Sable awaits Santa Barbara County’s decision on whether it can take over operator permits from ExxonMobil [8]
BY CAMILLIA LANHAM
Novocaine: Sweet, bloody fun [28]
A2-2 Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors vote leaves the fate of county-issued permits for the Santa Ynez Unit and Las Flores pipelines with a big question mark in front of them. It’s a first for the county when it comes to an ordinance known as 25B, and staff is still trying to figure out if it means that Sable Offshore Corp. will be able to put its name on the owner/operator permits that once belonged to ExxonMobil. Editor Camillia Lanham talks to the county, environmentalists, and Sable about the rule, why it exists, and what it means [8]
Also this week, read about the latest partnership between Allan Hancock College and Cal Poly [4]; the progress of SLO REP’s fundraising for a new performance space [26]; and Amada Cellars’ new Los Alamos tasting room [29]
Our team at Pediatric Medical Group is dedicated to the health and well-being of your child. Whether you have an infant, preschooler, or teenager, we work closely with parents to make sure that our care meets their children’s personal needs.
• U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, led a group of 31 senators demanding a reversal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cancellation of food purchase programs across the country, according to a March 17 statement from Schiff’s office. The senators warned that the cancellations would have farreaching negative effects on families and farmers. In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins co-led by Schiff and Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), the lawmakers said the reported $1 billion in canceled purchases by the USDA adds further pain at a time of high food prices and instability within U.S. agricultural markets. “We ask that you reverse the cancellation,” the senators wrote. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation ... poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.” The purchases from American famers fund food for food banks, schools, and child care centers in all 50 states. In California, cancellation of purchases through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) puts more than $118 million in food purchases at risk in fiscal year 2025. The letter also stated that LFPA and LFS have benefitted producers and consumers by providing funding for purchases through all 50 states, four territories, and 84 tribal governments. “Through LFPA and LFS, USDA has prioritized the procurement and distribution of healthy, nutritious domestic food. It has also taken an important step toward igniting rural prosperity by expanding and strengthening markets among farmers and rural economies,” according to the letter. “As of December 2024, the programs had supported over 8,000 producers, providing increased marketing opportunities.”
• On March 17, U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued a statement after President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, claiming wartime power to deport noncitizens. “Over the weekend, President Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport noncitizens without due process. This attempt to use an archaic wartime law—not used since World War II—for immigration enforcement is yet another unlawful and brazen power grab,” the senators said in the statement. “Let’s be clear: We are not at war, and immigrants are not invading our country.” The statement further said that it’s up to the courts to determine whether people have broken any laws, not a president “acting alone” and not immigration agents choosing who gets imprisoned or deported. “It’s what our Constitution demands, and it’s the law Trump is bound by no matter how much he tries to mislead the American people otherwise,” the senators stated. “These protections are there to help ensure U.S. citizens aren’t wrongfully deported, or people who haven’t committed a crime aren’t wrongfully punished.” The senators noted that a district court issued a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration’s use of this wartime law and ordered deportation flights already underway to return to the U.S. “We cannot allow Trump to flout the rules and due process. All of us, including the courts, must continue to hold this administration accountable, and prevent the Trump administration from taking us down a dark and dangerous road.” m
Cal
Poly commits to three new bachelor’s programs at Hancock College’s Santa Maria campus
Less than a month after introducing a new bill centered on postsecondary education, Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) withdrew from pushing it forward. Without reaching a single hearing, the proposal itself helped solve the problem the bill aimed to fix, Allan Hancock College President Kevin Walthers said.
On March 17, Walthers shared a stage with Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong at Boyd Concert Hall in Santa Maria to announce a new bachelor’s degree program in business administration—with classes taught by Cal Poly professors on Hancock’s Santa Maria campus— to start in 2026.
“The purpose of all of this … is to provide an educational opportunity for those students who can’t travel and need to stay at home to support their family, and work, and still get an education that gives them an opportunity at a better life,” Hart told the Sun
“There’s no reason to have the legislation now that we’ve got the program in place,” Hart said. “I think that the [CSU] system would rather solve the problem that way than to have a legislative fix, and that’s fine for me in this circumstance. I want to solve the problem. I’m not worried about the vehicle. And in this instance, having the colleges come together and create a win-win solution is the best of all outcomes.”
AB 1462 was specifically tailored to allow Hancock to offer one new baccalaureate degree program for students to complete on campus in Santa Maria, but the alternative arrangement between Hancock and Cal Poly led to a stronger resolution, “better than the outcome that would have come about with legislation,” Hart said.
Along with the new business degree offering, Cal Poly announced a commitment to launch two additional bachelor’s degrees programs at Hancock in 2028 and 2030, respectively. The additional degrees haven’t been determined yet, but “there’s conversation about expanding the program to [Hancock’s] Lompoc campus and potentially having a degree that involves the space industry, which is a natural partner in that community,” Hart said.
At the March 17 conference, Cal Poly President Armstrong described the existing bachelor’s degree in sociology program at
Hancock, enacted in 2024 with a cohort of 25 students, as “a good step. … But it was not enough.”
“Our citizens deserve educational opportunities, especially those who aren’t able to commute or relocate to the main campus in San Luis Obispo, let alone any other CSU, UC, or other universities in the state,” Armstrong said. “We as the university are committed to enhancing our impact on the region. We’re committed to being better stewards.”
Hancock President Walthers described Hart’s AB 1462 proposal as a crucial precursor to the new arrangement between Hancock and Cal Poly.
“We can’t underestimate Assemblymember Hart taking the ball across the finish line, because he really did,” Walthers said. “That bill that he filed was huge, and getting [the CSU system] to take notice [and say], ‘Oh, we can’t just kind of keep pushing this down the road anymore.”
—Caleb Wiseblood
Solvang sued over Wildwood development
A group of landowners filed a lawsuit against the city of Solvang on March 7 over a development that is still in the planning process.
The Santa Ynez Valley Residents Association is asking the court to vacate the city’s December 2024 determination that the Wildwood project application is complete, saying the city violated one of the state’s lowincome housing statutes.
“We are not opposing the project—we are simply asking that it be brought into compliance with the law,” an association spokesperson said in a press release. “We believe in thoughtful development that benefits the entire Santa Ynez Valley and provides needed affordable housing, while respecting our community’s rural character and the integrity of the city’s zoning and land use planning laws.”
Proposing 100 units of multi-family housing spread across multiple buildings on 5.45 acres along Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Drive, the revised project description states that 13 percent of the units will be restricted to low-income while the remaining 87 percent will be market-rate units. Initially filed while the city’s housing element was out of compliance with state housing rules, Wildwood is what’s known as a builder’s remedy project under state Senate Bill 330 (updated by Assembly Bill 1893)—which means it doesn’t necessarily need to conform with the city’s zoning rules and at least 13 percent of the units must be deed-restricted to low- or very lowincome.
The lawsuit takes issue with the way the city processed the project’s preliminary application in 2023, alleging that the developer failed to submit a compliant application because it didn’t include signatures from “all of the landowners of the proposed project site, including the owners of the Mission Oaks subdivision lands, which is specifically required by the builder’s remedy statute,” the press release said.
Those signatures have been at issue for months, with a disagreement between Wildwood developer Josh Richman and some Mission Oaks homeowners over an easement to access the project’s parcels.
In October, Michelle Neels with the Santa Ynez Valley Citizens Council told the Sun that Richman needed signatures from 18 residents who share the easement. Richman told the Sun that he owned the easement for ingress, egress, utilities, drainage, and landscaping—meaning he didn’t need permission from anyone to use it. Because the developer didn’t submit those signatures before the city’s housing element was certified by the state, the lawsuit alleges that the city can no longer process the application as a builder’s remedy project.
“Despite being notified of the defects in the proposed Wildwood project’s preliminary application, the city and its planning staff then
COLLABORATOR: Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong spoke at Allan Hancock College on March 17 when the two schools announced a partnership that would bring an additional three bachelor’s degree programs to the Santa Maria college campus.
SIGNATURE DISPUTE: A group of Santa Ynez Valley residents sued the city of Solvang over its determination that the application for a development on Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Drive was complete.
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accepted and began processing the developer’s full application for the builder’s remedy project,” the release stated.
Solvang City Administrator Randy Murphy told the Sun that the city can’t comment on pending litigation.
Although the application was deemed complete, the project still needs to go through Solvang’s public hearing and the state’s environmental review processes, according to the city’s website for the project.
—Camillia Lanham
Mayoral candidate files small claims suit over a critic’s letter to the editor
One of Santa Maria’s 2024 mayoral candidates is taking a critic to small claims court for a letter published in Noozhawk last October.
Diana Perez, who lost her bid for mayor to Alice Patino, filed the claim in January, alleging that Yvette Valadez-Andrade owes $12,500 for defaming “my campaign for mayor of Santa Maria 2024 on Noozhawk with false statements,” according to court documents.
While Perez told the Sun that she wouldn’t elaborate on what exactly was defamatory, she said that Valadez-Andrade was the only person who said anything negative about her during the campaign. Many people weighed in on Perez’s candidacy on the Central Coast Chisme Facebook page, some of whom did make negative comments about her.
“I’m just not going to listen to social media,” Perez said. “She went to the newspapers.”
In Valadez-Andrade’s letter, she writes that Perez doesn’t have the qualities necessary to be the mayor.
“She’s been unprofessional, mistreated her employees by verbal scolding them, creating a toxic work environment, and has behaved unprofessionally,” Valadez-Andrade wrote. “It is my intention to bring the truth to light. Perez may be a Democrat, but she lacks the character to run Santa Maria. Vote Alice Patino!”
Valadez-Andrade didn’t respond to a voicemail message asking for comment.
Perez said she chose to take the issue to small claims court because she didn’t want to make a bigger deal of the situation than was necessary. She added that the issue was larger than the letter, she had evidence to present to the court proving that, and that it was for a judge to decide.
“People think that they can be brave behind the keyboard and say anything that they want,” Perez said. “How can someone who doesn’t know me decide they’re going to make statements about me?”
In the letter, Valadez-Andrade states that she worked with Perez at Allan Hancock College. Perez said they only spent three hours together in her 25 years at Hancock.
How did Perez arrive at $12,500, the upper limit for filing in small claims court?
“It’s just a small little nugget of what the community invested who wanted to see a change,” she said.
Her campaign raised $15,499 in 2024, according to final campaign finance filings with the city. Perez told the Sun that in total, she and her supporters—which include Santa Maria Firefighters Union Local 2020—raised a little more than $150,000. In court documents, she claims that “approximately $200,000 was spent on my campaign.” The case has a hearing scheduled for April 4 in front of Judge Jed Beebe. m
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—Camillia Lanham
FRIDAY
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SANTA MARIA POLICE COUNCIL
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Paper trail
Santa Barbara County isn’t sure how to proceed with oil pipeline permit transfer request after deadlocked supervisors’ vote
BY CAMILLIA LANHAM
About a month after Santa Barbara County supervisors voted 2-2 on the appeal to Sable Offshore Corporation’s permit transfer application, the county is still trying to decide what it means.
“We are still considering the issue internally, and I do not have an update on our final determination yet,” county Energy, Minerals, and Compliance Deputy Director Errin Briggs said via email on March 14, adding that he was hoping the county would have a decision the following week.
The Board of Supervisors’ Feb. 25 vote was a first when it comes to a county law known as Chapter 25B. The rule regulates permit transfer applications for oil operations, including drilling, pipelines, and processing facilities. Sable applied under 25B to take over ExxonMobil’s permits for the Santa Ynez Unit processing facilities, gas plant, and its affiliated oil pipelines after purchasing the infrastructure from ExxonMobil last year. While the county Planning Commission approved the transfer last November, environmental organizations appealed that decision to the board.
“We’re in this very unique place right now, where we have a 2-2 vote, which means no action,” Briggs told the Sun via phone on Feb. 28. “What we don’t want to do is assume that a 2-2 vote under 25B would be the same as it is under other county ordinances. … We feel like we need to do some homework.”
While the Environmental Defense Center said it believes the vote means the county should deny the permit transfer, Sable put out a statement saying that it believed the Planning Commission’s decision stands.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the county to finalize the permit transfer, and to safely restarting production as soon as possible,” Sable Vice President of Environmental and Governmental Affairs Steve Rusch said in a press release.
The path to restarting the Santa Ynez Unit,
which has been idle since the pipeline shut down after the 2015 Refugio oil spill, involves multiple state agencies and federal regulators in addition to getting county approval to change the name of the owner, operator, and guarantor on county permits issued to the facility and its pipelines. The underlying purpose of the ordinance, Briggs said, is to provide the county with an opportunity to dig into a new operator’s ability to safely and responsibly operate the oil assets they’re taking over.
“The consequences of them making a mistake are huge,” Briggs said. “The stakes are so high that it makes it really important to ensure that these guys can actually do the job properly.”
Permits mention the company’s name throughout, Briggs said. So after a new company purchases the land, equipment, and the permits, those mentions need to be updated. To do that, the county can require the company to do things like update it oil spill response and prevention plans, share its insurance certificate, and dig into the finances to a certain level. Adopted more than two decades ago, 25B aimed to streamline that process, which the county was dealing with more and more. In the 1980s and 1990s, big oil companies were “dumping off their assets” to companies with much smaller pockets, according to Jeremy Frankel, a staff attorney with the Environmental Defense Center.
With a company like ExxonMobil, there’s no question about whether they can operate responsibly or their financial capabilities, Frankel said. But with a company like Sable, which is fairly new and doesn’t have an established track record, there are questions about whether it can safely operate a facility like the Santa Ynez Unit, which also includes three offshore oil platforms in federal water, and whether it can afford to pay for a worst-case scenario disaster.
“The big picture is it’s about this concern and the potential liability of the county and the people here. When a spill happens and a company can’t pay for it, it’s really damaging,” Frankel said. “With a major oil and gas facility— this operation would be the biggest on the
California coast—it matters quite a bit who’s operating the facilities.”
A company needs to be able to foot the bill if the worst happens, like the catastrophic 2015 oil spill along the coast that damaged the environment and economy. It also needs to be able to pay for the cost of decommissioning when the facility is no longer useful, Frankel said, so taxpayers don’t end up with the bill. The Environmental Defense Center and other environmental organizations do not believe that Sable has the experience or finances to deal with either scenario. Briggs said that county staff does. The state Office of Spill Prevention and Response also believes Sable can handle it. The office signed off on Sable’s insurance and contingency plans for the two oil pipelines in September 2024. Deputy Director Heather Geldart said the company has $121 million in insurance coverage.
Speaking alongside other department heads at a March 13 town hall in Santa Barbara, Geldart was asked why the insurance requirement wasn’t higher. The Refugio spill cost then pipeline operator Plains All-American an estimated $800 million.
“Because Sable installed those 27 safety valves across their pipeline, it actually lowered the amount of oil that could be spilled during an event,” Geldart said. “It reduced the volume that can be spilled at any one time.”
Required by the state fire marshal, the safety valves project was also controversial. It started as an ExxonMobil project and was initially approved by the county Planning Commission, and environmental groups appealed the decision to the Board of Supervisors, which voted 2-2 after 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann recused herself because a portion of the pipeline runs through her property. Briggs with the county’s Energy, Minerals, and Compliance Division said that vote was also confusing. A 2-2 vote means no action, but the company’s application was still open.
“We weren’t able to approve that request, and we weren’t able to deny it,” he said. “They sued, seeking to compel us to make a decision, and what ended up coming out [of] that lawsuit is a settlement. … Exxon ended up getting their valves.” m
Reach Editor Camillia Lanham at clanham@ santamariasun.com.
NO ACTION: Whether Santa Barbara County will allow Sable Offshore Corp. to take over the permits for the Santa Ynez Unit and its affiliated pipelines hinges on how it decides to interpret the Board of Supervisors 2-2 vote on the matter.
Maria ar y com
BY EMMA MONTALBANO
Every time a Santa Barbara County resident books a ride through a transportation network company (TNC) like Uber or Lyft, a 10 cent fee is collected to support the county’s newly implemented Access for All program, which aims to enhance reliable, on-demand transportation for people with disabilities and mobility challenges.
Care Connection Transport Services powers the new initiative with its fleet of specialty vans and trained drivers. According to Founder and CEO Nancy Crawford, the organization has been providing transportation to wheelchair users since 2021.
“Care Connection provides individual support,” she said. “Rather than, say, a public transit where you have to share rides with other passengers, we’re a one-to-one transportation provider, and with that, we provide additional assistive services. With the Access for All program, the goal is to provide the same access to wheelchair users as if you or I needed a ride home and wanted to call Uber or Lyft.”
Inspired by her grandparents’ challenges in accessing transportation for medical appointments, Crawford sought to create a more compassionate and reliable option for wheelchair users.
“The intent is to give everyone the independence to access whatever services they need,” she explained. “The Access for All program is not limited to just medical appointments. It’s for any reason at all.”
Crawford noted that the funding for the new program, established by Senate Bill 1376: TNC Access for All Act, makes the
services more affordable and accessible for people who need them. With the initiative in place, she expressed excitement over being able to serve more members of the community.
“That’s just what we’ve always been about is to try to serve as many people as possible and to give them the access to services that we all sometimes take for granted,” Crawford said. “I think sometimes when you don’t have transportation limitations, you don’t understand how isolating that can be.”
Care Connection operates a fleet of specialized vehicles and strategically dispatches drivers from around the county to serve people in different areas. Crawford said that users can access and book services through the online platform or the app.
“We do our very best to be as ondemand as possible,” Crawford said. “So far, we’ve been able to accommodate everyone’s requests that we’ve received.”
She explained that raising awareness of the program will attract more users and highlight the value of its funding to the county and state. She believes that with improved access to transportation services, individuals can enjoy greater independence, better accessibility, and a more balanced and fulfilling life.
“We’re not just offering rides,” Crawford emphasized. “We’re really providing the freedom to move through life on their own terms. They don’t have to plan their life around a bus schedule or wonder how much something is going to cost or if someone’s going to show up. That’s really the goal is to provide wheelchair users with the same accessibility that we all get to enjoy.”
Highlight
• Community West Bank recently made a $500,000 equity equivalent investment (EQ2) in the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, according to James J. Kim, president and CEO of the bank. This funding will support the Workforce Homebuyer Program, which offers down payment help to low- and middleincome homebuyers. By helping qualified buyers access conventional loans, the program aims to reduce financial barriers to home ownership and also lower associated costs. A statement from Community West Bank noted that the EQ2 investment strengthens the capital structure of community development financial institutions, allowing them to provide further support in underserved communities. For more information about the Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara, visit sbhousingtrust.org. m
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
Are you a passionate food writer with a knack for storytelling? New Times is looking for a freelance food writer to contribute twice a year to our Menus publication.
We’re seeking someone who can craft engaging, insightful, and mouthwatering articles featuring our Menus clients. The ideal candidate will have:
• Experience in food writing
• A strong voice and the ability to bring food stories to life.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work independently.
This is a freelance position, with contributions expected twice a year.
If you have a passion for food and the words to match, we’d love to
CRUISING WITH CARE: Every driver with Care Connection Services has gone through extensive training on wheelchair securement and other assistive practices, according to CEO Nancy Crawford.
SMJUHSD Special Education Students born 2000!
All records for any Special Education student that was born within the year 2000 and attended a Santa Maria Joint Union High School District school, your physical special education records are available for pick up at no charge from the District Office. All 2000 not picked up by June 1, 2025 will be destroyed.
If you have any questions, or to arrange a pickup date/time, contact:
Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
2560 Skyway Dr.
Santa Maria, CA 93455
805-922-4573 ext. 4311
ATENCION estudiantes anteriores de SMJUHSD nacidos en 2000!
Todos los registros de cualquier estudiante de Educación Especial que haya nacido dentro del año 2000 y asistió a una escuela del Distrito Escolar de las escuelas preparatorias de Santa Maria, sus registros físicos de educación especial están disponibles para recoger sin cargo en la Oficina del Distrito. Todos los registros del 2000 que no hayan sido recogidos para el 1 de junio de 2025 serán destruidos.
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
Special Education - Child Find
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate high school age students suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes students that are highly mobile, migrant, experiencing homelessness, students that are wards of the state, and students attending private schools located within SMJUHSD boundaries. If you suspect your child has a disability, contact the school special education department or district office Special Education Department.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
El Distrito Escolar de las Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria Educación Especial - Búsqueda de Estudiantes ATTENTION
Si tiene alguna pregunta, o para programar una fecha/hora de recogida, comuníquense con:
Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
2560 Skyway Dr. Santa Maria, CA 93455
805-922-4573 ext. 4311
El Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria (SMJUHSD) busca identificar, localizar y evaluar a los estudiantes en edad de escuela preparatoria sospechosos de tener una discapacidad que puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades educativas sin costo alguno para las familias. Esto incluye a los estudiantes que son altamente móviles, migrantes, sin hogar, estudiantes que están bajo la tutela del estado, y los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas privadas ubicadas dentro los limites de SMJUHSD. Si sospecha que su hijo tiene una discapacidad, comuníquese con el departamento de educación especial de la escuela u oficina de Educación Especial del distrito SMJUHSD.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
Recycle Food Scraps in Your Green Cart!
Residents of the Santa Maria Valley should add food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste to their green carts.
Everything in the green cart is composted locally and used to support agriculture in the region.
To make collecting food scraps easier, free kitchen pails are available for pick-up at the County’s Public Works Office at 620 W. Foster Road during regular business hours (M-F, 8AM-12PM and 1-5PM)
• Wrap wet food scraps in newspaper or use paper bags to deposit food scraps into your green
• Store food scraps in your fridge/ freezer during the week and transfer to your green cart closer to collection day.
• Cover food scraps with yard waste inside your green cart.
• Clean your kitchen pail and green cart regularly. Kitchen pails are dishwasher safe!
Would you use an AI sommelier?
40% Never! I don’t trust AI with anything.
20% Absolutely! It’s the wave of the future.
20% I don’t drink wine.
0% Sometimes. Especially for 24/7 accessibility.
10 Votes
Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.
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your
‘Let’s
BY RON FINK
You hear the phrase “let’s have a conversation” a lot as the liberal arm of our political class confronts problems. Does it solve anything or is it an excuse for doing nothing?
When I was a kid in 1950s Los Angeles, the six local TV stations would haul their large cameras down to “skid row” in midtown LA every Thanksgiving and Christmas to report on celebrities and politicians serving dinners for the street people and the poor who lived in the area.
This always stirred up “conversations” about what could be done to “help these folks out.” That was 70 years ago, and after billions have been spent, the problem has only gotten bigger.
Another problem in the 1950s was the need for more housing as LA was growing. Millions of houses have been built since then, but we are still “having conversations” about how to solve the need for more housing.
Conflict in many regions around the world has been a problem since before the United States was established. Once again, many wars and conversations have occurred to make peace, but conflict still exists and no one has figured out how to use words, not bullets and bombs, to solve disputes.
In the 1970s, it was how we could reform the education system on a national scale— the federal Department of Education was deemed the only answer, but education hasn’t improved.
Once teachers unions became entrenched in classrooms, the education of our children to survive in a work-a-day world declined steadily. The only interest of these unions was to get raises and benefits increased not to provide a useful education, get class sizes reduced, and protect errant or poor performing teachers— some accused of felonies—from being fired. Maybe we need another conversation and less indoctrination.
The political class has been having conversations on how to solve the “immigration problem” for decades. The latest solution was to open the border; how has that worked out? An orderly immigration system is essential, but to get there more than a conversation is required.
And as the population continued to grow, there were many conversations about how to provide more water, this as other louder conversations demanded that dams be removed to “save the fish.” Once again, just noise and no solution.
Recently we were reminded of the everpresent danger of fires in what firefighters call the “urban interface zone.” In the late 1950s and early 1960s, large-scale fires occurred in the canyons and hills of Los Angeles that destroyed thousands of houses and businesses.
Following the recent fires in the same areas, conversations focused on federal aid for cleanup, demoting a local fire chief because she told the truth about the impact of budget cuts, rapid rebuilding, and not accepting responsibility for political decisions that led to the losses that occurred in hurricanelevel wind conditions.
As politicians pointed fingers and promised “speedy help,” families who lost everything were struggling to rebuild their lives. So far, there have been no conversations about preventing other fires with the same result. Once again, noise but no lasting solution.
I guess my point is that conversation is only good in social settings where you talk about sports events, the beautiful spring flowers, the brilliant sunset, a full moon, starlit sky, or your favorite eatery.
“Having a conversation” hasn’t solved any of the serious problems in our society; only bold action produces positive results. m
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@ santamariasun.com.
Democrats, take this opportunity to engage!
We’ve all seen the many viral videos of town hall meetings during which Republican voters are haranguing their elected Republican officials over the gutting of federal programs crucial to American families. As a result, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has been advising Republicans to stop holding town hall meetings for their constituents. What? Obviously, there is growing fury across the country over Trusk’s (see what I did there?) authoritarian overreach and callous disregard for Americans, even the ones who voted for him. And the NRCC and elected Republicans just want to ignore it?
What has been the Democrats’ response to this so far? They’ve certainly been in a rush to mock the Republican cowardice for refusing to meet face-to-face with their own constituents and listen to what they have to say. A little irony here as it’s been quite a while since Democrats have actually listened to and understood what it is Democrats expect from their elected officials. But I digress.
Well, here’s a thought for elected Democrats, since they’ve had little of that lately: Instead of mocking Republicans for not holding town hall meetings, why don’t elected Democrats fill the gaping hole left by elected Republicans’ disengagement? First, elected Republicans don’t care at all if Democrats mock them. In fact, they feed off it. And second, they’ve made it clear they no longer care what their own constituents have to say.
But here’s the thing: Republican constituents still want to be heard voicing their disapproval of this administration eliminating federal programs created to help Americans, and I believe they want to be heard by anyone at this point.
This is where an opportunity for Democrats has been created. Elected Democrats everywhere should give both Democrats and Republicans the venues to engage face-toface with their government representatives since elected Republicans apparently are not. Elected Democrats should be holding town halls all over the country, filling the gap by encouraging both Democrats and Republicans to attend and speak up. Answer their questions and possibly even alleviate some of their concerns.
No matter the party affiliation, all Americans are worried at this point—about rising prices, inflation, tariffs, federal programs, downward stock market trends, undermining Social Security and Medicare, alignment with Russia and other dictators, possible recession, quality of life in America, and the Republicans now casually throwing about the words “World War III” like it’s nothing more than a video game.
So I urge elected Democrats everywhere to take this opportunity to engage with both Democrats and Republicans because they all want to hear from and engage in-person with Congress right now. Elected Republicans are taking that opportunity away from their constituents, so please, Democrats, step into the breach and reach out instead of mocking. Well, OK. You can still mock but only because elected Republicans deserve it for shutting off their own constituents.
But who knows? Reaching out and listening just might make a difference to Democrats winning back some much-needed seats in Congress in the mid-terms and maybe winning back the White House in 2028.
Margie Slivinske Arroyo Grande
Summer Guide
In action Opinion
It looks like Allan Hancock College is reaping the rewards of its long-standing effort to bring a four-year-degree program to Santa Maria.
The school launched a partnership with Cal Poly at the beginning of this school year on its first bachelor’s degree program in sociology and just added a business major with two more as-yet-to-be-decided collaborative degrees in the works.
Pretty cool.
This has been a more-than-a-decade effort spearheaded by Hancock President Kevin Walthers, who described a bill that Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) introduced earlier this legislative term as crucial. The bill— Assembly Bill 1462—aimed to give Hancock an opportunity to offer one new baccalaureate program, which could have meant that Cal Poly may not have reaped the tuition rewards (almost $12,000 per year per student).
“That bill he filed was huge,” Walthers said.
I guess Cal Poly didn’t like those odds, so it caved in to the external pressure and the potential dollar signs that its future could hold without competition from a cheaper source of post-secondary education that ends with a bachelor’s degree.
The deal between Cal Poly and Hancock is better than what that bill could have provided for Santa Maria’s students, Hart said, so he’s going to pull the bill.
“I think that the [CSU] system would rather solve the problem that way than to have a legislative fix,” Hart said. “Having the colleges come together and create a win-win solution is the best of all outcomes.”
Pressure is the ultimate provider, you know? That kind of action makes moves.
While that outcome does offer Santa Maria’s potential pool of university students very local options, it doesn’t really provide much in the way of reduced tuition or fees—Cal Poly has some of the most expensive fees in the Cal State system. But at least students won’t have to drive to San Luis Obispo!
And just maybe, Hancock’s Lompoc campus can get its own four-year-degree program. Now that would be something.
Just like it’s something that a city is getting sued over a development project that hasn’t even been approved yet. A Santa Ynez Valley resident group wants a judge to vacate Solvang’s determination that Wildwood’s permit application is complete, as in finished and ready to go through the rest of the planning process. At issue? Signatures. The developer thinks it doesn’t need them, residents think the development absolutely needs them. And the city seems to be caught in the middle in this battle over whether Wildwood’s application should be filed under a special carve-out known as the builder’s remedy, which allows developments with a certain percentage of low-income units to skirt local building codes.
These lawsuit-happy residents want the developer to refile the application as a regular project. I guess we’ll see what happens. What’s more clear is Santa Barbara County’s future when it comes to Sable Offshore Corporation’s permit transfer requests for the Santa Ynez Unit. The county’s going to get sued no matter what.
If it approves the transfer request, environmental organizations are definitely suing. If it doesn’t, Sable’s suing. Either way, the county’s screwed. Action or no action. m
The Canary is always in action. Send comments to canary@santamarisun.com.
Engage Students and Support Teachers NatureTrack Programs
Each year, thousands of local students join NatureTrack’s K-12 field trips. With a 1:5 docent-to-student ratio, these outdoor experiences on Santa Barbara County’s beaches and trails foster curiosity, scientific exploration, and a deeper connection to nature while aligning with teacherrequested curriculum.
Thanks again for another year of fabulous field trips. Our students always have the most amazing time and learn so much! You really came through to help us with our bus situation. We are so grateful!
Susan
Richards, Los Berros VAPA
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NatureTrack provides wheelchair users and al disabilities with Freedom Trax - battery–powered devices th nual wheelchair - so they can independently explore natural areas tha ssible.
m - Borrow a Freedom e nature on your terms. e, even on vacation!
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s - These free public events r users to enjoy local beaches and trails independently and alongside family and friends.
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Our ability to provide these transformational outdoor adventures depends on your generous financial support. When you support NatureTrack, you ensure that beaches, trails, and parks become places of exploration for allregardless of age, ability, or circumstance.
Join us for a NatureTrack Family and Friends all accessible outing! Learn more about upcoming programs, events, and volunteer opportunties in Santa Maria.
Monday, March 31st 3:00 - 5:00 PM
Hot Stuff
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE
CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. (805) 928-7799. Kleindancesarts. com. Klein Dance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.
DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN
DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. ongoing Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, (805) 937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.
THE GAME’S AFOOT Step into the mystery of a lifetime with William Gillette, as the acclaimed actor, known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, hosts a starstudded Christmas Eve at his eccentric Connecticut mansion. The plot thickens when one guest meets a tragic end. Through March 23 my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. 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.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
COLOR AND COMPOSITION The exhibit highlights paintings by featured artists Gerry Winant and Britt Friedman. Through March 31 gallerylosolivos.com/. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, (805) 688-7517.
FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING Castle has long been interested in shamanic rituals and the masks associated with them. This exhibit provides a rare glimpse of the many sides of Castle that unfolded while creating this series. Through April 6 elverhoj.org/. Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang, (805) 686-1211. PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT SUNSTONE WINERY Head to Sunstone Winery if you are looking for something unique to do in Santa Barbara County Wine Country. March 22 , 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $89. (805)325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Sunstone Winery, 125 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez.
PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT VEGA VINEYARD AND FARM Head over to the Vega Vineyard and Farm to spend the afternoon sipping delicious wine and capturing the beauty of the landscape with a paintbrush and canvas. March 23 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $89. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com/events/painting-inthe-vineyard-at-vega-vineyard-and-farmmarch-23/. Vega Vineyard and Farm, 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton.
SPRING EQUINOX ART SHOW A group art show celebrating the balance of light and dark, at a brand new Santa Ynez Valley art exhibit space. March 20, 5-7 p.m. Free. (877) 327-2656. maxgleason.com. Indah Gallery, 2190 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez.
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.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY ART SHOW DROP A showcase of works from award-winning artist Anne Kunzig. Features scenes of coastal vistas, birds,
and more. March 28 5 p.m. The Frame Artist, 914 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande. BEST OF THE SAN FRANCISCO STANDUP COMEDY COMPETITION Laugh with the best at the legendary San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition, hosted by Don Friesen—hilarious, high-energy, and a two-time champion. March 29 7:30 p.m. $39-$54; Platinum $59. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/best-of-sf-comedy/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS:
IMPROVISATIONAL THEATER CLASS
Learn to access emotion in the moment, build characters and relationships on emotional perspectives, and use patterns of emotional behaviors to drive scenes forward. Sundays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. through April 13 $80. (805) 556-8495. improvforgood.fun/. Women’s Club of Arroyo Grande, 211 Vernon St., Arroyo Grande.
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.
FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET
GARDEN: LEPRECHAUN (1993) Watch this cult-classic horror-comedy under the stars in the secret garden. Get more info and RSVP at the link. March 21 8 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302.
FUNNIES FOR FOOD IMPROV SHOW Come for great Mexican food and stay for laughter at this improv show to raise funds for The People’s Kitchen of SLO. Visit site for more info to this event. March 22
7-8:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. improvforgood.fun/. La Casita, 1572 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
MINI-WORLD FAIRY GARDEN
WORKSHOP A fun workshop where you’ll build a glass-globe fairy garden. Materials will be provided. A great class for adults and kids alike. March 30 12-3 p.m. $45. (805) 270-4083. theplantedparlour. com/event/mini-world-fairy-gardenworkshop/. The Planted Parlour, 592 W Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
PLAYERS WEST PRESENTS STEEL
MAGNOLIAS In a small Louisiana salon, Truvy and her assistant Annelle style hair and share laughter as the women of Chinquapin navigate life’s joys and challenges. March 28 7-9 p.m., March 29, 1:59-4 & 7-9 p.m. and March 30, 1:59-4 p.m. General admission $34; child $28.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/steelmagnolias/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
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. Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com.
SADDLE UP
The Allan Hancock College Boosters Club presents the Spring Roundup College Rodeo, with rodeo events on Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30, at the Elks Event Center in Santa Maria. Rodeo athletes from across California’s West Coast region will participate. For tickets and more info, visit ahcbulldogboosters.com.
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.
ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
BEACON ART SHOW Features a juried selection of artworks from several artists working in paintings, photography, and other media, including Larry Le Brane, Janie Holland, Randy Stromsoe, Cheryl Strahl, Paula Delay, and others. Through March 30 beaconartshow.com/. San Luis Obispo United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 242-6065.
BEYOND THE BASICS OF WATERCOLOR WITH VIRGINIA MACK This is a class for those who love imagining ways to further their visual expressions. A watercolorbased course, but one that branches out into other media. Fourth Thursday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $35 per class. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
THE CAKE Faith, family, and frosting collide in this timely new play from the writer of NBC’s This is Us ThursdaysSaturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through April 13 $20-$37. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 786-2440, slorep.org/.
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) 835-5893. 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. 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. DAVID NIHILL Spend an evening with bestselling writer and touring comedian David Nihill. Visit site for tickets and more info. March 20 8 p.m. $40. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843. ESTEBAN CABEZA DE BACA: REMEMBERING THE FUTURE Ranging from 2015 to 2024, the eleven paintings in the gallery explore issues of belonging and identity, activism, and joy and celebration. Through June 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
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.
FREE DOCENT TOURS Gain a deeper understanding of the artwork on view with SLOMA’s new docent tours. Every Saturday, join trained guides for interactive and engaging tours of SLOMA’s current exhibitions. Saturdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/visit/ tours/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo. JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ART Owen and Kyoko Hunt from Kyoto, Japan offer classes for Japanese calligraphy (Fridays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.), a Japanese art
Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
—Caleb Wiseblood
PHOTO COURTESY OF PALOMA ALVARADO
Livingstone Band
MARCH 22 Club Car Bar, Templeton Mandala Rhythms Circle
Co-Creation Project VII: The French Connection SUNDAY,
Davis Fine Art, SLO
SUNDAY, MARCH 23 From the Roots Up, Los Osos Oil Painting Workshop with Drew Davis SUNDAY, MARCH 23
with Katie Chappell
SPRING INTO SILENCE
The Sunburst Retreat Center in Lompoc will host its four-day Spring Silent Retreat, Dive Into Silence, between Thursday, March 20, and Sunday, March 23. Attendees will explore and experience “powerful practices that leave you feeling aware and present,” according to press materials. Admission to the retreat is $340. Visit sunburst.org to find out more.
—C.W.
called “haiga” (Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m.) and more at Nesting Hawk Ranch. Fridays $45. (702) 335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.
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.
MARGARET CHO: LIVE AND LIVID With a tour celebrating her 40 years as a standup comedian, Cho staunchly supports the causes that are important to her: antiracism, anti-bullying, and gay rights, all while fulfilling her successful creative side with a legendary stand-up career. Visit site for more info and tickets to this event. March 29, 7:30 p.m. Starts at $40. (805) 756-4849. calpolyarts.org. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
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/ book-online. 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) 543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/notes-fortomorrow/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
OIL PAINTING WORKSHOP WITH DREW DAVIS An oil painting workshop fit for beginners where you can unleash your creativity in a warm, cozy art studio atmosphere. March 23 1-3:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.
PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CENTRAL COAST A self-directed fun group of dynamic artists who enjoy painting and sketching outdoors. Artists meet on site at various locations. Weekly plein air destinations are provided by Kirsti Wothe via email (mrswothe@yahoo.com). Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon SLO County, Locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
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.
SCULPTURE SERIES: SPIRIT ANIMAL
Beginners welcome. This six-visit sculpture class meets twice a week for a total of three weeks. Mondays, Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon through March 21 $250.
anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
THE SEASONAL MUSE: ART AND TEA
GATHERING Head to Wellstone Studio for a relaxing evening of tea, seasonal meditation, contemplation, and creative exploration. Visit site to reserve a spot and get more details. March 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $40. (619) 807-7006. inariteaart.com. Wellstone Studio, 4985 Davenport Creek Road, San Luis Obispo.
TERRACE HILL VIEW: ACRYLIC
WORKSHOP WITH MARINA MARSH
Spend an afternoon painting a sight of San Luis Obispo during this workshop geared towards children ages 10 and up, as well as adults. A ticket covers all essential supplies and two hours of personal instruction. Get more info at the link. March 29, 2-4 p.m. $67. my805tix.com. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.
VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING
WATERCOLOR This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors. To enroll please contact Mack via email: vbmack@charter.net Wednesdays, 1:303:30 p.m. $35. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
SLOFunny
with
Devito, Colton Irvine, & More!
Savory Palette, Morro Bay
WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
AQUARIUS 2025 WATERMEDIA EXHIBIT
Central Coast Watercolor Society presents its annual juried exhibit at Art Center Morro Bay, featuring excellence in all forms of watermedia by California artists. See website for info and frequent updates. Through March 31 ccwsart.com/aquarius2025-prospectus. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay, (805) 772-2504.
COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. (559) 799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.
DRIFTWOOD ASSEMBLAGES BY
ALAN COHEN See Cohen’s driftwood assemblage sculptures at Gallery at Marina Square. This architect transforms beach-found objects into birds, sea creatures, and more. March 30 - April 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
FINE ART PAINTINGS BY SANDRA SANDERS A California native, Sanders captures seascapes and landscapes in vibrant acrylics. On display in the lower gallery. March 30 - April 29 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
FINE ART WATERCOLORS BY NANCY JENSEN Jensen celebrates Central Coast joys through vibrant watercolors of vineyards, wildflowers, and coastal scenes. March 30 - April 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
FOREVER STOKED PAINT PARTY Join us at the gallery, for a few hours to travel on a creative paint journey. You will receive as much or as little instruction as you prefer. No artistic experience is necessary. Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. $45. (805) 772-9095. foreverstoked.com. Forever Stoked, 1164 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.
PASTEL WORKSHOP WITH GREG
TROMBLY This three-day workshop will teach students of all levels how to work with soft pastels. Visit site for tickets and more info. Through March 21, 1-4 p.m. $175. (805) 772-2504. artcentermorrobay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay. THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local birds. ongoing (805) 772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.
TIMKET: ETHIOPIA 2020 Experience
Timket, an Ethiopian tradition, through the eyes of photographer Michael J. Costa. Thursdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through April 27 Free. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos, (559) 799-9632.
YOUTH ART DAY Attendees will learn techniques to paint and use found materials to create fun and decorative projects. Materials and refreshments included. March 29, 11 a.m. my805tix.com. Lor Coaching Studios, 525 Harbor St., Morro Bay.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
D-AND-D AND BOARD GAMES Join for tabletop games hosted by Santa Maria Valley Adventurers League. New players get tutorials/materials. Children under 16 must be with an adult. March 30 1-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994.
cityofsantamaria.org/ services/departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF SANTA MARIA VALLEY: MONTHLY GENERAL MEETING The DCSMV holds their General Meeting for lunch and civic engagement through speakers, activism, and educating the electorate. Third Thursday of every month, 12-2 p.m. through April 17 Free. (805) 349-2708. IHOP, 202 Nicholson Ave, Santa Maria.
FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt. GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing (805) 343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.
HEALTHY LIVING FOR BRAIN AND BODY This class teaches the latest research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity, and social engagement. March 23 1-2:30 p.m. Free. alz.org. Element Christian Church, 4890 Bethany Lane, Santa Maria, (805) 310-4229.
TIMELESS TUNES
Oceano Elks Lodge will host the Basin Street Regulars’ next dance concert on Sunday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event’s main act is Kathryn Loomis and Company, known for performing pop favorites and jazz standards. Led by Loomis, the band also features musicians Ron McCarley, Jim Barnett, Dylan Johnson, and Darrell Voss. For more info on the upcoming concert, visit basinstreetregulars.com.
JUNK JOURNAL BOOK CLUB Join the Junk Journal Book Club to combine crafting, reading, and vision board creations. Visit site for more info. March 22 2-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA BARBARA HUMANE’S WILD WEST FEST It’s time to dust off your boots and hats, saddle up, and mosey on down to Santa Maria for the 2025 Wild West Fest. Visit site for tickets and more info. March 22 , 5-9 p.m. $85. sbhumane.org. Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road, Santa Maria, (805) 922-1538.
SANTA MARIA TOASTMASTERS Develop your public speaking skills at this club meeting. Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. (805) 570-0620. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria. SPRING ROUNDUP COLLEGE RODEO Experience this inaugural collegiate rodeo in Santa Maria, where college rodeo athletes from all over the West Coast region are set to put on a show. Get ticketing options and more info at the link. March 29 -30 (805)503-9935. ahcbulldogboosters.com/. Elks Event Center, 4040 Highway 101, Santa Maria.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG DIVE INTO SILENCE: SPRING SILENT RETREAT Explore and experience powerful practices that leave you feeling aware and present. Get tickets and more info to this silent retreat at the link. March 20 and March 23 $340. (805) 736-6528. sunburst.org. Sunburst Retreat Center, 7200 CA-1, Lompoc.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY ADVENTURES WITH NATURE: OCEANO’S BEAVERS Join State Park Docent Dan to learn about Oceano’s beavers and enjoy a walk around Oceano Lagoon. Space is limited. RSVP by calling. March 22 10 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 474-2664. centralcoastparks.org/awn/. Oceano Dunes Visitor Center, 555 Pier Ave., Oceano.
BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. (805) 835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo 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.
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.
INGREDIENT PROFILE FORUMDIENT
Join to learn the history of one ingredient, along with production, value, import, export, processing, and recipe sharing. Call to register. March 22 1:30-3:30 p.m. Free. (805) 878-7982. Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft, Nipomo, slolibrary.org.
LITTLE RANGER: WILD WEATHER Learn about weather, migration, and hibernation with CA State Parks. Call to RSVP to this ages 2-6 event. March 23 , 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 dropin; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
Community Programs, Building 4100 Cuesta College Road, 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. MondaysSundays, 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.
CENTRAL COAST JR. LEGO
CHALLENGE SLOCA is delighted to host the Central Coast Jr. LEGO Challenge. Kids ages 5 to 12 are invited to come play, learn, and discover with LEGOs. March 22 , 9 a.m.-noon $20-$35. (805) 548-8700. sloclassical.org/ lego/. SLO Classical Academy, 165 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
DAILY QIGONG PRACTICE
PUPPY SOCIAL HOUR Puppies (10 weeks to 5 months old) will learn appropriate play style with other pups, acceptable manners with people, tolerance for gentle restraints, confidence with the approach of friendly strangers, and more. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. $25. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/training/. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
Q YOUTH GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) This is a social support group for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth between the ages of 11-18. Each week the group explores personal, cultural, and social identity. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS
A docent-led tour of the buildings and grounds of the historic Point San Luis Light Station. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.
QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong through simple standing movements promoting 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.
WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS
Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. (805) 481-6399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
ASTROLOGY BASICS: HOW TO READ YOUR BIRTH CHART Build community during a six-week deep dive into personal astrology. Perfect for beginners and those looking to strengthen their foundation. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. through March 27 $150. (805) 242-1168. anc.apm. activecommunities.com. Cuesta College
—C.W.
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.
FREE TOURS OF THE MISSION Tour
San Luis Obispo’s Spanish Mission, founded in 1772. Come learn its history and about the development of this area. Tours, led by docents, are free at 1:15 p.m Monday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Sundays, 2-3 p.m. and MondaysSaturdays, 1:15-2:15 p.m. Free. (657) 4659182. missionsanluisobispo.org. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, 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.
HUMAN ROMANCE: HOOKING HUMANS
UP WITH EACH OTHER Host Mike Falzone is set to use his crowd work to connect members of the audience. Three pairs of audience members will go on a date, live, in front of everyone and the rest of the crowd votes on the night’s best match. The winner will have their second date paid for by Falzone. Get tickets at the link. March 29 8 p.m. $18. my805tix.com.
Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
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.
PLUG-IN TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION
Get inspired by local action, connect with others, and discover more ways to get involved with the SLO Climate Coalition. Attend virtually or in-person. Sustainable snacks and childcare will be provided. Third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. sloclimatecoalition.org/events/. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.
SLO LEZ B FRIENDS (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A good core group of friends who gather to discuss topics we love/ care about from movies, outings, music, or being new to the area. We come from all walks of life and most importantly support each other. Transgender and Nonbinary folks welcome. Third Friday of every month, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. sloqueer.groups.io/g/lezbfriends. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. SLO NOONTIME TOASTMASTERS CLUB MEETINGS Want to improve speaking and leadership skills in a supportive and positive environment? During COVID, we are meeting virtually. Contact us to get a meeting link for info. Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m. Free. slonoontime.toastmastersclubs.org. Zoom, Online, Inquire for Zoom ID. SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN: WEEKLY COFFEE MEETING SLO RAMs is a group or retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo. SPRING EQUINOX CEREMONY OF FEMININE REBIRTH Crows End Retreat invites you to rebirth your divine feminine nature and learn how to work with the energetic power of water. Registration is limited and tickets should be purchased ahead of time. March 22 , 2-4:30 p.m. $55. my805tix.com. Crows End Retreat Center, 6430 Squire Court, San Luis Obispo. A celebration of rebirth. As we witness the return of the wild flowers and wild life coming out of their winter slumber, we too honor the rebirth of our divine vitality and life force energy. March 22 2-4:30 p.m. my805tix.com/. Crows End Retreat, 6430 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo. SPRING EQUINOX: DRUMMING AND NATURE WALK Head to Eagles Landing Ranch to celebrate the arrival of spring. This special spring equinox gathering includes a drumming circle followed by a nature walk. Get more info or register in advance at the link. March 22 , 12-4 p.m. $40. my805tix.com. Eagles Landing Ranch, 4615 Prefumo Canyon Road, San Luis Obispo. SPRING GYMNASTICS CAMP Let the kids get “the wiggles out” with gymnastics. For ages 4 to 13; no experience needed. Extended care and customizable scheduling available. March 24 -28, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $40-$360 depending on what schedule you choose. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/camps. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+
AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
TOUR THE HISTORIC OCTAGON BARN
CENTER The Octagon Barn, built in 1906, has a rich history that The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County looks forward to sharing with visitors. Please RSVP. Fourth Sunday of every month, 2-2:45 & 3-3:45 p.m. Tours are free; donations are appreciated. Octagon Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-9096, octagonbarn.org.
TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.
TRANS* YOUTH PEER SUPPORT GROUP
This group is a safe place for trans* and gender non-conforming people, as well as those questioning, from ages of 11 to 18. A facilitated emotional support group to be heard, share your story, and hear stories that may sound surprisingly like your own. Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.
TRICKZONE (PARKOUR AND TUMBLING) CLINIC Experience this 2-hour combo of tumbling and parkour, which takes kids from timid to triumphant. All levels welcome, for children 7-17 years. March 22 , 1-3 p.m. $25/ 1st child, +$10 per additional sibling.. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/saturdayevent-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
WORKING HANDS: ETHNIC LABOR IN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY People from all over the world played a role in building San Luis Obispo County (in both figurative and literal ways). Join the conversation. March 28 , 5:30 p.m. Free. (805) 543-0638. historycenterslo.org/lecture. History Center of San Luis Obispo County, 696 Monterey 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
DRAWN TO DREW
Drew Davis Art in San Luis Obispo will host a beginner and kid-friendly acrylic painting workshop, led by artist Marina Marsh, on Saturday, March 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is open to children ages 10 and up and their parents. Admission will include all materials needed. To register for the event or find out more, visit my805tix.com.
—C.W.
Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org.
CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS
MEETING Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org/. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, (805) 927-1654.
MEDITATE WITH DAWN Hosted by Aurora Sacred Events. Visit site for tickets and more info. March 22 , 10-11:15 a.m. my805tix.com. Aurora Sacred Events, 21 24th St, Cayucos.
MORRO BAY METAPHYSICIANS
DISCUSSION GROUP A group of metaphysically minded individuals that have been meeting for many years now in the Coalesce Chapel. Club offers a supportive metaphysical based community. Members discuss a different topic each week. All are welcome to join. Fridays, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Suggested donation of $10-$15. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.
FOOD & DRINK
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE ORO Featured vendors in the series include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays (805) 922-1468. costadeorowines.com.
Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE
INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty. With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song. Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
PRESQU’ILE
WINERY: WINE CLUB
Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/ club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS
Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon. com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.
TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER
Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the complete list of classes, for various ages. ongoing Varies. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO
TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. (805) 819-0723. coldcoastbrewing. com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
INGREDIENT PROFILE FORUM: FLOUR
IS ON THE TABLE There will be topics on food import, export, production, processing, crop value, gluten free options, store pricing, and recipe sharing. Registration is required. March 22 1:303:30 p.m. Free. (805) 619-7351. slolibrary.org. Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft, Nipomo.
ITALIAN CATHOLIC FEDERATION
LENTEN FISH FRY The St. Patrick’s Italian Catholic Federation (I.C.F.) is hosting a Lenten Fish Fry. There will be a cash bar and dessert table, and take outs are available. Fridays, 4-7 p.m. through April 11 $10-$20. St. Patrick’s Church, 501 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande, stpatsag.org.
MUSIC
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
CRAIG CAMPBELL LIVE With support from Stephen Styles with Band, and Jane & Shane. All ages welcome. Gates open at 3 p.m. March 29 4-8 p.m. my805tix.com. Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S. Broadway St., Orcutt, (805) 934-3777.
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.
THE JOY OF LEARNING MUSIC Features a talk by Pete Pidgeon, founder of Lessons from Anywhere, on the mental and social benefits of music education. March 22 , 3-4 p.m. Free. (805) 9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., 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. 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.
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.
SYMPHONIC ‘60S AND ‘70S (AND A TRIBUTE TO KAREN CARPENTER) Presented by the Lompoc Pops Orchestra, led by conductor Brian Asher Alhadeff. March 30 4 p.m. lompocpopsorchestra. com/index.html. 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
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL: HAPPY TRAILS TOUR Experience the Grammy-winning legacy of Asleep at the Wheel—Ray Benson’s Western swing powerhouse, known for blending tradition, top-tier musicianship, and iconic collaborations for more than 50 years. March 25 , 7:30 p.m. $39-$59; platinum $65. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/asleep-at-thewheel/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
BASIN STREET REGULARS: CONCERT AND DANCE DEMO The event’s main act is Kathryn Loomis and Company, known for performing pop favorites and jazz standards. The Early Risers Jazz Combo is set to open the show, and provide the live music for members of the Cal Poly SLO Swing Dance Club to dance to. March 30 11 a.m.-4 p.m. basinstreetregulars.com. Oceano Elks Lodge, 410 Air Park Drive, Oceano. BEE GEES FEVER AT THE CLARK CENTER Join Bee Gees Fever for non-stop hits and a fun two hours that will keep you dancing all night long. Visit website listed below for more info. March 30 7-9 p.m. $54. (805) 489-9444. beegeesfeverusa.com. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
DAVID VICTOR: THE HITS OF BOSTON Experience the legendary sound of Boston with David Victor, with soaring vocals, iconic guitar harmonies, and electrifying energy in a must-see rock ‘n’ roll celebration. Visit site for tickets and more info. March 22 7:30 p.m. $45-$65. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
EASTON EVERETT AT BLACKLAKE GOLF COURSE A singersongwriter who blends indie folk, neo-folk, and world beat with intricate fingerstyle guitar. March 29, 1-4 p.m. Blacklake Golf Course, 1490 Golf Course Lane, Nipomo, (805) 343-1214.
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.
VOCAL ARTS ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT AT TRILOGY NIPOMO: AMERICAN SAMPLER Listen to an assortment of jazz, folk, and theater at this spring concert ensemble. Get tickets and more info at the link. March 27 7 p.m. $34. my805tix.com. Trilogy at Monarch Dunes, 1645 Trilogy Pkwy, Nipomo.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
BIG FISH BAND AND MORE The Bunker SLO presents Big Fish Band, Monkey Flower, and Blazed. March 22 6-9:30 p.m. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
BURGUNDY BLUES PRESENTED BY VINYLISTICS Hear fourpiece indie band Burgundy Blues live. They are described as specializing “in a groove-oriented, chill sound. It’s jazzy; it’s soft-rock-y, it’s slightly funk.” March 22 8 p.m. $13. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
CANADIAN FOLKSINGER SCOTT COOK LIVE Enjoy the live performance from the touring duo Scott Cook and Pamela Mae. Get tickets and more info at the link. March 26 7 p.m. $24. scottcook.net/. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.
CO-CREATION PROJECT VII: THE FRENCH CONNECTION Presented by Orchestra Novo. Featuring pianist Andy Chen, and works by Maurice Ravel and Camill Saint-Saens. March 23 , 4-6 p.m. my805tix.com. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
FORBES ORGAN SERIES: VINCENT DUBOIS Titular organist at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, Vincent Dubois will perform during this program. Visit site for more info. March 23 3 p.m. (805) 756-4849. calpolyarts.org. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
HANDBELL CONCERT The SLO, Atascadero, and Los Osos Methodist handbell choirs will perform together in a benefit concert to aid the L.A fire victims. March 23 , 2:30-4 p.m. Free. (805) 543-7580. sloumc.com. San Luis Obispo United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo.
HINDS LIVE Spanish indie duo are set to grace the stage of SLO. Visit link for tickets and more info. March 22 7 p.m. $32. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843, slobrew.com.
REMINITIONS, LAST OF OUR KIND, NOTT, AND IDLE MIND LIVE Head to Humdinger for live sets from deathcore band Reminitions, as well as metal groups Last Of Our Kind, Catacombs, Occuli, and The Relative Minimum. Get tickets and more info on this all-ages show at the link. March 23 5 p.m. $14. my805tix.com. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
JUKEBOX HEROES (FREE AFTERNOON SHOW) Formed in 2012, when four veteran musicians joined forces to perform hits from the 1960s and beyond. March 22 , 2-5 p.m. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, (805) 225-1312, thesirenmorrobay.com/.
Mitra Cline showcases digital art, interactive installations, and crafts at Lompoc’s Cypress Gallery
The Lompoc Valley Art Association presents Cuckoo’s Mixed Reality Nest, a solo exhibition showcasing works by Santa Barbara-based artist Mitra Cline, at Cypress Gallery. The exhibit is scheduled to open on April 3 and remain on display through April 27.
The show is described as a collection of traditional crafts— such as masks, bowls, and cards—and digital artworks, each inspired by the way cuckoo birds “make their homes in other birds’ nests, showing how we all depend on each other to create and grow,” according to press materials.
“Just like cuckoo birds need other birds’ nests, artists need each other and their community to create something new,” Cline said in a statement. “This show is about collaboration and inspiring creative ideas.”
In line with its collaborative theme, this exhibit has an interactive aspect to it, as visitors are encouraged to try on handmade paper masks available to them at the gallery. Masked guests can then take a photo of themselves to be featured in a rotating digital picture frame. Attendees can also create their own art projects using colored sand, paper bowls, and other resources.
The exhibit also features Cline’s colorful bicycle trailer, which serves as her small mobile art studio. The trailer was painted with traditional folk patterns, inspired by rosemaling, or Norwegian decorative painting with floral designs, and Viking art. Cline’s aim for the bike trailer is to demonstrate “how artists can create anywhere while caring for the environment.”
To celebrate the exhibit’s debut, Cypress Gallery will host an artist reception on April 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. The following day, a two-hour mask-making workshop (April 13 from 1 to 3 p.m.) will be held at the gallery. Participants will paint and customize their own paper masks during the event, open to ages 16 and older.
Early registration is required at lompocart.org, as space is limited to 10 participants. The workshop fee is $20.
On April 26, Cline will lead a virtual class on virtual gallery creation through Google Meet, from 2 to 4 p.m. Registrants will make their own digital gallery or room design. Tickets will be available on a limited donation basis (through lompocart.org).
For more info on Cline’s artworks and mobile art studio, visit mitracline.com. The Cypress Gallery, managed by the Lompoc Valley Art Association, is located at 119 E. Cypress Ave., Lompoc. m
Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor
Theater mavens unite
BY GLEN STARKEY
Attending live theater increases empathy and changes attendees’ political attitudes, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. It’s also common knowledge that theatergoers are intelligent and attractive, not to mention generous, which is good news for SLO Repertory Theatre (aka SLO REP) as the long-running theater company enters its next stage of fundraising for its new venue.
“We’ve been working on this capital campaign partnering with the city for over 10 years,” SLO REP Managing Artistic Director Kevin Harris explained, “and now that the [Cultural Arts District parking] garage is nearing completion, we plan to break ground the moment it’s completed, so first quarter of 2026.”
This parking garage and its connection to a Cultural Arts District in downtown San Luis Obispo has long been a city dream, first voted on in 1991, and the plans to build a new venue for SLO REP are also long in the making.
“But in order to break ground, we have to raise an additional $2.4 million,” Harris said.
Cue the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust, already a major donor to the project, which recently promised another $500,000 in matching funds for donations received by June 30.
If you want to see a state-of-the-art venue hosting everything from new and classic plays, jazz combos, poetry readings, and black box experimental theater and performance art, start digging through those couch cushions because every cent counts.
What started as the SLO Little Theatre in 1947 has morphed over seven decades from its first staging of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirits at the SLO High School auditorium in early 1948 through 27 locations and more than 1,400 productions. SLO REP is now one of the longest running nonprofit theater companies in the nation, and the only professional nonprofit theater company in SLO County.
That’s right. They pay their actors, and they bring in talent from outside our area.
“This year, we’re going to hire about 170 artists from around the country,” Harris said, “and these are all people that we bring into San Luis. For four to six weeks, we house them. We pay them. These are nationally recognized actors who are on the circuit, and we’re really proud of that.”
The original plan for the new theater was actually more ambitious than its current iteration.
“Our first design for this building was 22,000 square feet on three stories, with all of our administrative offices, all of the rehearsal spaces, storage, everything was going to be there,” Harris said, “and our first campaign goal was less than $8 million, and the theater was supposed to be open in fall of 2018.”
Ah, the best-laid plans of mice and men.
Constructing the garage was delayed, then COVID hit, then building prices skyrocketed, so SLO REP decided to downsize the design and purchased a building on Empleo Drive off of South Higuera to house administrative offices, rehearsal spaces, and classrooms for its Academy of Creative Theater (ACT) program.
“It turned out to be the best thing that we ever did because we were able to immediately start growing our acting program, which was at capacity,” Harris explained. “We had no more space for that, but by moving out to Empleo, we have five classrooms and rehearsal spaces. So, we went from having 25 classes a year to well over 50 this year.”
Since moving its classroom space, ACT has gone from serving 250 students a year to serving 800 in a year-round program.
Currently, SLO REP is in a city-owned building that formerly housed the library, and it pays the city $1 a year to lease the building. Since this new project is funded in part by the city—about 30 percent of its entire cost, according to Harris, with 70 percent funded by private donations—and because the city
Donate before June 30
Thanks to the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust’s generosity, through June 30, donations to the SLO Repertory Theatre will be doubled.
Altogether, the project will cost $21.5 million, and there’s still $2.4 million to raise. More than 90 percent of the goal has been met to break ground in early 2026. Be part of this important legacy! Visit slorep.org and follow the donation link to learn how to help make its new theater venue a reality.
retains ownership of the land underneath the new theater, which they’ll lease for $1 a year for 99 years, who actually owns the building?
“I mean, technically, we own the building,” Harris said. “If we wanted to pick it up and move it, we could legally. But basically, what we’re getting is a 99-year land lease, so we’ll be completely responsible for the upkeep of the building. Anything within those walls.
“It’s been a very complicated process, and one that I didn’t really sign up for when I got here 18 years ago,” Harris chuckled. “This is working with the city on a huge municipal project, but obviously it couldn’t be happening without the city. Every time that we’ve gotten into major inflationary challenges, the City Council and the administration really stepped up because the Cultural Arts District was a dream of [graphic designer] Pierre Rademaker and [former SLO City Manager] John Dunn and [former SLO Mayor] Ken Schwartz for 30 years.”
The project promises to tie together many of the city’s important resources near SLO REP and the new parking structure. The SLO Children’s Museum is across the street. Head down Monterey toward Mission Plaza and the History Center of SLO County is on your left with the SLO Museum of Art on your right.
Harris is excited about the new possibilities, in particular SLO REP becoming an incubator for new and experimental theater.
“That’s why I went to grad school,” Harris said. “The future of the art form is subsidizing playwrights and producing new work. And that’s not something we’ve ever been able to do in this space long term.
“There’s no better place for a Chicago or New York playwright to go for the summer than to spend four months in San Luis Obispo, staying with a host family and getting a stipend to workshop a new play. That’s what we’re excited to jump into.” m
Contact New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MITRA CLINE
COURTESY PHOTO BY RYLO MEDIA DESIGN, RYAN C. LOYD
THE PATIENT GARDENER: For more than a decade, Managing Artistic Director Kevin Harris has been working on SLO REP’s new venue as part of the city’s cultural arts district.
Fool for love
Co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen bring Lars Jacobson’s action comedy to the screen about Nathan “Nate” Caine (Jack Quaid), an introverted bank executive suffering from congenital insensitivity to pain. He uses his rare condition to his advantage when he pursues a group of bank robbers who in the course of a theft kidnapped bank teller Sherry (Amber Midthunder), the girl of Nate’s dreams. (110 min.)
Glen: Move over, Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021). Stand aside, Ke Huy Quan in Love Hurts (2025). There’s a new docile everyman who’s snaped out of complacency to become an asskicking superhero. Nate has to set an alarm every three hours to remind himself to pee, lest his bladder explode, since he’s incapable of feeling discomfort. His shower has a special stop on the knob to keep him from turning up the temperature and burning himself. He consumes a liquid diet for fear he’ll bite his tongue off when chewing without realizing it. He’s a homebody whose only social interaction is online gaming with his “friend,” Roscoe (Jacob Batalon), who he’s never met in person. When Sherry shows interest in him, Nate decides to take a chance on love … which leads him right into danger. Sweet, funny, bloody, and gory—it’s total fun.
CRIP CAMP
What’s it rated? R When? 2020
Where’s it showing? Netflix
I first heard about Crip Camp on a podcast that discusses documentaries, and not only did it sound like a wonderfully touching film, but it was executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, so I knew as soon as this came across one of my streaming platforms, I needed to give it a watch, and I’m so glad I did!
NOVOCAINE
What’s it rated? R
Anna: Nate is inspired to follow love after meeting with Earl (Lou Beatty Jr.), a client who lost his wife of 50 years and who tells Nate that it isn’t the time that matters, but the person—that his wife brought the sunshine into his life. Nate can’t help but feel a bit empty after looking at his life and how thin his connections are. Sure, he has Roscoe, but the two have never actually met in real life, and he doesn’t seem to have any other connections outside of his surface work relationships. Sherry breathes fresh life into his world, and he can’t believe it when she seems genuinely interested in getting to know him. While this film may feel like it’s a pretty straightforward plotline, the writers were clever here and threw in some twists I didn’t see coming. Quaid does well as the leading man, funny and quirky and charming. I loved it.
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande
Glen: Quaid has successfully made the transition to credible leading man, and his delivery of Jacobson’s very funny dialogue is perfectly timed. You can’t help but root for Nate to succeed, and though the ability to withstand any pain level seems like a superpower, it can also be a super curse. As Roscoe reminds him, he can still die. There’s a lot of physical comedy wrapped up in his affliction, for instance when he’s being tortured and has to pretend he’s suffering or when a boobytrapped house keeps flinging maiming devices his way. It’s a clever premise that doesn’t take itself too
This documentary tells the story of Camp Jened in the early ’70s, a camp designed for teens with disabilities. These teens didn’t fit in one box—it wasn’t just for teens with mobility differences, or those who were nonverbal, or those who were part of special education classrooms in school. It truly became a fundamental part of their growth experience and a turning point in their activism in fighting for the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and section 504, which prohibits discrimination based on disability. These are the hard-fought steppingstones to implementing access to buildings, to services, to equity in day-to-day life. I think even the hardest of hearts will melt hearing the now
chronicled in the 2020 documentary Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, now streaming on Netflix.
grown and established leaders who were once campers share their unstoppable joy for that magic place up in the Catskills. (106 min.)
—Anna
seriously. It’s also pretty outlandish and dark, and the bank robbers, especially Simon (Ray Nicholson), are just awful human beings who get what they deserve. Me likely!
Anna: You’re rooting for Nate to win the day, but honestly, some moments you’re just hoping he somehow survives. Our bodies issue pain signals for a reason, and watching Nate dunk his hand into a deep fryer and take an arrow straight through both thighs means we must suspend our disbelief in what the human body
THE ELECTRIC STATE
What’s it rated? PG-13
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War ) direct this sci-fi adventure comedy set in a retro-futuristic 1990s alternative reality. After a war between robots and humans (no, not like Terminator … these bots look like they were designed by 1950s Disney imagineers), robots have been banished to the Exclusion Zone, 100 square miles of enclosed wasteland. The bot leader is Mr. Peanut (voiced by Woody Harrelson).
The story focuses on orphaned teen, Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), who’s travelling with an illegal robot in search of her missing brother, Christopher (Woody Norman). They eventually team up with Keats (Chris Pratt), a smuggler, with his own robot companion.
can take. It’s all for fun though, and Quaid is smart enough to be cheeky instead of serious, a straight man even when the world is upside down and goofy all around. You’re right, Nicholson is a tremendously good bad dude. This film is just fun from top to bottom, as long as you can stand the gore that comes with it. m
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
The heart of the story is a familiar one. Two groups— humans and bots—should be amicable but are pitted against one another, each scapegoated for political expediency. The real enemy is virtual headset manufacturer Sentre, run by Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci). Their devices essentially anesthetize the human
population, but finding Christopher may hold the key to freeing humans and bots.
Critics are slaughtering this visually arresting film (13 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but listen to the audience score (75 percent). This is a fun romp, and Pratt and Brown shine. (128 min.) m —Glen
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FEELIN’ NO PAIN: Mild-mannered bank executive Nathan “Nate” Caine (Jack Quaid) sets out to rescue his dream girl when she’s kidnapped during a bank robbery, in Novocaine, playing in local theaters.
COURTESY PHOTO BY STEVE HONIGSBAUM/NETFLIX
FROM SLEEPAWAY CAMP TO THE ADA: From 1951 to 1977, Camp Jened became an incubator for the American disability rights movement of the 1970s,
TO-DO LIST: Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), who’s travelling with an illegal robot, teams up with a smuggler to find her brother and fix the world, in The Electric State, streaming on Netflix.
COURTESY PHOTO BY PAUL ABELL/NETFLIX
From vision to vines
BY EMMA MONTALBANO
Seated at a picnic table at Sequoia Grove
Winery, gazing out over the vineyards, high school sweethearts-turned-spouses Ramon and Sandra Guerrero looked at each other and mused, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to someday be able to have something like this.”
Now, 23 years after planting their first vine, Ramon and Sandra are excited to be opening the Amada Cellars tasting room in Los Alamos.
“For many of those years, between the time we planted the vines and the time we opened our tasting room, we were busy living our regular lives, making sure our children had everything they needed to succeed,” Ramon said. “Now that our children are all grown up, and Sandra and I have more time, it was the right time to begin thinking about the next step in this wine dream and to open a tasting room
a property with land, which ultimately led them to the Santa Ynez Valley.
“Everything was green and beautiful,” Ramon said. “It was along the banks of the Santa Ynez River. The river was flowing, and everything just looked beautiful about the property. Sandra and I fell in love with the property and decided to buy it.”
They planted their first vines shortly after buying the land, and knowing that it takes about three to five years to get a full harvest, Ramon decided to use that time to learn more about winemaking.
‘When we started this process, we came from very, very humble beginnings. So everything we do is with that in mind.’
—Ramon Guerrero, Amada Cellars
to expose more people to our brand, our stories, and our wine.”
Decades earlier, after Ramon graduated from medical school at UC Davis and completed his residency for anesthesiology in Texas, the couple decided to move back to California to be closer to family. In 2002, while searching for places to live on the Central Coast, they hoped to find
Opening soon
Amada Cellars opens tasting room in Los Alamos, making decades-old dream a reality EATS continued
music. For more information on the
exploretock.com/amada-cellars.
“I took enology courses at UC Davis,” he explained. “I started reading as much as I could about the winemaking process, and then, once we finally had a harvest, I learned from local winemakers. I kind of followed them once we had our vines that were mature, and we had our harvest.”
After that first harvest, Amada Cellars was born. The word amada means “beloved” in Spanish and honors Sandra’s grandmother, who, according to Ramon, was the “impetus” for the success of his and Sandra’s relationship while they were long-distance.
The same passion and dedication that guided them through long-distance dating, raising a family, and learning the art of winemaking is what ultimately shaped Amada Cellars. While anesthesiology and winemaking are completely distinct fields, Ramon explained how the former taught him the importance of precision, patience, and care.
“When we started this process, we came from very, very humble beginnings,” Ramon said. “So everything we do is with that in mind, and we have to take care of everything that
ROOTED IN LOVE: Ramon and Sandra Guerrero’s journey to opening a tasting room in Los Alamos took more than 20 years of patience, passion, love, and dedication.
A VARIETY: Amada Cellars produces a variety of wines from their vineyard in Santa Ynez, ranging from sauvignon blanc to syrah.
On April 19, Amada Cellars will host the grand opening for its tasting room at 490 Bell St., No. 104, in Los Alamos.
we have and everything that we make. As an anesthesiologist, I was very meticulous with all the medications that I gave. We are very meticulous with our winemaking process because everything we have we value.”
This year, as part of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, three of Amada Cellars’ wines received medals. According to Ramon, they received a silver medal for their 2016 syrah noir, a gold medal for their
that they’re on the right track with “making a wine that people will fall in love with.”
He said he hopes that with the new tasting room, they will be able to give more people a taste of their wines and their story.
“In the next three to five years, we would like for Amada to be a fairly known household brand, at least here in the Central Coast and Southern California,” he said. “After that, if we’re successful enough, perhaps having distributors start distributing our wine further away with interstate commerce.” m
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@ newtimesslo.com.
When they planted their first vines, Ramon and Sandra Guerrero also planted two sequoia trees on their property in honor of Sequoia Grove Winery, where they first fell in love
Be Mine out photo with one I have included
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