Judge grants convicted arsonist mental health help instead of sending him to trial [6]
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Diverted from jail
Last year, a man who was convicted of arson in 2006 allegedly set fire to his parents’ house in Orcutt.
Although the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office charged him with arson, a judge ruled that the man was a good candidate for mental health diversion. Using a 2018 California law, the judge sent him into treatment instead of setting a trial date. Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood speaks with the public defender’s and district attorney’s offices about the case and why diversion is an option [6]
Also this week, read about why the California Coastal Commission fined one oil company millions of dollars [4]; an exhibition highlighting art from those with intellectual and physical disabilities [30]; and one woman’s journey out of homelessness with the help of desserts [33]
Camillia Lanham
Winnie Malone is the daughter of Magner-Maloney’s founder, Clarence Magner. She was born in San Francisco in 1911. At the age of 19, Winnie relocated to Santa Maria with her parents where she met and married Jack
and
Grooming Team: Colette Florey, Janae Amador & Isabella Moreno Groomers’ Assistants: Jacob Hughes, Brandi Janke, Cody Dugan & Morgan
Kyle Amundsen
After attending Art Center College of Design Kyle pursued a career in design and advertising that lead him to work at John Moran Auctioneers for 15 years. It was here he became fascinated with American & California Impressionist art, fine jewelry and diamonds. For the last 15 years Kyle has owned a company in Pasadena brokering estate jewelry, fine art, buying and selling diamonds & cutting diamonds.
Hana Goble Hana attended Gemological Institute of America after graduating from UC Riverside and has been passionate about antique jewelry for over a decade. Her deep interest in the history and craftsmanship of fine jewelry led her to work as a traveling buyer for a prominent estate jeweler, specializing in old-cut diamonds and signed pieces. She especially enjoys researching hallmarks and uncovering the history behind jewelry she encounters.
Michael Merritt
Mike is the owner of this company and host of the event. He has 36 years of experience in buying and selling new and vintage jewelry, wrist watches, pocket watches, currency and silver. Mike personally takes almost every call for the appointments and will be happy to answer all of your questions about the process and about what items are purchased.
Alan Bedwell Alan grew up working in the family jewelry business in London. That store is still located in the prestigious Gray Antique Market today. It was here that Alan learned the trade of fine English and American silver, signed European vintage jewelry and Swiss watches. For the last 18 years Alan has been living in New York City and owns a business curating special pieces for stores all across the country.
• On April 3, Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) recognized Tere Jurado with the 2025 California Woman of the Year award as part of an annual celebration of women’s leadership. According to a release from Hart’s office, he presented Jurado with the award in a standing-room-only ceremony attended by family members, friends, and special guests, including Ambassador Ricardo Santana Velázquez of the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard. “I am deeply honored to represent the women of California’s Central Coast as the recipient of this recognition by Assemblymember Hart,” Jurado said, according to the press release. The Santa Barbara resident has served on the boards of the Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Santa Barbara Eastside Society, Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival, Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA), Marjorie Luke Theatre, Santa Barbara Police Activities League, Old Spanish Days, and other organizations. “Jurado’s tireless dedication can be felt throughout Santa Barbara, from the annual Milpas Holiday Parade she leads, to the countless families she has supported,” Hart stated in the release.
• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former secretary of state, led 11 senators in introducing the Defending America’s Future Elections Act to repeal President Donald Trump’s “anti-voter” executive order and prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive voter registration data and state records, according to an April 1 statement from the senator’s office. “This illegal and unconstitutional power grab by President Trump is another attempt to make it harder for millions of Americans to vote,” Padilla said in the statement. “It would disproportionately impact women, rural communities, members of our military, and the millions of Americans who don’t have every piece of identification Trump wants to require. We also cannot allow Elon Musk and DOGE to wreak havoc on state voter registration lists, threatening to access sensitive voter information and undermine our free and fair elections.” The Defending America’s Future Elections Act was introduced to prevent any federal funds from being transferred to or used by DOGE to access state voter registration lists, records concerning voter list maintenance activities, federal databases, or other public or private state records related to federal elections, according to Padilla’s office.
•After arguing to the Senate parliamentarian that California’s Clean Air Act waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act, U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued a statement on April 4. “Congress granted California the power to regulate its own pollution and vehicle emissions standards and did so on a bipartisan basis almost 60 years ago. The result has been an important one and advanced clean air and water rules that have had a major impact on California and the rest of the country,” Schiff said in the statement. “Today, another nonpartisan and independent voice has reaffirmed that California’s vehicle emissions standards are not subject to repeal under the expedited processes of the Congressional Review Act, upholding our state’s right to protect our air and the health of our 40 million residents.” U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) also commented on the ruling. “I am pleased that the Senate parliamentarian upheld decades of precedent and confirmed that California’s Clean Air Act waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act,” Padilla said in the statement from Schiff’s office. “This latest stunt from Trump’s EPA was a clearly bogus attempt to undercut California’s climate leadership, and it failed.” m
Coastal Commission fines Sable $18 million for violating Coastal Act
The regional water board will discuss Sable Offshore Corporation’s alleged state water code violations one week after the California Coastal Commission opted to fine the oil company $18 million for “egregious and flagrant” refusal to abide by the Coastal Act.
“What we really have before us is a compliance issue,” commission Chair Justin Cummings said during the April 10 meeting. “I think we really need to send a message to folks that they need to come work with us and the state. … If you want to go out and try to supersede the people of California, we’re going to stand up for ourselves.”
That day, the commission discussed work that the oil company is completing on its recently acquired pipeline along the Gaviota Coast, work that commission staff said needs to be permitted and isn’t. In addition, staff said it had tried on several occasions to get Sable to comply, including issuing cease and desist orders. Sable disagreed with the commission’s interpretation of state law and sued the commission earlier this year.
Company attorney DJ Moore argued that development permits issued in the 1980s authorized the work that Sable is doing and accused the commission of overstepping its authority.
“We have a fundamental disagreement with commission staff,” Moore told the commission. “Reasonable people are allowed to have a difference of opinion under the law. That’s how democracy works. … We maintain that Sable’s activity is consistent with prior permits.”
Staff at the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board also believe that Sable’s work on the pipelines, which have been offline since causing the 2015 Refugio oil spill, needs new permits. The pipelines start on the Gaviota Coast and run through Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Kern counties. While the Coastal Commission takes issue with the vegetation and habitat destruction caused by Sable’s pipeline remediation work, the water board points to waste that Sable has allegedly discharged into state and federal waters.
Those discharges require permits under California Water Code, according to the regional water board. At its April 17 meeting, the board will consider referring the issue to the state’s attorney general to pursue a temporary restraining order, injunction, and/or compensation for damages.
Moore told the Coastal Commission that the Sable’s repair and maintenance of the pipeline is similar to work that’s occurred for the past 30 years “without the need for new Coastal Act authorization.” The Santa Barbara County permit approved in 1986 allows for work that disturbs the areas in which the pipeline exists, he argued.
“Operators can perform necessary repairs
under existing approvals,” he said, adding that the fines were “grossly disproportionate to the nature and impact” of the work done.
The county agrees with Sable’s interpretation of the 40-year-old permit and said so in letters to the commission. However, commission Deputy Director Cassidy Teufel said the county hasn’t provided any proof to support its conclusion, adding that the work Sable’s undertaken “far exceeds” what the permit authorized. In the past, under former operators, individual spot repairs were completed, Teufel said.
“Nothing close to the scale of the current campaign was attempted or carried out,” he said. “The current project represents the single largest pipeline rebuild and replacement effort ever pursued on California’s coast.”
That work includes 3.7 acres across more than 130 worksites in the coastal zone (under the commission’s jurisdiction). Sable has disturbed wetland and riparian habitats, conducted extensive vegetation clearing, and lacks erosion control or other protective measures, Teufel said.
Chief of Enforcement Lisa Haage said that because the county didn’t provide the commission with evidence that the existing permit authorizes Sable’s work, commission staff had to spend time trying to find it.
“We’ve looked very closely at those permits,” Haage said. “We spent a lot of time crawling through the permits … to find some support for that position and were unable to do so.”
The commission, though, wants Sable to obtain a coastal development permit for the pipeline remediation and said it has a solution to the issue, which includes a consolidated permit process. If Sable does that, the commission board opted to reduce the penalty amount levied to more than $14 million. As part of the Sable discussion, the board also voted to issue both a cease and desist order and an order to remediate environmental damage caused by already completed work.
Commissioner Linda Escalante said the commission regularly reviews and approves oil and gas pipeline repair projects to ensure that damage caused to the environment is mitigated.
Commissioner Meagan Harmon, who represents the south Central Coast, said she was “utterly confused” about Santa Barbara County’s actions when it comes to Sable’s work and the county’s failure to collaborate with the commission.
“It is to me profoundly disappointing that we had to get to this point today,” Harmon said.
“Santa Barbara County failed to act.”
—Camillia Lanham
County Planning Commission approves road widening attached to horse ranch development
Widening a road as part of a proposed Santa Ynez Valley ranch expansion is a focal point for
neighbors of the rural site.
To move forward with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department’s approval, the development plan for Rancho Luis—an existing ranch on track to become a certified animal boarding and equestrian training facility— includes increasing the size of a narrow, private access route that intersects with Ballard Canyon Road.
During the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission’s April 9 meeting, Urban Planning Concepts agent Pete Simmons said the proposed widening would provide additional emergency access for Mission Hills residents.
County Planner Jacquelynn Ybarra described one concern included in a few public comment letters staff received prior to the meeting regarding renaming the road.
“I will say it’s nice to be before the commission today with something other than an oil or gas project,” Ybarra told commissioners. “Per the Fire Department’s conditions, the applicant would have to apply for a specific road name. … Right now, it’s identified as basically an extension of Ballard Canyon Road.”
If the name gets changed, residents will have to update their addresses to reflect the new official road name, Ybarra explained.
The name change is meant to make directions clearer for firefighters or first responders in times of emergency, Planning Commissioner Roy Reed said as he mentioned his visit to the ranch.
“It’s difficult to drive around because everything’s named Ballard Canyon Road,” Reed said.
One Mission Hills resident said the name change disregards other community members who live along the private route
“For over 30 years, my home and mailing address has been [the same],” Renee Solnit wrote. “The [road revision] would force me, along with all the other neighbors, to change our address so that the applicant can start a business. This is an unreasonable request.”
The quality of life in Mission Hills, Solnit added, “will be forever diminished by the size and scope of this project.” The expansion plan for the ranch includes new structures that total 9,000 square feet, according to the staff report.
“Our private road … is a quiet place where all the neighbors enjoy walking, exercising, and enjoying the sunsets. Our enjoyment will end if our private road becomes a commercial thoroughfare,” Solnit wrote.
With a 5-0 vote, the Planning Commission ultimately sided with the applicant and approved the development plan—which received support letters from Mission Hills residents as well, including Michael and Vicki Reid.
“[The] proposed operations align very well with the rural and equestrian nature of our
FINED: The California Coastal Commission fined Sable Offshore Corporation, which owns the Santa Ynez Unit and its affiliated oil pipelines, $18 million for unpermitted work along the Gaviota Coast.
neighborhood,” the Reids wrote. “[The] agreement to widen the road as part of the conditional use permit will significantly better our entire community by improving safety without adding any financial burden to our road maintenance association.”
—Caleb Wiseblood
Sheriff’s Office pins increase in liquor law violations on Isla Vista
The number of liquor law violations reported in the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office’s coverage areas nearly doubled from 2023 to 2024, according to newly released statistics.
Chief Deputy Brad Welch, who helped compile the report, said the 89.7 percent increase—from 573 violations in 2023 to 1,087 in 2024—correlates with an increase in enforcement, specifically in Isla Vista.
Thanks to an Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) grant, the Sheriff’s Office can afford additional overtime hours and other resources for deputies patrolling the college town. Of the more than 1,000 liquor law violations across several cities and the county’s unincorporated areas in 2024, 946 of them were in Isla Vista, according to the report.
“A lot of those liquor law, public drunkenness, and disorderly [violations] come from Isla Vista and are tied to not just Deltopia. A lot of the time, … we get an increased amount of statistics coming through our fall orientation period,” said Welch, who’s acted as incident commander during Deltopia’s annual outdoor festivities on Del Playa for the past four years.
According to the report, 289 of the 351 disorderly violations occurred in Isla Vista. Buellton and Solvang, which contract with the Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement, had three and four disorderly violations, respectively, in 2024.
As for public drunkenness, Isla Vista’s number of violations jumped from 53 in 2023 to 71 in 2024, the highest it’s been in four years, according to the report. Welch said many of these violations happen during the first weeks of UCSB’s fall term.
“When you have a whole new class of students who are unaware, or are just ignorant of the liquor laws within California, … there’s a lot of citations that go out through that fall period, which can spike the numbers,” Welch said.
The disparity between alcohol-related violations reported during Deltopia festivities each spring and the rest of the calendar year amounts to “a bad representation of Isla Vista as a whole,” Welch said.
A Sheriff’s Office Deltopia weekend recap from last year showed that law enforcement issued 256 citations and made 32 arrests from April 5 through 7 in 2024. This year, law enforcement issued 485 citations and made 84 arrests from April 4 to 6, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“I think if anything, it casts a bad shadow on that area, just for that weekend. But I love Isla Vista. It’s one of my favorite stations to work at,” Welch said. “[As] an unsanctioned party, we would rather [Deltopia] not occur, but … it’s a 48-hour period. There’s 363 more days in Isla Vista that it remains a wonderful community.” Welch also described Deltopia as having “a significant strain” on emergency services each year in more areas across Santa Barbara County than many realize.
“It really decreases available ambulances and paramedics for everybody else in the county. I don’t think a lot of people understand that,” Welch said. “With all the ambulances with AMR [American Medical Response] are pushed to Isla Vista trying to do transports for public intoxication, that can affect somebody that’s having a cardiac event in Lompoc.” m
—Caleb Wiseblood
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Course correction
Orcutt arsonist qualifies for residential mental health treatment in lieu of incarceration
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
xiting his Orcutt garage, Rockie Daren
Ginter already had his hands raised as he approached Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies on the morning of his arrest. Owned by Ginter’s parents, the house on Genoa Way was emitting flames and black smoke, according to court documents.
Ginter allegedly told deputies about the voices in his head and wanting to silence them. He was charged with deliberately starting the house fire, using gasoline and a propane blowtorch.
Paranoid delusions, hallucinations, and other symptoms consistent with schizophrenia were direct causes of his June 3, 2024, offense, according to a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge who granted Ginter mental health diversion on April 3. In her ruling, Judge Denise M. Hippach referred to state Senate Bill 215, a 2018 law that introduced diversion to the state’s justice system.
“The purpose of this legislation was to treat individuals suffering from mental health disorders, thereby making communities safer, rather than simply incarcerating these individuals,” Hippach wrote.
Defendants diagnosed with a mental health disorder can apply for the program, except for those charged with blacklisted crimes such as murder or rape.
Between July and December 2024, the court deemed Ginter incompetent to stand trial, a route he ultimately waived in March to petition for diversion. As part of her approval, Judge Hippach ordered Ginter, 52, to complete an 18-month residential treatment program at the Los Angeles Transition Center.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore agreed with Ginter’s defense about his eligibility for diversion, but she disagreed with Hippach’s verdict.
Whitmore told the Sun that she argued in court that releasing Ginter into a communitybased treatment program raises major public safety concerns.
“There are definitely diversion requests where I’ll agree it’s totally appropriate, and there are some people that definitely benefit and are successful in mental health diversion,” Whitmore said. “Case by case, I consider each
person—each defendant—individually, and whether they are suited. … Even in some arsons, I think it is fitting.”
As for Ginter’s case, “diversion should have been denied,” Whitmore said. She pointed to Ginter’s history as a convicted arsonist. In 2006, he was sentenced to 213 days of jail time (143 days of which he served) and five years of probation for setting his condo on fire in 2005.
About a decade after he was released from jail, Ginter’s hallucinatory symptoms worsened, and alcohol and methamphetamine use intensified his psychosis, according to court documents that outlined a forensic psychological evaluation in January.
“My concern, which I argued to the judge, is that if he uses [methamphetamine] again, and forgoes his medication again, he could set a third arson,” Whitmore said, “which only by chance might not end up an arson murder.”
Senior Deputy Public Defender Erica Sutherland also referenced Ginter’s 2005 arrest and 2025 psych evaluation in his petition for diversion. She noted that Ginter voluntarily maintained stability after serving his jail sentence by taking antipsychotic medications to keep his mental health issues at bay—until 2018 when he lost his health care coverage.
Today, there are wraparound services to help Ginter receive the medical insurance he needs, services that weren’t available to him after his incarceration, Sutherland told the Sun via email.
“If mental health diversion had existed in 2005, … his entire trajectory might have been different,” Sutherland said. “Safeguards are always discussed to help ensure our clients who we believe are appropriate candidates for [mental health diversion] remain medicationcompliant under future stress. … My office looks at coverage through coordinated care networks, including Medi-Cal eligibility.
“We have a team of social workers who connect our clients with resources to help ensure success,” added Sutherland, who has represented more than 20 individuals who qualified for mental health diversion.
If there’s one misconception about the program she wants to dispel, Sutherland said, it’s the belief that diversion is solely a loophole to stay out of jail.
“Mental health diversion is not a ‘free pass.’ … It’s not simply a ‘get well soon’ card and then, ‘goodbye.’ It’s a rigorous, deeply individualized treatment plan,” Sutherland said. “If our clients do not comply—if they stop taking prescribed medications, if they relapse on drugs, if they miss therapy appointments, or if the court otherwise finds they are not meaningfully participating or progressing in treatment—then the court reinstates their criminal charges, and it is extremely likely they will go to prison.”
The risk of falling short of court mandates and being incarcerated isn’t the only consequence that keeps diversion applicants with symptoms similar to Ginter’s in check, Sutherland said.
“When a client experiences auditory hallucinations, it’s tormenting. So our clients’ motivation is not just to avoid prison, it’s also to avoid falling back into a place of suffering,” she said. “Clients who pursue mental health diversion understand more than anyone that their untreated mental illness isn’t simply uncomfortable, it’s life-threatening and terrifying.”
In her ruling, Judge Hippach said that the state of California calls for mental health diversion to be applied “as broadly as possible,” and cited Sarmiento v. Superior Court (2024) as an example of recent case law.
Charged with attempted robbery and diagnosed with major depressive disorder, stimulant disorder, and PTSD, Jeanette Sarmiento applied to the San Diego County Superior Court for diversion but was denied due to her history of drug abuse. The 4th District Court of Appeal overturned that ruling and determined that Sarmiento’s past failures in drug treatment do not prove that she cannot benefit from a mental health diversion program.
When defendants who qualify for diversion are tried and sentenced to jail time instead, Sutherland said they’re vulnerable to becoming “more symptomatic, and when released, would pose a greater risk of offending.”
“Mental health diversion is not just about helping the person in the defendant’s seat—it’s about public safety, … and restoring community trust in a system that historically has not served people with mental illness well,” Sutherland said. “Warehousing mentally ill people in jail and prison does not solve long-term problems. … Our communities are safer and healthier when we address the root cause of behavior.” m
AFTERMATH: On June 3, 2024, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Rockie Daren Ginter for intentionally setting fire to his residence on Genoa Way in Orcutt. Around 11 a.m., deputies evacuated a few nearby homes out of caution, while county firefighters extinguished the fire.
Find your flow
Local gongfu practitioner and tea sommelier leads ceremonial meditations
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Tea parties are given a whole new meaning for hosts who take a leaf or two from Jennifer de Tréglodé’s book.
Through her company, Inari Tea & Art Experiences, the San Luis Obispo local is frequently hired to lead ceremonial tea meditations at public and private events alike, including bridal showers, birthday parties, mindfulness workshops, and other gatherings along the Central Coast.
“I’ve never been a coffee drinker, and I was always intuitively drawn, even at a young age, to tea,” the certified tea sommelier said. “My favorite thing is a good book and some tea as a reward to myself after a busy day.”
The mission statement behind de Tréglodé’s business is to demonstrate how some benefits of meditation are accessible during daily routines, as commonplace as making a cup of tea for yourself. During her meditation events, de Tréglodé practices gongfu, a traditional Chinese tea preparation method.
“It creates the best tea. There’s such a beautiful artistry to it. It’s almost like a dance when I do it ceremonially,” said de Tréglodé, who usually begins her programs with a guided meditation before she pours the hot tea. Participants then sip their cups in silence.
She occasionally collaborates with local art studios on events that combine her meditations with clay projects and other crafty activities. When it comes to private events, de Tréglodé is available to book in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
“Tea is a really wonderful conduit to get us into a creative mindset,” she said. “And you can get tea-drunk. It’s [basically] an entheogen. So there’s varying stimulants and relaxants in tea that help you kind of feel high but relaxed; awake but calm; focused but with abstract creativity. You can end up feeling a little bit euphoric.”
Working across a region often regarded for its viticulture, de Tréglodé said that wine and tea have more in common than their potential for buzzy and fuzzy feelings.
“People are so into wine, and they don’t realize tea and wine have so many parallels,” de Tréglodé said. “Terroir is so important … in determining how it will taste and the quality. There’s also historical parallels in that wine was grown and became
Protecting Our Pollinators ~ Earth
popular amongst Catholic monks. … Tea is the same, but with Buddhist monks. They’re the ones that grew it and brought it to the masses, really.”
Attending one of de Tréglodé’s meditations isn’t the only way to get a taste of her tea selections sourced directly from China. This April marked the start of her role as in-house tea sommelier at Breda’s new brick-and-mortar pastry and chocolate shop in SLO. She curated an afternoon tea program specifically for the eatery’s menu and described the teas she chose as high-quality, biodynamic varieties “not easily available in the area.”
As for upcoming meditation events, de Tréglodé is collaborating with qigong instructor Rita Morris on a “qi and tea” program at The Lavra in Arroyo Grande on April 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Either before or after her guided meditations, de Tréglodé usually designates time to allow for attendees to reflect on the experience through journaling or sketching.
“Oftentimes I’ll allow for people to spend time really integrating the energy of the tea, feeling how it’s sitting, and letting them journey with it,” de Tréglodé said. “It helps them move through that meditative state into stillness.”
Highlight
• The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, in collaboration with the Santa Maria Utilities Department and Santa Maria Public Library, will host an Earth Day celebration in Santa Maria, on April 22 from noon to 3 p.m. at Machado Plaza. Guests of this free event can look forward to an afternoon of family-friendly activities, including educational booths, games, a photo area courtesy of Coast Photo Booth, a visit from a miniature horse, educational displays from the Santa Maria Natural History Museum, and fresh smoothies for purchase from Jamba Juice. The Utilities Department will distribute free indoor recycling and organics containers during the program as well, and the Public Library’s Bookmobile will be on-site for attendees to pick up free books or get info on obtaining a library card. Visit cityofsantamaria.org for additional info. Machado Plaza is located at located at 224 West Chapel St., Santa Maria. m
Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood can be reached at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
STEEP DIVE: Jennifer de Tréglodé, founder of Inari Tea & Art Experiences, practices the Chinese art of gongfu when preparing tea for her ceremonial meditation events. The SLO resident received her tea sommelier certification in 2023 from the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada.
Should the county plan now to expand the North County jail?
55% Yes, but it should also expand mental health facilities.
27% No! It should be looking into more restorative justice options.
18% Yes! The need for jail beds is only going to increase.
0% No, but I never want the county to spend more money.
11 Votes
Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.
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Not without cost Is supporting
BY RON FINK
Wnoncitizens economically sound?
hat are the impacts to American citizens from creating a sanctuary state or city?
Providing sanctuary for immigrants who enter our country without following the proper protocols is costly in many ways to persons who are American citizens either by birthright or naturalization.
Politicians aren’t noted for looking ahead to see what might happen if they react to activists’ demands. They only want to appear as though they care about the immediate concern and hope that nothing dramatic, like a major budget deficit, housing crisis, or loss of federal funding, occurs due to actions they took while in office and/or
It’s all politics
I am 70 years old, and I want to retire. I can financially live on my Social Security income with supplements from my savings. I planned and saved for this. But now I’m fearful and not sure if Social Security will be around much longer. Is talking to others about Social Security political talk? Is fear of having my phone searched at the LA airport after I fly in from an out-of-country vacation political fear? Is my current job, prescribing birth control in a clinic, a political job? Is talking about paying more for groceries with added fees due to tariffs political talk? Yet many friends and colleagues around me don’t want to talk “politics.” Is this politics or just life? If you like Trump and support his agenda, you don’t like me. And I do take that personally. Because I love my job at the clinic helping young women stay healthy and teaching them how to take care of their bodies. You must not like me because I believe in free trade, free speech, supporting global allies, and health care as a human right.
So when I lament about how hurtful these Republican agenda items are to people I love and/or care about, it’s not political, it’s humanity and compassion. If you don’t want me to speak politics, then what is left? The weather? Oh right, NOAA and the Weather Service are scaling back
hoping for reelection or advancement to a higher office.
In our state, the political class determined it was OK to extend many benefits to those who have entered our country illegally. One of those is medical care; the result was a multi-billion-dollar budget gap to provide needed services to legal citizens of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and races who will now suffer to make up for the difference.
Next, adding millions of people to the population of our cities and counties has exacerbated our housing shortage. If they were not granted sanctuary here but remained in their country of origin, maybe there wouldn’t be a housing crisis.
Lastly, many—well, most—of these folks are in a low- to medium-income status. So, another serious impact is the cost for welfare benefits, such
and on the chopping block.
Think about it again. Our life in what is left of the United States democracy is all political. It’s all or nothing. If it’s not political then it’s (just) life. If it is political then it’s my and your life. Either way we can’t escape what is happening.
I’m tired. I’ve been a political candidate for office, I’ve done sit-ins and freedom walks and all kinds of rallies over the last 55 years. These issues are part of who I am. You don’t want me to speak politics. Then you don’t want to hear, see, and know me.
I would rather just retire, play Mahjong, paint by numbers, take a dance class, play with my dog, travel. But I can’t. I’m afraid to leave the country now, so I can’t talk calmly about it with you as we chat about our next travel adventure. I can’t relax in my golden years because my hard-earned Social Security check is not a guarantee any longer.
I don’t really want to talk politics. I want to talk TV, movies, and the weather. But it’s all politics now. Because we have never been here before, teetering on the brink of fascism and dictatorship. So, for now, it’s all political, and if we don’t talk about and share our grief, frustration, and confusion, we will never survive. And I want us to survive and thrive.
Sharon Girard Nipomo
MAYFIELD
as housing vouchers, electronic benefits (food stamps), additional classroom space, and more multilingual teachers for K-12 schools.
The current administration in Washington isn’t likely to continue funding programs to support illegal aliens. So, California is going to have to figure out how to shoulder the cost alone; that means taxpayers like you and me will probably be asked to make up the difference via tax increases. Keep some of these costs in mind the next time you feel that sanctuary status for noncitizens is a good idea. Every American citizen is paying for these people no matter their political affiliation or economic standing.
April 15 was the final day to file your taxes; a large sum of that money won’t be used to support the people who pay the taxes. m
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
Stand with education equity
The White House recently issued an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. If enacted, this decision would roll back decades of progress in ensuring equal access to quality education, disproportionately harming marginalized communities, including the youth we serve.
While an executive order alone does not have the authority to shut down the Department of Education, since it still requires congressional approval, it does give the secretary of education the directive to take steps toward its closure. This move follows the recent termination of nearly 2,000 Department of Education employees.
The impact of such a decision would be catastrophic. The Department of Education has played a crucial role in advancing education equity, particularly for low-income students, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities. Dismantling it would strip away essential protections and resources, deepening existing inequities. For many students in our communities, who already face systemic barriers, this would be devastating.
At Future Leaders of America (FLA), we believe education is a fundamental human right. A strong public education system has been one of the most powerful tools for breaking cycles of poverty, opening doors to opportunity, and building thriving communities. To dismantle it is to deny students the future they deserve. For decades, FLA has fought for education equity, working to eliminate systemic barriers that make achieving a college-going culture difficult in our communities. We will not stop now. Now is the time for action. We call on our communities to unite, organize, and raise our voices to protect the future of public education. FLA will continue to:
1. Develop youth leaders who understand the value of education, their power as changemakers, and their role in shaping the future of their communities.
2. Organize with intention by creating spaces for dialogue, healing, and action.
3. Advocate with purpose by working with statewide allies to protect and expand access to education in California and push back against federal policies that threaten student success. In response, FLA is launching one of its most ambitious civic engagement campaigns yet, mobilizing Latino youth, one of the fastest growing and most powerful voting blocs in the nation. Their voices will not just be heard, they will be impossible to ignore.
We are watching. We are organizing. And we will continue to speak truth to power.
Summer Guide
Sable Offshore Corporation is heading for troubled waters—giant waves that most of us could see from a few miles away.
The California Coastal Commission is pissed at the oil company for work it’s been doing to fix its old, janky pipeline that spilled oil all over Refugio Beach in 2015, work the company insists it can complete without new permits. Sable’s been ripping out vegetation, digging down deep, grading over habitat, and running roads and metal plates all over wetlands to “remediate” “anomalies” in the pipe.
And the commission has politely requested that the company stop this work several times over the last few months. Those requests were ignored, kind of. Sable insists that a permit from 1986 authorizes the work, and Santa Barbara County agrees.
But the commission wasn’t being polite anymore on April 10. Staff and commissioners had enough! Commission Deputy Director Cassidy Teufel said that staff had gone to “great lengths” to try and avoid the situation they were in that day and had a “long and productive history” of working and collaborating with the county.
“It was therefore very surprising to hear that the county was aware that Sable’s project was underway and it was to include over 130 individual worksites throughout the coastal zone … and that no coastal development permit was to be issued,” Teufel said. “Given the scale and significance of the project, this information was completely shocking.”
He added that the commission has found no evidence in the 40-year-old existing permits that support either the county or Sable’s position that the work is already authorized.
I can only imagine that Sable’s lawsuit settlement with the county over safety shut-off
valves has something to do with it, a settlement that enabled the company to install those valves on the pipeline along the Gaviota coast. Maybe the county decided that it was better for the Coastal Commission’s deep litigation pockets— the number of lawsuits that agency deals with is staggering—to tangle with Sable, which is under a 2026 deadline to get work done on the pipeline and get oil flowing again or it loses everything. There’s a lot at stake for everyone. So far, Sable has continued its work through cease and desist orders from a variety of state agencies, including the commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. That board is getting set to recommend the attorney general take Sable to court over its indiscretions. Sable seems to not give a you-know-what.
Maybe that company’s pocketbook is where it’s at? Commissioners decided to fine the company more than staff recommended. A cool $18 million for unpermitted work and a $4 million carrot if the company decides to go through a consolidated coastal development process commission staff devised. As in, a discount to only $14 million in penalties.
The habitat destruction is undeniable. Sable is aggressive. And the commission is punching back. I don’t know if it’s more pissed off at the county or at the oil company.
Commissioner Dayna Bochca said she’d been on the commission for 14 years.
“I was just shocked that the county didn’t show today,” she said. “I have never seen a county behave this way.” m
The Canary is shocked at nothing. Send comments to canary@santamariasun.com.
Hot Stuff
CELEBRATING NATURE
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society is hosting a free event at Sedgwick Reserve on Saturday, April 26, from 2 to 6 p.m. The afternoon activities include a variety of nature walks, journaling, and a tour of the reserve’s field station. To register and learn more, visit syvnature.org.
—Angie Stevens
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE
CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. (805) 928-7799. Kleindancesarts.com. Klein Dance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.
CASUAL CRAFTERNOON: FAUX FLOWER
HANGING PORTRAITS Use pipe cleaners to create faux flower bouquets which will be displayed on hanging portraits made of cardboard. Registration is required to this free “crafternoon.” April 22 2-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994 ext.8562. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN
DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, (805) 937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.
VALLEY ART GALLERY: ROTATING
DISPLAYS Featured artists of Santa Maria’s Valley Art Gallery frequently display their works at the airport. Check website for details on monthly exhibits and full list of the gallery’s artists. ongoing valleygallery.org. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
WAITRESS This show deliciously serves up a heartfelt story of love, liberation, and the pursuit of dreams. ThursdaysSundays, 7-9:30 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. through May 11 Starting at $25. (805) 922 - 8313. pcpa.org/events/waitress. PCPA: The Pacific Conservatory Theatre, 800 S. College, Santa Maria.
WATERCOLOR IN THE VINEYARD AT BIEN NACIDO VINEYARDS Are you looking for something creative and artsy to do in Santa Barbara wine country? Look no further. April 19 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $89. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com/events/ watercolor-in-the-vineyard-at-biennacido-april-19/. Bien Nacido Vineyard, 3503 Rancho Tepusquet Road, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
PIZZAZZ AT GALLERY LOS OLIVOS: FEATURED ARTIST PATTI ROBBINS A vibrant solo exhibit of contemporary still lifes, described as a celebration of color, texture, and perspective. MondaysSundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 30 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.
YOSEMITE: SANCTUARY IN STONE A solo exhibition by award-winning nature and landscape photographer William Neill. Through Sept. 1 California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, calnatureartmuseum.org.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
CUCKOO’S MIXED REALITY NEST
Showcasing works by featured artist Mitra Cline, inspired by how cuckoo birds make their homes in other birds’ nests, showing how we all depend on each other to create and grow. Through April 27 Cypress Gallery, 119 E Cypress Ave., Lompoc, (805) 705-5328, lompocart.org.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY ARTIST REVEAL PARTY WITH REFRESHMENTS See Nicolette’s creations, including hand-built, multi-glazed textured pottery, platters, crosses, vases, heart necklaces, wall hangers mixed media, textured originals, T-shirts, and more. April 25, 5-7 p.m.
Free. (805) 710-3090. facebook.com/ nicolettecoastrealtor/. Natural Toolbox, Suite 127, Pismo Beach Premium Outlets, Pismo Beach.
DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic). Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
EMBROIDERER’S GUILD OF AMERICA
The Bishop’s Peak Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America invites you to attend its monthly meeting. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 15 Free. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET
GARDEN: BATMAN FOREVER
FEATURING VAL KILMER Enjoy some ‘90s nostalgia with a screening of the 1995 Batman Forever under the stars. RSVP at the link. April 18 7:30 p.m. Free. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302, sycamoresprings.com/dining/ secret-garden.
IMPROV FOR IMMIGRANTS
FUNDRAISER SHOW Join for great Mexican food and lots of laughter at this improv show, raising funds for SLO County UndocuSupport. April 19 7 p.m. Suggested $10 donation. improvforgood.fun. La Casita, 1572 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach. SHUT UP, SHERLOCK When a genuine whodunit unfolds during a dress rehearsal for a Sherlock Holmes play, a real-life sleuth steps in to untangle the wacky web of quirky characters (and even quirkier actors) to crack the case. Through April
26 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA
Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
16TH ANNUAL CUESTA COLLEGE BOOK OF THE YEAR Join Daniel Gumbiner, author of Fire in the Canyon, for a lecture and book signing. April 17, 5 p.m. $22. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
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.
BEYOND THE BASICS OF WATERCOLOR WITH VIRGINIA MACK This is a class for those who love imagining ways to further their visual expressions. A watercolorbased course, but one that branches out into other media. Fourth Thursday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $35 per class. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CIVIC BALLET OF SLO: THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo presents an enchanting, innovative ballet adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s masterpiece. April 18 , 7 p.m. and April 19, 2 p.m. $32-$68. (805) 756-4849. civicballetslo.org/. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
CREATIVITY DAYS WITH THE SILK ARTISTS OF CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST An opportunity to work on your own projects and materials while picking up new skills among friends. Note: this event is held mostly every third Monday (attendees are asked to call or email to confirm). Third Monday of every month $5; first session free. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 747-4200.
CUESTA COLLEGE’S ANNUAL STUDENT ART EXHIBIT A showcase to highlight students’ ceramics, drawings, digital art, photography, and other media. Registration to submit works runs through April 4. April 17- May 16 cuesta.edu. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-3202.
ESTEBAN CABEZA DE BACA:
REMEMBERING THE FUTURE Ranging from 2015 to 2024, the eleven paintings in the gallery explore issues of belonging and identity, activism, and joy and celebration. Through June 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad 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.
NOTES FOR TOMORROW Features artworks from around the world, brought together to reflect on a new global reality ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through June 1, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/notes-fortomorrow/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., 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, Locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
THE SEASONAL MUSE: TEA AND ART GATHERING A relaxing evening of tea, seasonal meditation, and creativity in Wellstone Studio’s inspirational and nourishing studio of clay and mixed media. April 17 5:30-7:30 p.m. $40. (619) 807-7006. inariteaart.com. Wellstone Studio, 4985 Davenport Creek Road, San Luis Obispo. SLO FILM FESTIVAL Visit site for updates, venue info, and full lineup of film screenings and other programs included in this year’s annual fest. April 24-29 slofilmfest.org/. (805) 546-8600 The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey 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 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. WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY PULP FICTION FUNDRAISER SCREENING BENEFITTING THE ROCK COMMUNITY
RADIO Enjoy a night of outrageous costumes (and a contest), audience participation, beer, wine, a raffle, and unforgettable entertainment featuring the star-studded flick, Pulp Fiction April 21, 5-8 p.m. $15. (805) 769-8458. my805tix.com. Bay Theatre, 464 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay. DRIFTWOOD ASSEMBLAGES BY ALAN COHEN See Cohen’s driftwood assemblage sculptures at Gallery at Marina Square. This architect transforms beach-found objects into birds, sea creatures, and more. Through April 29, 11
Free! Vermicomposting Workshop
Learn how composting with worms helps divert food waste and enriches soil.
Build your own finished worm bin during this interactive workshop. All materials will be supplied.
• Learn about starting a worm bin
• What to feed them
• Where to keep them
• Uses of vermicompost
Ages 5+
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Two Sessions: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
ELWIN MUSSELL SENIOR CENTER, 510 E. PARK AVE., SANTA MARIA
For more information and to register, visit www.cityofsantamaria.org/register or scan one of the QR codes below.
MORNING WORKSHOP AFTERNOON WORKSHOP
Hot Stuff
FINE ART PAINTINGS BY SANDRA
SANDERS A California native, Sanders captures seascapes and landscapes in vibrant acrylics. On display in the lower gallery. Through April 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
FINE ART WATERCOLORS BY NANCY
JENSEN Jensen celebrates Central Coast joys through vibrant watercolors of vineyards, wildflowers, and coastal scenes. Through April 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
FRESH! NEW WORK IN FINE CRAFT A call to artists. The deadline to apply is April 25. Enter for consideration in a juried, fine craft show featuring 3-D handwork by artisans from SLO and neighboring counties. Through April 25 (805) 704-6298. centralcoastartistscollective.org/. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.
TIMKET: ETHIOPIA 2020 Experience
Timket, an Ethiopian tradition, through the eyes of photographer Michael J. Costa. Thursdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through April 27 Free. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos, (559) 799-9632.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF SANTA MARIA
VALLEY: MONTHLY GENERAL MEETING
The DCSMV holds their General Meeting for lunch and civic engagement through speakers, activism, and educating the electorate. Third Thursday of every month, 12-2 p.m. through April 17 Free. (805) 3492708. IHOP, 202 Nicholson Ave, Santa Maria. FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt. org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares 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. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.
JUNK JOURNAL BOOK CLUB Combine crafts with reading. April’s book is How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin. Call the number provided to reserve a seat. April 19, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
LIBRARY OF THINGS DEMO DAY Why buy when you can borrow? The Library of Things Demo Day is an opportunity to explore the library’s collection of things. For all ages. April 26, 2-4 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA MARIA TOASTMASTERS Develop your public speaking skills at this club meeting. Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. (805) 570-0620. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Features carnival rides, strawberry tastings, a children’s art contest, and more. April 25 -27 santamariafairpark.com/events. Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg St., Santa Maria.
SUCCULENT EXCHANGE Join for a free succulent exchange. Participants are encouraged to bring “pest free” clippings of their favorite succulents to trade and share with other succulent lovers. April 19, 11 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
28TH ANNUAL NEAL TAYLOR NATURE CENTER FISH DERBY With $5,000 plus in cash prizes, between prize categories for trout, bass, catfish, and more. Also
SIP AND STRETCH
Orcutt’s Naughty Oak Brewing Company will host Beer Yoga on Sunday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to noon. Participants can bring a mat and sip on beverages, while yoga instructor Jenn Tipton guides the group through a variety of poses. Admission to the class is $23. More details can be found at my805tix.com.
includes raffles and kids activities. April 26 6 a.m. $10-$45. (805) 693-8381. troutderby.org/. Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, 2265 CA-154, Cachuma Lake.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 25TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT AT UC SEDGWICK RESERVE Join Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society in celebrating its 25th anniversary with nature walks and outdoor activities for all ages. Advance registration is required. April 26 2-6 p.m. Free. (805) 693-5683. syvnature.org/. UC Sedgwick Reserve, 3566 Brinkerhoff Road, Santa Ynez.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
36TH ANNUAL EGG HUNT AND FESTIVAL
Features egg hunts for all ages, an egg toss, a bunny hop, bunny photo ops, face painting, bounce houses, a petting zoo, carnival games, and more. Some fees apply. April 19 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/events. Elm Street Park, 1221 Ash St., Arroyo Grande.
ARBOR DAY MINDFULNESS HIKE & MINERAL SPRINGS EXPERIENCE
Celebrate Arbor Day with a three-part outdoor experience. The morning will be kicked off with a mindfulness hike through the Sycamore Crest Trail, followed by a dip in the Mineral Springs Waterfall Oasis and fire-roasted pizza. Get tickets and more info at the link. April 25 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $40. my805tix.com. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No previous experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
BODY FUSION/EXERCISE AND FITNESS
CLASS Do something good for yourself and stay fit for outdoor sports, while enhancing flexibility, strengthening your core to prevent lower back issues, improving your posture through yoga, and more. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. (970) 710-1412. Avila Beach Community Center, 191 San Miguel St., Avila Beach, avilabeachcc.com.
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION Join this Arbor Day celebration and learn about the holiday, help plant a tree, and take home a seedling of your own. Get more information at the link. April 25, 3-4 p.m. Free. (805) 473-5472. Carrie Van Beveren, 1221 Ash St., Arroyo Grande, arroyogrande.org.
CITY OF PISMO BEACH EGGSTRAVAGANZA This family friendly event includes egg hunts, bounce houses, games, and crafts. All of these activities are free and food will be available for purchase. April 19 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.
(805) 773-7063. pismobeach.org/73/ Recreation. Dinosaur Caves Park, 2701 Price St, Pismo Beach.
EARTH DAY MINDFULNESS HIKE AND MINERAL SPRINGS EXPERIENCE
Celebrate Earth Day with a 1.7 mile hike along the Sycamore Crest Trail, followed by a communal soak in the Mineral Springs Waterfall Oasis. Fire-roasted pizza will be available for purchase after. Register at the link and plan to meet at the Sycamore Mineral Spring’s Yoga Dome 10 minutes prior to the start of the event. April 22 , 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach. FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SYCAMORE SECRET GARDEN: MONEY PIT (1986) Enjoy an outdoor screening of Money Pit (1986), starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. The movie night will be in the Sycamore Secret Garden. RSVP and get more info at the link. April 18 8 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302.
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.
BUNNY TRAIL AT THE FARMERS’ MARKET Hop to downtown businesses, collect candy, and take photos with the downtown Bunny. A map of participating businesses will be published as the date approaches. April 17 6-8 p.m. downtownslo.com/events/bunnytrail. San Luis Obispo Farmers Market, Broad and Higuera, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-0286.
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.
EARTH DAY: DRUMMING MEDITATION / CROW’S END SLO Gather under the open sky and celebrate Earth Day through playful rhythms and healing sound. The drum circle will be facilitated by Dee DiGioia from Mindful Kindful YOUniverstiy. Visit the link to register and get more info. April 19, 5-8 p.m. $24. my805tix.com. Crows End Retreat, 6430 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo.
Santa Maria residents only. Registration ends April 24.
—A.S.
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PIZZA INSPIRED BY PATRICIO ARNOLDI
NEW menu items to come! More than just pizza!
Schedule
Friday 25th
12:30pm-2:30pm - Rock Odyssey
2:45pm-3:00pm - Worthy Athletics
3:15pm-4:15pm - SMHS Guitar Ensemble/ Orchestra
4:30pm-4:55pm - Strawberry Eating Contest
5:00pm-7:00pm - Keys and Strings Duo
8:15pm-9:45pm - Beach Street a Go Go
Saturday 26th
12:30pm-2:30pm - Cal Poly Line Dancing Club
2:45pm-3:15pm - Ua Noe Polynesian Dance
3:30pm-4:00pm - Destined Dance & Performing Arts
4:30pm-5pm - Strawberry Eating Contest
5:15pm-6:00pm - Sade Champagne
6:15pm-6:45pm - The Studio of Performing Arts
7:00pm-8:30pm - Soul Kool
8:45pm- 9:45pm - Mathew Balling
Sunday 27th
12:30pm-12:45pm - Cal Poly Salsa Club
1:00pm-3pm - Loz Rayoz De Guadalupe- Norteño Music Group
3:15pm-4:15pm - Encore Cheer
4:30pm-5pm - Strawberry Eating Contest
5:15pm-5:30pm - Worthy Athletics
6:00pm-9:00pm - DJ Sey Montez
Special Ente ainment
Loz Rayoz de Guadalupe are a Grupo Norteño from Guadalupe California, they formed in July of 2023. They have also appeared on television on the program “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento” and were able to get 4th place in the competition! They strive to serve their people and community with music they can connect to! They play styles like Ramon Ayala, Los tucanes de Tijuana and many other original norteño grupos. Loz Rayoz also has their own original music and will continue to push their music globally!
They will be pe orming on the Center Stage from 1PM - 3PM on Sunday, April 27th.
Come dance the night away while enjoying the music brought to you by the well known “DJ Sey”! Known to keep the crowd moving the entire time DJ Sey will be playing a wide variety of music that keeps the crowd moving the whole time!
He will be pe orming on the Center Stage from 6PM - 9PM on Sunday, April 27th.
Our Central Coast roots are as strong as they come. We know this land and will set you up with the best John Deere Compact Utility Tractor to get any job done.
Santa Maria, CA (805) 925-0931
Paso Robles, CA (805) 434-5566
Oxnard, CA (805) 981-2866
Monterey County, CA (805) 434-5566
Strawberry Art Contest
The Strawberry Art Contest is open to children in grades 1 - 8 attending school in Northern Santa Barbara County. The entries were judged on the following three criteria:
1. Originality
2. Artistic Composition
3. Relevant Content
The 1st place winners, in each grade category received a $25 gift card and four (4) admissions to the 2025 Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival. The 1st place winner’s classroom also received a $150 gift card for classroom supplies.
The Strawberry Art contest challenges local students to provide their best strawberry art creation and the results are always remarkable!
You can find this year’s winners showcased along with all the other creative entries on display in the Park Plaza Building.
Strawberry Tasting
FREE Strawberry Tasting each day of the Festival inside The Park Plaza. Think all strawberries taste the same? Not so....go taste the yummy varieties for yourself.
Photo by: Andy Samarasena
Cruzin’ Car Display
“Strawberry Cruzin” originated in 2021 when many events had to be shut down due to the pandemic. The annual Strawberry Festival was unable to be held so The Santa Maria Fairpark got creative and put on a drive thru Strawberry Festival where the community could drive thru the Fairpark and enjoy the festive strawberry displays, Drive thru attendees could also order and enjoy Strawberry Festival food from the safety of their own vehicles. One of the highlighted areas was the “classic cars” that our community had on display. This “sweet” tradition has been growing ever since we are happy to announce that these classic cars will be on display and filling the entire Convention Center! You will surely want to “cruize” through and enjoy the beauty of these “sweet” classic cars!
Carnival and
Kiddie Carnival
Paul Maurer Shows is known for its unique, brightly-painted rides, and their sparking lights (that work and shine brightly at night) including the newest ride, a thrill seeker’s favorite, the 55’ “Rock Star” or watching the spectacular light show on the 70’ “Giant Wheel” or 60’ Zipper. Of course you wouldn’t want to miss the 100’ Super-Shot that is guaranteed to take your breath away either! From the colorful, three-toned canvas, aluminumframed family games, the food concession wagons selling those carnival favorites like hand-dipped corn dogs, cotton candy and popcorn, Paul Maurer Shows continues to make the commitment in making your fair or event rank as one of the best!
Paul Maurer Shows & Carnival
Sade Champagne
Making a Difference with Rosé
During the months of April and May, we donate $1 for every bottle sold of our rosés to two different organizations.
call for reservations (805) 937-4251
7200 Shack: Open Fri-Sun only | 11am-4pm FOXEN: Open Daily by Reservations 7200 & 7600 Foxen Canyon Road | foxenvineyard.com
Pediatric Medical Group wants to ensure all newborns, infants, children and adolescents are up-to-date on their comprehensive well-child care, inclusive of appropriate screenings, complete physical exam, laboratory exams, fluoride varnish and vaccines.
Pediatric Medical Group is scheduling well exam visits for children of all ages. Strict safety precautions have been put in place to ensure the safety of patients and their parents.
Cozy, Alaskan Atmosphere
• We provide rapid COVID-19 tests (15 Min results) Flu tests, and Flu vaccines.
• Face masks are required to be worn
• Strict sanitation practices are in place including disinfecting exam rooms after each visit.
Call to schedule your child’s well exam today.
David Ikola, M.D. Shane Rostermundt, D.O. Joseph Nunez, M.D. Dr. Michele Kielty, D.O.
Geronna Leonards, N.P.
Lynn Peltier, C.P.N.P.
Jessica Prather, C.N.P.
Hand Picked Attractions
Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival at the Santa Maria Fairpark April 25–27.
Janet Silveria President/CEO
“Support your local Farmer’s Markets featuring fresh, locally-grown strawberries. Contact the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Visitors & Convention Bureau for details.”
HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT
GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION
(ONLINE) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
NATURE SUNDAY: CELEBRATING TREES
In honor of Arbor Day on April 25, docent Faylla Chapman will lead a tour of the trees in the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden and tell their stories. April 27, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. (805) 541-1400. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
PLUG-IN TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION
Get inspired by local action, connect with others, and discover more ways to get involved with the SLO Climate Coalition. Attend virtually or in-person. Sustainable snacks and childcare will be provided. Third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. sloclimatecoalition.org/events/. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.
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.
SCIENCE ON TAP Learn about the many restoration and monitoring projects that the Estuary Program has been involved with over the last 30 years. April 24 , 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo, (805) 439-2529.
SLO EARTHFEST 2025 A celebration of “the collective power of our community to build a sustainable future.” There will be live music, a makers market, panel discussions, and onsite restoration projects. April 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. SLOEarthFest.org. Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St., San Luis Obispo.
SLO LEZ B FRIENDS (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A good core group of friends who gather to discuss topics we love/ care about from movies, outings, music, or being new to the area. We come from all walks of life and most importantly support each other. Transgender and Nonbinary folks welcome. Third Friday of every month, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. sloqueer. groups.io/g/lezbfriends. 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. $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
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.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., 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.
TRANS* YOUTH PEER SUPPORT GROUP
This group is a safe place for trans* and gender non-conforming people, as well as those questioning, from ages of 11 to 18. A facilitated emotional support group to be heard, share your story, and hear stories that may sound surprisingly like your own. Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY 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. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html.
EARTH DAY CLEANUP IN MORRO BAY
Join Estuary Program staff for the annual Earth Day cleanup in Morro Bay. April 19 10 a.m.-noon Free. Centennial Parkway, Front Street, Morro Bay, N/A.
LEARN TO SAIL AT MORRO BAY YACHT
CLUB Learn to sail at the Morro Bay’s only sailing school, with the goal of getting comfortable commanding your own sailboat. There will be a focus on teamwork, developing leadership skills, and having fun. Register at the link. Through Aug. 3 $450. my805tix.com. Morro Bay Yacht Club, 541 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, (805) 772-3981.
the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.
TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER
Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
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.
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
BONETTI BREWS: BEER, WINE, SELTZER, AND CIDER Join for an afternoon festival of great drinks, live music, and local flavors. Get tickets and more info at the link. April 26 4-8 p.m. $71. my805tix.com. San Luis Obispo Public Market, 3845 S. Higuera St, San Luis Obispo.
BONETTI BREWS: TASTING FESTIVAL
Bonetti Brews is the ultimate afternoon celebration of great drinks, live music, and local flavors. Buy tickets now at the link. April 26 4-8 p.m. $60. my805tix.com.
SLO Public Market, 120 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo.
CELEBRATE EASTER WITH PIADINA’S FARM-FRESH BRUNCH BUFFET Piadina at Hotel SLO will host a delectable farmfresh Easter Brunch Buffet, offering a tempting selection of sweet and savory dishes. April 20 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Piadina, 877 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 592-1510.
FOOD & DRINK
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
BEER YOGA AT NAUGHTY OAK Join Jenn as she guides a yoga practice to participants with beverages in hand. Bring a mat and sip on your favorite drink. Get tickets at the link. April 27 11 a.m.noon $23. my805tix.com. Naughty Oak Brewing Company, 165 South Broadway, Orcutt.
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
All records for any Special Education student that was born within the year 2000 and attended a Santa Maria Joint Union High School District school, your physical special education records are available for pick up at no charge from the District Office. All 2000 not picked up by June 1, 2025 will be destroyed.
If you have any questions, or to arrange a pickup date/time, contact:
Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 2560 Skyway Dr. Santa Maria, CA 93455 805-922-4573 ext. 4311
Todos los registros de cualquier estudiante de Educación Especial que haya nacido dentro del año 2000 y asistió a una escuela del Distrito Escolar de las escuelas preparatorias de Santa Maria, sus registros físicos de educación especial están disponibles para recoger sin cargo en la Oficina del Distrito. Todos los registros del 2000 que no hayan sido recogidos para el 1 de junio de 2025 serán destruidos. Si tiene alguna pregunta, o para programar una fecha/hora de recogida, comuníquense con:
Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 2560 Skyway Dr. Santa Maria, CA 93455 805-922-4573 ext. 4311
SLO FARMERS MARKET Hosts more than 60 vendors. Saturdays, 8-10:45 a.m. World Market Parking Lot, 325 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
TOMATO FANDANGO AT TIBER CANYON OLIVE RANCH Growing Grounds Farm’s edible plants meet artisan vendors in a beautiful location. April 26 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and April 27 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. (805) 934-2182. Tiber Canyon Ranch, 280 W Ormonde Rd, San Luis Obispo.
MUSIC
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD BY LOBO
BUTCHER SHOP Check out live music every Friday night from a variety of artists at Steller’s Cellar in Old Orcutt. Dinner served by Lobo Butcher Shop between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Varies according to food options. (805) 623-5129. stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. LIVE
AT
CELLAR
THURS-TUES, APRIL 24-29 Multiple Venues: SLO & Morro Bay Arbor Day Mindfulness Hike & Mineral Springs Experience FRIDAY, APRIL 25 Sycamore Mineral
End (Squire Canyon), SLO
Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 623-5129, stellerscellar.com.
LOS LOBOS IN CONCERT Hear Los Lobos
live at Presqu’ile Winery and celebrate 50 years of music with the iconic band in an intimate setting. Get tickets and more info at the link. April 18 6-8 p.m. $67. presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
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. (805) 478-6198. 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.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
THE MOLLY RINGWALD PROJECT
CA-based band The Molly Ringwald Project is an 80s tribute band that pays homage to older musicians through their covers. Hear them live and visit the site for more info. April 18 9 p.m.-midnight mavericksaloon.com/event-calendar/. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, (805) 686-4785.
THE ROBERT HEFT BAND Enjoy an evening of live music from The Robert Heft Band, performing on Maverick Saloon’s stage. Get more information at the link. April 25, 8:30-11:30 p.m. mavericksaloon. com. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, (805) 686-4785.
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
KARAOKE AT COLD COAST BREWING
CO. Pick out a song, bring your friends, and get ready to perform. Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc, (805) 819-0723, coldcoastbrewing.com.
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
BASIN STREET REGULARS PRESENTS
WEST COAST GUMBO WITH SPECIAL GUEST DAVE RUFFNER West Coast
Gumbo is set to hit the stage with special Guest Dave Ruffner. Get tickets and more info to the show at the link. April 27, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $15. (805) 937-8402. pismojazz. com/. Pismo Beach Veterans Memorial Hall, 780 Bello St., Pismo Beach.
BEYOND THE NOTES: ENRICHMENT
THROUGH MUSIC AND COMMUNITY Dr. Gregory Harwood, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Georgia Southern University, will present “Two for One: An Opera in Church Clothing.” RSVP at the link. April 26 3-5 p.m. my805tix.com. San Luis Bay Estates Lodge, 6375 Firehouse Canyon Road, Avila Beach, (805) 391-7664. KARAOKE AT SLO COUNTY’S ONLY
ACTIVE OUTSIDE
A three-part Earth Day event will take place at Sycamore Mineral Springs and Resort on Tuesday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Participants will hike along the nearby Sycamore Crest Trail and cool off by soaking in the resort’s Waterfall Oasis. Fresh fire-roasted pizzas will be served in the Secret Garden. Admission to the afternoon’s activities is $40. To find out more, visit my805tix.com.
—A.S.
FILIPINO CAFE Join for all day, all ages karaoke hosted at SLO County’s only brick and mortar Filipino cafe, Lumpia Bros Cafe. Enjoy karaoke, filipino dishes, acai, and coffee. Tuesdays-Saturdays-6 p.m. through Dec. 31 Free. (805) 202-8473. Lumpia Bros Cafe, 1187 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY A weekly event with barbecue offerings and more. Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Rancho Nipomo BBQ, 108 Cuyama Ln., Nipomo, (805) 925-3500.
THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale afterhours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21 and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo.
MIDNIGHT RIDE AT HARRY’S SoCal
Top 40 Cover Band, Midnight Ride, is set to bring high-energy to Harry’s Night Club and Bar. April 27, 7-11:30 p.m. Free. facebook.com/events/1588740688502419. Harry’s Night Club & Bar, 690 Cypress St., Pismo Beach, (805) 773-1010.
YESTERDAY: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES Experience the ultimate Beatles tribute—Yesterday, endorsed by Sir Paul McCartney, recreates the Fab Four’s later years with stunning authenticity and global acclaim. April 19 7:30 p.m. $35-$55; Platinum $59. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/yesterday/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
COLBY ACUFF LIVE Idaho-native Colby Acuff is a country singer-songwriter set to deliver a live performance to an audience of SLO locals. Get tickets at the link. April 24 7 p.m. $33. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
CUESTA CHOIR CONCERT FEATURING THE SJSU CHORALIERS Head to the Cuesta Choir concert, conducted by John Knutson and Dr. Jeffrey Benson. The San José State University Choraliers will also be performing. April 24 7:30 p.m. $15. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
DEPARTURE DUO Nina Guo and Edward Kass present music for soprano and double bass, exploring the possibilities for music at its extremes. April 24 7:30 p.m. Free; parking permit required. (805) 7562406. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/special/. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
THE EMO NIGHT TOUR The Emo Night Tour Band is set to deliver a live performance of some of the biggest emo songs, with ENT DJ’s spinning tracks. Get tickets and more info at the link. April 18 8 p.m. $28. The Fremont Theater, 1035
Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 5468600, fremontslo.com.
ETRAN DE L’AÏR LIVE Spend an evening with Etran De L’Aïr and supporting musician Maya Ongaku. Get tickets and more info on the live show at the link. April 17 9 p.m. $39. slobrew. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
AN EVENING WITH STEELY DEAD Steely Dead, the national touring band that hails from Denver, Colorado, is set to grace the stage and share their love of Steely Dan and Grateful Dead with the community of SLO. April 20, 7 p.m. $30. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
FOLK FRIDAY The first event of the new Folk Friday program at Libertine. This first edition highlights three folk acts including Max MacLaury and The Compromisers, Cateylady, and Two Paper Squares. April 25, 6:30-10 p.m. $12-$25. (808) 220-0762. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, libertinebrewing.com.
FORTUNATE YOUTH LIVE Hear Fortunate Youth, the reggae rock sextet hailing from Hermosa Beach, CA live. Get tickets at the link. April 17 8 p.m. $40. fremontslo.com. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
JOSH ROSENBLUM LIVE Hear Central Coast singer, songwriter Josh Rosenblum as he blends hints of jazz, rock, soul, and pop into his live performance. Tickets and more information can be found at the link. April 25 7-9 p.m. $16. my805tix.com. CongregationHouse, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.
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.
MARINA PACOWSKI AND SCOTT WHITFIELD WITH DAVE BECKER
QUARTET The San Luis Obispo County Jazz Federation presents jazz vocalist, scat singer and pianist Marina Pacowski, along with LA-based trombonist, composer, and vocalist Scott Whitfield. Get tickets and more details at the link. April 26, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $40. my805tix.com. Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo.
MARK KROLL LECTURE-DEMO: THE ART OF MUSICAL ORNAMENTATION
The harpsichordist and Boston University professor emeritus will play and talk about examples of musical ornamentation by a wide range of composers and theorists. April 24 11:10 a.m. Free; parking permit
MUSIC continued page 28
St. Joseph HS Rodeo Campaign Fundraiser SUNDAY, APRIL 27 The Stockyard, Orcu
& PEACH
Head to downtown SLO to hear SoCalbased Top 40 cover band Midnight Ride play live at Frog & Peach. April 25 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Free. facebook.com/ events/3777670882498683. Frog and Peach Pub, 728 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 595-4764.
MIDNIGHT RIDE AT WOLFF VINEYARDS
Enjoy an evening of live music from Midnight Ride, the Top 40 cover band, hailing from Southern California. April 26, 1-4 p.m. Free. Wolff Vineyards, 6238 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-0448, wolffvineyards.com.
MIVOS QUARTET Features contemporary music for string quartet. A pre-concert talk starts at 6 p.m., which will focus on performing, commissioning, and collaborating on music being written today. April 17 7:30 p.m. Free; parking permit required. (805) 756-2406. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/special/. PAC Pavilion, Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo.
PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS
Hear Australian psychedelic rock band, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, live at The Fremont. Get tickets and more info at the link. April 22 $34. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600, fremontslo.com.
SARRA HEY-FOLICK AND AARON KLINE: A MUSICAL TIME MACHINE
Music Department clarinetist Sarra Hey-Folick and composer Aaron Kline present music for voice, clarinet, and piano with Kate Meyer, W. Terrence Spiller, and Alin Melik-Adamyan. April 18 , 7:30 p.m. $5. (805) 756-2406. music.calpoly. edu/calendar/special/. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
THE SEXTONES WITH SUPPORT BY LOS SO-LOWS Nevada-based soul and funk band The Sextones will hit the SLO Brew Rock stage to deliver a night of live performance. Get tickets at the link. April 19 7 p.m. $22. slobrew.com/. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.
SLO MASTER CHORALE: VERDI’S REQUIEM Visit site for more info on the event, as well as two Beyond the Notes programs that dive into Verdi’s works, on April 26 and 27 in SLO. April 27 3 p.m. slomasterchorale.org. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, (805) 756-4849.
SOFT PALMS Soft Palms, the brain child
Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600, fremontslo.com.
VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ Often referred to as
“The Hendrix of the Sahara,” Vieux Farka Touré is a singer, composer, and guitarist from Mali, known for dazzling crowds with his speed and dexterity on the guitar while referencing elements of rock, Latin music, and other African influences. April 18 7:30 p.m. (805) 756-4849. calpolyarts.org. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. W. TERRENCE SPILLER PIANO RECITAL
The Music Department professor emeritus will explore a broad swath of Frédéric Chopin’s works, including dances, a nocturne, and the extraordinary “Preludes, Op. 28.” April 25 7:30 p.m. $22 general; $12 students. (805) 756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/special/. PAC Pavilion, Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo.
WAVZINE X GREAT ROOM SHOWS
of Julia Kugel and Scott Montoya, will perform at Libertine. Hear them live and visit the link for more info. April 18 8:3010:30 p.m. libertinebrewing.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
THE SURFACE WALKERS LIVE The Surface Walkers are set to bring the audience into a musical and spiritual experience with live soulful and hypnotic music. Visit the link for more details and tickets. April 26 6:30 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. Liquid Gravity Brewing Company, 675 Clarion Ct., San Luis Obispo, (805) 457-4677.
UNITED WE DANCE Get ready for the ultimate rave evening, coined as “an electrifying night of EDM hits, immersive visuals, and non-stop energy on the dance floor.” Visit the link for tickets and more info. April 19 7 p.m. $28. The Fremont
PRESENTS: MONKEYFLOWER/SEVEN ASTERISK/MINDLESS SOCIETY/VODKA BREADBOWL/JOONE A night of live performance is scheduled at The Bunker SLO, where a variety of bands will hit the stage. Psychedelic garage rock band Monkey Flower, as well as indie alternative group Seven Asterisk, and Mindless Society, a nostalgic pop punk band, will deliver sounds to their audience. Get tickets at the link. April 19, 6-9:30 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY BLUES AGENDA JAM AND SHOWCASE A rockin’ blues dance party at Niffy’s Merrimaker every first, third, and now fifth Wednesdays. The Blues Asylum house band welcomes local, visiting, and newcomers to the blues groove. Spirits, beer, and wine, with outside food welcome. Every other Wednesday, 7-10 p.m. Free. (805) 235-5223. The Merrimaker Tavern, 1301 2nd Street, Los Osos. m
JUNE 6 / TICKETS START AT $49 GRUPO CAÑAVERAL MAY 3 / TICKETS START AT $59
A brief story, fifty-five words or less, with a headline no longer than seven words.
We accept entries to our annual 55 Fiction writing contest all year long.
Entries submitted by 5 p.m., Monday, June 16, 2025 will be considered for this year’s publications which will be out on July 24, 2025
For more details: bit.ly/55Fiction
ARTS BRIEFS
Waitress takes the PCPA stage starting April 24
The PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre serves up Waitress , a heartfelt tale of love, liberation, and the pursuit of dreams, from April 24 to May 11 at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria. Jenna, a talented piemaker and waitress, dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. With the help of her friends and fellow waitresses, Becky and Dawn, Jenna goes on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Of course, there’s a spark of love when she meets a charming doctor, and the romance helps redefine Jenna’s path.
“ Waitress is the kind of story I love and that PCPA excels in telling—it’s filled with heart and humanity,” Director Kitty Balay said in a press release. “We get to see ourselves in a cast of likable, imperfect characters who try their best but sometimes make terrible choices.”
The musical by Sara Bareilles is based upon the motion picture from Adrienne Shelly and contains mature language and themes. PCPA recommends the musical for teens and older and encourages potential attendees to review the play’s themes to determine whether its appropriate for them.
Waitress will make its second run at the stage from June 19 to July 6 at the Solvang Festival Theater.
The Marian Theatre is located at 800 S. College Drive on Allan Hancock College’s campus. For more information and to book your tickets (which start at $25), visit pcpa.org.
Santa Maria Philharmonic hosts The Sacred and The Profane
To close out the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024-25 season, the orchestra welcomes a guest ensemble for a concert—The Sacred and The Profane—that explores the range of human expression on May 3 at Grace Baptist Church.
The orchestra will perform a ballet suite from early 20th century composer Darius Milhaud, La Creation du Monde, which features jazz-inspired harmonies and rhythms that portray an African creation myth. In the second half, the Allan Hancock College Singers will join Maestro Michael Nowak and the Philharmonic Orchestra for a performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, an unfinished threnody he composed the year he died.
A pre-concert lecture will be held just before the concert, beginning at 6:50 p.m. and ending at 7:10. Youth 18 years old and younger get in for free with the purchase of an adult ticket.
Grace Baptist Church is at 605 E. McCoy Lane in Santa Maria. Check smphilharmonci.org for updates, event cancellations, or postponements. For questions, call (805) 925-0412. m
Material muralism
Santa Maria art exhibition highlights talents and perspectives of local artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities
BY EMMA MONTALBANO
What began as colored pencil drawings depicting local artists’ interpretations and perspectives of the Santa Maria Valley evolved into textile panels now on display at the Betteravia Gallery in Santa Maria.
The New Muralism: Valley Visions exhibition is a collaboration between the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture and Slingshot/Alpha Art Studio, a progressive art space dedicated to supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Slingshot Gallery Director Jessica Schlobohm hopes that the exhibition will help shift people’s “perception about what individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities contribute to our society.”
“I hope that people enjoy it and appreciate it because I know that’s what is most important to our artists,” Schlobohm said. “They are really proud of their work and really fulfilled by it, and so the knowledge that other people get something from it is really important to us all.”
As part of this exhibition, which opened on April 10, Schlobohm said that the gallery had artists create new work that focused on their connections to the region and local culture.
“It’s not in an art gallery,” Schlobohm said.
“It’s not in a museum. People aren’t necessarily going out of their way to see the art, and so we wanted to deal with subject matter and approaches that were really accessible and easy to understand.”
Schlobohm described this exhibition as “more of a creative production” rather than “just a standard curation,” adding that after each artist finished their colored pencil drawing, she and another member of her team worked to turn the drawings into larger-scale pieces of art using fabric. While the artists were asked to simplify their drawings in anticipation of the translation into larger
textile pieces, the reproduction process still involved experimentation and adjustments to preserve each artist’s original vision.
“What’s most interesting for us to see when we have these projects where we’re asking the artists to produce new work is the way in which the individual style and way of representation is carried through,” she explained.
According to Schlobohm, Slingshot Gallery functions under the umbrella of the Alpha Resource Center and takes inspiration from the success of progressive art studios in the Bay Area founded by Florence and Elias Katz.
“We believe not in explicit teaching methods—like, we don’t exist to show somebody how to be a portrait artist or how to paint a realistic landscape,” she said. “We kind of work with the individuals … and then help to provide them with inspiration, with reference materials, with different methods of art-making, so that we can work with where they are at and just encourage them to keep growing and exploring as an artist.”
Additionally, she said that Slingshot gives people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to work as artists in their communities and to get representation from doing so.
“The artwork from which the reproductions were made was all new work that the artists created just for the exhibition,” Schlobohm said. “That kind of style of working is very much in line with aspects of being a working artist, where you’re responding to needs that are being given, and then you’re contributing creative content based off of those needs. So, I think that finding ways for them to contribute their artistic vision to enrich the community is very much something we were working from for this exhibition.”
Office of Arts and Culture Curator Tom Pazderka explained that exhibitions like New Muralism: Valley Visions help engage community members who don’t typically have access to art shows or museums. He stepped into his role as curator for Santa Barbara County about a year and a half ago, and since then, he has developed a stronger appreciation for the importance of public art.
“I’m getting more and more of the sense that we need more [public art], and these kinds of shows are what really brings that home for me,” Pazderka said. “It’s just how good some of this can be, and how good it can be for people that have literally no other access to art.”
He highlighted that one of the toughest aspects of being an artist is understanding or knowing what the audience’s response to a piece of work will be. For that reason, he didn’t share what he hopes viewers might take away from the exhibition but instead expressed a desire for people to “look at it and appreciate it for what it is.”
“I think this is one of the kinds of works that demand that you go and see and look at it,” he said. “It looks one way in pictures, and you don’t quite get it until you see it in person.” m
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
View the visions
The New Muralism: Valley Visions exhibition will tentatively be on display throughout the rest of the year in the Betteravia Gallery at the Government Center in Santa Maria. Find more information at sbac.ca.gov/current-gallery-exhibitions.
FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB HOUCHENS
SKETCHES TO STITCHES: This textile panel is a reproduction of artist Dylan Long’s artwork, Greetings From Santa Maria
PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA SCHLOBOHM
COLORFUL CONNECTIONS: Artists were tasked with creating their original art pieces using colored pencils because, according to Slingshot Gallery Director Jessica Schlobohm, that is a familiar and reliable medium for most of them.
Underdog
James Hawes (One Life) directs this vigilante spy thriller about Charlie Heller (Rami Malek), a CIA cryptographer who defies his superiors to avenge the death of his wife (Rachel Brosnahan) in a London terrorist attack. (123 min.)
Glen: This marks the second time Robert Littell’s 1981 novel has been adapted for the big screen, the first being a 1981 Canadian film starring John Savage. I’ve never read the book, and I don’t recall seeing the other film, so I can’t attest to how this film measures up to its source material or cinematic predecessor, but it’s a fairly common plot—a man out of his depth seeks justice for a slain loved one in a dangerous world. In this case, Charlie is a smart guy. We’re told his IQ is 170. During the course of his job, he discovers his boss, Director Moore (Holt McCallany), has been hiding accidental drone attacks on civilians under the guise of terrorist bombings.
THE AMATEUR
What’s it rated? PG-13
What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee
What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee
Where’s it showing? Regal
Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal
Edwards Arroyo Grande
So Charlie blackmails Moore into accessing field training under a CIA operative named Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) so he can go after his wife’s killers, including the ringleader Schiller (Michael Stuhlbarg). Henderson tells Charlie he’s not a killer. The fun is in finding out how far Charlie’s willing to go. Anna: Charlie has to use his brains to figure out how to best all of these bad guys. Even though
G20
What’s it rated? R When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Prime
Patricia Riggen (Under the Same Moon , The 33 Miracles from Heaven) directs this action thriller about U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Viola Davis), who must tap into her past military experience when terrorists descend on the G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa. Think of it as a mix of Die Hard (1988), Air Force One (1997), and White House Down (2013).
It’s a familiar formula, and the dialogue is a little too pat in the first act, but this straight-to-streaming film starts to cook. Davis, who was a total badass in The Woman King (2022), brings that same toughness to this role, and President Sutton has an effective nemesis in Anthony Starr (Homelander in The Boys), who’s really good at being really bad. For an action film, there’s a surprising amount of heart. The First Gentleman (Anthony Anderson) has a lot of love for his wife, and they’re both devoted to their children, wellbehaved Demetrius (Christopher Farrar) and rebellious but tech-savvy Serena (Marsai Martin). Those skills turn out to be helpful. Sutton’s personal Secret Service agent and judo partner, Manny Ruiz (Ramon Rodríguez), is deeply devoted as
he’s told by Henderson that he’s not a killer, he’s bound and determined to find a way to be. I like Malek as an actor. He has a measured steadiness and quiet depth that always proves interesting on-screen. I hadn’t heard of this book or the ’80s movie before, but I will say that the premise seemed a bit wild to me when I first heard the synopsis. That holds true, but I do like a story where a smart guy outsmarts the corrupt overlords, and that’s what happens in The Amateur. We’re watching Charlie work through his kill list and what that does to his psyche, and we’re watching as CIA Director O’Brien (Julianne Nicholson) starts to piece together that the good ol’ boys in her department are being less than truthful when it comes to what’s really going on. This film felt a bit plodding to me, but it also had moments where it really picked up. Its 6.7 rating on IMDb makes sense to me; it’s just north of middling.
Glen: Yes, it’s no Three Days of the Condor (1975), that’s for sure. Still, it felt smart to weave appearances by Charlie’s dead wife, Sarah, into the storyline either as flashback memories or fantasy daydreams. Charlie is an introvert, and even though Sarah invited him to join her at an overseas conference, he said no because he always says no. The guilt of not being there for her is what drives him. You do have to suspend your disbelief that this guy who’s never
traveled and who can’t stand up for himself is transformed into such an effective operative in these various European countries—but hey, we don’t go to the movies to watch average people being average. I would have been fine watching this at home, but if it sounds like your jam, it’s worth a matinee.
Anna: At one point, Charlie meets up with an anonymous whistleblower (Caitríona Balfe) who he seems to have an established online
GONE GIRLS: THE LONG ISLAND SERIAL KILLER
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
The Gilgo Beach serial killings haunted the Long Island community for years. What was once just a 911 call followed by a missing person unfolded into a multitude of slayings, one uncovered after the other spanning 15 years and the loss of at least 11 lives.
Rex Heuermann was arrested in 2023 for the murders that happened between 1993 and 2011 and has since pleaded not guilty and is now in the pre-trial stages of his court battle. This docuseries pulls in the families of victims and others who have fought to keep their stories alive. These women may have been overlooked by law enforcement as simply “missing,” which no doubt had much to do with their professions as sex workers. However, their families and loved ones had no intention of halting their search, and it’s because of those families that these 11 women were finally found and put to rest.
relationship with, and, for a brief moment, he isn’t working alone. I think that was my favorite segment of the film. I also could have watched this at home, and I quite frankly probably would have been distracted by my phone or my dogs, but if a little bit of on-screen vengeance is what you need, then a matinee feels just right. m
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
well. Best of all, a tough, fair-minded, Black female president? Yes, please! (108 min.)
—Glen
Any true crime fan is going to be familiar with this story, but this docuseries lets us get to know the victims through their families’ eyes and brings to light the absolutely broken relationship the authorities have with our most at-risk
populations. (three
How it Works:
On-Demand wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) brought to you by Care Connection Transport Services powered by Santa Barbara County
Service Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Sat-Sun: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Service
Details:
Scan the QR code to download the app or book online $2.00 per mile
VENGEANCE: After his wife is murdered in a terrorist attack, introverted CIA techie Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) defies his superiors and seeks revenge, in The Amateur, screening in local theaters.
BADASS: U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Viola Davis) taps into her military training when terrorists take over the G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa, in G20, streaming on Prime.
MISSING: Law enforcement bumbles its way through a lackadaisical investigation, in the docuseries Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, streaming on Netflix.
PHOTO COURTESY OF
Eats
Sweet success
‘Hard work pays off’ through desserts and determination
BY EMMA MONTALBANO
Since September of 2024, when she launched her treat-making business, Rose Angulo has overcome homelessness, moved into her first-ever apartment, taken classes at Allan Hancock College, and secured a job at a local preschool, all while selling homemade desserts and taking care of her young son.
“I’m an example of hard work pays off,” Angulo said, reflecting on what it took to establish a business and overcome the hurdles she’s faced over the last year.
Angulo had already tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit before creating her treat-making business by founding a bottle bedazzling company. However, after attending her first vendor pop-up event, she quickly realized that if she wanted to make money off a side hustle, then she’d have to do something with food.
“I never pursued doing treats because I just felt like everyone does that, but I just had faith in myself,” she explained. “I was like, ‘OK, if I’m going to do treats, let me do something different then.’”
She started her business, Rositas Manzanitas, from her mother’s kitchen by making “apple salads,” which consist of apple slices, cheesecake filling, and a variety of toppings. One of her first best sellers was the Big Back Junior made with Granny Smith apples, cheesecake filling, Snickers, Twix, caramel drizzle, chocolate drizzle, and nut topping.
“One thing I struggled with a little bit in the beginning is that you expect certain people to be happy for you, but not everybody’s happy for you, even if it’s the people that you want that recognition from,” Angulo said. “You just got to keep going.”
Shortly after launching, she took a trip with her wife to Anaheim, where she learned more about an increasingly trendy dessert on social media called Dubai chocolate. The specialty chocolate, made with pistachio filling and shredded phyllo, went viral on TikTok and
Treat yourself
Rositas Manzanitas, now based in Guadalupe, can be found on Instagram @rositas.manzanitas.
Breaking news, insightful opinions, and local event updates sent directly to your inbox every Thursday morning.
Instagram as people posted about its use in different desserts.
“I wanted to make sure that if I was selling it, I wanted to be as authentic as I could be,” Angulo said. “So I went to an Islamic bakery, and I actually talked to the owner and bought a bar off of him. He pretty much gave me the recipe and gave me his blessing in a way, so I came home and did my research. I started selling the chocolate, and boom, it took off.”
Angulo said that she knew she had made the right decision starting her treat business as soon as she posted about the Dubai chocolate she had made. She explained that within minutes of posting, she was “swarmed” with orders.
“It really was the right move because that’s honestly what blessed my business, is making Dubai chocolate,” she said.
When she moved into an emergency homeless shelter, she had to request an extension on the shelter’s curfew so that she could continue maintaining her business out of her mother’s kitchen. Even though she managed to keep making and selling treats,
she emphasized that living in the shelter was not easy.
“Being in the shelter was a very humbling experience,” she said. “It makes you think a lot differently about a lot of things. I feel like, yeah, I was homeless, but I didn’t look homeless. I feel like a lot of people judge homeless people. Honestly, unless I tell people, you would never know I was in a shelter.”
She noted that staying in the shelter felt like being in some sort of boot camp, and from the experience, she learned time management and discipline skills that she continues to use today to balance her new job at a preschool, community college classes, her side business, and taking care of her son.
“It’s a lot of self-discipline,” she said. “You really got to be disciplined to want to run a business, be a mom, and go to work. It’s not for the weak.”
In early March, she moved out of the shelter and into her first apartment, where she now has her own kitchen to make apple salads, Dubai chocolate, cupcakes, and chocolate-covered
strawberries. She expressed gratitude for the people who have supported her business along the way and added that she’s proud of herself for doing what she needed to do to get to where she is.
“[People at the shelter] would always ask me, ‘How do you have time? How do you do it?’ And I’m just like, ‘It’s a mindset,’” she said. “I’m also a mother. My son needs certain things. I do what
MAKING MOVES: After moving out of the emergency homeless shelter, Rose Angulo relocated to Guadalupe, where she has been working to build a new clientele interested in her desserts.
SWEET TREATS: Rose Angulo is planning to be at the Nipomo Farmer’s Market on May 3, where she will sell a variety of her homemade treats, including chocolate-covered strawberries and Dubai chocolate bars.
EATS continued page 34
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Special Education - Child Find
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate high school age students suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes students that are highly mobile, migrant, experiencing homelessness, students that are wards of the state, and students attending private schools located within SMJUHSD boundaries. If you suspect your child has a disability, contact the school special education department or district office Special Education Department.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
El Distrito Escolar de las Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria
Educación Especial - Búsqueda de Estudiantes
El Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria (SMJUHSD) busca identificar, localizar y evaluar a los estudiantes en edad de escuela preparatoria sospechosos de tener una discapacidad que puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades educativas sin costo alguno para las familias. Esto incluye a los estudiantes que son altamente móviles, migrantes, sin hogar, estudiantes que están bajo la tutela del estado, y los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas privadas ubicadas dentro los limites de SMJUHSD. Si sospecha que su hijo tiene una discapacidad, comuníquese con el departamento de educación especial de la escuela u oficina de Educación Especial del distrito SMJUHSD.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
I have to do. Yes, I love it, and I’m glad I’m doing something on the side that I love, but we get burnt out too.
“So, it’s just having that mindset to keep going through with it and just putting in the hard work.”
Angulo said that she hopes to set a good
example for her younger sisters and for her son, adding that she wants them to know that they can accomplish whatever they aspire to do.
“You can really make this life whatever you desire,” she said, “as long as you have faith, and you do the work, and you don’t give up.” m
Reagh Staff Writer Emma Montalbano at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
MADE WITH LOVE: Rose Angulo with Rositas Manzanitas said that she creates custom
