompson, member of the Central Coast Pastel Society (3CPS). Meet the artist during a free reception on July 7, from 5 to 8 p.m. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Free. 805-235-4877. slocountyarts.org. Century 21 Hometown Realty, 599 Higuera St, Ste A, San Luis Obispo.

CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing 805-8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/ foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/babyhandprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

CLAY: SMOKE WORKSHOP Beginners welcome. Create a clay incense burner on the wheel or a handbuilt pipe, with teachers Katie and Jason. This single day workshop allows you to come create. We will fire/glaze your pieces for you after the class date. Book online in advance. Sept. 3 5-7 p.m. $60. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME After completely selling out two previous runs of this production, and winning 11 national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), Cuesta Drama returns for one final remount. Directed by bree valle. Sept. 1 , 7:30-9 p.m., Sept. 2 2-4 & 7:30-9:30 p.m. and Sept. 3 2-4 & 7:30-9:30 p.m. $25. 805-546-3198. cuesta. universitytickets.com/. Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

FAMILY POTTERY CLASS A familyoriented class time. Any age or level welcome. Choice of sculpting, painting. or throwing on the wheel. Children must be accompanied by participating parent. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. through Aug. 26 $35. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

INTRO TO OIL PAINTING WITH SPENCER COLLINS The perfect class for those wanting to try oil painting for the first time. Guests discuss color theory, layering paint, and how to use various media. For ages 16 and over. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $30 per class or $100 for 4 classes. 805747-4200. artcentralslo.com/workshopsevents/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ART Owen and Kyoko Hunt from Kyoto, Japan offer classes for Japanese calligraphy (Fridays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.), a Japanese art called “haiga” (Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m.) and more at Nesting Hawk Ranch. Fridays $45. 702-335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.

JOHN BARRETT John Barrett was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1952 and grew up in Manhattan Beach, California. He began pursuing his career as an artist in the late 1960s influenced by his great-grandfather, a painter. Sept. 1 - Nov. 27, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/ john-barrett/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

LISA SOLOMON Solomon’s mixed media works revolve thematically around discovering her heritage, the notion of domesticity, craft, feminism, and the pursuit of art as science/research.

Through Aug. 28, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/lisasolomon/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

ODDFELLOWS COMEDY NIGHT The SLO

Oddfellows present an evening of hilarious live comedy the first Saturday of every month. Enjoy professional comedians seen on Comedy Central, Hulu, Netflix, and in clubs like The Punchline, Comedy Store, The Improv, and The Ice House. Food and drink available for purchase. First Saturday of every month, 7-9 p.m. $15. 805-878-2038. my805tix.com. Odd Fellows Hall, 520 Dana St., San Luis Obispo.

PARENT-CHILD POTTERY CLASS Make lasting memories with clay together as a family. For ages 6 and over. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon $70. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL

Announcing the first-ever Performing Arts Festival at Congregation Beth David. Enjoy live music, laughs, samplings from local food trucks, and familyfriendly games. With performances from musician Mark Getten, comedian Danielle Durbin, and singer-songwriter Nina Storey. All are welcome. All ages. Aug. 27, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. $30 advanced; $35 door; free for children under 10. 805-544-0760. cbdslo.org. Congregation Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CENTRAL COAST A self-directed fun group of dynamic artists who enjoy painting and sketching outdoors. Artists meet on site at various locations. Weekly plein air destinations are provided by Kirsti Wothe via email (mrswothe@yahoo.com). Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon SLO County, Various locations, San Luis Obispo.

POTTERY: BEGINNING WHEEL CLASS

This series is a great intro to the pottery wheel. Students learn to throw various shapes, surface decorate, and glaze. Clay and firing included with admission. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $180. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

COURTESY PHOTO BY LUIS ESCOBAR REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO

SCAB PICKER: MOLLY SEGAL Los Angeles-based painter Molly Segal’s surreal largescale watercolors explore a world with finite resources, both natural and emotional, where we find ourselves grappling with insatiable needs and limited provisions. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Oct. 13 Free. 805-546-3202. cuesta.edu/student/ campuslife/artgallery/index.html. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

SCULPTURE CLASS WITH ROD PEREZ

This weekly sculpture drop-in class gives an opportunity for potters to take on new projects and learn new techniques relating to sculptural work. Additionally, every first Friday of the month, a new project will be taught by Rod Perez for beginners. Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

STONES IN HIS POCKETS With two actors playing more than a dozen parts. A comedic yet tragic take on the effects of the Hollywood dream in a small Irish town, taken over by a Hollywood film crew. Thursdays-Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through Aug. 27 $20-$38. 805-786-2440. slorep.org/shows/ stones-in-his-pockets/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

VANESSA WALLACE-GONZALES Wallace-

Gonzales is a Black-Latinx and Santa Barbara-based artist who uses elements of mythology to explore her identity and personal experiences. Through Oct. 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/ exhibition/vanessa-wallace-gonzales/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING

WATERCOLOR This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors.

To enroll please contact Mack via email:

vbmack@charter.net Wednesdays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $35. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo. com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

WEEKEND TEAPOT WORKSHOP Come make a teapot and teacup set with teacher, Jenn Hope, who will be guiding students over the course of three sessions. Sept. 2 3:30-5:30 p.m. $225. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

ASSEMBLAGES OF STEVE DAYTON

Steve divides his time between creating assemblages and abstract painting on wood panels. The assemblages are made by taking small hand built familiar objects and motifs and placing them in box frames to create absurd scenes that include absurd and humorous titles. Through Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Jewett’s work is also on display at Nautical Bean in Laguna shopping center during February. ThursdaysSaturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. 559-799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.

FIBER ART BY GAY MCNEAL McNeal possesses an appreciation of the multifaceted role that fiber has played in the art and material cultures of many ethnic societies, and her creative high comes from the actual process of trying out the multitude of techniques, both old and new. Through Aug. 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-7721068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FINE ART FUSED GLASS BY LINDA HILL

Linda Hill is a fused glass artist living and working in Los Osos. Linda has been working at her craft for more than 20 years and she loves color, patterns, shapes, and creating

fused glass art. Mondays, WednesdaysSundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FINE ART WATERCOLORS BY VIRGINIA

MACK Virginia, along with her late husband John, also an artist, have spent endless hours exploring the back roads of San Luis Obispo County seeking those bits of landscape and the birds that are visually stimulating or interesting. Virginia works primarily in watercolors. Through Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP SHOW: WILD AUTUMN A group photography show with Alice Cahill, Michael Johnston, Jessica Weiss, Lynda Roeller, and Liz Linzmeier. These wonderful photograpers will be showcasing their amazing photographs of the wild animals, horses, seals, otters, whales, birds, and autumn mood scenes that our visitors love. Mondays, WednesdaysSundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

METAL ART BY TRUDI GILLIAM Gilliam creates her sculptures using copper, brass, nickel/silver, and found objects. This new series of whales and birds uses copper and sea glass. ongoing 805-772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

MOSAIC TRIVET WORKSHOP During this workshop, you will learn how to design and create a mosaic trivet. You will learn how to select materials, lay out a pleasing pattern, and adhere the tiles to the trivet base. You will learn how to properly grout and seal your project. ongoing, 1-4 p.m. $60. 805-7722504. artcentermorrobay.org/index.php/ workshops/. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

30 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN SANTA

MARIA/ORCUTT Community Partners in Caring is seeking volunteers to help support dependent older adults and seniors. ongoing partnersincaring.org. Santa Maria.

BOUNCING BABY STORY TIME Explore pre-literacy skills through music, movement, and visual stimulation, and promote a healthy bond between baby and caregiver. Learn, connect, and grow with other babies and caregivers. For 0-12 months. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. through Oct. 4 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

CALIFORNIA LIONS FRIENDS IN SIGHT

VISION SCREENING CLINIC Features a Free Vision Screening. Free recycled eyeglasses available on a first come, first served basis. All are welcomed to have a vision screening exam. Aug. 26, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 720-8508. Minami Community Center, 600 W. Enos Drive, Santa Maria.

FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. 805-937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.

FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/firstfridayoldtownorcutt/.

Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.

GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing 805-343-2455. dunescenter.org. GuadalupeNipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.

OUR VALLEY HISTORY: DAIRIES AND SWISS FAMILIES OF THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY Our Valley History presents Dairies

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 66

MAJESTIC MONARCHS

Allan Hancock College’s Ann Foxworthy Gallery premiered a new exhibition of artworks by members of the Santa Barbara Printmakers Group in mid-August titled Resonance, which will remain on display through Thursday, Sept. 28. A free reception for the exhibit will be held on Thursday, Sept. 7, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. For more info, visit hancockcollege.edu/gallery. The gallery is located inside the Academic Resource Center on Hancock’s Santa Maria campus.

—C.W.

and Swiss Families of the Santa Maria Valley at the Museum with the Family Search Center. Aug. 26, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 805-922-3130. Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Museum, 616 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.

DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@gmail for details and reservations. ongoing 805-619-0989. empoweryoga805.com.

SOMEWHERE THAT’S GREEN

PAWS TO READ

Reading to dogs is a wonderful way for children to gain confidence while reading aloud. No one pays attention to a child reading quite like dogs do. Call or visit Youth services to register for a 15-minute time slot. Aug. 29 3:30-5 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

PRESCHOOL YOGA STORY TIME Come for a morning of yoga with stories and breathing exercises. Children are introduced to mindfulness and will learn exercises to help regulate emotions. Space and supplies are limited. Yoga mats will be provided or bring one from home. For ages 3-5. Aug. 25, 11 a.m. Free. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS

Tours will give you a glimpse into the lives of Lighthouse Keepers and their families, while helping keep our jewel of the Central Coast preserved and protected. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/.

Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS

Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. 805-481-6399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

Colors of Conservation, an art fundraiser to support open spaces through the Land Conservatory of SLO County, will be held at the Octagon Barn Center on Friday, Aug. 25, from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The showcase includes artworks by members of the San Luis Outdoor Painters for the Environment. For more info, visit slopepainters.com. The Octagon Barn Center is located at 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo. —C.W.

MOUNTAIN MEN

Buckskin clad members of the American Mountain Men share mountain men history and skills. Cooking, hide preparation and tanning, leather working, rope making, and blacksmithing are among the skills that visitors may experience. Aug. 25-26 10 a.m.-4 p.m. explorelompoc.com. La Purisima Mission, 2295 Purisima Mission, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS

AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. 805835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.

BDSM 101 This monthly class from the Central Coast Kink Community provides a basic overview of kink, consent, rules, and information to help practitioners be successful and safe. Attendees must be 18 years of age or older. Fourth Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. No admission. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

BECOME A SENIOR PEER COUNSELOR

Are you a senior interested in helping other seniors? This group is in need of counselors to provide support for older adults who are experiencing a variety of issues like grief, loneliness, and caregiver issues. Free training is online and offered at your own pace. First Monday of every month. through Dec. 4 Free. 805-547-7025. wilshirecommunityservices.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. 559-9059274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

BIRDS AND BOTANY MONTHLY WALK

AT SLO BOTANICAL GARDEN The Garden is excited to present a monthly bird walk series on the fourth Thursday of every month which explores the intersection of birds and botany. Fourth Thursday of every month, 8-11 a.m. $10 for Garden Members; $40 for general public. 805-541-1400. slobg. org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit

website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-270-3346.

CENTRAL COAST CONJURERS (SLO COUNTY MAGIC CLUB) Monthly meeting of magicians of all levels. Please call or email for more info. Meet like-minded folks with an interest in magic, from close-up to stage performances. Last Wednesday of every month, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. 805-440-0116. IHOP, 212 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.

HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT

GROUP A safe place for anyone suffering from the pain of depression. We do not criticize but do share our journey, feelings, and what works for us. We can meet in

person or use Zoom if needed. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. 805-528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

INTRODUCTION TO PICKLEBALL

For ages

18 and over. Come see what pickleball is all about. Participants will learn the basics of the game including the rules, basic skills and strategy, types of equipment, and game safety. Saturdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. through Aug. 26 $35. slocity.org. Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St., San Luis Obispo.

LOTERÍA NIGHTS Enjoy a game of La Lotería Mexicana, a bingo-style game with colorful and beautifully-drawn cards. With drink specials and prizes for the winners.

RSVP encouraged. Thursdays, 6 p.m. Free. drinkramblingspirits.com. Rambling Spirits, 3845 S. Higuera St. (inside SLO Public Market), San Luis Obispo.

MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805270-3346.

Q YOUTH GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) This is a social support group for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth between the ages of 11-18. Each week the group explores personal, cultural, and social identity. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

QI GONG FITNESS ONLINE Hosted by the San Luis Coastal Adult School. Gentle but powerful exercises for mind and body with instructor Gary West. Enhance your well being, improve your balance, and practice CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 67

mindfulness. 19 weeks. Wednesdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. through Dec. 13 $95. 805-549-1222. ae.slcusd.org/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

SLO NOONTIME TOASTMASTERS CLUB

MEETINGS Want to improve speaking and leadership skills in a supportive and positive environment? During COVID, we are meeting virtually. Contact us to get a meeting link for info. Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m. Free. slonoontime.toastmastersclubs.org. Zoom, Online, Inquire for Zoom ID.

SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN: WEEKLY

COFFEE MEETING SLO RAMs is a group or retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. through Nov. 25 $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo, 877-468-3861.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

(GRADES 2-4) In this program, your child will learn the foundation of becoming a well-rounded athlete as we focus on skill development, movement, teamwork, and increasing confidence in each workout session. Mondays, Wednesdays, 3:30-4:20 p.m. through Sept. 20 $399 for a 12-Week Session (24 Classes). slocity.org. MZR

Fitness, 3536 S. Higuera St. suite 200, San Luis Obispo, 805-439-4616.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

(GRADES 5-7) In this program, your child will learn the foundation of becoming a well-rounded athlete as we focus on skill development, movement, teamwork, and increasing confidence in each workout session. Mondays, Wednesdays, 4:30-5:20 p.m. through Sept. 20 $399 for a 12-Week Session (24 Classes). slocity.org. MZR Fitness, 3536 S. Higuera St. suite 200, San Luis Obispo, 805-439-4616.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

(GRADES 8-12) In this program, your child will learn the foundation of becoming a well-rounded athlete as we focus on skill development, movement, teamwork, and increasing confidence in each workout session. Mondays, Wednesdays, 5:30-6:20 p.m. through Sept. 20 $399 for a 12-Week Session (24 Classes). slocity.org. MZR Fitness, 3536 S. Higuera St. suite 200, San Luis Obispo, 805-439-4616.

SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+

AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TOUR THE HISTORIC OCTAGON BARN

CENTER The Octagon Barn, built in 1906, has a rich history that The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County looks forward to sharing with visitors.

Please RSVP. Fourth Sunday of every month, 2-2:45 & 3-3:45 p.m. Tours are free; donations are appreciated. Octagon

Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-9096, octagonbarn.org.

TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-541-4252.

WORK IT OUT Theme this month is Hear me Roar. Includes a fun one-hour workout and more. Aug. 26, 12-1 p.m. my805tix. com. Orangetheory SLO, 3865 S. Higuera St., San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

30TH ANNUAL AFS 5K FUN RUN A family-friendly fun run. Proceeds provide scholarships for Coast Union High School students planning to study in another

country through AFS, a foreign exchange student program. Event at high school in Cambria. Sept. 2 , 7-9:30 a.m. $25. 805801-1132. davidlbisso.com/5kfunrun.html.

Coast Union High School, 2950 Santa Rosa Creek Rd., Cambria.

AXE THROWING Enjoy the art of axe throwing in a safe and fun environment. Kids ages 10 and older are welcome with an adult. No personal axes please. Fridays, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturdays, 12-6 p.m. $20. 805-528-4880. baysidemartialarts.com. Bayside Martial Arts, 1200 2nd St., Los Osos.

CENTRAL COAST SLIM DOWN Take control of food without suffering. Learn a step-by-step process to take control of overeating, cravings, and feel peace with food. Build the habits, mindset, and your unique path with results that stick. Hosted byTami Cruz (Certified Health/Life Coach) and Dana Charvet (Coach/Fitness Trainer). ongoing Call for pricing info. 805-2357978. gratefulbodyhealthcoaching.com.

Grateful Body, 850 Shasta, Morro Bay.

CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Mask Required. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, 805-772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html.

SOCRATES: DISCUSSION GROUP Group members present interesting and thought provoking topics of all sorts. Topics are selected in advance and moderated by volunteers. Vaccinations are necessary. Enter through wooden gate to garden area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. 805-528-7111. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.

WEIRD, WACKY, AND WONDERFUL: SUCCULENT PLANTS AND POTTERY

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

HIGH TEA Come and enjoy some classic English cakes, cream tea scones, and savory treats with either a hot drink for $40 or glass of English sparkling wine from Chapel Down for $50. This will be a white tablecloth affair with classical music to relax to. First Saturday of every month, 1-3 p.m. through Oct. 7 $40-$50. 805-6869126. arrowsmithwine.com. Arrowsmith’s, 1539 Mission Drive, Solvang.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO

TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head

Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages.

Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. 805-819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave, Lompoc.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET

Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.

HEAD GAMES TRIVIA NIGHT Live multi-media trivia every Wednesday. Free to play. Win prizes. Teams up to six players. Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. headgamestrivia.com. Antigua Brewing, 1009 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-242-1167.

NAACP SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY

FIFTH ANNUAL BARBECUE AND POTLUCK Join NAACP SLO County for their fifth annual barbecue and potluck. Sept. 2 , 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission. 805-6195354. naacpslocty.org. Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St., San Luis Obispo.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST AT THE ELKS

SALE

Four local plant vendors and a skilled potter teamed up for this outdoor event. Features an amazing lineup of unusual succulent plants, houseplants, and gorgeous handmade pots and decorative/functional items. A portion of proceeds benefits Hope’s Village of SLO. Aug. 26 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Aug. 27 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-602-7817. facebook. com/wegrowslo. Steve Super Gardens, 2016 9th St., Los Osos.

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE

ORO Featured vendors in the series include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays 805-922-1468. costadeorowines.com. Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE

INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805-332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty. With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song. Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

PRESQU’ILE WINERY: WINE CLUB Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, 805-937-8110.

TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the complete list of classes, for various ages. ongoing Varies. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.

Enjoy breakfast at the Elks Lodge. Includes a delicious pancake breakfast. Learn about the history of the Elks in San Luis Obispo County. Aug. 26 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $10. 805-543-0638. historycenterslo.org/ pancakes. SLO Elks Lodge, 222 Elks Lane, San Luis Obispo.

PIÑATAS ON THE PATIO What is more festive than a piñata? Join for some brunch drinks and a couple of good hits to a piñata (or two). Good times and goofy prices promised. Turns will be determined on a first come, first served basis. First Sunday of every month Free. Rambling Spirits, 3845 S. Higuera St. (inside SLO Public Market), San Luis Obispo, drinkramblingspirits.com.

SLO FARMERS MARKET Hosts more than 60 vendors. Saturdays, 8-10:45 a.m. World Market Parking Lot, 325 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.

WEDNESDAY PUB TRIVIA Bring your thinking caps as questions vary from pop culture, geography, to sports. There is a little for everyone. Prizes for the winning teams. Trivia provided by Geeks Who Drink. Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. 805-439-2529. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo. WILD WEST FEST Features line dancing, a mechanical bull, and amazing food and drinks. Sept. 2 , 12-6 p.m. Free. 805-2153669. slopublicmarket.com/events/wildwest-fest. San Luis Obispo Public Market, 3845 S Higuera St, San Luis Obispo.

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

FOLK DANCE CLASS For adults ages 50 and up. Learn folk dances from around the world. No experience is necessary. Every third Thursday, 2-3 p.m. through Dec. 28 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

THE HOMESTEAD: LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO Check the Homestead’s Facebook page for details on live music events. Fridays, Saturdays The Homestead, 105 W. Clark Ave, Old Orcutt, 805-287-9891, thehomesteadoldorcutt.com.

LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features

MUSIC continued page 68

Hot Stuff

HUCK EVERLASTING

Actor, writer, and comedian Jon Huck will host SLOFunny Comedy at the Savory Palette in Morro Bay on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 6:30 and 9 p.m. This live comedy event’s lineup includes sets from Dave Carter, Kym Kral, Jeremiah Nation, and headliner Ryan Stout. Tickets are available in advance at my805tix.com. Visit facebook.com/slofunny for more info. The Savory Palette is located at 601 Embarcadero Lane, Morro Bay. —C.W.

MUSIC from page 67

delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

LINE DANCING FUN For adults ages 50 and older. Learn basic patterns and steps to some of your favorite music. This beginner-friendly class is for anyone that enjoys dancing. Wednesdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m. through Dec. 27 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY

Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. ongoing 805-925-0464. coelhomusic. com/Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria.

OLD TIME GOSPEL SING-ALONG All are welcome. Call for more details. Last Saturday of every month, 5-6 p.m. 805478-6198. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria.

SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866. UKULELE JAM SESSIONS This is a drop-in program. Play melodies and many songs with other musicians. Baritone ukuleles are available to use or bring your own. Music and music strands provided. Mondays, Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. through Dec. 27 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

LIVE MUSIC AT ZACA MESA WINERY: NATALIE ESPINOZA Enjoy live music by Natalie Espinoza with delicious wines. Aug. 27 12-3 p.m. Free. 805-688-9339. zacamesa.com/upcoming-events/. Zaca Mesa Winery, 6905 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos.

LIVE MUSIC SUNDAY AT ZACA MESA WINERY: LINDSAY MARIE Enjoy live music by Lindsay Marie with delicious wines. Sept. 3 12-3 p.m. Free. 805-6889339. zacamesa.com. Zaca Mesa Winery, 6905 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos.

LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.

WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS

Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

BANDA LA MAFIOSA Dance to live salsa music and other genres. Aug. 25, 8 p.m. my805tix.com. Flower City Ballroom, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

MOLLY RINGWALD PROJECT LIVE

Described as the ultimate ‘80s tribute band. Sept. 2 , 7 p.m. my805tix.com. Flower City Ballroom, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

REGGAE NIGHT With Ras Danny and the Reggae Allstars. With special guest Soul Fyah in Da Mix. Aug. 26, 7 p.m. $15-$20. my805tix.com. Flower City Ballroom, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

YOUTH OPEN MIC NIGHT A fun, welcoming environment for first time performers and an opportunity for kids and teens to showcase their talent. Prizes awarded every month for Outstanding Performer. Last Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. certainsparks.com/. Certain Sparks Music, 107 S. H St., Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

ANAM CARA AT BIG VARIETY NIGHT The Anam Cara Quartet (Angela Wood, Tracy Morgan, Bruce Willard, David Foster Evans) will bring the “Celtic Soul and Rock n’ Roll” to Ted Waterhouse’s Big Variety Night at Puffer’s of Pismo. Sept. 3 5-8 p.m. $5. 805710-3309. Puffers of Pismo, 781 Price St., Pismo Beach, puffersofpismo.com.

FRIDAY NIGHT HAPPY HOURS: LIVE MUSIC Enjoy Friday Night Happy Hour at Avila Bay Athletic Club. Aug. 25 6-8 p.m. and Sept. 1 , 6-8 p.m. Free. avilabayclub. com. Avila Bay Athletic Club and Spa, 6699 Bay Laurel Place, Avila Beach, 805-595-7600.

JILL KNIGHT BAND: LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE In 2008, songstress Jill Knight joined forces with multi genre violinist Brynn Albanese and multi faceted guitarist/bassist/producer Eric Williams to form this most magical trio. Aug. 26 2-5:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

KARAOKE EVERY FRIDAY Enjoy some good food and karaoke. Fridays, 5-8 p.m. 805-723-5550. The Central Grill, 545 Orchard Road, Nipomo.

KARAOKE SATURDAYS Take advantage of karaoke every Saturday. Saturdays, 3-7 p.m. 805-723-5550. The Central Grill, 545 Orchard Road, Nipomo.

POPS BY THE SEA The San Luis Obispo Symphony announces the return of Popsby-the-Sea at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. Featuring guest artists The Damon Castillo

Band. Sept. 2 2-7 p.m. $15-$80. 805-3561438. slosymphony.org. Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Ana Bay Rd., Avila Beach. STONE SOUP MUSIC FESTIVAL True to the Stone Soup theme, there is a variety of music representing many genres and cultures. Bring a lawn chair, your dancing shoes, and enjoy. Aug. 26 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Aug. 27 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-4899444. clarkcenter.org/about/stone-soupmusic-festival/. Ramona Garden Park Center, 993 Ramona Ave., Grover Beach. SAN LUIS OBISPO

DOGSTAR LIVE All ages welcome. Part of the band’s Somewhere Between the Power Lines and the Palm Trees Tour. Aug. 24 8 p.m. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-5468600, fremontslo.com.

EASTON EVERETT SOLO Enjoy some indie-acoustic, live music. Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. eastoneverett.com. Big Sky Cafe, 1121 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, (805)545-5401.

LIVE MUSIC AT LIQUID GRAVITY Check social media and calendar for weekly updates. Saturdays, 2-5 p.m. and Fridays, 6-9 p.m. Liquid Gravity, 675 Clarion Court, San Luis Obispo.

LIVE MUSIC AT RAGTAG WINE CO.

Enjoy live music by local favorites. Wine available by the flight, glass, or bottle. Thursdays-Saturdays, 6-9 p.m. Ragtag Wine Co., 779 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, 805-439-0774, ragtagwineco.com.

LIVE MUSIC FROM GUITAR WIZ BILLY FOPPIANO AND MAD DOG Join “Guitar Wiz” Billy Foppiano and his trusty side kick Mad Dog for a mix of blues, R&B, and more. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 805-544-2100. Bon Temps Creole Cafe, 1819 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, bontempscreolecafe. com/index.htm.

SUNDAY MUSIC AT RAGTAG WINE CO.

Enjoy live music by local favorites. Wine available by the flight, glass, or bottle. Sundays, 4-7 p.m. Ragtag Wine Co., 779 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, 805-4390774, ragtagwineco.com.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

LISTENING AS RITUAL Group listening sessions with musician/musicologist Ben Gerstein. Explore remarkable recordings of world music, nature field recording, western classical and contemporary, and jazz, sharing and discussing inspiration and perspectives on the expressive power of peoples, cultures, animals and habitats through sonic experience. Every other Monday, 7-8:15 p.m. $10-$15 donation. 805-305-1229. leftcoastartstudio.com/. Left Coast Art Studio, 1188 Los Osos Valley Rd., Los Osos. m

ARTS BRIEFS

Central Coast Film Society seeks submissions for upcoming film showcase

Local filmmakers are encouraged to submit short films to the Central Coast Showcase, a film screening event that will be held during the upcoming Central Coast Entertainment Expo at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande.

The deadline for film submissions is Friday, Sept. 15. The expo will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, with screenings, film workshops, and other programs held throughout the day between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The theme of this year’s Central Coast Showcase is Show, Don’t Tell. Applicants are asked to submit short films that were filmed on the Central Coast and feature little to no dialogue. The submission fee is free for students and $15 for adults.

Finalists in the competition will be featured during a Q-and-A held after the showcase screenings, and they’ll be asked about their experience filming their shorts and about any current and future projects.

Each finalist will have access to all programs included in the expo and will receive two tickets to the 100th anniversary celebration of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments presented by the Cecil B. DeMille Foundation at the Clark Center, during the expo at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. and regular admission to the event ranges between $35 and $45.

The celebration will include a presentation that outlines the history of silent films produced along the Central Coast and their impact on modern day films and will conclude with a screening of the segment of The Ten Commandments shot in Guadalupe, with a live music accompaniment.

Sponsors of The Ten Commandments celebration include the Central Coast Film Society, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, the Royal Guadalupe Visual and Performing Arts Center, the Clark Center, and the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival

Admission to the Central Coast Showcase screening segment of the event is free. To find out more about the Central Coast Entertainment Expo and its full schedule of events, visit centralcoastfilmsociety.org.

Chumash Casino Resort presents Dustin Lynch, live in concert

Art after bark

Wildling Museum unveils new tree mural with environmental pledge station

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

It can take anywhere between 20 and 50 years for an oak tree to fully mature. But after just two months, three volunteer artists behind a new oak tree mural in downtown Solvang saw it grow to fruition—from a blank wall to branchy and tall.

Located inside the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, the mural was finished in early August thanks to leading painter Stacey Thompson and supporting painters Carolyn Dorwin and Rebecca August. All three artists are based in the Santa Ynez Valley and share a mutual appreciation for trees as unsung

providers of nourishment, shelter, and the air we breathe, according to a joint statement from the trio.

Under the shade of the painted tree’s branches is a majestic gray fox—an addition to the mural solely painted by August—and a quote from environmentalist Jane Goodall: “The small choices we make each day can lead to the kind of world that we all want for the future.”

“I hoped that our tree mural and our Jane Goodall quote would lead visitors to want to make an environmental pledge, and then share that with other visitors,” said Stacey Otte-Demangate, executive director

of the Wildling Museum, referring to a new feature at the museum that invites guest participation.

Adjacent to the tree mural— painted on a wall in the museum’s George and Barbara Goodall Education Center—is a table with a basket of leaf-shaped notes. One of several different prompts is printed on each note, and visitors are encouraged to take these messages to heart and pick one to add to a communal pledge wall.

Among the pledge options are phrases like, “I’ll minimize plastic usage,” “I’ll spend more time in nature,” “I’ll talk about the climate more,” “I’ll volunteer for the planet,” and “I’ll reduce energy consumption.”

“I was inspired to have the Wildling offer a pledge station adjacent to the tree mural in part by an environmental pledge activity that the Climate Museum in New York City offered at a pop-up venue,” Otte-

Demangate said about the origin of the leaf pledge concept.

“The original idea was that the leaf pledges would be placed on the tree mural,” Otte-Demangate added. “But the mural is so gorgeous and dense with its own leaves that I didn’t want the pledge leaves to take away from the mural. So, we set it up adjacent to the tree.”

Over the years, the Wildling Museum has hosted similar projects that rely on visitors’ participation to accompany its art showcases, including a letter writing activity that was paired with Xavier Cortada’s installation, Letters to the Future— on display at the museum during 2022 in Fire and Ice: Our Changing Landscape, a climate change-focused group exhibition.

“We saw that visitors, young and old, wrote dozens and dozens of notes to future generations, which gave me hope that visitors want to be able to express themselves,” Otte-Demangate said about guests’ feedback to the letter installation.

Otte-Demangate added that the Wildling Museum plans to add a feature that allows guests to write their own environmental pledges from scratch later in the fall, with the addition of choosing from the current pledge prompts.

“By having pre-written pledges, we are hopefully planting seeds for them to think about various ways to support nature,” Otte-Demangate said, “whether pledging to get outside in nature more, or think about the environment when voting in elections, or using less plastic.” m Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood’s favorite leaf is the tree star from The Land Before Time. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

Visit

Tickets are available in advance for country singersongwriter Dustin Lynch’s upcoming concert at Chumash Casino Resort. The concert is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 15, at 8 p.m., in the resort’s Samala Showroom.

Admission ranges between $99 and $169. Visit chumashcasino.com for more info. The casino is located at 3400 Highway 246, Santa Ynez. m

Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood. Send information to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

BRUSH HOUR: Rebecca August (top) and Stacey Thompson (bottom) are two of the three artists who spent several hours this summer at the Wildling Museum, hand-painting the venue’s new tree mural in the George and Barbara Goodall Education Center.

HEARTFELT AND ARTISTIC: Located near the Wildling Museum’s new oak tree mural, an environmental pledge station invites museum visitors to pick out a pledge leaf with a pre-written prompt, take its message to heart, and post it on a growing wall of leaf pledges.

THE GIVING TRIO: Santa Ynez Valley-based artists Carolyn Dorwin (pictured, left), Rebecca August (center), and Stacey Thompson (right) volunteered their free time to complete a new oak tree mural at the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in downtown Solvang.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHUMASH CASINO RESORT

August 14, 2023

SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES

NOTICE OF VACANCY

The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees will make a provisional appointment to the Board to fill a vacancy created by resignation. The appointment will fill a vacancy with a term ending in December of 2024.

Persons interested in candidacy for the provisional appointment must submit their written application to the District Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on August 30, 2023. Candidates must be 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the state, a resident of the school district, a registered voter, and who is not disqualified by the Constitution or laws of the State from holding a civil office.

Written applications will be reviewed by a committee to determine eligibility. The application packet is available on the District’s website at www.smjuhsd.org. Eligible candidates will be interviewed in open session at 5:30 p.m. on September 25, 2023 at a special board meeting.

The Board will accept oral or written input from the public at the September 25, 2023 meeting. The provisional appointment will be selected with a majority vote of the Board and be seated immediately. For more information contact the Superintendent’s Office at 805-9224573, ext. 4202 or via email at apineda@smjuhsd.org

Sic balls!

Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) directs Dan Perrault’s script about a dog named Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), a gullible border terrier who’s abandoned by his mean and abusive animal-hating owner, Doug (Will Forte). Reggie teams up with three dogs—Bug (voiced Jamie Foxx), a street-smart Boston terrier; Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher), an Australian shepherd; and Hunter (voiced by Randall Park), a great dane—to seek revenge on his cruel former owner. (93 min.)

Glen: The first thing you may wonder is how does a dog movie earn an R rating. Well, let me tell you. It only takes two f-bombs to go from PG-13 to R. If you give one f-bomb, adolescents can see it, but you give two, bam! R. Strays gives a whole lotta f-bombs, plus there’s copious bong rips, a lot of dog humping, a whole lotta dog shit, and a lotta talk about biting someone’s dick off. Essentially, Strays means to lampoon sentimental dog movies such as Marley & Me (2008), A Dog’s Purpose (2017), and A Dog’s Journey (2019), the latter two of which starred Dennis Quaid, who’s clearly selfdeprecating enough to accept a cameo in Strays as himself. The end result is a crude, ribald, funny comedy that’s definitely aimed at adults. I didn’t laugh my head off, but I was sufficiently amused to recommend a matinee for comedy lovers.

Anna: It definitely hits some classic comedy markers and has a cast that knows their comedy chops. Bug decides to show Reggie the ways of being a stray in an effort to convince Reggie that he shouldn’t need or want Doug back in his life. But Reggie just can’t give up the idea of being a good boy for his owner. Luckily, the trio of dogs is able to finally show him how happy life can be without Doug in it. Ferrell is great as little, scruffy Reggie, and his ragtag team of newfound friends all have talented actors voicing them. There’s a budding romance between Maggie and Hunter, a carnival that quickly turns into a nightmare when fireworks go off, and even a mushroom trip that the gang must never speak of again. It isn’t a must-see, but if you like a bit of raunchiness while watching cute dogs adventure around, it is definitely worth the price of a matinee.

STRAYS

What’s it rated? R

What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee

What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee

Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards

RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande

Glen: What I’ve discovered from my lifetime of being a dog lover is that dogs have no shame. They’ll eat poop and barf, and they’ll lick each other’s buttholes for what seems like a very inappropriate amount of time. It’s disgusting, but you have to admire their sense of unfettered freedom. They also display a deep sense of loyalty to their owners, even if those owners treat them poorly. Strays anthropomorphizes dogs in the most literal way—by giving them voice, thought, and motivation. If you love dogs, enjoy crude comedy, and can put up with swear words, this movie has its charms.

Anna: Reggie just wants to make his person happy, even though his person is awful. It turns out that Bug has a backstory of why he likes

THE BEANIE BUBBLE

What’s it rated? R

HIJACK

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2023

Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus

Created by Jim Field Smith and George Kay and starring Idris Elba as Sam Nelson, a corporate business negotiator, the series follows the hijacking of a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London. Desperate to get safely back to his son, Kai (Jude Cudjoe), and his estranged wife, Marsha (Christine Adams), Sam uses his skills to try to thread a path to a peaceful end of the terrorist event.

Elba is typically charismatic as Sam, playing him as a highly capable but not invincible man with a lot on his mind. Like all hijacking stories, there’s inherent claustrophobia involved. Everyone’s in a metal tube hurtling through the atmosphere. The series breaks this up a bit by also paying attention to what’s happening on the ground as authorities work to decide what to do about a terrorist-controlled jet heading for central London.

The story is propulsive, filled with twists, violence, and tension. After all, the clock is ticking, and eventually this jet

will either be blown out of the sky by military fighters, crash with everyone on board, or somehow find a way to land. Since it’s purportedly season 1, maybe there’s not that much suspense, but thanks to Elba, I was glued to the screen.

(seven 44- to 50-min. episodes)

—Glen

life on the streets more than in a home, Hunter is a failed police dog, and Maggie has been replaced with a purse-sized pooch by her vapid owner. They’re all searching for belonging, and they find that in each other. It’s definitely a silly flick, but it knows how to have fun with the storyline. They did well with casting, and while I wouldn’t recommend it to a younger crowd, as long as you’re OK with lots of jokes around poop and dicks and don’t mind some naughty language, this film is worth a few good laughs. m

New Times Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

When? 2023

Where’s it showing? Apple TV Plus

In 2021, Beanie Mania, a documentary on the absolute wild ride that Beanie Babies had in the ’90s was released. Now we have The Beanie Bubble, which dramatizes the story of Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis) and his business partner, Robbie (Elizabeth Banks), who Ty tried to push out of the business after their success took off.

Known as a kooky character, Ty started off making stuffed, poseable cats, but it was when they started underfilling the stuffies and creating a sense of rarity around their product that the mania began. There are infamous photos of divorce courts dividing up Beanie collections, stuffies selling for thousands, and a whole line of Teeny Beanies that McDonalds put out. It’s definitely a weird piece of history to look back on, but one that turned Ty Warner into a billionaire. Is he a likable guy? Not particularly. But Galifianakis is such a treat to watch in any role, as is Banks.

You probably have heard some of this story, but The Beanie Bubble will open your eyes to the inner workings of

PARTNERS

this weird slice of history and the people who were really behind it. (110 min.) m

REVENGE WITH FRIENDS: (Left to right) Bug (voiced by Jamie Foxx), Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), Maggie (voiced by Isla Fisher), and Hunter (voiced by Randall Park) team up to punish Reggie’s cruel former owner for abandoning him on the streets, in Strays, screening in local theaters.

SKILL SET: Idris Elba stars as corporate business negotiator Sam Nelson, who finds himself on a hijacked commercial flight and must use his talents to thwart the terrorists’ plans, in Hijack , streaming on Apple TV Plus.

IN CRIME: Robbie (Elizabeth Banks) and Ty (Zach Galifianakis) create the Beanie Babies craze, leading people to believe the toys would retain their value, in The Beanie Bubble, streaming on Apple TV Plus.

OF THE 65TH SEASON’S SEVEN SHOWS Santa Maria Civic Theatre

Women Making Waves: Work It Out at Orange Theory SLO

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 Orange Theory SLO, San Luis Obispo

Tour of the Living Dead: Fulci with Oxygen Destroyer

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 Narducci’s Cafe, Bakersfield

Saunter Yoga & Wellness: Beer Yoga

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 Ancient Owl Beer Garden, Atascadero

SLOFunny Comedy Show with Headliner Ryan Stout

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 The Savory Palette, Morro Bay

Reggae Night featuring Ras Danny & The Reggae Allstars

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 Flower City Ballroom, Lompoc

SLOFunny Comedy Gym

Monthly Showcase SUNDAY, AUGUST 27 Central Coast Pizza, Los Osos

Laugh Therapy Stand-Up Comedy Show

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30 Maverick Saloon, Santa Ynez

Central Coast Aquarium

THURS, FRI, SAT, SUN: 12–3PM San Juan Street, Avila Beach

Point San Luis Lighthouse Tours

IN-PERSON TOURS: SAT & WED

VIRTUAL TOURS: ON DEMAND Point San Luis Lighthouse, Avila Beach

Coastal Wine & Paint Party

SATURDAYS 12–2PM Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, Cambria

Eats

Store,

Hang around

Find out more about Pico Los Alamos at picolosalamos.com, or by calling (805) 344-1122. The restaurant is located at 458 Bell St., Los Alamos. Admission to the Fresh Wine Festival on Friday, Aug. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m., is $40 per person.

The next Winemaker Hang, with winemaker Jason Mergenov, will take place on Thursday, Sept. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $20.

Sips to spotlight

Pico Los Alamos highlights boutique vintners with Winemaker Hang series, upcoming wine fest

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

On the first Thursday of every month, Pico Los Alamos affords a guest vintner the chance to discuss the how and why behind their wines, but not necessarily the where.

“There’s all these really small producers out there, and most of them don’t even have tasting rooms,” said Kace Sarvis, wine director at Pico Los Alamos and host of the venue’s monthly Winemaker Hang series.

“I’m able to invite wineries that maybe don’t have a platform yet. It’s a good way for them to get their name out there,” Sarvis said about the program. “Maybe they’re a winemaker making wines for a bigger brand but that’s their side hustle and there’s a passion project they don’t have time to get out there and sell, or if it’s made in such small batches that not everyone can get their hands on.”

One of the program’s recent featured winemakers was Kyle Knapp, the head winemaker for Stolpman

Vineyards in Los Olivos. Rather than highlight his work with Stolpman though, the event focused on Knapp’s small batch brand, Press Gang Cellars, a winemaking collaboration between him and his wife, Savanna.

Press Gang Cellars has a wine club—with shipments of limitedproduction wines sourced from Santa Barbara County-based vineyards shipped to members every six months—but is without a brick-andmortar tasting room.

Pico Los Alamos provided the brand a temporary outlet for wine tasting during its Winemaker Hang event, and will showcase its wines once again during an upcoming wine festival along with 15 other vintners.

With an aim to showcase unique, below-the-radar wines, Sarvis named the event the Fresh Wine Festival, which will be held at Pico Los Alamos on Friday, Aug. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Representing Press Gang Cellars, Knapp will be on-site during the fest

Share tasty tips!

Send tidbits on everything food & drink to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

to pour glasses of Dumpster Fire, an orange chardonnay produced during the pandemic. Sarvis said that the name was chosen to summarize 2020, as “such a dumpster fire year.”

Other featured wineries set to pour during the Fresh Wine Festival include Entity of Delight, another Central Coast brand without a brick-andmortar. Entity’s grapes are sourced from Bassi Vineyards in Avila Beach and Spear Vineyards in Lompoc.

Wines from Little Soul Wines, based in San Luis Obispo County, will also be available at the fest. Like Press Gang Cellars, Little Soul Wines started as a passion project for its founder, Molly Lonborg, who currently works as winemaker for Alta Colina Vineyard and Winery in Paso Robles.

Based in Santa Barbara County, RZN (Reason) Wines—another Fresh Wine Festival feature—is the brainchild of Nate Axline, the assistant winemaker at Liquid Farm in Los Olivos. Axline describes the brand

on its website as a combination of his passions “loaded up into a wine label … skateboarding, wine, food, baseball, soccer, photography, woodworking, sustainability, you get the idea.”

The fest lineup will also include tastings from Final Girl, Riding Monkey, Roark, Story of Soil, Storm, Luna Hart, Lumen, LoFi, Piazza, Ampelos, Disko, and Dreamcote, all available to patrons of the event for a flat admission fee of $40.

Sarvis said his original goal was to cap off the featured vintner list at 15 boutique wineries, but he couldn’t help to go over by one. Since the event is open for two hours, he wanted around a dozen different vendors so that guests would have ample time to experience each brand without rushing from tasting to tasting.

“I want people to have time to connect with these winemakers, and once you go over 15, it’s hard to do that,” Sarvis said.

Originally from Huntington Beach, Sarvis said one of the most refreshing things about moving to the Central Coast and embracing its close-knit wine scene was how easy it is to network with and often befriend local winemakers.

“When I moved to this area—I’ve been here almost 10 years, I’m almost a local—I got to know all these really great people by working in wine,” Sarvis said. “It was one of the best ways to be welcomed to the community.” m Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood is getting in line for orange chardonnay. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

upcoming Fresh Wine Festival at Pico Los Alamos will have two hours to travel from vintner to vintner for a variety of tastings.

CHEERS: Pico Los Alamos hosts a few types of wine festival events per year, and this year’s slate includes the first Fresh Wine Festival, which will showcase 16 local vintners on Saturday, Aug. 25.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PICO LOS ALAMOS

TASTE WITHOUT HASTE: Guests of the

GARDEN OF EATING: The Fresh Wine Festival will be held in the scenic garden patio behind Pico Los Alamos, known as the Pico Garden, where many of the ingredients featured in the restaurant’s dishes are sourced.

HISTORIC STOREFRONT: Pico Los Alamos is located within the historic Los Alamos General

originally built in 1880.