Avoiding disaster
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Aproposed ordinance would essentially prohibit battery energy storage facilities from being built in Santa Maria, something spurred by a January fire at a battery storage site in Moss Landing. In 2022, the city Planning Commission approved a permit for a proposed battery storage facility on Industrial Parkway. The project applicant recently requested a permit extension, and the city now has to decide what to do about it. Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood speaks with Santa Maria officials about battery storage and why they want to keep it out of city limits [6]
Also this week, read about the changes planned for Santa Maria’s former Sears building [4]; why PCPA is asking the community to help out summer interns with housing [16]; and the bees that keep one Lompoc winemaker busy [20] Camillia Lanham
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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.
• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and U.S. Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) recently announced the reintroduction of the Housing for All Act, described as “a comprehensive approach to address the homelessness and affordable housing crises in California and across the nation,” in an April 21 statement from Padilla’s office. The legislation “would invest in proven solutions to address affordable housing shortages,” and provide a historic level of federal funding for both existing programs to reduce homelessness and new solutions to help vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness, according to the statement. “Housing is a basic human right, not a privilege. As the Trump Administration callously cuts essential housing programs and resources that Americans across the country depend on, our Housing for All Act is a blueprint for building upon locally developed solutions and providing necessary federal investments to finally treat the homelessness and affordable housing crises with the seriousness they deserve,” Padilla stated. “For far too long, the lack of affordable housing has hurt Americans nationwide and disproportionately harmed low-income communities and communities of color. Community leaders across California know that we have the tools to end homelessness and lower the cost of housing for Americans, but we need significant federal investments to scale up creative and effective housing solutions.” The National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Rural Housing Coalition, American Library Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, California League of Cities, California State Association of Counties, California Housing Partnership, and California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing (BCSH) Agency are among the organizations that have endorsed the Housing for All Act, according to Padilla’s office. The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Out of Reach 2024 report states that no state or county exists in California where a person working 40 hours a week and earning the state or local minimum wage “can afford to rent a modest two-bedroom apartment.” According to the report, the average minimum wage earner would need to work 113 hours per week— nearly three full-time jobs—to afford a two-bedroom rental home. “Homes have been too expensive for far too long,” Carbajal said in the statement. “The Housing for All Act will make historic investments in programs addressing housing and homelessness, … to ensure every American has a roof over their head.”
• On April 21, state Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement on Pope Francis’ passing. “I join the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. May we lift up his legacy of compassion, unity, and stewardship through our actions,” Limón said in a post on X. “May he rest in peace.” Gov. Gavin Newsom also issued an April 21 statement. “As we mourn His Holiness, we honor him by choosing to believe that a better world is possible through grace and kindness, and through fellowship with our neighbors, no matter our differences,” Newsom stated. “Pope Francis led with his love of peace and creation and sought to protect and lift up the vulnerable. He championed human dignity, especially that of the poor, called the world to urgent climate action, condemned the death penalty, and confronted painful truths—including the Church’s role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples. His papacy was characterized by moral courage, a profound respect for all creation, and a deep conviction in the transformative power of love to heal and unite.” m
Santa Maria Planning Commission approves Sears remodel for incoming grocery store
Boarded up since early 2020, the shuttered, former home of Sears in Santa Maria is due for a makeover in the eyes of its owner and some city officials.
During its April 16 meeting, the Santa Maria Planning Commission approved a permit for a proposed remodel of the empty two-story building attached to the Santa Maria Town Center.
If the plan meets City Council approval, the site will be retrofitted to accommodate a fullservice grocery store on its first floor and new retail spaces on the second.
Planning Commissioner Yasameen Mohajer said she’s “looking forward to how much life it’s going to bring to that corner.” Planning Commissioner Esau Blanco agreed.
“It’s definitely going to make that area look much nicer,” Blanco said. “It’s going to … basically bring life to an area that right now is completely dead.”
While grocery market chain El Super will occupy the building’s lower level, the upper level will be divided into a handful of units for separate retail tenants.
Retailers for those units haven’t been selected yet, but they may benefit from a proposed incentive, which is awaiting City Council approval. It would allow incoming businesses on the building’s second floor to bypass individual hearings before the City Council to speed up their development.
The project’s downtown permit includes an incentive for the city as well. The applicant, Shasta 2020 LP, agreed to either build a new bus stop and bus pad outside of the building or pay an in-lieu fee to fund both.
City staff made this request based on studies tied to the remodel, Santa Maria Principal Civil Engineer Mark Mueller explained at the Planning Commission’s April 16 meeting.
Mueller said that the project’s traffic study and recent bus ridership data suggest that adding a grocery store to the Santa Maria Town Center would lead to a 50 percent increase in bus ridership on one of the city’s main routes.
“This site is a grocery store located in what’s essentially a food desert. The nearest grocery store is a mile away,” Mueller said. “People will be relying on transit to get to this location if they’re non-ambulatory, if they can’t drive themselves.
“I would say that this is a proportional impact and request to make of this development,” Mueller said.
With a 5-0 vote, the Planning Commission approved the project’s downtown permit, which will move to the City Council for final approval.
—Caleb Wiseblood
Executive order expanding logging will impact Los Padres National Forest
Amid a slew of executive orders from the Trump administration, one to expand logging efforts has a local nonprofit worried about the potential impacts for endangered species, erosion, and wildfire prevention Los Padres National Forest.
On March 1, the executive order “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production” ordered the streamlining of logging permitting throughout the country to increase economic security.
“The production of timber, lumber, paper, bioenergy, and other wood products (timber production) is critical to our nation’s well-being,” the order states. “Timber production is essential for crucial human activities like construction and energy production.”
Los Padres ForestWatch Executive Director Jeff Kuyper anticipates at least 80 percent of the local forest is subject to the emergency declaration.
“It does open the floodgates to pretty much unchecked logging and vegetation clearing projects throughout all national forests in the country, including here in Los Padres National Forest, and that’s what’s of great concern,” Kuyper told the Sun
The executive order blamed “heavy-handed” federal policies that it claims prevented full use of the resources. The order said the country has been forced to rely on foreign producers.
“Our inability to fully exploit our domestic timber supply has impeded the creation of jobs and prosperity, contributed to wildfire disasters, degraded fish and wildlife habitats, increased the cost of construction and energy, and threatened our economic security,” the order said.
Despite major federal staffing cuts, the order calls on leaders of the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to issue new guidance to increase timber production and sound forest management, reduce time to deliver timber, and decrease timber supply uncertainty.
Current logging projects in Los Padres National Forest that predate the current Trump administration include areas of Pine Mountain and Mount Pinos and aim to reduce tree densities and promote forest resilience to insects and disease, persistent drought, and wildfire, according to the U.S. Forest Service’s website.
Kuyper said he’s worried about a potential lack of public input under a much faster and more streamlined process.
“It authorizes the Forest Service to approve these things at a much faster pace and without going through the normal environmental review process and doing so in a way that shuts the public out as well,” he said. “It’s critically important, because these are public lands, to have the public be engaged and able to participate in these decisions, make their voices be heard”
The potential environmental impacts depend on the area of the forest, Kuyper said, but overlogging could result in habitat loss for endangered species like condors and steelhead trout, as well as vegetation loss due to erosion.
“Many of the places targeted by this emergency declaration are areas where people go hiking and camping,” he added. “It would fundamentally change the look and feel of Los Padres National Forest for decades to come.”
Forest Service spokesperson Larry Moore told the Sun via email that under the executive order, no specific forest information was available to share as of April 16. However, he also said that a national plan will be developed within the next 30 days, and regions would then develop a five-year strategy aligned to the national plan.
According to an April 3 letter from Forest Service Acting Associate Chief Christopher French, the department’s national plans will support rural economies and forest product industry partners, reduce the risk of destructive wildfire by creating and sustaining healthy and resilient forests and watersheds, and build capacity through workforce alignment and partnerships.
Moore told the Sun that the Forest Service stands ready to fulfill the vision of executive order while maintaining resilient and productive forests.
“Active management has long been at the core of Forest Service efforts to address the many challenges faced by the people and communities we serve, and we will leverage our expertise to support healthy forests, sustainable economies, and rural prosperity for generations to come,” Moore said.
—Libbey Hanson
SEARS IN HEAVEN: Attached to the Santa Maria Town Center, the vacant two-story building where Sears once stood is on track for a remodel that would bring an El Super grocery store to the site and multiple retail businesses.
PHOTO BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
PHOTO COURTESY OF LOS PADRES FORESTWATCH
WEST CUESTA RIDGE: A recent executive order from President Donald Trump ordered the immediate streamlining of logging throughout the country, which is anticipated to affect about 80 percent of areas within the Los Padres National Forest.
Two gas station projects pivot to meet Buellton’s art deco standards
Under the same ownership for about 30 years, Buellton’s Shell station on Highway 246 is gearing up for an expansion to allow more pumps. But not without a new look mandated by the city.
Owner Peter Hong, founder of the Conico Oil Company, is seeking to demolish the station’s convenience store and other structures on his property to make room for a larger convenience store, a new fuel canopy, and eight additional gas dispensers.
The new developments need to conform with an art deco architectural design as part of the Avenue of Flags specific plan, adopted by Buellton officials in 2017.
“These boundaries were put in place well after the gas station was established,” contract city planner Irma Tucker told the Buellton Planning Commission at its April 17 meeting.
During the hearing, staff presented the Shell project’s early conceptual plans for commissioners to review. The presentation included renderings of the new convenience store’s frontage, while displaying some proposed designs consistent with Buellton’s art deco guidelines.
The project will return to the Planning Commission after a traffic study and additional conceptual plans come forward. Conico Oil Company representative John Yu told the Planning Commission that the development team was enthusiastic about incorporating art deco themes into the Shell station’s remodel and
not sexy like some of the other [development] uses, but it’s still a necessity. … It’s still a needed business.”
Buellton Planning Commissioner Brian Campbell described a specific aversion to gas stations in the Avenue of Flags area at the commission’s March 20 meeting. Campbell made the comment after a review of a proposed Arco station, the subject of multiple submittals and Planning Commission rejections since 2018.
“We have seven existing gas stations within a 1-mile radius of the new proposed gas station, and one next door. I don’t love that,” Campbell said. “But that said, I do really like the design.”
With a 4-0 vote, the Planning Commission granted the Arco proposal a conditional use permit. Planning Commissioner Marcilo Sarquilla said that the project’s consistent failure to meet the area’s art deco mandate over the years was the main issue holding it back for so long.
“I’m glad you guys finally came up with a very nice art deco plan,” Sarquilla said. “The previous plan was pretty generic for Arco dealerships throughout the U.S. But this is unique and it’s a nice way to come into Buellton.”
The project site is located on Avenue of Flags near the city’s first southbound freeway entrance.
Alex Cuevas of AGC Design Concept—the architecture firm behind the Arco project— described the path toward the conditional use permit as frustrating. He blamed the multi-year delay on several back-and-forth requests and proposed modifications between city staff and Arco’s corporate office.
“I think you guys know me very well by now. We’ve been here many times,” Cuevas said.
Classic Pearls for Mom!
Batteries excluded
A proposed policy would rule out all new battery energy storage projects within Santa Maria’s current city limits
CALEB WISEBLOOD
anta Maria aims to keep battery energy storage system (BESS) projects out of the city with a new set of rules still waiting for final approval.
The overlap between specific industrial areas where BESS facilities are allowed and spaces near residential or agricultural uses where they will be banned will make the city’s sign-off impossible, based on the proposed ordinance, Community Development Director Chenin Dow explained.
Jurisdictions across the state are looking at similar approaches to reform their BESS policies following the aftermath of Monterey County’s battery plant fire in January at Moss Landing, Dow said.
“We’re certainly not alone in that regard,” Dow told the Sun. “Our highest priority is the safety of our residents.”
The policy’s goal is to address citizens’ concerns about the threat of a potential BESS fire in the future, Dow said. The policy also aims to prevent the health and enviornmental consequences tied to the Moss Landing incident in recent studies, such as side effects related to heavy metal exposure.
“We want to make sure that doesn’t happen here in Santa Maria,” Dow said. “That’s our primary motivator.”
Staff introduced the BESS ordinance to the City Council at its April 15 meeting. It passed 5-0 and is currently awaiting a second hearing for the council’s final approval.
Whether or not the policy gets adopted, the future of a proposed BESS facility for a 1-acre site on Industrial Parkway—which has already received a permit approval—has yet to be determined, according to city staff. The Santa Maria Planning Commission approved the project in 2022.
In similar cases, the city’s revised regulations couldn’t be enforced on a project retroactively, Dow said.
“Generally speaking, if something’s entitled and then a rule is put in place and they’re still in compliance with their original entitlement, it
would go forward,” Dow said. “But if their terms were to expire, or things like that, it would just be different depending on that scenario. … We’ll evaluate that when the time does arise.”
Santa Maria Principal Planner Frank Albro told the Sun via email that the project’s permit expires on Aug. 3, and the applicant, Renewable Properties, has already submitted a request for a time extension.
“As far as how this relates to the new ordinance, that’s something we’re still going to need to analyze and figure out,” Albro said. “That time extension will be coming to a future Planning Commission hearing.”
The Sun reached out to Renewable Properties, headquartered in San Francisco, but did not receive a response before press time.
At an August 2022 Planning Commission meeting, Renewable Properties permitting manager Brian Madigan told commissioners what makes a project site ideal for a BESS development.
“Generally we look for sites that are flat, free of flood zones, clear of any wetlands, biological resources, and have access to the grid, as well as road infrastructure or vehicular access,” Madigan said about the vacant land at 2916 Industrial Parkway. “This particular site suits all of those needs.”
The parcel is less than half a mile away from a PG&E substation at 2664 Industrial Parkway.
At the City Council’s April 15 meeting, PG&E representative Eric Daniels asked elected officials and staff to table the BESS ordinance until new state and federal directives come forward.
“The limited nature of the ordinance seems as written to almost assure denial of any application,” Daniels said. “We support the public safety goals that motivate this ordinance. Legislation, however, in Sacramento is currently being considered to enhance safety requirements by incorporating National Fire Protection Association 855 standards for BESS installations.”
Daniels asked staff to preview state Senate Bill 283, drafted to require BESS developers to consult with local fire authorities on project
applications, and described some aspects of the Santa Maria ordinance as “more politically reactive than based on actual science.”
“Battery storage enables—as staff already said—the integration of renewable energy resources, enabling grid stability, and offers cost savings to customers,” Daniels said. “If we as a society truly want a greener grid, the incorporation of battery systems facilities will be necessary.”
At the meeting, Mayor Alice Patino said she wasn’t concerned about revisiting BESS rules in the future because of how often the state requires policy reform in general.
“We do that regularly anyway,” Patino said. “Every year we go through different changes in our ordinances because the state has passed different things.”
While state protocols on BESS projects evolve, Community Development Director Dow described the city’s current proposed policy as a safeguard in the interim.
“As new information becomes available, we’ll evaluate that when it’s available at the appropriate time. For now, we want to make sure everyone is protected and everyone is safe. That is goal No. 1,” Dow told the Sun. “We’re certainly no stranger to having to adapt based on the new information that comes from Sacramento, and we’ll be prepared to do that if that becomes necessary here.”
Even without a state mandate, there may be room for future BESS developments in Santa Maria that meet the ordinance’s strict requirements—if a planned annexation leads to additional industrial areas in the city, Dow explained.
“We are looking to annex shy of 1,000 acres on the northeast side of the city, and that would really be the future growth zone for the city of Santa Maria,” Dow said “We are largely builtout in our current city limits. So the goal is to accommodate that growth.”
Staff is now compiling comments from the public about the proposed annexation, collected during a recent outreach campaign, Dow added.
“We’re currently finalizing the policy frameworks and working with our consultants on that,” Dow said. “We are looking to have that plan admitted by December of this year.” m
BESS INTEREST: In 2022, Santa Maria gave Renewable Properties the green light to construct a battery energy storage system on Industrial Parkway, less than half of a mile away from a PG&E substation. Renewable Properties recently applied for a time extension, as its development permit expires in August.
Curtain call
Choreographer and ‘dance doctor’ Suzy Miller lends youth theaters a hand
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
The best dance moves occasionally come to light when someone falls out of sync with the rest.
“I’m big on mistakes,” choreographer Suzy Miller told the Sun. “There’s no mistakes [really], only unexpected solos. … A lot of my stuff is: ‘You know what you did right there? Keep that.’” This approach is especially helpful for young dancers, added Miller, who often works with high school students on musical productions at Pioneer Valley High School, Righetti High School, and other schools.
She hopes these shows help students learn “not to be afraid of doing something wrong,” whether it’s dance-related or not.
Miller has choreographed musicals and dance recitals for various companies—with performers of all ages—from scratch, but she also steps in mid-production as a “dance doctor,” she explained.
“I still choreograph, but one of my favorite things to do is go in and doctor other people’s work, because it’s so easy and fun,” said Miller, whose primary job in those cases is to help generate dance moves based on a show’s specific story and characters.
“I was always known as a choreographer who helped dancers learn to dance from the inside out,” she said. “With [my] musical theater background, I understand how to tell stories and to find character. You have to know: What do they smell, see, hear, taste, feel?”
Miller helped flesh out a recent production of Newsies with movements that correlated with characters’ actions and emotions. She
looked at the show’s historical basis—the poverty and other circumstances surrounding the newsboys strike of 1899—for inspiration, while integrating moves to represent frustration, oppression, angst, and courage.
Before walking into the rehearsal phase of high school productions like Newsies, held in March at Pioneer Valley, and Mean Girls, held in March at Righetti, students basically have their dance counts and basic shapes down by the time she gets involved.
“I get to breathe life into it,” Miller said. “I get to mess it up around the edges. It’s very fun. It’s the opposite of tedium.”
Originally from the East Coast, Miller said her career in choreography took her to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other cities before she set her sights on the Central Coast almost three decades ago.
“This is the longest I’ve ever been anywhere, but it doesn’t feel like it,” the San Luis Obispo resident said. “Here I am 25 years later still thinking I’m new in town.”
While living in LA during the ’90s, Miller was once hired by an event planner to lead a special tango lesson at a house party, hosted by Leonard Nimoy, she said.
“He showed me around and I got to see ‘the Spock room,’” Miller said. “There were Spock bobble-heads, Spock lunch boxes—you name it, he had it in a Spock version.”
William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, and Sandra Bullock were among the guests who attended the party, Miller said. Her eventual move to SLO came with another notable celebrity encounter.
During the early 2000s, she worked on a local production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown with SLO County native Zac Efron.
“Zac was our Snoopy. He was so fabulous, … charming and funny,” she said. “My mom and dad were visiting from back East. They came to a rehearsal. Zac was like 13. My mom watched the whole rehearsal, … and then afterwards, she said, ‘That Snoopy is going places. You mark my words,’ she said.
“‘You tell that Snoopy to thank you in his acceptance speech.’”
Highlight
• The Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department invites the public to enjoy swimming at the Paul Nelson Aquatic Center without an entry fee during its free and familyfriendly recreational swim day, on April 26, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Visit cityofsantamaria.org for more info. The Paul Nelson Aquatic Center is located at 600 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. m
Senior Staff Writer
Caleb Wiseblood can be reached at cwiseblood@ santamariasun.com.
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BEHIND THE SCENES: Selyn Barrette Harwin (left), director of Newsies at Pioneer Valley High School, poses backstage during the show’s run in March with local choreographer Suzy Miller (right).
Photo by: Andy Samarasena
Should the county have diverted a convicted arsonist to treatment instead of trial?
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The not-so-OK Corral
It’s high noon for the politicized judiciary and the reckless executive branches of our government
BY JOHN DONEGAN
We are approaching a constitutional crisis with a confrontation between a politicized and overreaching judiciary, and a reckless president who is smashing the political norms that have enabled our system to function. The balance of power between the three branches of government is getting shaky.
Currently, the Republicans control both the executive and legislative branches, and have been on a political blitzkrieg to quickly enact their agenda. The Democrats, out of power and in disarray, are thrashing about wildly in an effort to stop them. They will do anything to stop him, including using sympathetic and cooperative judges, and nearly every executive action has met with some sort of legal challenge.
At the moment, we have the Trump administration defying the direct orders of a federal district court judge, who ordered that several planes deporting illegal immigrant alleged gang members from Venezuela, turn around and return to the U.S. The administration has indicated its intention to continue similar deportations despite the court’s injunction prohibiting them.
The Venezuelans are being deported to El Salvador, where Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, a hero in his country for taking draconian steps to reduce gang crime, has agreed to hold them. Trump has cited the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 as authority, which authorizes summary deportation if the president declares that the U.S. is at war. The deportations have been challenged by the ACLU and by Democracy Forward, another leftist group.
The immediate question is how the judge will try to enforce his order against a president who has indicated every intention to continue to disregard his orders and how he will attempt to punish disobedience.
Backing every court order is the potential use of force to enforce it. But law enforcement and the military are under the command of the
Speak
executive branch. Further, the oath sworn by law enforcement and military personnel is to support the Constitution, not to support the judiciary or the executive. The Constitution does not give any branch the exclusive power to interpret and apply its terms.
Whose orders will they obey? Do we really want to force soldiers and cops to make their own interpretations of the constitutionality of disputed directives?
Historically, judges tended to defer to the political process and were reluctant to inject themselves into the executive’s authority over military matters and foreign affairs. They “stayed in their lane.” The acts of the other branches were afforded a presumption of validity, and courts were hesitant to interfere. But, in recent decades, the courts have occasionally been politicized and used to challenge the other branches to obtain political objectives.
Two examples were the efforts to disqualify Trump and enacting public policy that the legislative branch won’t accept, such as Roe v. Wade. The judicial process, through injunctions and stays, can be used to defeat, long delay, or frustrate the implementation of normal political policy. With our increasingly complex body of laws and regulations, love of deliberate, expensive, and slow-moving “process,” and the fertile and inventive minds of lawyers, it is not hard to concoct a superficially plausible legal challenge that can take years to disprove.
Long delay is, in effect, a win.
Our system of three co-equal branches of government ruled by a constitution is a structurally fragile arrangement in a world filled with the power-seeking. The Constitution is nearly 240 years old, and with the “living constitution” approach, can be interpreted to mean pretty much anything.
In the famous Marbury v. Madison decision, the Supreme Court gave themselves the power to determine just what the Constitution provides,
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effectively giving them the ultimate control over all branches of government. This was accepted because, practically speaking, someone had to have the final word.
But for this arrangement to actually work, it would require a lot of restraint and self-control by judges, and the willingness to resist the urge to take control and implement their own policy preferences. When courts become political entities and participate in actively making or implementing political policy, it is inevitable that their orders will be actively disputed, and this sort of standoff arises. Judges should act, well, “judiciously.”
My suggestions? First, return to the Senate procedural requirement to effectively require a supermajority to confirm judicial appointments, as existed before Democrat Harry Reid’s “nuclear option.” Requiring at least a few votes from the minority party would help avoid the partisan extremists.
Second, any order blocking or mandating actions by the executive should be first approved by the District Court of Appeals en banc and require a finding that the specific government action is likely to be successfully challenged under existing law and legal interpretations.
Third, the executive should be required to obey court orders.
Fourth, the minority party should respect the right of the executive to enact their agenda. Elections have consequences.
We should be ruled by neither a single district court judge, nor by a lawless executive. Let’s back away from the precipice. m
John Donegan is a retired attorney in Pismo Beach who is just the piano player in this mess. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
All mobile home park residents deserve rent control
Rent control in Santa Barbara County mobile home parks only benefits month-to-month tenants; those with leases are exempt from rent control. Rent increases for residents with leases is at the discretion of the park owner and average 4 to 8 percent for up to five years or more. As prices go up, rents go up, and those on fixed incomes with long leases are having trouble keeping up.
Supervisor Bob Nelson told me directly at the April 8 Board of Supervisors meeting he does not support removing the “exemption for leaseholders” from the ordinance. He said park owners would lose a significant amount of money by removing the exemption and that would put the county at risk of being sued by park owners for loss of revenue. I think that’s worthy of a legal opinion. Certainly, mobile home park owners have a right to make a profit on their investment, but when is enough enough?
Park owners can make up to $2.5 million per year in lot rental income alone. They make more in other ways as well. Mobile home park residents in Santa Barbara County are mostly retired folks on fixed incomes, and those with leases are simply asking to be treated the same as month-to-month tenants.
I encourage the Board of Supervisors to put this on the agenda and then vote yes to remove the rent control “exemption for leaseholders” from the county ordinance.
Rules to develop by
Buellton’s about to get one of the only art deco Arco’s in the United States.
After seven long years of fighting the city over its Avenue of Flags design requirements, Arco gave in!
“I think you guys know me very well by now. We’ve been here many times,”
Alex Cuevas told the Planning Commission, which finally approved AGC Design Concept’s Arco gas station on Avenue of Flags! “I can’t tell you how difficult it’s been for us because we’ve been the middle person.”
Cuevas and company has negotiated between a national gas station chain with a pretty specific look and Buellton, which wants its “big” street to pay homage to the 1920s. I’m not sure why. Is it competition with the Denmark of California?
In 2022, Cuevas told the commission that Arco was insistent on being itself—red, blue, and white all over (my words). It seems that Buellton is the little city that could.
“I’m glad you guys finally came up with a very nice art deco plan,” Planning Commissioner Marcilo Sarquilla said. “This is unique, and it’s a nice way to come into Buellton.”
It’s important that Buellton have very nice, unique gas stations, you know? That way it can set itself apart from other roadside stops with more than half a dozen gas stations per square mile.
I wonder if the bathroom will have a lounge— with eclectic wallpaper, thick carpet, a fainting couch, and an ensconced gold-framed mirror or three. That would be nice. I need a spot to relax and eat my recently purchased Flaming Hot Cheetos and guzzle my Arizona Iced Tea while I gas up on the cheap right off Highway 101!
It didn’t come up. But the Shell station down the street is also getting an art deco revamp— gas stations need to be classy in Buellton—and the bathroom will apparently be something to see!
“It’s going to be best in class for us,” Conico Oil Company company representative John Yu told the commission. “When you think of gas station bathrooms, … you open up the door and you hope that there’s no dead body inside.”
While there’s no guarantee you won’t find that in this particular gas station, at least it’s going to feel like another world. Don’t worry about that dude slumped against the wall, you know? This bathroom is going to be sexy—no key attached to a well-used broomstick handle over here.
“There’s an aversion in the planning community to gas stations,” Yu said. “I know it’s not sexy … but it’s still a necessity.”
Art deco is sexy. If planners need to create sexy gas stations, Buellton is the place!
And if anyone is thinking about putting a battery energy storage facility in Santa Maria, think again! The city is in the middle of placing a de facto ban on the things for public safety concerns over their potential environmental and hazardous impacts.
I feel bad for the developer who already has a permit approved to build such a facility in Santa Maria and now has to beg for a time extension—a usually pretty standard ask. Well. It’s not going to be so standard this time. Santa Maria is a no-fly zone. m
The Canary always flies over Santa Maria. Send maps to canary@santamariasun.com.
SADDLE UP for BUSINESS SUCCESS
Alzheimer’s Association
Astound Business Solutions powered by Digital West
Avila Bay Athletic Club & Spa
Bob Cantu’s Pizza and Sports Bar
Butlerz Event Rentals
CAPSLO
CASA of San Luis Obispo County
Casa Ramos Art Gallery
Cerro Alto Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital
Chamber of CommerceAtascadero
CIO Solutions
City of San Luis Obispo
City Wide Central Coast
Coastal Communities
Physician Network
Coastal Copy
CoastHills Federal Credit Union
Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
Corrective Care Chiropractic
Costco Wholesale
Creative Solutions Counseling and Work Life Wellness Services
DittyTV
Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County
Downtown SLO
ECOSLO
Educational Employees
Credit Union
Even Keel Wind, An Invenergy Project
Family Care Network, Inc.
Glenn Burdette
Goodwill Central Coast
Grand Canyon University
Human Interest
Infinity Metal SLO
JB Dewar
JUSTIN Vineyard & Winery
Leticia’s First Class Cleaning, Inc.
Lumina Alliance
Making SLO
Martha Olson-Fernandez
Foundations (MOFF)
MGP Coatings
Miller Event Management, Inc.
Mountaineer IT
Murphy Bank
NAMI SLO County
New Life K9s
New Times
Orangetheory Fitness
San Luis Obispo
Pacifica Hotels
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Paso Robles Safe & Lock
Photon Brothers
Placer Title
Popolo Catering
Polk Insurance Agency
Powersource Chiropractic
Promotores Collaborative of SLO County housed by Center for Family Strengthening
Puzzle Effect
Quesadilla Gorilla
Donkey Sanctuary
Residence Inn & Springhill Suites San Luis Obispo
San Luis Ambulance Service, Inc.
San Luis Obispo
Blues Baseball
San Luis Obispo County
Integrated Waste Management Authority
SESLOC Credit Union
SLO Food Co-op
SLO for Home
SLO Graze
SLO Piercing
St. Andrew The Apostle Greek
Orthodox Church
Surfing for Hope Foundation
The Law Offices of Daniel J. Knight, APLC
The Management Trust
The Monday Club
The Sign Place
The Villages of San Luis Obispo
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Therapy Era
Tri-County Office Furniture, Inc.
UCLA Health
United Staffing Associates
United Way of SLO County Waste Connections
Wildflower Women & Sandbox Kids
Williams Cleaning Systems
Central Coast Wisdom Center
Rancho Burro
Hot Stuff
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE STUDENT
FILM FESTIVAL Enjoy a showcase of documentaries and short films produced in the AHC Film program. Get tickets and more info at the link. May 2 7-10 p.m. $5. Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College Drive, Santa Maria.
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.
CASA GRANDE CRAFT FAIR The Casa Grande Craft Fair will have great gifts for Mothers Day and a free raffle every hour. April 26 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. (661) 437-7261. Casa Grande Mobile Estates, 519 W Taylor St., Santa Maria.
CASUAL CRAFTERNOON: MINI
BOUQUETS Welcome spring by arranging a fake flower mini bouquet that will last a lifetime. All materials will be provided and registration is required for patrons 18 and older. April 29 12-1:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. 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/.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17.
First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
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. Thursdays-Sundays, 7-9:30 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 1:303:30 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.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
DON LOUIS PERCEVAL: HIS VISION OF THE WEST Celebrate the opening of the latest exhibition, Don Louis Perceval: His Vision of the West. May 1, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 966-1601. sbhistorical.org/events/. Santa Barbara Historical Museum, 136 E. De La Guerra Street, Santa Barbara.
GALLERY LOS OLIVOS SPECIAL ARTIST SHOWS MONTHLY Head to Gallery Los Olivos for monthly featured artist exhibits from April to the end of June. See work from artists Patti Robbins, Terri Tabor, Carol Talley, Morgan Green, and Susan Kounanis. Get more info at the link. 1st of every month, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 30 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. 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. Mondays-
Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 30 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.
WATERCOLOR IN THE VINEYARD AT BUTTONWOOD FARM AND VINEYARD
Head to Buttonwood Farm and Vineyard in Santa Barbara County to revel in the picturesque views and enjoy a variety of wines. May 3 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $89. (805) 3258092. artspotonwheels.com. Buttonwood Farm & Vineyard, 1500 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, California, 93463, Solvang.
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) 7055328, 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.
DISNEY’S FROZEN JR. Presented by Coastal Christian School. May 3 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. and May 4 2-4 p.m. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/ccs-frozen-jr/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
HOUSEPLANT REPOTTING PARTY
Spring is the time to repot houseplants. Instruction and supplies will be provided and light refreshments will be served. April 27, 2-3:30 p.m. $20. (805) 270-4083. theplantedparlour.com/event/workshoprepotting-party/. The Planted Parlour, 592 W Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
LESS MISERABLE A spoof of one of the most beloved musicals of all time. May 2-June 14 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
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
ALL AGES SCULPTING WITH JOHN ROULLARD John a retired school teacher who patiently guides potters of all ages to sculpt and work on details and design.
CHUMASH EARTH DAY
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Environmental Department hosts its 17th annual Chumash Earth Day event at Kitiyepumu’ Park, located on the Santa Ynez Reservation, on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free, familyfriendly event will have educational booths, face painting, clothing swaps, local food trucks, and an appearance from Smokey Bear. Visit syceo.org/earthday for more information.
—Angie Stevens
Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES Anam
Cre is a pottery studio in SLO that offers a variety of classes. This specific class is open to any level. Teachers are present for questions, but the class feels more like an open studio time for potters. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
ART AFTER DARK Art After Dark features an art opening of world-class artists. Refreshments will be served. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. through March 7 Free. slocountyarts.org/art-after-dark. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing (805) 8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/ foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/babyhandprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
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. Through May 16 cuesta.edu. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-3202.
DATE NIGHT POTTERY Bring your date and throw a cup on the pottery wheel. Next, texture a clay slab and press into a form creating a personalized piece. Guest are welcome to bring drinks; venue provides aprons. Pieces are fired, glazed, and ready in two weeks. Saturdays, 6-7:30 p.m. $140. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM SHORTS
WITH ECOLOGISTICS Watch three environmental shorts that showcase
powerful, thought-provoking stories that highlight the wonders of nature and the challenges of preserving it. This event is part of the SLO Film Festival. April 29, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 548-0597. slofilmfestival2025.eventive.org. Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St, San Luis Obispo. FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKSHOP: LARGE PLATTER CLASS Fun for all ages. Instructors will guide you in creating large platters and decorating them. Create pieces together for your home. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $50. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
FIRST FRIDAYS Visit SLOMA on the first Friday of each month for exhibition openings, music, and wines provided by regional winery partners. Admission is free and open to the public. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 5438562. sloma.org/events/first-fridays/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
FRIENDS OF THE ARROYO GRANDE LIBRARY ART AUCTION The first ever art auction fundraiser for Friends of the AG Library is now live. Includes work by local artist Ellen November. Every 30 days, 9 a.m. (310) 384-6912. app.galabid.com/ aglibrary/items. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
I HATE HAMLET In Paul Rudnick’s dramatic comedy, when television star Andrew Rally moves back to New York and finds himself cast as Hamlet, nothing seems right. Thursdays-Sundays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through May 18 $20-$37. slorep.org. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 786-2440. LEARN TO WEAVE MONDAYS An opportunity to learn how a four-shaft loom works. You will get acquainted as a new weaver or as a refresher with lots of tips and tricks. This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, and much much more. Mondays, 1-4 p.m. $75 monthly. (805) 441-8257. Patricia Martin: Whispering Vista Studios, 224 Squire Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, patriciamartinartist.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA YNEZ BAND OF CHUMASH INDIANS
MOBILE CLAY CLASSES
Offering handbuilding, throwing, and ceramic decorative arts. All ages and abilities are welcome. Call for more info. ongoing (805) 835-5893.
hmcruceceramics.com/bookonline. SLO County, Various locations countywide, 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) 5438562. sloma.org/exhibition/ notes-for-tomorrow/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
SATURDAY FAMILY POTTERY
CLASS This family-friendly open studio time is a wonderful window for any level or age.
Saturdays, 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
$40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
FISHY FUN
The 28th annual Neal Taylor Nature Center Fish Derby will take place at Cachuma Lake Recreation Area on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27, from 6 a.m. to noon. The event features fishing, kid-friendly activities, and prizes. Visit troutderby.org to learn more.
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/. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-8600.
WILD ART GALA AND SILENT AUCTION
Wild Art is a benefit for Outside Now and children in nature, featuring a live auction and music from Gypsy All-Stars. Get tickets and more info at the link.
April 25, 6-9 p.m. $48. (805) 541-9900. auctria.events/wildart. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS AGING WELL IN SANTA MARIA: SCAM PREVENTION Join the Santa Maria Police Department for a presentation on the latest scams. This program will be around 1.5 hours and is suited for ages 18 and over. April 26 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/
departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
ANDROID PHONE CLASS First Thursday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, (805) 937-9750.
CENTRAL COAST CORVETTE CLUB Open to Corvette owners and enthusiasts. First Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. Free. (805) 934-3948. Home Motors, 1313 E. Main St., Santa Maria.
D&D AND BOARD GAMES AT THE LIBRARY Join the Santa Maria Valley Adventurers League for board games and Dungeons & Dragons. New players will
—A.S.
receive tutorials and materials. Children under 16 will need adult supervision. April 27, 1-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
FAMILY TOOLS+ FamilyTools+ is geared towards parents of youth, ages 5 to 18, with ADHD, autism, Tourette’s to focus on the needs of neurodiverse youth. Get more info at the link. Thursdays, 12-1 p.m. through July 1 Free. (805) 770-1593. youthwell.org/groups. Online (Santa Barbara County), Visit website, Countywide.
FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.
FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/ firstfridayoldtownorcutt/. Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17 Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
GROUP WALKS & HIKES Check website for group hike dates and private hike offerings. (805) 343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.
LAURUS COLLEGE FIRST EVER POP-UP
EVENT Join for a pop-up event featuring local vendors, food, live entertainment, and more in a fiesta-style atmosphere.
May 3 12-4 p.m. Free. facebook.com/ events/s/laurus-college-pop-up-event /849784670666365/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
Laurus College, 421 E Betteravia Rd Ste 100, Santa Maria, (805) 267-1690.
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.
POETRY FOR SELF-CARE Discover self-expression through poetry and join guest facilitator Dot Winslow to explore reactions through writing or illustration. Registration to this free workshop is required. April 27, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., 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.
SEEAG’S FREE “FARM DAY EVERY DAY” AT LAS CUMBRES RANCH Join SEEAG at their “Farm Day Every Day” at Las Cumbres Ranch near Los Alamos. Visit site for more information. April 26 9-11 a.m. Free. (805) 892-8155. seeag.org. Las Cumbres Ranch, 1450 CA-135, Santa Maria.
VALLEY READS BOOK CLUB Join The Valley Reads book club for adults. April’s book is The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson. Reserve a seat by calling the phone number provided. April 26 2-3 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: CALIFORNIA NATURE ART MUSEUM
Enjoy an afternoon filled with spring-fresh
food and beverages, award-winning wines, presentations, and a live music auction and artist demonstration. May 4, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $150. calnatureartmuseum.org. Vincent Vineyards, 2370 N Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez, CA 93460, Santa Ynez, (805) 691-4200. 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 includes raffles and kids activities. April 26 6 a.m.-noon and April 27, 6 a.m.-noon $10-$45. (805) 693-8381. troutderby.org/. Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, 2265 CA154, Cachuma Lake.
CHUMASH EARTH DAY The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Environmental Department will host its free annual Chumash Earth Day. This family-fun day will include educational booths, arts and crafts, clothing swaps, local food trucks, and a special appearance from Smokey Bear. Get more information at the link. May 3 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. syceo.org/earthday. Kitiyepumu’ Park, 100 Via Juana Road, Santa Ynez.
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.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
LOMPOC ART WALK Lompoc transforms into a celebration and showcase of local artists during this monthly event, which features live music, art, exciting exhibitions, performances, and a variety of unique vendors. First Thursday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Old Town Lompoc, H and I St., Lompoc.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 12
Hot Stuff
THE VILLAGE TREASURE CHEST This event is for the whole family. There will be vendors selling their wears, music, facepainting, and some kind of food booth. Come out and spend part of your Saturday supporting local vendors. First Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Vandenberg Village Community Services District Office, 3745 Constellation Road, Lompoc, (805) 291-6370.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
ARBOR DAY MINDFULNESS HIKE & MINERAL
than 500 Native
880 Chalk Hill Rd. Solvang, CA 93463
Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.manzanitanursery.com (805) 688-9692
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.
BRAZILIAN AND LATIN INSPIRED DANCE FITNESS CLASSES AT THE CLIFFS HOTEL
Enjoy a dance fitness class overlooking the ocean. Hosted on The Cliffs Hotel property, the event is available to locals and hotel guests. April 25 11-11:50 a.m. and April 26 11-11:50 a.m. Free. (805) 457-2848. danceclubslo.com. The Cliffs Hotel and Spa, 2757 Shell Beach Rd, Pismo Beach.
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.
COMMUNITY NATIVE GARDEN MONTHLY
VOLUNTEER WORKDAY Volunteers accomplish a variety of tasks including pathways maintenance, litter patrol of the garden perimeter, weeding, irrigation system expansion/repairs, pruning, and plantings. Volunteers should bring work gloves, a hat, drinking water, and tools related to the above activities. First Saturday of every month, 9 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 710-3073. Nipomo Native Garden, Camino Caballo at Osage, Nipomo. DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@ gmail for details and reservations. ongoing (805) 619-0989. empoweryoga805.com. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
AN EVENING OF TEA AND QI A relaxing evening of tea, seasonal meditation, and creativity. April 26 $40. (619) 807-7006. inariteaart.com. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.
LITTLE RANGER PROGRAM: AMAZING
POLLINATORS Visit the State Park and explore the amazing benefits of pollinators this spring at this event for ages 2 to 7. April 27 10-11 a.m. Free. (805) 474-2664. Oceano Dunes Visitor Center, 555 Pier Ave., Oceano.
MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS FOR ADULTS
Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
PILIPINO CULTURAL NIGHT Annual event presented by Pilipino Cultural Exchange. April 25 7-9 p.m. and April 26 7 p.m. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/pilipinocultural-night/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong through simple standing movements promoting
OCEAN EYES
Four featured artists will showcase their work at Gallery at Marina Square in Morro Bay from May 1 to 30. Photographer Jack McNeal grew up near the ocean, and through adventures including exploring the salt flats and dunes near the San Gabriel River and sailing in Alamitos Bay, he developed his artistic style in conjunction with the sea. His work will be on display in the venue’s upper gallery. To find out more, visit galleryatmarinasquare.com.
—A.S.
flexibility, strength, relaxation, and increased energy. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, Qi Gong revitalizes and enriches your life. An outdoor class overlooking the ocean. Wednesdays, 4-5 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561. pismobeach.org. Margo Dodd Gazebo, Ocean Park Blvd., Shell Beach.
QI GONG: MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Balance your mind, body, and spirit with Qi Gong — gentle stretching and strengthening movements that promotes physical wellbeing and inner peace. This is geared towards all fitness levels and ages. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Shell Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach.
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) 905-9274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
CAL POLY CAT PROGRAM’S ADOPT-A-KITTY Join to meet countless kitties in need of loving homes and make sure you find your purrrfect match. May 3 , 10 a.m.-3 p.m. HumanKind Fair Trade, 974 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 594-1220.
CALIFORNIA TREES: A FIELD GUIDE TO THE NATIVE SPECIES Join Dr. Matt Ritter, Cal Poly botany professor, for a visually rich celebration of the state’s iconic native trees. A conversation and book signing are scheduled after the talk. May 1 , 7:30-8:30 p.m. Free. mattritter.net/ speaking. San Luis Obispo Vets’ Hall, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-5930.
CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN
TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith based. All are welcome. Please wear a mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:30-11:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo.
DAILY QIGONG PRACTICE For the early riser or commuter, every weekday morning. Maintain or improve concentration, balance, and flexibility. Includes weekly Friday 3 p.m. class with more practices. Led by certified Awareness Through Movement teacher. Mondays-Saturdays, 6:10 a.m. and Fridays, 3 p.m. $35/week or $125/ month. (646) 280-5800. margotschaal.com/ qigong. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. FUNDRAISER: SPRING SALE IN THE GARDEN Joint his fundraiser, supported by the Central
TEACH WELL Teach Well teachers get support and learn strategies for building trusting student relationships. Get more information about the event at the link. May 1 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 770-1593. youthwell.org/groups. 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) 540-6576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
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/.
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.
Coast Women’s League (CCWL), to benefit SLO charities. Decorative art, jewelry, vintage items, clothing, and plants will be for sale. May 3 , 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. (805) 539-9374. Central Coast Women’s League, 1720 San Luis Drive, San Luis Obispo.
GROW AND GATHER: A PERINATAL WELLNESS CIRCLE The intention of this small group gathering is to provide support for expectant and postpartum parents/caregivers in nurturing their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m. through May 15 $50. (805) 541-1400. slobg.org/ event/grow-gather-a-perinatal-wellness-circle/. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
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.
HYDROLOGY AND LAND USE CHANGE (LECTURE) Join Jesse Trace, restoration ecologist, for a deep dive into the water cycle, our unique climate, historic landscapes, and the ecosystems of the Central Coast. April 26 2-3 p.m. Free. (805) 781-5991. sanluisobispo. librarycalendar.com/event/hydrology-landuse-change-17364. San Luis Obispo Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (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) 5411400. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
PARTY FOR GOOD Enjoy food, drinks, dancing, handmade Guatemalan items, and music by The Tax Band. The event’s proceeds will go to Friendship Bridge, raising money towards business loans for impoverished Guatemalan women. Get more info at the link. April 25 4-6 p.m. Free. (805) 801-4853. houseofbread.com. House of Bread, 1025 Farmhouse Lane, San Luis Obispo.
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 EARTHFEST EV EXPO Check out new and used EVs, and test drive e-cars and e-bikes. April 26 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 704-1549. driveelectricearthmonth.org/ event?eventid=4656. Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St., San Luis Obispo.
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 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, S anta 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
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.
JUNE
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
INGREDIENT PROFILE FORUM:
OLIVES Learn the history of olives, along with production, value, import, export, processing, and recipe sharing. April 26, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 878-7982. instagram. com/mypassionismyfood?utm_ source=ig_web_button_share_ sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==.
Nipomo Library, 918 W Teft, Nipomo.
TRIVIA NIGHT Join BrainStew Trivia for a hilariously witty evening of trivia in Pismo. Teams of 1 to 4 people. Prizes awarded to the first and second place teams. Kitchen is open until 7:30 p.m. for brain fuel. Beer, cider, wine, and non-alcoholic options available. First Thursday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. Free to play. (805) 295-6171. kulturhausbrewing.com. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach.
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.
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) 9342182. 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.
JAMES BOND “SENIOR” PROM Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens and Kiwanis Clubs present “Senior Prom: James Bond” Hear live performances from Riptide Big Band vocalists Bob Nations and Mitch Latting. May 3 , 1:30-4 p.m. Free. (775) 813-5186. RiptideBB.com. Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens and Kiwanis Clubs present James Bond “Senior” Prom with Riptide Big Band, vocalists Bob Nations, and Mitch Latting. May 4 , 1:30-4 p.m. Free. (775) 813-5186. RiptideBB.com. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.
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 MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR 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.
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.
SEASON CONCERT: THE SACRED & THE PROFANE The Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Michael Nowak will welcome a guest ensemble to close out the 2024-25 concert season. May 3 7:30-9:30 p.m. $50. (805) 925-0412. Grace Baptist Church, 605 E. McCoy Ln., 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 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.
NO PASSPORT REQUIRED Enjoy an afternoon of choral music with the whole family. Live music from around the world will feature the Youth Chorale and guest instrumentalists. May 3 , 3-4:15 p.m. $20. (805) 588-7204. lvmasterchorale.org. First United Methodist Church, 925 North F St., Lompoc.
YOUTH OPEN MIC NIGHT A fun, welcoming environment for first time performers and an opportunity for kids and teens to showcase their talent. Prizes awarded every month for Outstanding Performer. Last Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. certainsparks.com/. Certain Sparks Music, 107 S. H St., Lompoc.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
APRIL JAZZ AFTER DARK: A SPECIAL EVENING AT PUFFER’S FEATURING
DAVE RUFFNER & HIS ALL STARS Enjoy an intimate night of world-class jazz and New Orleans storytelling featuring Dave Ruffner & His All Stars. April 30, 5-8 p.m. $35. my805tix.com. Puffers of Pismo, 781 Price St., Pismo Beach.
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.
HR ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS
MARIACHI LOS GALLEROS Hailed as “the most beloved Mariachi in Mexico,” continues its legacy under Danny Rey, bringing the spirit of Mexican music to audiences worldwide. May 4, 8-10 p.m. $45-$65; Platinum $75. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/mariachi-losgalleros/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
KARAOKE AT SLO COUNTY’S ONLY
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.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
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.
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.
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.
MIDNIGHT RIDE AT FROG & 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.
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 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.
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. m
The Sea Productions Presents: Death Trap
Orcutt Banda Fest Barrel Room Concert: Erin & the Earthquakes Awaken the Wild Feminine: Beltane Fire Ceremony
ARTS BRIEFS
Buy a painting and raise money for charity at Full of Life Flatbread
Since 2018, local artist Elizabeth Chaney and Full of Life Flatbread have teamed up to raise money for charity. What started with a portrait of Anthony Bourdain and a special menu with Bourdain dishes that donated 20 percent and 10 percent of the proceeds, respectively, to suicide prevention has become a yearly occasion.
“We have together raised over $5,000 for different charities,” Chaney said in an email.
Her work now hangs on a wall in the restaurant that’s dedicated to raising money for nonprofits. Chaney’s new series of portraits is hanging at the restaurant now, and the artist said she would donate 10 percent to the charity of the buyer’s choice from the following list: Planned Parenthood, National Park Service, World Central Kitchen, International Rescue Committee (aid for Ukraine), or the Suicide Prevention Alliance.
Classically trained in illustration, Chaney graduated from the ArtCenter College of Design in 1996 and was a digital designer/art director for many years. She decided to go back to painting after a long break, she writes on her website.
“The backstory is what interests me and what sparks my imagination,” she said. “I listen intently to capture the personality of my subjects and bring out that little extra something—that hidden morsel.”
Learn more by visiting simplyelizabethart.com. Find Full of Life Flatbread at 225 Bell St. in Los Alamos and at fulloflifefoods.com.
Pioneer Valley High students win movie poster design competition
Three students out of 101 entries won the Pioneer Valley High School Digital Arts Movie Poster Design Competition this year.
“Judging was especially difficult this year, as the quality of work was exceptional,” Chris Silva, a career technical education and digital arts instructor, said in a press release. “These students demonstrated outstanding dedication, hard work, and growing proficiency in digital arts and visual communication. It is a privilege to inspire the next generation of creatives, and their talent continues to raise the bar year after year.”
Ahmir Estacio took first place with a $200 prize from Santa Barbara Teachers Federal Credit Union; Emily Vargas took second with $150 prize from Inspired Eye Images Photography; and Jesus Antonio took third with $150 from KKidz.
All are Silva’s digital arts students. Their posters will be printed, professionally framed, and displayed in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District’s administrative office after spring break, according to the district.
The competition pushed students to combine technical and skills and creative storytelling by using photography, photo editing, thoughtful composition, and digital design in Adobe Photoshop, according to the district. m
Beyond backstage
BY EMMA MONTALBANO
Toward the end of May, the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) in Santa Maria will welcome more than 70 technical theater interns from Texas, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, and several other states across the country.
This reception comes as part of PCPA’s yearly summer internship that offers people the chance to gain hands-on experience bringing productions to life onstage through costume design, scenic art, carpentry, prop creation, and more. According to Associate Production Manager Michael Brusasco, PCPA could not do all that it does without these interns, but each year, the cost of living on the Central Coast poses significant challenges for some of the people involved.
“The thing that always happens is [the interns] are like, ‘Great, let’s do it. I’m so excited,’” Brusasco said. “Then, they go on to Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Zillow, all of the regulars, and they look at the rent, and their hearts drop. They say, ‘I don’t know how to do this. It is incredibly expensive.’”
In an attempt to support interns who cannot afford average rent prices in the Santa Maria Valley, PCPA developed an informal host housing network, where local residents provide short-term or long-term accommodations. Brusasco emphasized that he often tells interns that the most challenging part of the internship program is getting to the Central Coast.
“It feels like an insurmountable task,” he said, “and the fact that so many of them achieve that task is a testament just to the quality of who we get.”
The housing network relies on community members with guest rooms, additional housing units, or extra space to arrange plans and accommodations with incoming interns. Brusasco noted that there is a vetting process for interested community members and that he will help with initial introductions between hosts and interns, but it’s up to each individual intern “to be ambitious and proactive in advocating for themselves.”
“At the end of the day, it is an agreement between the student intern and the host house,” he said. “I am always available if there are questions or
Room to grow
Local residents interested in providing accommodations for a PCPA intern can find more information on how the informal housing arrangement works at pcpa.org/ housingnetwork. To apply to be a host, visit pcpa.org/hosthousing.
issues, but the responsibility really is to encourage that professional relationship for the student or intern.”
Out of the more than 70 interns confirmed for the summer program, about 20 still need to secure housing as of April 21, according to Brusasco. He hopes to expand the informal housing network so every intern can make it to Santa Maria and join PCPA from May through August.
While the theater offers a scholarship for accepted interns to help with housing and daily costs, Brusasco explained that the typical cost of rent is more than half of the money that interns receive each month. Scenic Charge Artist Abby Hogan, who hires several interns to help with painting sets, said that inviting students to move here for the summer is “a big ask.”
“I’ve been talking to students across the country who really want to be here, but I have to really level with them and say, ‘If you’re coming all the way from Louisiana, I need to let you know that it’s very expensive to live here, and we can give you enough money to help you pay rent, but we can’t help you get here money-wise,’” she said. “So, the interns that do make it here, I’m so humbled and grateful that they really put their trust in us to have a great summer.”
This year, PCPA received more than 300 applications for its summer internship program, which is a 25 percent increase from the year before. When hiring interns, Brusasco said that they look for people who are curious, growth-oriented, and “not afraid of failure.”
“We sort of joke when a student or an intern leaves that we know we’ve succeeded because their departure means that we’re losing a valuable team member,” he said.
In early May, year-long production management intern Haley Parker will depart from PCPA to be a production assistant at Des Moines Metro Opera in Iowa. During her time as an intern, Parker said that she learned what it takes to run a theater, helped put on shows, and felt like a valuable member of the production team.
“It’s felt like home,” she said. “It’s felt like a very happy, healthy place for me to be, and to be able to take that with me and give that to someone else one day or take that with me and figure out where I do and don’t want to be in my life.”
Hogan said that it would be “wonderful” for anyone with extra space to consider allowing a PCPA intern to stay with them, noting that the opportunity to work in a professional theater is extremely beneficial for people in an early stage of their career.
“[The program] really helps students and interns to be able to make a bridge between their education and the professional world of live entertainment,” Hogan said. m
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH CHANEY
MAKING A SCENE: The interns who work with Scenic Charge Artist Abby Hogan get to paint the sets for PCPA productions, including the floor, which is a major project.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ABBY HOGAN
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SANTA MARIA JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL BRUSASCO
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER ZORNOW
SCULPTRA • EZ GEL • BELLAFILL • RADIESSE SCAN TO REGISTER! WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30TH at NOON
COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION FOR ATTENDEES ($150 VALUE)
KATHLEEN GRIFFIN, M.D. MEDICAL DIRECTOR
ASHLEY GODKIN, R.N. LEAD AESTHETIC INJECTOR
Love is in the air
Jay Duplass (The Puffy Chair; Cyrus; Jeff, Who Lives at Home) directs this screenplay cowritten with Michael Strassner about Cliff (played by Strassner), a six-months-sober former improv comedian whose Christmas Eve cracked tooth leads him to Dr. Didi Dahl, D.D.S. (Liz Larsen) and a May/December romance as they explore Baltimore over one night. (100 min.)
Glen: Cliff is struggling to find his footing. He just earned his six-month Alcoholics Anonymous chip, but his life feels offtrack. He’s got a girlfriend (Olivia Luccardi) who loves him but doesn’t really support him. He loves improv comedy, but it triggers his alcoholism, so his girlfriend laid down the law: No alcohol and no comedy. Basically, no fun. He’s a lost soul who, thanks to a dental emergency, meets another lost soul, Didi, whose husband left her for a younger woman. It’s Christmas Eve, and the thought of facing her children and ex with his new woman at a family gathering is unenticing. When Cliff discovers his car has been towed outside of Didi’s office, she offers him a ride to the impound lot, setting in motion a 24-hour adventure as the pair gets to know each other and discover that though they’re each broken, they just might fit together. It’s very sweet, very melancholic,
DOPE THIEF
What’s it rated? Not rated
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Apple TV+
and very naturalistic. You feel like you’re witnessing real life.
THE BALTIMORONS
What’s it rated? Not rated
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Fremont Theater in SLO on April 27, at 5 p.m.; and the Palm Theatre in SLO on April 28, at 1 p.m.
Anna: I absolutely love stories like this. Something about misfits finding their match gives me all the good feels. Cliff’s just trying to keep himself out of a rut so deep that he drinks again, and Didi is so stuck in her own rut that she isn’t even looking for the sunlight anymore. The messiness of imperfection is played so well by Strassner and Larsen in this “slice of life” film. The two don’t feel like a fit, but somehow, they’re just what each other needs in that weird window of time that they find each other. At one point, the two end up at a comedy show, and Cliff is peer-pressured back onstage. In what first seems to be a humiliating attempt by his improv peers to knock Cliff down, the two find a way to play with each other when Didi joins him onstage. It’s so sweet, but these two can’t seem to stop getting in their own way.
Glen: I didn’t recognize any of these actors, which I think helps add to the realism. I looked at Strassner’s and Larsen’s IMDb pages, and they’ve each done a lot of supporting actor work, but here they are front and center, and they both turn in amazing and natural performances. Strassner is scruffy but loveable, and Larsen projects a protective hardened exterior that begins to crack under
Cliff’s charm—they’re perfect for these roles, which makes sense since Strassner— drawing from his own life—co-wrote the screenplay with Duplass. Likewise, Duplass explained that Larsen’s personal history was also incorporated into the screenplay. With its light, jazzy score and cinema verité-style location filming in Baltimore, this is the antiHallmark Christmas movie. It’s a love story that feels real and a shared adventure that feels spontaneous. Are they going to make it? You don’t know, but their hopefulness is palpable.
Anna: I applaud Duplass, Strassner, and Larsen—this is a little film that manages to make the small things feel big and reminds us that life-changing moments sometimes tumble like rocks down a hill, one right after the other and all in a great big pile. You might as well enjoy the fall. m
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@ newtimesslo.com.
Created by Peter Craig (The Town , The Batman , Top Gun: Maverick ) based on Dennis Tafoya’s 2009 novel of the same name, Dope Thief follows two Philadelphia friends—Ray Driscoll (Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny Carvalho (Wagner Moura)—who pose as DEA agents and rob drug dealers to support themselves. Their scam becomes decidedly dangerous when they rob a cook lab that turns out to be part of a major East Coast narcotics operation that’s under surveillance by the real DEA. Soon both law enforcement and a deadly drug cartel are after them.
Gripping and gritty, the series follows these two low-level criminals, humanizing them as we discover their challenging backgrounds, the people they care about, and their ongoing struggles. Yes, they break the law, but the more we look up the drug underworld food chain, the more it ironically feels like they’re the good guys.
The focus shifts between Ray and Manny’s world and the law enforcement world, especially undercover agent Mina (Marin Ireland) and her supervisor, Mark Nader (Amir Arison). Ving Rhames co-stars as Bart Driscoll, Ray’s incarcerated father, and Kate Mulgrew co-stars as Theresa
GOLD & GREED: THE HUNT FOR FENN’S TREASURE
What’s it rated? Not rated When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
Forrest Fenn is seen by some as a dangerous trickster and by others as a dream-maker. After hiding a cache of jewels and gold somewhere in the Rocky Mountains, Fenn penned a poem with clues to its location. This treasure captured the attention of many and soon had people trekking across the country and around the world trying to find it. This three-part series explores the people who so deeply believed they would be the ones to find the treasure as well as Fenn himself—and the dire consequences for some treasure hunters.
The Rocky Mountains are inhospitable, and more than one life was lost on the treasure hunt. Fenn himself is a character, as are those who sought his fortune. Fenn used his knowledge of the location to tease his audience for years as they continued the search.
Bowers, Ray’s de facto stepmother. The performances are all compelling. A great miniseries!
(eight approximately 43- to 53-min. episodes)
—Glen
Oddballs and dreamers alike, the folks on-screen take us on the wild ride of their individual hunts and the many theories they stumbled upon along the way. The treasure was eventually found, but Fenn created such a stir that some continue looking with the
CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: After chipping a tooth on Christmas Eve, Cliff (Michael Strassner) and his emergency dentist, Didi (Liz Larsen), set off on an adventure through Baltimore, in The Baltimorons, screening as part of the SLO International Film Fest.
belief that the finder returned the treasure for others to find. (three approximately one-hour episodes) m —Anna
COURTESY PHOTO BY JESSICA KOURKOUNIS/APPLE TV+
STREET DOGS: Ray Driscoll (Brian Tyree Henry, left) and Manny Carvalho (Wagner Moura) pose as DEA agents to rob drug dealers, but their scam goes sideways, in Dope Thief, streaming on Apple TV+.
RIDDLE ME THIS: Treasure hunter Cynthia Meachum (left) is one of many in search of Forrest Fenn’s (right) hidden gold, in the docuseries Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure, streaming on Netflix.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Entry Period is April 24–May 12 by 5pm
Carl Sepulveda, 2024
Dan Baum, 2024
Andy Samerasena, 2024
Heather Shultz, 2024
Wayne Angeloty, 2024
Lance Wilson, 2024
Bee there
BY EMMA MONTALBANO
Honeybee hives consist of the queen bee, the worker bees, and the drone bees, creating a complicated yet “magical” system of productivity and effectiveness that serves as inspiration for Flying Goat Cellars’ co-proprietors Kate Griffith and Norm Yost.
“My husband’s a great winemaker, and I’m more on the marketing communication side,” Griffith explained. “Then, we have a few people working for us that help in certain areas, but we’re figuring out who does what best and kind of helping them realize their best potential within our Flying Goat system. Because we’re such a tight ship, just a small little company, we’ve got to be efficient.
“I marvel at how efficient the bees are.”
Griffith and Yost took up beekeeping in 2012 after being introduced to it by a friend, and for 12 years now, they have hosted monthly meetings for the Lompoc Valley Beekeepers Association at their tasting room. As part of Down to Earth Month and their involvement in beekeeping education efforts, the couple will hold an event with a live demonstration beehive on April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m., open to anyone interested in learning more about bees.
“The educational events are fun because it’s always fun to get the kids looking at the bees and asking questions, and I think it’s so important nowadays because I don’t think kids get enough exposure to the natural environment and the things going on around them,” Yost said. “I think it’s important to
understand where your food comes from and what these beautiful little creatures do because they’re amazing.”
Both Griffith and Yost emphasized that bees are not necessary to vineyards in the sense that grapevines are self-pollinating and don’t need the help of bees to reproduce. However, Griffith explained that having bees at a vineyard benefits the health of the overall ecosystem.
“Of course, a lot of times people plant roses at the end of their rows for their vines, and they use the roses not only as decorative but to kind of show the overall health of the plants in the vineyard,” she said. “You need to have bees for other things.”
Because they source their wine grapes from vineyards across Santa
Barbara County, the couple started beekeeping simply as a hobby and not to serve a specific need. Initially, Griffith admitted that she felt scared of the bees but explained that those feelings went away after she encountered them a few times and realized she wasn’t going to “die.”
“You have to calm your whole energy level down because bees sense and smell any kind of hyperactivity or fear or anger going on in your body,” she said. “You’ve got to get into a more Zen mode, which is partly why I took it up, because it’s very therapeutic, very meditative. I appreciate that because I’m rather high-strung, so I could use a little bit more calming.”
Griffith took some classes at Allan Hancock College to help the couple get started with their own
beekeeping practices and joined a now disbanded local beekeeping group. Not long after, they joined the beekeepers association and, according to Griffith, have loved being a part of the Lompoc beekeeping community.
“When we get together, we always talk about what is going on in our hive so that we can all learn, and we love to share,” she highlighted. “That’s what I did is I found mentors, I went to these organizations, and then, lo and behold, I’m hosting, which is good because there needed to be some continuity. I’m like the den mother for the Lompoc beekeepers.”
While Griffith always considered herself environmentally conscious,
PHOTO COURTESY OF KODUA GALIETI
WINGS AND WINE: At the Flying Goat Cellars tasting room, co-proprietors Kate Griffith and Norm Yost sell honey made from the bees they keep.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE GRIFFITH
ALL THE BUZZ: The Lompoc Valley Beekeepers Association works to educate community members about bees and the work that they do using a demonstration hive that allows people to safely observe bees at work.
EATS continued page 22
Flying Goat Cellars invites everyone to join them for an educational bee event on April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 1520 E. Chestnut Court, Lompoc. More information can be found at flyinggoatcellars.com/ blogs/news/down-to-earth-month-2025.
one of the most valuable lessons she learned in her time beekeeping is that systemic plant care formulas are extremely toxic to bees. After learning this, she stopped using products containing toxins like glyphosate and started informing others of their effects.
“We just teach people about that when we’re doing our little dog and pony show out in the community, kind of making people be more conscientious about what they’re using in their garden and encouraging people if they do want to become beekeepers that we’re happy to teach them and train them and help them get a leg up. Frequently, we’ll help people get their first hive.”
The monthly Lompoc Valley Beekeepers Association meetings happen on the second Tuesday of each month, and Griffith emphasized that any person interested in learning about bees or taking up beekeeping is invited to attend.
“There’s no politics. There’s no religion,” she
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said. “We all come from different stripes and colors, but I feel very fond of our beekeeping group. We just have this colony, and we really love our beekeeping world.” m
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@ newtimesslo.com.
SWARM INTENTIONS: The Lompoc Valley Beekeepers Association offers swarm extraction services, where experienced members like Kate Griffith will peacefully remove bee colonies from unwanted areas.
