Santa Ynez Valley Star June B 2019 by Santa Ynez Valley Star

June 18 - July 1, 2019

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Retiring city manager proud of Buellton Marc Bierdzinski to step down June 28 By Raiza Giorgi

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s he prepares to retire on June 28, City Manager Marc Bierdzinski says he’s proud of Buellton’s balanced budget, solid fiscal situation and a staff that excels at helping the city’s residents and businesses. “I will miss the people the most, as they are funny, intelligent and highly capable,” he said. Bierdzinski will retire after spending 30 years in government. He worked for Santa Maria and Santa Barbara County before becoming planning director for Buellton in September 2005. He then became interim city manager and planning director in May 2013 when City Manager Steve Thompson retired. “Steve is a great friend, and we still talk often. He has really been one of my mentors along the way and helped me in this leadership role. I learned quite a bit from him and his easy-going nature,” Bierdzinski said. Originally from Redlands, Bierdzinski graduated from UC Riverside with a degree in geology. “I love studying nature and rocks, but when I graduated I couldn’t find any work in geology and took a job at an engineering firm. They placed me in planning, and that is where I started my career,” he said. Being a planning director or city manager involves a lot of puzzle solving, he said, and he loves the challenge of finding solutions to problems before even considering saying “no.” “I think what we do best in Buellton is try to help people come up with solutions and think outside the box,” he added. One project Bierdzinski said he is very proud of was the several years he spent creating the driveways between the Albertson’s shopping center and the neighboring

Photo by Raiza Giorgi Retiring City Manager Marc Bierdzinski says he will miss finding the solutions that keep Buellton thriving.

property, allowing traffic to flow between them without entering Highway 246. “I think that took a few years off my life, but it was so worth it. People love that they can drive from Pattibakes to Albertson’s,” he said with a smile. As Bierdzinski has been checking off his calendar, counting down how many City Council meetings he has left, he has been reflecting on all the changes he’s seen in the past several years. “Whether you were for or against the Urban Growth Boundary, it really helped the community define what they wanted and didn’t want. I think it propelled the

visioning process and finding an identity for the downtown Avenue of Flags,” Bierdzinski said. The UGB, passed in 2008, requires voter approval for any expansion of the city limits that would require extension of sewer or water services. Bierdzinski said he is proud of all the departments that have worked hard on turning Buellton into a well-rounded community. “The Recreation Department has been exploding with growth and programs for people of all ages. We are staying on top of employment laws, and the council has

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Photos contributed Traveling, including a return to Iceland, is on Bierdzinski’s bucket list.

been efficient and smooth. Even though we had to raise prices for water and sewer in the last few years, we are still affordable and in good shape,” Bierdzinski said. Revenue from property taxes and transient occupancy taxes are helping Buellton maintain a healthy budget with a surplus close to $1 million, he said. The city has a budget of $15.5 million for the 201819 fiscal year. General fund revenues are projected at $7.5 million and general fund expenditures at $6.6 million. Several new projects are in the developBIERDZINSKI CONTINUED TO PAGE 22

2 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

Solvang’s turnover continues with loss of latest city attorney

Solvang event to help business owners with exports Staff Report

ocal business owners interested in the value of exporting their products can attend “Complying with U.S. Export Controls” from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, at Hotel Corque in Solvang. The seminar is hosted by Megan Cullen of the Southern California District Export Council. Speakers will talk about various aspects of exporting, including an overview of export regulations, integrating export rules into daily business processes, and understanding what regulations cover and don’t cover. “This is a unique opportunity for Santa Barbara County exporters. It is the most in-depth event covering export regulation compliance given in the county,” Cullen said. Cullen is a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) and has worked in international trade, sales and marketing for more

than 25 years. The Solvang resident is a member of the Southern California District Export Council and is passionate about helping local businesses grow. “I believe this seminar will be a valuable opportunity for attendees to expand their knowledge on how to properly maintain export compliance and, more importantly, how to stay out of trouble,” Cullen added. The speakers will discuss export licensing, export sanctions and resources available to local businesses. There will be a Q and A session at the end of the session. This event is sponsored by the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, EconAlliance, Economic Development Collaborative and Global Trade. To learn more or register, visit www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=2563676.

High fire season begins Staff Report

he Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other local jurisdictions have declared high fire season, which means that all permits for residential burning and hazard reduction have been suspended. In addition, fire departments will be increasing the number of people and equipment

responding to reported vegetation fires for the duration of the fire season. The county Fire Department is also urging residents and business owners to be vigilant for fire hazards, clear vegetation around structures, and create or review an emergency plan. For more information on preparedness, visit www.sbcfire.com.

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Staff Report

urnover and turmoil at the top levels of city government are continuing in Solvang. The City Council was set to meet Monday, June 17, to hire an interim city attorney just a week after it hired a different firm — which backed out four days later, citing an unspecified conflict of interest. The recent turnover includes three new City Council members since January and the retirement of longtime City Manager Brad Vidro in December. City Attorney Dave Fleishman submitted his resignation in late May. Vidro was succeeded for several months by an interim city manager and then replaced by David Gassaway, who started as city manager in early May. The council’s agenda for a closed session on June 17, after the Star’s deadline, called for the appointments of another interim city attorney as well as an interim city auditor. The results of that session will be published at www.santaynezvalleystar.com. ”The Legal Services Agreement executed as a result of the appointment of the interim City Attorney on June 7, 2019, had to be terminated on June 11, 2019, due to an unanticipated conflict of interest,” according to the agenda. The first interim city attorney was the firm of Best, Best & Krieger. Officials have not described the nature of the conflict of interest. The firm was hired June 7, a week after Fleishman submitted his resignation, even though he had promised to stay on the job until July 31. However, when the council members met in closed session June 7 they excused him from the remainder of his service and hired Best, Best & Krieger. Fleishman submitted his resignation May 29, two months after an odd attempt at firing him in a closed council meeting that was called and then canceled without any discussion. The vote on the afternoon of June 7 to release Fleishman early was 3-1, with Councilwoman Karen Waite dissenting and Councilman Robert Clarke absent due to a prior commitment. “I wish the city staff and residents that I served with all the success going forward. I feel badly there will not be a smooth transition to whomever they choose to replace me,” Fleishman said as he left the June 7 meeting. Fleishman’s departure ends 21 years of service to Solvang with his law partner, Roy Hanley, from the Atascadero-based firm of Hanley & Fleishman LLP. The council members declined June 7 to comment on their reasoning for releasing Fleishman before his resignation took effect, saying only that it was a personnel matter. They

said they were hiring Best, Best & Krieger to provide interim city attorney services while they searched for a permanent city attorney. The announcement of Fleishman’s resignation came May 29 after the council had met the previous night for what included a special closed session involving evaluation of the city attorney. “Notwithstanding the nearly universally positive performance evaluation session at last night’s council meeting, it is clear to me on a number of levels that this is the right course of action for me and my law partner,” Fleishman said in his resignation letter. “The City Council majority is entitled to and should be served by a city attorney whose ethical standards and commitment to the rule of law more closely match their own,” he added. Mayor Ryan Toussaint declined to comment at that time as well, saying it was a personnel matter. In March, a special meeting called by Toussaint listed an agenda item: a closed session about public employee discipline, dismissal or release of the city attorney. That night’s agenda also called for public employee appointment of an interim city attorney and special city auditor. But the meeting lasted less than 10 minutes after Toussaint, who had called for the session, failed to show up, leaving others perplexed. “That meeting came as a surprise to me, to say the least,” Fleishman said. Solvang was involved as a defendant in “almost no litigation during (his) firm’s tenure as city attorney, something unheard of in modern municipal government,” Fleishman said. “It has been our privilege to serve dozens of Solvang mayors and council members over our nearly 21 years in the city attorney position, a period of time equal to nearly twothirds of Solvang’s entire existence as a city,” Fleishman said. With the city attorney gone, the institutional memory for Solvang city government will be short due a relatively new City Council and a new city manager. The current Solvang council’s longest-serving member is Toussaint, who joined in late 2016. The next longest-serving member is Karen Waite, who was appointed to the council in late 2017. Two others — Chris Djernaes and Robert Clarke — were elected in November, just six months ago, and Daniel Johnson was later appointed to fill the vacancy created when Toussaint was elected mayor. Fleishman continues to serve as city attorney for Pismo Beach. In 2017, he ended a stint as city attorney for Guadalupe. Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully and Santa Ynez Valley Star Publisher Raiza Giorgi contributed to this report.

June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 3

Argument erupts over bench removal in Los Alamos Cemetery Distraught family threatens legal action after board won’t change ordinance By Raiza Giorgi

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he removal of a bench from a gravesite at the Los Alamos Cemetery is turning into a legal battle between the family and the cemetery district’s board of directors after a recent board meeting ended in a shouting match. The family of Concepcion “Concha” Carrillo is alleging that the bench placed next to their mother’s headstone was wrongfully removed in February, and the cemetery district is saying that the family was never allowed to place a bench there in the first place. “The Carrillo family prefers to resolve this dispute amicably according to the wishes of the Los Alamos community to reinstall Mrs. Carrillo’s memorial bench, grandfather in the other existing benches, and draft a reasonable bench policy for future families and welcomes the opportunity to meet with the Board to do so,” according to the family’s attorney, Calisse Courtney. After watching her mother deteriorate in five short months from the return of breast cancer, Brenda Carrillo Rivera and her family buried Concha at the Los Alamos Cemetery in 2016. “The month we found out my mother’s breast cancer had returned and spread to her liver was the same month I found out I was pregnant. On the good days, I would walk her just outside our front door and sit with her on our porch bench. There we would talk about life, my baby, the future, and then sometimes we would just sit there in silence watching for hummingbirds,” Rivera said. Her mother was well known in the education community as she worked for

Photo contributed The family of Concepcion “Concha” Carrillo is angry about the way the Los Alamos Cemetery District handled the removing a bench from their burial plot.

25 years in special education for the Santa Barbara County Education Office. She worked with hundreds of special-needs students at various school around the county. After Concha’s death, her husband, Alfredo Carrillo, drove to Zacatecas, Mexico, and brought back a special blessed headstone for his wife’s plot and a bench for his. Rivera said when they placed her mother’s headstone and the bench, the cemetery’s rules didn’t specify that benches were not allowed or state what could or couldn’t be placed. “I sat on this bench for the first time when I brought my six-week-old baby to her grandmother’s resting place. I sat on this bench the first time my daughter was old enough to bring her flowers,” Rivera said.

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Carrillo would visit his wife’s grave every week and play guitar for her while sitting on the bench, which the family intended to be replaced by his headstone when the time comes. In February, Carrillo showed up to play guitar for his wife and the bench was missing. He was concerned that it was stolen, so he started asking who was in charge of the cemetery. The directors for the Los Alamos Cemetery District are Charlie Gonzales, Peter Kopcrak and Jim Gill. Gonzalez is the owner of the well-known restaurant “Charlie’s” in Los Alamos, and so Carrillo went to him to ask if he knew anything. Gonzalez told Carrillo that the cemetery rules and regulations did not allow benches to be placed and it had been removed and is

being stored. Rivera said her father came to her perplexed because he wasn’t given any notice of the bench rules, nor any notice that the bench was removed, or an opportunity to come get it. She tried to get a hold of the board members to get more information, Rivera said, but no one responded to her inquiries for several months. A petition was started that has gathered more than 1,800 signatures from people urging the district to reinstall the bench. “It makes no sense that benches can’t be put out there for families to sit and rest and talk with their loved ones. Concha was a dear friend and co-worker and I have sat on that bench many times and told her about the new kids at school or about what was going on in my life,” said Annette Herrera, one of the petitioners. Rivera then went to 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann asking why the bench was removed and if the ordinance could be amended. Hartmann’s office told Rivera they spoke with the board and their reason for removing the bench was an ordinance passed in 2006 that states that benches do not fall in the category of “acceptable.” The Star has made a public records request for a copy of the 2006 ordinance from the cemetery district, but officials have yet to make it available. The cemetery does not have a website or any documentation online. The documentation the Star received was a copy of the July 2018 rules and regulations, and board minutes from 2018 and the beginning of 2019. The rules in July of last year make no mention of not allowing benches to be placed, and the board minutes from March 2018 mention updating the rules and regulations to adopt the “no benches” policy. Rivera was told to go to the cemetery board meeting on May 20 to discuss the isCEMETERY CONTINUED TO PAGE 28

4 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

Buellton man faces 8 more Los Olivos board presents charges in teen-sex case options for sewage treatment By Janene Scully

Noozhawk North County Editor

anta Ynez Valley-based yearbook salesman faces eight more charges related to allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with male teenagers, and his bail has been increased to $500,000, according to Santa Barbara County Court documents. The first amended complaint against Gregory Scott Ray, 52, was filed in late May in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Ray, who is described as a yearbook Gregory Scott Ray consultant and salesman based in Central California and living in Buellton, was taken into custody in April after detectives with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department served a search warrant. As part of his job, he traveled to many other counties within California while employed as an independent contractor and sales consultant for Friesens LLC, a yearbook publishing company, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said. He also did yearbook consulting at many school campuses in the state, from San Jose to Los Angeles County, and may have attended yearbook camps and conferences, leading to suspicions of victims beyond the Santa Ynez Valley. “Friesens is deeply troubled by those allegations. That individual was not an employee of Friesens Corporation. We have taken immediate action to terminate his independent sales contract and we are in communication with all schools with whom he dealt. Our thoughts go out to those who are affected by this,” said Chad Friesens, in a statement written to the Star. In April, Ray pleaded not guilty to 13 felony

charges filed against him, including two counts of lewd and lascivious acts, three counts of sodomy, seven counts of oral copulation, and one count of sexual penetration with a foreign object. The new complaint includes one felony count of sending harmful matter, two felony counts of oral copulation, two felony counts of sodomy, and three misdemeanor sexual-battery charges. While authorities originally said the case involved three alleged victims, the amended complaint now names eight males — referred to as John Does No. 1 through 8 — with the newest allegations reportedly occurring between 2007 and 2018. The investigation began March 18 when Santa Ynez Valley Union High School representatives contacted sheriff’s deputies after a teacher overheard a conversation involving Ray and reported it to school administrators Authorities do not believe any of the alleged sexual contacts occurred on the Santa Ynez high school campus. “I want to assure you that Mr. Ray is no longer working in our district and is not allowed on campus. I have been assured by law enforcement that his employer has been notified,” said SYVUHS Superintendent Scott Cory. The investigation revealed that Ray allegedly was using a social media app as a way to meet and have sexual contact with young males ranging from 13 to 17 years old. Ray remains in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail. Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Santa Ynez Valley Star Publisher Raiza Giorgi contributed to this story.

By Raiza Giorgi

publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

ll options are still on the table in developing a wastewater treatment system in Los Olivos, but the community needs to pick one quickly — before the state takes over the decision, according to the Los Olivos Community Services District. In a special meeting May 30, the LOCSD board presented a range of wastewater treatment options after spending the last year meeting with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services. “We are here to hear from you and know what you think. Then we will take the input and make the best decision for the community. If we don’t come up with a solution, the water board will come up with one for us, and we lose the ability to seek funding and grant opportunities,” said LOCSD board president Tom Fayram. The LOCSD was created in January 2018. The unincorporated community of about 1,000 people, labeled a “special problems area” since the 1970s because of failing septic systems, has not had any local government to deal with the issue other than the county Board of Supervisors. The five directors elected were Lisa Bertero-Palmer, Fayram, Mike Arme, Julie Kennedy and Brian O’Neill, who were then tasked with the planning, construction and operation of a community wastewater system. Wastewater and septic systems have been a decades-long issue because of the town’s high water table, which increases the risk that septic tank effluent will pollute groundwater. “The option of doing nothing isn’t really an option. The water board is going to release their documents and findings soon on our groundwater issues, and they can choose what to do for us if we don’t get started,” said O’Neill. O’Neill’s background includes more than 25 years of managing wastewater and sanitary system assessments, design, construction and permitting. He was tasked with identifying all possible systems and rough cost and time estimates. The systems he identified included a regional

option of sending sewage to Solvang; a local option of a building a Los Olivos treatment plant; and identifying the first problem areas and phasing in a treatment system. He said some options created in the 1970s have been taken off the table because they aren’t compliant with current regulations. “The Santa Ynez Community Services District option was greyed out as they pulled the idea of us connecting to their pipelines and flowing through to Solvang. However, they did say they would operate a local treatment system for us if we are interested,” O’Neill said. Going directly to Solvang by building four miles of pipeline down Alamo Pintado Road would not only require building a pre-treatment facility, but it would mean huge costs associated with doing environmental impact reports (EIRs) as the pipeline would have to cross several creeks to get to the connection at Sunny Fields Park, O’Neill added. “Without a design and specs, the costs for this are still undetermined, but we know we are looking at four to five million (dollars) to start. The more pipeline and creek crossings, the more time and money it ends up costing us,” he added. “If we can identify which are the areas to address first and put in a packaged treatment system, it could potentially happen faster than the other options. Depending on the needs, we can expand it over time as we monitor the groundwater,” O’Neill said. He reiterated that no decisions have been made and the board wants as much community input as possible. O’Neill added that anyone in the community who has additional solutions to contact the board and come to the next meeting on Wednesday, June 26. That meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Los Olivos Elementary School at 2540 Alamo Pintado Road. The board also plans a meeting for July 31 to present its preferred option to the public. To get more information and to watch the options presented by LOCSD, visit www. losolivoscsd.com. Contact LOCSD by email at losolivoscsd@gmail.com or call 805-946-0431.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 5

Chumash Resort wins ‘zero waste’ certification Staff Report

he Chumash Casino Resort has become the first casino in the United States to earn Zero Waste certification from Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the premier organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally. Through innovative recycling programs and community partnerships, the resort diverts more than 90 percent of its waste from landfills, which, along with an extensive inspection, qualified the facility to receive TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification at the Silver level in the rating system. There are more than 120 TRUE-certified projects throughout the United States, but the Chumash Casino Resort is one of just 11 to be certified at the Silver level. In addition to becoming the first casino to earn this distinction, the entertainment complex is the first in Indian Country and the first in Santa Barbara County to be TRUE-certified, and just the second facility in California to earn certification at the Silver level. “It is a distinct honor for our tribe and the Chumash Casino Resort to be recognized by Green Business Certification Inc. for our zero waste efforts,” said Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “As the original stewards of the Santa Ynez Valley, our tribe understands the importance of minimizing our impact on the environment by any means necessary. … Being the first TRUE-certified gaming facility in the country is a source of pride for our tribal members and all of the employees at the Chumash Casino Resort, who have remained dedicated as we sought to achieve our zero-waste goal.”

The TRUE Zero Waste certification program strives to change the way materials flow through society so that all products are eventually reused and diverted from landfill, incineration (waste-to-energy) and the environment. “The Chumash Casino Resort’s TRUE Zero Waste certification is paving the way for a more sustainable future,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. “When we restructure our operations and production systems in a way that improves business, the environment and our communities, we become true leaders.” The Chumash Casino Resort adopted the ’s definition of zero waste: “The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.” To reach its ambitious goal, the Facilities Department formed partnerships and participated in innovative programs to complement its extensive in-house recycling efforts: n CARE (Cups Are REcyclable): Styrofoam cups are collected, compressed and sent to the Dart Container Corp., which reprocesses Polystyrene (PE No. 6) into picture frames, crown molding and other products. www.dartcontainer.com n TerraCycle: Trenton, N.J.-based company collects discarded cigarette butts and turns them into plastic shipping pallets, park benches, picnic tables and other products. www.terracycle.com n Veggie Rescue: The Santa Ynez nonprofit collects excess produce from farmers markets and prepared food from the resort

and distributes it directly to those in need. www.veggierescue.org n Engel & Gray: Santa Maria-based company accepts landscape trimmings and pre-consumer food scraps that are composted into an organic tropical mix and sold as Harvest Blend Compost. www.engelandgray.com n Clean the World: Orlando, Fla.-based nonprofit sterilizes and reprocesses used hotel amenities (soap, shower gel, shampoo) and sends them as part of hygiene kits to countries in need. www.cleantheworldfoundation.org/ n Textile Waste Solutions: Santa Barbara-based company takes used uniforms and transforms the material into industrial wiping cloths www.twaste.com/ n Frontline International: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based company accepts cooking oil waste and transforms it into bio-diesel fuel. www.frontlineii.com/ In 2018, the resort reported diversion of 2,922,307 pounds of waste, representing 90.94 percent of its overall waste stream, from local landfills through the success of its zero-waste program. One of the highlights of the waste diversion program has been the partnership with Veggie Rescue, which accepted more than four tons of prepared food from the Chumash Casino Resort buffet in 2018 for use at the Buellton Senior Center and its Meals on Wheels program. The resort also received certificate of distinc-

tion from TerraCycle for being its top collector of discarded cigarette butts every year since the partnership began in 2013. “Cigarettes are the most frequently littered item on the planet. Such a monumental problem requires a large-scale solution, and together Chumash Casino and TerraCycle have taken on that challenge,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “By offering their guests a way to responsibly recycle their cigarette butts, the Chumash Casino has taken a dramatic step towards preserving our environment and keeping it clean for future generations.” The Chumash Casino Resort entertains an estimated 3.75 million visitors annually in nearly 1 million square feet of developed space, which includes a 24-hour gaming floor with 2,400 slot machines, nine full-service restaurants, a 320-room hotel, a 25,000-square-foot rooftop pool deck, a 15,000-square-foot facility used for bingo, concerts and boxing/MMA events, and a full-service spa. “The Chumash Casino Resort proves that you can have a successful enterprise while also being mindful of the environment,” Kahn said. “We hope we can be a model for other Indian gaming properties in California, other large companies across the country and other local businesses that want to reduce the environmental impact they have in our community.” Photo contributed Members of the Chumash Casino Resort’s Facilities Department hand-sort Styrofoam cups.

6 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

Flat Fender Friends love their military vehicles

Members include collectors in foreign countries as well By Raiza Giorgi

publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

ven though Kevin Connor isn’t a veteran, his military jeep is — and he feels a sense of duty to keep it running to honor those who have served. He and his wife have been a part of the local Flat Fender Friends group for more than 10 years. “It’s a great opportunity to honor our veterans and give people a look at history and what the jeep came from,” Connor said. The Flat Fenders are veterans and nonveterans who have an affinity for restored military vehicles. They are widely seen in the valley’s many parades and other events and will be driving in the upcoming Fourth of July Parade in Solvang. “Our biggest gathering is typically the Fourth of July parade, as we love driving our veterans and seeing the patriotism,” said founding member Dennis Beebe. Beebe, a retired Air Force colonel, said the group has been around for about 15 years. They have lovingly restored jeeps and more recent military vehicles that have seen service from World War II to Afghanistan. Beebe acquired his 1942 Ford GPW (known as a jeep) from the used car lot next to Olivera’s in Buellton. It had been covered in putty and didn’t even look like a military jeep. Beebe started researching military vehicles and talking to people about how they should look. “Our other founding member, Bruce McBroom, literally pulled his jeep next to mine and we measured where the holes should be so we could mount the spare tire and other hardware distinctive to them,” Beebe said. Jeeps were the primary light transport vehicle of the military during World War II and the post-war period. They were shipped overseas and used in all areas of combat because they were off-road-capable and lightweight, Beebe said. “A lot of the vehicles you see in our area never actually went overseas because the vehicles they shipped over were left there when the wars ended. The ships would transport the military servicemen and women home, not the jeeps,” he added. “A lot of people think that they are all Willys Jeeps, but people forget that a lot were actually made by Ford. Ford was reluctant to make something designed by someone else, and they gave their Jeeps subtle differences,” Beebe said. Beebe noted that the jeeps and other

Flat Fender Friends founder Dennis Beebe restored his 1942 Ford GPW (jeep) after he bought it from a used-car lot in Buellton. Photos by Daniel Dreifuss The Flat Fender Friends include, from left, co-founder Dennis Beebe, John Ramirez, J.C. Knapp, Terry Sims and Kevin Connor.

Photo contributed Local veteran and World War II fighter pilot Jim Kunkle, shown at the wheel, was recently honored in Normandy on the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Fabian Libre of France, a member of the Flat Fender Friends, drove to Normandy in his jeep to meet up with him.

vehicles that people see in local parades are from a range of wars. Some were used during World War II, such as one that belonged to founding member Jim Axtell. Although his was never used in the war, Axtell bought his jeep brand-new from the Army. Axtell sold it to McBroom, and Beebe stores it for him. “I told Jim he can be a member as long as he can climb in and out on his own,” Beebe laughed. “To this day he still can, and he just turned 100.” Another one of their members, Herman

Pfauter of Santa Barbara, was a teenager in Germany when he saw the Allied jeeps rolling through his village. He instantly feel in love with the American vehicles, and he has the largest collection of anyone in the group. Now in his 80s, Pfauter has found a home for some of his jeeps by donating and building a structure for the Estrella Warbird Museum in Paso Robles. “We even have a member that lives in France. Fabian Libre has a jeep and contacted us to be a part of the group. He named his ‘Kunk’s Klunk’ after Jim Kun-

July 4 parade The grand marshals of this year’s July 4 parade, with the theme “We, the People,” will be Putty and Carol Mills. Putty is a member of the Flat Fender Friends, and we will have a story about the couple in our July 2 issue. The parade, sponsored by Solvang Rotary, will start at 11 a.m. at Mission Santa Ines. It will go down Mission Drive to Fifth Street, left onto Copenhagen Drive and back to the Mission. To be a part of the parade, visit the Rotary’s website at www. solvangrotary.com and send in an application form. kle’s P-38 he flew in World War II during D-Day. He even let Jim drive it when he was in Normandy for the 75th anniversary,” Beebe said. A few of the members have jeeps from the Korean War, Vietnam War and more recent Humvees. “We don’t have a lot of requirements to be a part of our club. There’s only three, maybe four, rules,” Beebe laughed. Those rules are no dues, no newsletters, no regular meetings and no uniform. To get more information, email Beebe at dennis.beebe@comcast.net.

June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 7

County asks patience while developing cannabis policy

anta Barbara County officials submitted the following “open letter to county residents regarding cannabis” on May 31: County government’s role is to balance numerous sides of a complex issue, not one side or the other, that ultimately will benefit the county long-term. Developing a regulatory environment for a new industry takes time and requires patience. The county Board of Supervisors adopts policies and regulations through a robust public process open to all stakeholders – none more so than the cannabis ordinance with more than 30 public meetings with many hours of public comment. We recognize that there are significant tensions among residents, cannabis growers, and some elements of other agricultural industries. We are committed to developing a regulatory environment to address concerns such as odor, enforcement, compatible land uses and eliminating the underground economy. Every land use issue in Santa Barbara County is controversial, including greenhouses in Carpinteria for cut flowers in the 1990s. Canna-

bis is a contentious topic and one that stirs strong emotions, feelings and opinions. Since 2016 with pending state regulations and passage of Proposition 64 to legalize recreational marijuana, the county has worked on building a local regulatory structure to reduce, if not eliminate, illegal grows and many of the negative effects identified around cannabis cultivation. Developing regulations has been conducted in a very public manner with hundreds of stakeholders across the county. Protecting neighborhoods has been at the forefront of discussions. To that end, all permit-

‘Tourism matters’ matter in Solvang By Tracy Farhad

Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau

ourism — essentially the act of people traveling for business or pleasure — has been happening since the beginning of time. Solvang certainly has been a destinaTracy Farhad tion for centuries, dating back to Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo visitors, especially the Danish-Americans who founded the community in 1911 as a place to embrace their heritage, culture, music and cuisine. Then, in 1947, idyllic Solvang was “discovered” by a Saturday Evening Post journalist who described us as “Little Denmark” and a “spotless Danish village that blooms like a rose.” This favorable coverage encouraged visitors to come experience Solvang for themselves, and my job is make sure they continue to do so today. Nationwide and in California, tourism is one of America’s largest industries, and so it is in Solvang. May was California Tourism Month and the theme was “Tourism Matters” — it certainly does here in Solvang. Consider the positive impact that visitors create on Solvang’s hotels, restaurants, retailers, museums and countless other businesses. Based upon our most recent visitor surveys, Solvang welcomes more than 1.5 million travelers from around the world annually for day trips and overnight stay to experience our Danish heritage and unique attractions. They spend an average of $190 per day, and more than 14 percent comes from international visitors who tend

to stay longer and spend even more money here. The tourism multiplier effect (for example, a visitor stays in a hotel that buys products and services and pays wages) trickles down into all segments of our local economy, even including my son’s orthodontist. Why does Solvang tourism matter to you? More than 50 percent of the city’s general fund revenue is derived from retail sales tax and hotel transient occupancy tax (known as TOT or bed tax, with visitors paying 12 percent on top of their hotel room rate per night). According to our studies at the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau, Solvang households would pay $1,450 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by the local tourism industry. And tourism provides for the enhanced quality of life we enjoy by providing more outstanding dining, shopping and recreational opportunities than our 5,245 residents could possibly support on their own. Frankly, tourism is the only industry in which consumers arrive, spend and leave — with limited environmental impact yet with important economic benefits. To welcome visitors and encourage them to stay overnight, especially midweek, and spend their hard-earned dollars here, the Solvang Visitor Information Center at 1639 Copenhagen Drive is operated by the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau and open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Stop by and meet our staff of friendly locals who make referrals to local businesses and organizations, distribute free information, maps, guides and that famous Solvang hospitality. Tourism matters matter in Solvang! Tracy Farhad is executive director of the nonprofit Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau, which promotes the culture, cuisine, shopping, arts and attractions of Solvang.

ted cannabis operators are required to meet strict development standards, and conditional use permits are now required of cannabis operators in existing rural neighborhoods to help reduce further impacts. The county’s compliance and enforcement teams have been enforcing our regulations and those required by the state of California to put a stop to illegal cannabis activity and operations across the county. Since August 2018, 30 criminal enforcement actions resulted in removal of 832,649 live plants and confiscation or elimination of 31,706 pounds of dry and wet harvested plants, illegal products and delivery services. In addition to criminal

enforcement, the compliance team is actively pursuing civil and land use violations to enforce health and safety concerns. Benefits of the county’s approach to the regulation of cannabis include: n Driving out bad actors and the illegal market that create public safety and health problems n Tax revenue to fund enforcement and regulation n Higher-wage jobs with benefits for cannabis industry employees n Creation of a new, regulated ag industry within a county that is 96.5 percent agricultural and forest land, and 3.5 percent urban. We urge all residents to engage in local government and policy development. To join the public process, use this link — https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1872571/1753150/ — to subscribe to receive news and information from the county, or go to www.countyofsb.org.

“I forgot my friend’s name and didn’t know where I was — I was having a stroke.”

Janice Solvang Janice received timely stroke treatment at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital. As a certified “Stroke Ready” facility, SYVCH emergency physicians and specialists are prepared to evaluate and treat stroke patients quickly upon arrival.

To learn more about our specialized stroke care, visit cottagehealth.org/systrokecare

New Frontiers

8 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

New chick can be watched on ‘Condor Cam’ D Staff Report

eople across the world can get up close and personal with an endangered California condor chick in real time through live streaming video of a cliff-side nest in a canyon on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura County. California condor chick 980 hatched on April 10. Its parents are 9-year-old female condor 563 and 19-year-old male condor 262. This is the pair’s first nesting attempt together and their first year on the livestreaming “Condor Cam” as a pair. This is female condor 563’s second attempt at raising a chick, and the chick’s father, condor 262, fledged one other chick in the past with a previous mate. Followers of the California Condor Cam watched a chick hatch live in the wild for the first time in history from another cliff-side nest on Hopper Mountain NWR in 2015. Since then, livestreaming videos of California condor chicks have gained worldwide attention – attracting hundreds of thousands of viewers from all over the world. “Today’s technology allows researchers like us to observe nests in remote locations without having to trek into the backcountry and wait for days, sometimes weeks, at observation blinds for a glimpse of the condors,” said Dr. Estelle

Photo by Pacific Southwest Region USFWS Female California condor 563 stands over her newly hatched chick on April 10 in a nest cavity now fitted with a live-streaming video camera in the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge. Bluish egg fragments are visible.

Sandhaus, the Santa Barbara Zoo’s director of conservation and science. “With this live stream, the public can share in the thrill of seeing these rare and highly endangered birds care for their chick, and follow its development before it takes its first flight. What was once only seen by a few scientists is now available to anyone with an internet connection.” In California, wild condors nest, roost or fly in the mountains of Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Ange-

les, Kern, Tulare and Fresno counties, and in the western Sierra Nevada Mountains. The 2018 nesting season was a record-breaking one, with 12 nests in the mountains of Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern counties. Six of those nests were successful, the most ever in the Southern California flock. “The success of last year’s nesting season was really monumental for the condor recovery program and a testament to the hard work of all the partners involved in this effort,” said Nicole

Weprin, wildlife biologist with the Service’s California Condor Recovery Program. “We’re hopeful for another successful nesting season this year, and thrilled that the public can share in our excitement by watching the Condor Cam.” The number of California condors dropped dramatically in the mid-20th century, leading the Fish and Wildlife Service to designate the species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. By 1982 there were only 22 of the iconic birds left in the wild. Today, due to intensive captive breeding and recovery efforts, the California condor population has grown to just under 490 birds worldwide, with more than half of the population flying free. The Pole Canyon Condor Cam is made possible through access provided by private landowners, and through the financial and technical support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Santa Barbara Zoo, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, and Friends of California Condors Wild and Free. For answers to frequently asked questions about the nest cam, the parents and the chick, visit https://www.fws.gov/cno/es/CalCondor/ CondorCam.html To watch the Condor Cam, visit: www.allaboutbirds.org/condors.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 9

Parade highlights 57th Old Santa Ynez Day By Katie Terou SYV Star Intern

owntown Santa Ynez was crowded with people eager to celebrate Old Santa Ynez Day and see the 57th annual celebratory parade on Saturday, June 8. “I’ve been here a million times. My favorite things to see are the petting zoo and the parade,” said Jessica Sarri-Wong, a native of the valley who lives in Long Beach but comes back just for Old Santa Ynez Day. Vendors gathered on Sagunto Street to host booths that sold jewelry, pottery, clothing and more. Some also sold food and drinks, such as Los Olivos Lemons’ lemonade and the Solvang Rotary Club’s popular tri-tip sandwiches. “It wouldn’t be Old Santa Ynez Day without the smell of smoke from the tri-tip,” said Scott Cory, a member of the Solvang Rotary and superintendent of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. Cory grew up in the valley and said he recently found his Old Santa Ynez Day badges from the mid-1970s when he was a youth. Attendees were able to purchase fundraising badges prior to the event, with all proceeds going to local schools and children’s organizations. People not wearing badges were “locked up” in the Old Santa Ynez Day Jail and had to pay a $1 “bail” to be released. The annual parade showcased several floats, classic cars and trucks, dancers from Garcia Dance Studio, tractors, fire engines and horses, a crowd favorite. “We always like to have the horses in town so the kids can see them,” said Bosco Carricaburu, who has been involved with running the festivities for upwards of 20 years. The grand marshals for this year’s parade were Robert and Nancy Beauchamp, a couple with a long history on the planning committee for Old Santa Ynez Day. They rode through the parade along with Lilly Masopust, the 2019 Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation Queen. The festival featured a number of activities throughout the day, including performances from local bands and dancers. There was also a tortilla toss and watermelon eating contest. Among the popular attractions were bounce houses for kids and a small bar for adults. “I like just running into friends and having a

Kids lined up to do the annual “Tortilla Toss,” a popular game at Old Santa Ynez Day.

Photos by Raiza Giorgi Equestrian groups are always a popular sight during the parade.

The U.S. Forest Service sprayed water on the street, which misted the parade-watchers and cooled them off.

Dancers from Garcia Dance Studio performed flamenco as they walked in the parade.

beer in the beer garden with them,” said valley resident Ian Palmer. Another tradition during Old Santa Ynez Day is the “Jones Fest” at Karen Jones’ house on Edison Street. The historic home is opened up for the day, and bands play into the night. The potluck-style shindig is always free to the public. Grand Marshals Robert and Nancy Beauchamp wave to the parade spectators at Old Santa Ynez Days

For more information on Old Santa Ynez Day, log onto www.syvelks.com.

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10 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

To survive heart disease, Cottage offers free listen to your body diabetes, nutrition classes By Marsha Griggs Contributed

never knew my grandfather because he died before I was born. He had angina, but the only treatment in the 1950s was nitroglycerin pills. He eventually died at home of a heart attack at the age of 64. Perhaps it’s my Photo by Ashleigh Taylor grandfather’s story Marsha Griggs that led to my interest in becoming a cardiac nurse. In 1983, I graduated as a registered nurse from Santa Barbara City College. I started working in the intensive care unit at my local Santa Ynez Hospital (now Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital) and became certified as a critical care nurse, caring for mostly cardiac patients. I then was offered a position in cardiac rehabilitation. What a dream come true. I had found my niche and loved everything about the job. In outpatient cardiac rehab I think of myself as a cheerleader, coach, counselor, and even a DJ when I’m playing music to make the exercises more fun. When I was 40 years old, I was an active mother with two children in school. I played softball, rode my bike to work and exercised at the gym. But I felt that something just wasn’t quite right. I noticed that I would get dizzy during aerobics class and would need to go to the back of the room to rest. One night, my heart went into palpitations

when I was watching TV. Luckily, I listened to my body and went to see my doctor right away. After an echocardiogram and a CT scan, they found that my aortic valve was leaking. I had an aortic aneurysm. Turns out I was born with a heart murmur that worsened over the years. Within a month, I was in the hospital for open heart surgery to get a tissue valve and aortic replacement. I’m blessed that my surgery went well with no major complications. After 12 weeks (and after I completed my cardiac rehab), I went back to work. I’ve just celebrated 21 years as a heart disease survivor. I’m still working in cardiac rehab at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, where I’ve been privileged to help hundreds of patients in their recovery. On the personal side, I’ve been able to watch my children grow up and have kids of their own. I’m a grandmother. Life is beautiful! My experience taught me the importance of listening to your body. Always report health changes early to your physician. In an emergency, seek immediate medical attention by calling 911. Let the experts in the hospital emergency department evaluate you and provide treatment if needed. All too often, many people stay home for hours, and even days, before seeking medical attention – and they end up suffering consequences from the delay. Lastly, if you’re not trained in CPR, please consider getting certified this year so you’ll be prepared if someone needs your help. You could save a life! Marsha Griggs is a Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Coordinator at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital.

Staff Report

embers of the public are invited to attend free nutrition and diabetes education classes this summer at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, 2050 Viborg Road in Solvang. These classes encourage and support healthy eating habits for all ages. Led by Clinical Dietitian Stacey Bailey, all classes are held in the hospital’s conference room (enter through the Physicians Clinic). “Summer time is a super season to practice healthier eating, especially with so many fresh veggies and fruits available. Please join me as I share tips during these informal, free classes,” Bailey said.

No RSVP is required, and participants can bring their own lunch to eat during the class. Bailey joined Cottage Health in August 2011 and provides both inpatient and outpatient dietary management and counseling services. She also assists in the formulation of meal and menu planning for Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital. One-on-one nutrition sessions with Bailey are also available with a doctor’s referral. Classes begin June 21 and extend through Aug. 30. For more information, call Bailey directly at 805-694-2351.

YMCA hosting sessions for cancer survivors

in mind, body and spirit with the help of trained wellness coaches. Participants will receive a three-month membership and will participate in class two days per week.

Staff Report

he Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA will host two sessions starting in July and September of Livestrong, a free 12-week program for adult cancer survivors. The two sessions will run from July 8 to Sept. 25 and from Sept. 3 to Nov. 21. By focusing on the whole person and not the disease, the program helps participants move beyond cancer

Contact Regional Wellness Director Nicki Marmelzat at 805-686-2037 or nicki. marmelzat@ciymca. org for more information.

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We will save you the time and effort it takes to go out and pick up a copy of the Star. Now you can sit back and let us come to you. Delivery service of our free publication is $48 per year. Your subscription will begin with the first issue after payment is received and continue for one year there after. To subscribe, email amberly@santaynezvalleystar.com, go online to www.santaynezvalleystar.com, or fill out Local singer the form below and mail to PO Box 1594, Solvang, CA 93463: showcases talent beyondsuccess Shotgun spells years BehindTheLens for her NAME: _____________________________________________________________ local woman March 7 - 20, 2017 • Vol. 2, No. 3

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Ashley Carroll travels news@santaynezvalleystar.com een Star Santa Barbara judge Catherine Remak thought there the world to compete was a typo next to Elizabeth Padfield’s name because her maturity and depth of range were astounding during the competition in trap shooting on Feb. 25 at the Arlington Theatre.

Sunrise Armour Ranch Road photo by George Rose, photo graphic by Aimée Reinhart Avery

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ore than 100 people turned out for a recent community meeting organized by a group opposed to the “Camp 4” property in Santa Ynez becoming part of the Chumash reservation. Members of the Santa Ynez Valley Coalition, which was created to defeat legislation that would take the rural land “into trust” for the tribe, focused on land use and preserving the valley’s rural character. At the meeting on April 27 at the Solvang Veteran’s Memorial Hall, coalition members recounted the history of land-use master plans called the Valley Blueprint and the Valley Plan and said they would release more information in the coming weeks, organizers said. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians announced in January that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) had placed the tribe’s 1,390 acres known as “Camp 4” into federal trust. “Camp 4 is officially part of our reservation so we can begin the process of building homes on the property for tribal members and their families and revitalizing our tribal community,” Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn said in a prepared statement that was part of that announcement. The tribe bought the Camp 4 property in 2010 from late actor, vintner and hotelier Fess Parker, and they soon began the process of placing the land into federal trust, which makes it part of the tribe’s sovereign nation. Those efforts have been loudly opposed

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“Your voice is the instrument and I felt like we were in the 1930s,” by Raiza Giorgi Remak said. news@santaynezvalleystar.com Elizabeth, 12, a seventh-grader at Solvang Elementary School, ultimately didn’t win the competition but she definitely left an impression on the hundreds of people who came to see the performances. Nolan shley Carroll does everything she Montgomery can keep her concentration betweenof Dos Pueblos High School was crowned the winner. “Being and on stage was mind blowing and I had such a great time. rounds by wearing dark glasses Performing is about bringing a smile to people’s faces, and that’s what I listening to music as she pushes through each strive for when I perform,” Elizabeth said. trap-shooting match. She’s no stranger to the stage as she has performed in the valley for His career includes images of natural disasHer process is definitely working, because Story by Raiza Giorgi various the national anthem at Fourth of July and porters, Super Bowls and Hollywood’s the biggest 22-year-old from Solvang won her functions-singing first Photos by George Rose traying Mary Poppins in last year’s production with the Arts Outreach celebrities. World Cup gold medal in Acapulco on March Summer Theater. Rose started his professional journey 19. more This popular eorge Rose loves to post pictures of the than 40 years ago when he was in college, “I keep my pre-shooting routine going and event along with Teen Dance Star are now in their seventh to season of crowning hardworking students, and creator and executive Santa Ynez Valley landscape, especially studying art history. He fell into photography I’ve met with sports psychologists help me Photo contributed producer Lambert, a former valley resident, talks about his efforts. along Armour Ranch Road where new while he was a copy messenger for the withProgmy mental focus and staying calm.Joe It can Solvang native Ashley Carroll father, Charlie “I am to really and humbled bycredits their her hard work andCarroll, what’swith instilling in her the love of shooting clays and a blacktop paving contrasts starkly with the epic ress Bulletin, a small newspaper in Pomona. be hard when you have people talking you impressed sense of responsibility and safety around firearms. really amazing landscape of meadows and mountains beyond it. “I used to hang out with the sportsbetween editors,matches, and I really try to pick a is they set their goals to get into the show, or into the top 10 and they keep pursuing their dreams,” Lambert However, his stunning landscapes are just and they helped me with my interestsong in phoand focus on it,” Carroll said. or participating in league events.said. My friends Union High School Carroll has been attending Star drew all around Santa “retirement photos” for Rose, who made an tography. I would make the plates on plastic, Carroll has been trap shooting This sinceyear’s she Teenwould wantcontestants me to go tofrom a party with them andBarbara the University of Colorado and working on at the Arlington Theatre. The finalists award-winning career in photojournalism that which would get transferred onto thewas printing in second grade. It was anCounty activityperforming that I their knewhearts if I didout I wouldn’t get enough rest or her general education. She believes this will weredid Jillian GarnettgetofinSan Marcos School (12th Grade), Elizabeth spanned from the days of spending hours with equipment, and back then it was theshe cusp of her father, Charlie Carroll, and togethtrouble andHigh not be allowed to shoot,” be a big year for her shooting. She moved to of SolvangCarroll Schoolsaid. (7th Grade), James McKernan of BishopColorado Springs to be close to the Olympic film in the darkroom to the more immediate the turning point of technology,” Rose said.is now the coach for thePadfield er. He Santa Ynez High School (12th Trujillo of Dos Pueblos High gratification of making and manipulating digital In the late 1970s and early 1980s Valley Rose Sportsman Association’sDiego Scholastic Trap Grade), shootingNicole has also allowed her to Training Center, which is also the headquarPhoto Daniel Dreifuss (11th Grade), Daniel Geiger of Pioneer Valley High School images. spent six years as a staff photographer forTarget the byProgram, Clay in whichSchool hundreds participate in a sport and travel all around the (11th ters for USA Shooting. She placed second Seventh-grader Padfield of Solvangtwice wowedfor theacrowd with her rendition of “Summertime” by Georgeprimarily Gershwin. The judges were stunned to HeElizabeth has been nominated Pulitzer Los Angeles Times, focused in the of kids from all around the Central Coast world for competitions. TEEN Recently went toON PAGE for the learn her age and said her vocal talents were astounding. STAR she CONTINUED 11 2016 Olympic team trials and is still Prize. entertainment industry. He has photographed participate. Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic east of deciding if she wants to go for the next Olym“Photojournalism is such an admirable profes- figures from Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa“He and wouldn’t let me shoot until I could Turkey. pic tryouts. sion because it can really capture the story for Eva Gabor to Meryl Streep, Sidney hold Poitier, the gun up on my own for a good “It was a beautiful country and one of the “A highlight for me was meeting Kim the reader. I was really lucky to have my career amount of time. We would set up boxes in the cleanest places I’ve been to. The streets were Rhode, who has been an inspiration to women GEORGE ROSE CONTINUEDliving ON PAGE 20 in the heyday of print journalism,” Rose said. room and I would practice for hours impeccable and the people were beyond hosin shooting. After talking to her it became until I was ready,” Carroll said. pitable,” she said. really clear to me that I can achieve this as She she believes that more kids should take Carroll also won bronze in the HH Sheikha well,” Carroll said. lessons and learn their way around a gun. Fatia Bint Mubarak Women’s International Rhode became the first athlete to win an “Guns actually kept me out of trouble, beShooting Championship in the United Arab individual medal during six consecutive sumcause every Friday night and most weekends Emirates on April 13. SHOOTING CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 my dad and I were at the trap range practicing Since graduating from Santa Ynez Valley

George Rose loves taking photos of Santa Ynez Valley landscapes like this Happy Canyon rainbow shot.

Time

by Raiza Giorgi

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by Raiza Giorgi

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 11

Los Alamos displays colorful Hispanic heritage Staff Report

espite the threat of inclement weather, more than 150 people showed up for the Fiesta de la Familia on May 26 at Ferrini Park in Los Alamos to help celebrate the town’s Hispanic community and heritage. The event hosted by the Los Alamos Foundation began with the Ballet Juvenil Azteca performing folklorico dances in brightly colored traditional dress. As the little ones lined up to begin the performance, a huge gust of wind blew down the plastic tarp that had been erected to protect the dancers from the rain, and the children scurried off the stage unharmed. After six young men removed the fallen covering, the dancers re-entered the stage and put on a lively and colorful performance. Before they could complete all their scheduled dance routines, the weather took an ominous turn and the sky opened up with a temporary downpour, but the little troupe of dancers was not to be thwarted. They continued dancing through the rain. The event also included kiosks offering popcorn, strawberry shortcake, face painting, and bounce houses. Daniella Lopez manned the booth for the North County Rape Crisis & Child Protection Center, which offers a lot of community education. Attendees were offered the chance to guess how much money was in a loose change jar, with the winner taking home the contents. Mel Ante, Doug Clark, Joel Diaz and Peter Diffenderfer busied themselves at the enormous barbecue pit in the back of the Los Alamos Men’s

Photos by Jeffrey Bloom Photography The Los Alamos Theater Group donated $3,764 to Monna Dingman, director of the Los Alamos Foundation. Pictured from left are Dingman, Gloria Diffenderfer, co-director of Summer in the Park, and Carole Bloom, with Joan Hartman at the far right

Mariachi Autlence performed in the Los Alamos Men’s Club.

Club overseeing the barbecue chicken dinners. Each dinner was served with donated beans, rice, salad, and bread. Always a favorite, more than 200 dinners were sold. With the rain

still threatening, the event retired into the Men’s Club, where Mariachi Autlence performed to the delight of the audience. The highlight of the day was the presentation of a donation check from the Los Alamos Theater Group to Monna Dingman, director of the Los Alamos Foundation who recently

received the Volunteer of the Year Award for Youth from the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation. “Gloria Diffenderfer, co-director of Summer in the Park, and I were blown away by the size of the donation from the Los Alamos Theater Group,” said Dingman. “When Carole Bloom first brought it up we were all thinking it might be a couple of hundred dollars, but it turned out to be way more than that! Over $3,700! We can’t thank them enough.” The Los Alamos Theater Group (LATG) was formed last year by Jeffrey and Carole Bloom. This upstart theater company performs one-act radio plays written by Jeffrey Bloom, a well-known screenwriter who retired to Los Alamos from Los Angeles several years ago. Bloom is also the owner of Jeffrey Bloom Photography. The Blooms and the LATG players performed their second production, “2 IN ONE,” on May 18-19 at the barn at Price Ranch in Los Alamos, dedicating the proceeds to the Summer in the Park program. “This theatrical production was a community event, with a large assortment of valuable gifts generously contributed by the town’s merchants and townsfolk, which were given away during a prize drawing. It was thrilling to see the community come together for such a great cause. We live in a wonderful and generous little town,” said Carole Bloom, the play’s director. “This is one of the finest examples I know of a community-driven program that benefits all of us,” 3rd District County Supervisor Joan Hartmann said of the Summer in the Park program and its community members. In her speech at the event, Hartman noted that the program had begun as a small program seven years ago and has grown exponentially with 100 children and 18 high school and college students participating this year. Big kids LOS ALAMOS CONTINUES TO PAGE 28

The Ballet Juvenil Azteca performs folklorico dances in their brightly colored traditional dress.

12 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

SY Summer Classic to support community services Fundraiser on June 29 includes elegant meal, wine, music Staff Report

he Santa Ynez Valley Summer Classic, a fundraiser designed to inspire generosity to expand community services and local projects, will take place from 5:30 to 8:45 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at St. Mark’s in-the-Valley Episcopal Church at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in Los Olivos. The church’s beautiful, shaded courtyard and Stacy Hall will be the setting for an elegant alfresco meal by Chef Jeff Olsson of New West Catering. Throughout the evening, DJ Marc Dillon of Gavin Roy Presents will provide music that will conclude with tunes for dancing. Andrew Firestone will be master of ceremonies and auctioneer. A silent auction will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. with bountiful lifestyle packages, wine experiences and gourmet meals on offer. Some stand-out items are a Simon Miller “Bonsai handbag;” leather jackets from First Street Leather; a Women Winemakers collection; a whimsical metal tugboat cooler from J. Woeste, filled with summer party beverages; a Starlit Nights family package created by St. Mark’s Preschool families; and a case of priceless French Bordeaux wine curated by Judge Royce Lewellen. After dinner, there will be a live auction of packages including a Stagecoach Dinner at Mattei’s Tavern prepared by Jake Francis of Valley Piggery and featuring live music by Sean Wiggins & Lone Goat; a two-hour tour

Photo contributed The Santa Ynez Valley Summer Classic benefit will feature alfresco gourmet dining, wines, and silent and live auctions with lifestyle and experiences packages.

out of Santa Barbara Harbor for 20 on a private, staffed yacht; a “Love is Love is Love” dinner on Feb. 14, 2020, hosted by Steve and Cathy Pepe; a cooking class and dinner with celebrated Chef Maili Halme hosted by Madeline and Don Heimark; and a wine country weekend house including a balloon ride and luncheon hosted by Frances Schultz and Tom Dittmer. Proceeds from the Summer Classic support local community programs and services provided by St. Mark’s, including hosting more than 100 area nonprofit and civic organizations, meetings, programs and special events throughout the year. Among many others, St. Mark’s welcomes the Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community,

Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, Arts Outreach, Buellton Senior Center, SYV Humane Society, Veggie Rescue, Solvang Festival Theater, First Five Santa Barbara, support networks, recovery groups and county-wide commission meetings. St. Mark’s also offers a professional preschool and a venue for music concerts, arts and cultural events. The church will soon launch the SYV Community Kitchen collaboration to work toward alleviating hunger in the community. The Santa Ynez Valley Summer Classic is coordinated by volunteer leaders including Linda Burrows, Peter Wright, Kathryn Wrench, Bill Hurbaugh, Margie Larkin, Kate O’Neill, Cathy Pepe, Laurie Wright, Sue

Doherty, Peter and Gabi Robbins, Puck Erickson Lohnas, Reneé Kelleher, Pat Fallin and Bill Connell, with invaluable help from Laura DeJohn, Leslie Zuller, Silvia Lucatero, the Rev. Randall Day and many other community members. Reservations are going quickly, organizers said. They are available for $150 per person donation including wines, beverages, hors d’oeuvres, gourmet dinner and music. Reservations are available securely online at www.SMITV.org/the-summer-classic.html or by sending a check and contact information with the notation “2019 Summer Classic” to St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley, Post Office Box 39, Los Olivos, 93441.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 13

People To Know

Jenny Rogowski McClurg Hometown: Solvang … I was even born at the hospital in Solvang! Occupation: Senior Recreation Coordinator Family: Husband Jeff, daughJenny McClurg ters Campbell, 10, and Carter, 7. Favorite movie: “Sixteen Candles” Favorite Book/Author: “Girl Wash Your Face” (I rarely have time to read and this just happens to be the last book I read and I happened to like it.) Favorite Music/Musician: Garth Brooks Hobbies: Camping, boating, sports (or in my case lately, watching my daughters play sports), gardening, working out/being outdoors hiking or running, coaching/ volunteering, and tackling DIY projects around our house. Your Bio in One Paragraph: Born and raised in the valley. Attended Solvang Elementary and Santa Ynez High School. Growing up I spent many hours at my parents’ store, The Sports Barn, along with staying active in the community and Photo contributed When her busy life allows it, Jenny McClurg enjoys exercising outdoors. playing various youth sports. I attended Chico State University with a BS in Recrecoordinator for the last 11 years in my and daughters Campbell and Carter enjoy ation Administration, which landed me at the city of Solvang as a senior recreation dream job: creating fun! My husband Jeff camping, boating at Lake Nacimiento and

spending time with both of our extended families, who live in the SYV. My husband and I have passed our love of sports on to our daughters and you’ll find us on the soccer fields, basketball courts, track or watching the dance stage cheering or coaching our girls on! How I believe I have made an impact in the SYV: I like to think my volunteerism. I do love to help a good cause. If you ask my husband, he will tell you I volunteer more than I am home! I teach my kids that if we all help a little bit, many hands make for lighter work. Together we can accomplish so much! Pet Peeves: Flat tires (as in someone following too closely and slipping the heel of your shoe off) and negative people! You get one life, why not make every day a positive one? Road to the Santa Ynez Valley: Fortunate to grow up here but after college I knew I wanted to raise a family here. When I reconnected with my high school crush after college we planted our roots here and happy our daughters will have the same experience growing up in the SYV as we both did. Favorite Place in the Santa Ynez Valley: The top of Grass Mountain — absolutely beautiful!

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14 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

If you want to love where you live, plant a garden After a lifetime of working with them, Oscar Delgado continues to care for plants By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

or Oscar Delgado, a chance encounter led to a safe harbor late in life. Delgado was once Rona Barrett’s gardener when she lived in Beverly Hills, some 30 years ago. Now he and his wife Toni are residents of Barrett’s affordable housing project, Golden Inn and Village, and Delgado continues to care for all the plants in the garden, purely for the love of gardening. Born in El Paso, Delgado moved with his family to Selma, Calif., then to West Los Angeles, where he attended University High School. After graduating he went straight to work doing gardening. “I started part time with my cousin, who owned a gardening business, and he taught me all he knew,” said Delgado. “My stepfather owned a nursery and Rona Barrett called one day requesting to have a tree planted in her front yard. She had a beautiful home in Beverly Hills. It looked like a mansion to me. With the help of two other workers, we planted a big beau-

Photo by Pamela Dozois Oscar Delgado loves to work in the garden at his home in the Golden Inn and Village.

tiful tree in her garden. She was so pleased with the work we had done, she hired me to do all of her gardening,” he said. “Working in Rona Barrett’s garden was a pleasure. But the traffic between West Los Angeles and Beverly Hills was unbelievable. There was so much traffic, I couldn’t handle it, so I told her I had to quit and found her a new gardener,” he recalled. “I didn’t expect to see her again, but I did, 30 years later.” “I like to read newspapers, and one day I discovered that Rona had built the Golden Inn and Village in Santa Ynez, which is affordable housing for seniors. I applied to the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara and my wife, Toni, and I were accepted. We moved here in 2017. “It was a surprise to Rona that my wife and I had moved in here. One day Rona came into the dining room and everyone got up to greet her, as they usually do. Rona recognized me right away and came over to me and gave me a big hug and kissed me on the cheek. I must have turned red. I will never forget it! I was so embarrassed being kissed by Rona in front of all those people,” he said, still flustered, remembering the moment. Delgado, who will be 86 years young on July 6, busies himself daily doing all the

gardening at the Golden Inn and Village, just because he loves it. “I just love to garden. It keeps me moving and in shape. There are lots of things to do here, but I just love to be outside in the garden. I love to care for all the plants. I love the flowering ones best. “There are also four herb gardens which I take care of as well. I have to have something to do during the day, not just sit and watch television. I just love to keep busy. I can’t help it, it’s just inside of me. I have to keep moving,” Delgado said. “I get a lot of compliments about the garden. I keep it up for my own health and to make my surroundings beautiful,” he added. Delgado recalled some of the interesting people he met as a gardener in Beverly Hills. “I worked for Vincent Price. He was such a nice man and so was his wife. His favorite thing to do was make desserts in the kitchen, and he called me over one day and asked me to taste what he had made. It was delicious. He just loved to make desserts. “His wife wanted me to move into their home but I refused. I was married to my lovely wife Toni and had six daughters and one son,” said Delgado. “Maybe if I had of been single I would have taken them up on their offer.

“I also worked for Lee Van Cleef, who acted in many Western movies. His wife was so nice, she let my children use their pool. One day he called me in to his office to give me my check. His checkbook sat between two chrome-plated and loaded Western-style guns. He had to put his nose so close to the checkbook to write my check, and with those two guns sitting next to it, it made me nervous. I started to shake. So I had to quit. I don’t like guns, especially pointing in my direction. His wife was really nice, though,” he said. “One day while working in a garden I noticed this big limousine pull up, and out stepped Ronald Reagan. He got out of the limo and waved to me. I never forgot that. He was quite a guy,” Delgado said. “Gardening keeps me in shape. I’m headed for 90 and I’ll still be working. I love the area here in the Santa Ynez Valley. It’s beautiful country. The trees are so thick and beautiful. And it’s close to El Rancho Market and I can walk to Nielsen’s and the shops in that area and get some more exercise. I love it here,” he said. “But mostly I love to garden, to make things beautiful. It’s a win-win situation – everyone is happy and I’m healthy, and that’s all there is,” he concluded.

June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 15

‘Inclusion SYV’ shares experiences with segregation FYI

This is the second article in the Inclusion SYV Local Stories Project, which is intended to include as many local voices as possible. By Inclusion SYV Contributed

nfortunately, the Santa Ynez Valley is not immune to the impacts of racism and bigotry. Is there a way that we can all better embrace the national, ethnic, religious, and gender diversity of our community and live more rewarding lives? That’s the purpose of Inclusion SYV, an organization founded in 2017. The members of Inclusion welcome you to a monthly series of true stories written by members of our community, dedicated to initiating a continuing and open discussion of the immigrant experience and the often dramatic and long-term impact of both welcoming and traumatic events. Our hope is that readers will find each story a meaningful contribution to a better understanding of each other. The names of the writers are kept anonymous to protect their identity. Please email any comments to INCLUSIONSYV@gmail.com. If you are interested in telling your story, please let us know.

Segregation and a mother’s influence I am a white, 75-year-old woman. I have come to the Santa Ynez Valley from Texas, by way of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Tarzana and Westlake Village. I have been thinking of what I might have to bring to the conversation about equality and inclusion, and I have discovered a message that I’m not even sure I ever specifically articulated

before now. I grew up in the segregated South, a time when there were separate drinking fountains in all public places, marked “White” and “Colored.” I remember the first time I ever noticed that. I don’t remember how old I was, but I can see the fountains in my mind, next to the elevator in a department store in Dallas. I can also remember thinking that was really stupid. You see, what I’ve realized is that the most important influence on my attitude toward people different from me in some way was the example set for me by my mother. Although our family was in no way considered well off, my mom, from time to time, worked outside of our home and, at those times, we might hire someone to help her with the housework (which she hated doing, probably more of a reason for seeking out help). One lady who worked for us for an extended period of time was Clara. Clara was a lovely African-American woman, married with two children. My mom and Clara were friends. They enjoyed each other’s company, shared stories, sat down together and ate lunch. They were friends. Experiencing that friendship is what formed my attitude about how relations between people with differences should be. I believe it would be naïve not to recognize that human nature may struggle with differences, but the specific, personal example each of us sets as we interact with those in our lives, or those whose lives’ paths cross ours even superficially, is the most contagious influence we can exert on our society. My mom’s example counteracted anything I might otherwise have absorbed from the messages that society was sending. And each one of us sets examples for all to see as we live our lives. I am a Catholic, and my religion teaches that each one of us is a beloved child of God, no one of us superior to any other one of us. That is a very powerful message, but my mother showed me exactly what that looked like. Each one of us who lives that truth enriches his or her life immensely by the beautifully diverse people whom we make part of it.

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16 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

Photo by Linda Blue Photography The 2019 Spirit of Entrepreneurship winners pose for a portrait.

SY Valley businesswomen win entrepreneurship awards Staff Report

wo Santa Ynez Valley businesswomen have been honored with Spirit of Entrepreneurship awards, winning the awards in a large field of female entrepreneurs throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Leanne Schlinger of Santa Ynez Vacation Rentals won in the hospitality and tourism category, and Jamie Edlin of Hollywood and Wine won in the Media and Communications category. “I was nominated amongst so many bold, clever, graceful women — all running successful companies in Santa Barbara County. I dedicated this award to my Mom, who really set the bar for me as a female entrepreneur,” Schlinger said on her Facebook page. The event was held May 3 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. The winners in 10 categories were selected from a field of 30 finalists by a panel of independent judges who live outside the area and are not connected with the Spirit of Entrepreneurship organization. “These were not easy decisions for our judges to make since we had 30 outstanding women entrepreneurs who have all overcome

many obstacles to build successful businesses,” said Marsha Bailey, founder/CEO of Women’s Economic Ventures, presenter of the awards. “The numbers speak for themselves. Combined, the 30 impressive finalists have gross revenues that total about $18 million and employ more than 300 people in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties,” she said. “They are a great example of the impact women business owners make onto our local economy,” she said. The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards also honored high school and college student winners of SBCC Scheinfeld Center’s New Venture Challenge competition. Proceeds from the SOE Awards dinner went toward cash prizes, in the form of seed money, as well as scholarships for the winning student entrepreneurs. Major sponsors of the 2019 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards were Montecito Bank & Trust, Bank of the West, Southern California Edison, Santa Barbara City College Foundation, Nicholson & Schwartz, and Wells Fargo. All proceeds raised will go toward funding the student prizes and scholarships. To see the complete list of winners, visit www. soefoundation.org.

Tower Pizza to help film society raise funds By Daniel Lahr, Executive Director Central Coast Film Society

ower Pizza will donate a percentage of its sales on Saturday, June 22, to the Central Coast Film Society, which will be screening the classic baseball movie “Field of Dreams” that evening for Tower customers as they eat their dinner. Proceeds from the fundraising will be used to purchase outdoor movie screening equipment for events in the Santa Ynez Valley and around the Central Coast, leading up to the organization’s first film festival in 2020. “We are so thankful to Tower Pizza for helping us reach our goal, and we are excited to start hosting many great film and media events in the near future,” said Daniel Lahr, executive director of the Central Coast Film Society (CCFS). The goal of the CCFS is to provide local filmmakers and films a venue to call home, to foster future media artists, and to create opportunities to get involved in the industry by

hosting lectures, screenings and a film festival. The film society is planning to co-host, with the Rona Barrett Foundation, a screening for the 40th anniversary of the film “10” starring Hollywood icon and valley resident Bo Derek on Saturday, Aug. 10. Barrett will be interviewing Derek prior to the screening with the venue to be announced soon. On Aug. 24, the society will host Central Coast native, comedian and Star Wars expert Ken Napzok. He recently published a book, “Why We Love Star Wars: The Great Moments That Built A Galaxy Far, Far Away.” Details of that event are incomplete. CCFS is also partnering with the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art to show the classic Disney film “Sleeping Beauty” in conjunction of the museum’s Eyvind Earle and John Cody exhibit. Earle, a Solvang resident, had a hand in setting the style and tone of the animated film.

For more information, log onto www.centralcoastfilmsociety.org or follow CCFS on Instagram and Facebook.

June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 17

PCPA announces season full of diverse productions Staff Report

CPA has announced a 2019-20 season of theater that ranges from Disney to Shakespeare and from Rogers and Hammerstein to doo-wop. New York City’s 2 Ring Circus and director Melissa Rain Anderson (“Always…Patsy Cline”) will bring breathtaking aerial feats and imaginative theatrical magic to a holiday production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” from Nov. 7 through Dec. 22 at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved story and the Disney animated film, the play tells the tale of longing, love, and sacrifice as princess Ariel risks everything to join her prince on land. The season also will include the heart-warming and witty memoir from Neil Simon, “Brighton Beach Memoirs.” It is the first of Simon’s autobiographical trilogy of plays (with “Biloxi Blues” and “Broadway Bound”). In the play, Eugene dreams of baseball and girls while coping with life in Depression-era Brooklyn with a formidable mother, an overworked father, and a worldly older brother — not to mention his widowed Aunt Blanche and her two young but rapidly growing daughters. Directed by Associate Artistic Director

Roger DeLaurier, it will run from Feb. 13 – March 1 in the Marian Theatre. Friendship, loyalty and betrayal amid political upheaval are the timeless concepts probed in William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Julius Caesar,” running March 5-22 in the small Severson Theatre in Santa Maria. Filled with searing rhetoric and thrilling intrigue, the story exposes the inner regions and outer manifestations of the places where personal ambition and the ideals of noble citizenry diverge, as Brutus and Marc Antony make their stands. Running in both Santa Maria and Solvang, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most glorious score sings its way onto the stage in “The Sound of Music.” Inspired by the true story of the von Trapp family and their escape from the 1938 Nazi invasion of Austria, “The Sound of Music” features beloved and memorable songs, including “Maria,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” and “Edelweiss.” Directed by Resident Artist Kitty Balay, “The Sound of Music” will play at the Marian Theatre April 23 through May 10, and then under the stars in the Solvang Festival Theater from June 11 through July 5. Riding on the rhythm of the 1960s R&B, rock and doo-wop, the hilarious

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“Little Shop of Horrors,” a musical hit sci-fi homage to B-movies, will run June 25 – July 3 in the Marian Theatre and July 10 – Aug. 2 in Solvang. Mushnik’s flower shop on Skid Row is about to go under until meek assistant Seymour happens upon a new breed of plant with an unusual appetite for blood. The magical, musical plant promises Seymour unending fame and fortune and the love of his co-worker, Audrey. When Seymour discovers the out-of-this-world origins of the plant and its intent for global domination, it leads to a terrible showdown of ridiculous proportions. The Broadway hit “Something Rotten!” — called “The funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years” by Time Out New York — will run July 23 – Aug. 1 in Santa Maria and Aug. 7 – Sept. 6 in Solvang. In 1590s London, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting, at the same

time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. At the climax of Henrick Ibsen’s 1879 groundbreaking masterwork, “A Doll’s House,” Nora Helmer makes the shocking decision to leave her husband, children and community to begin a new life on her own. Her famous door slam ushered in the modern age of world drama. In his award-winning Broadway debut, “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” playwright Lucas Hnath picks up the story 15 years after Nora’s exit. Now, there’s a knock on that same door. Nora has returned, but why? And what will it mean for those she left behind? “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” directed by Karin Hendricks, plays in the Severson Theatre Aug. 20 – Sept. 6. Tickets will go on sale in October.

Photo contributed This portrait of Ray Strong by Deborah Veldkamp is part of the collection of the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature.

Remembering Ray Strong: a community celebration

Staff Report

group of local artists will participate in a program from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, celebrating the life and legacy of the late artist Ray Strong as part of the Wildling Museum’s exhibition “Ray Strong: A Collector’s Passion” which closes on July 8. Oak Group artists Arturo Tello, Michael Drury, John Iwerks and Chris Chapman, along with collector David Parker, will launch the program with their personal memories of working with and being inspired by Strong (1905-2006). Everyone in attendance will also be encouraged

to share their own stories of the gifted artist who left an incredible legacy of art, mentorship of dozens of artists, and co-founding of The Oak Group. Parker will close the program by chatting with interested audience members in his exhibition on the first floor, “Ray Strong: A Collector’s Passion.” Refreshments will also be available. More information about the exhibition and the museum can be found at www.WildlingMuseum. org, or by contacting Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate at stacey@wildlingmuseum. org or 805-686-8216.

18 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

Horses and humans: Life coaching reinvented By Jessica Schley Contributing Writer

f necessity is the mother of invention, what, then, is the mother of re-invention? This is a question that Katja Elk — entertainment executive turned horse trainer turned life coach — is seeking to answer by integrating all three of these seemingly separate career paths into one. Elk moved to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2001 to start over. Her flashy life in Los Angeles had crumbled into ruin. More than a decade of fast-paced, high-demand and high-adrenaline television and advertising work with Disney, Paramount and others had taken its toll on her health and stamina. She had ended up in a wheelchair, with no clear diagnosis. It was clear that she was never going back to her former career, and no one was sure whether she would ever make it back into the saddle, either. She had been a life-long and very accomplished international dressage rider before, and during, her career in Los Angeles. No one was sure except Elk. She knew that horses were the key to her health, her connection to what mattered most to her, and what gave her the most meaning in life. Horses and riding, moving home to Germany, and a career change eventually returned her to peak health. Now, after starting over nearly 20 years ago as a professional horse trainer, she’s taken a step

Photo contributed Katja Elk focuses her work on “what we as humans can learn from horses about fear, loss of connection, and living a more peaceful life,” she says.

back toward the executive suite — only this time, as a coach who can help younger entertainment execs avoid the too-common crash and burn that she experienced. A chance meeting and conversation with

famed “Horse Whisperer” Monty Roberts at a clinic in Germany brought her back to California after her recovery, in 2001. Discovering the Santa Ynez Valley, she made the Central Coast her permanent home. It reminded her of the

village she grew up riding in, near the Baltic Sea — full of friendly people and horses. She studied and then taught at Roberts’ Join-Up International Learning Center, swiftly became a certified instructor, then worked at the farm for several years. But horse training and riding lessons were not fulfilling all of her aspirations. The work was rewarding, challenging and full of personal discoveries, but it was missing something. “I was frequently hitting up against a wall in the area of interpersonal communication. The horse part was working great, but the human part was lacking a piece of the puzzle,” she said. In 2014, Elk again pivoted her career to seek out that missing puzzle piece. This time, she focused intensely on the human aspect, studying under master life coach Martha Beck (of Oprah Winfrey fame), who was at the time located in Arroyo Grande. Before long, she was helping to host life-coaching sessions at Beck’s ranch that included an equine element. Now a certified master life instructor, Elk focuses her work on “what we as humans can learn from horses about fear, loss of connection, and living a more peaceful life.” For more information, go to www.windhorsecoaching.net.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 19

Beloved local writer passes away at 94 By Shannon Murphy Clay

Contributed

hose in the Santa Ynez Valley who knew Pat Murphy, knew she was a kind person who had a talent for writing about people and places in the area. She passed away at 94 years old on May 13, 2019. Her family already held a private ceremony for her, as well as an open memorial on Thursday, June 13, at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum. As a freelance writer for 47 years, Murphy wrote a column titled “Wool Gathering” for the Santa Ynez Valley News, and later one called Inside News. She also wrote a column titled “On The Social Scene” for the Santa Barbara News-Press. She wrote social columns for the Montecito Journal, and the horse-oriented “Hoof Beats” for the Valley Journal. Her articles appeared in the Guest magazine as well as such national magazines as Western Horseman, California Thoroughbred, Countryside, Cowboys and Indians, and Das Tier in Germany and publications in England. She was born in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1925 and raised in California by her aunt and grandmother after her mother died. Murphy graduated from Los Angeles High School and studied interior design and architecture at USC, where she pledged the Delta Delta Delta sorority. She married her husband, Rex Murphy, and they designed and built their first home and had their daughter Shannon. In preparation for purchasing acreage in

Photo contributed Pat Murphy was a local freelance writer for nearly 50 years.

the Santa Ynez Valley, Murphy enrolled in animal science at Cal Poly Pomona and became interested in Suffolk sheep. Rex had his own successful business, Rex W. Murphy Engineering Company, and together they again designed and built their second home here in the valley in 1970. Murphy established a registered Suffolk sheep business, which she operated for more than 25 years. Shown at fairs and expositions, the

Spirit Oaks Farm flock was known throughout the country. Murphy served on the Solvang Board of Human Services, founded Friends of Youth in Agriculture, and volunteered on various committees throughout the valley, fundraising, preserving and championing agriculture and rural life. A veterinarian science leader for Lucky Clover 4-H, Murphy was also active in help-

ing the local Santa Ynez FFA program. She was appointed to the Santa Barbara County Fair Board by the governor and served for 12 years. Always a contributor of new ideas for raising fair attendance and improving the fairgrounds, she suggested and designed the decorative gazebo that stands on the grounds. To encourage youth, Murphy established a competition for young exhibitors vying for Santa Barbara County titles for cattle, sheep and swine herdsmen. Murphy was a founding member of the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Association and served on the board for 19 years. She deeply loved horses of all breeds and was active in various valley celebrations honoring them, including the horseshoe crosswalks at the intersection of Edison and Sagunto Streets in Santa Ynez. Murphy so enjoyed the valley people and their history that it became her passion and her joy to celebrate them, a true labor of love. She was the author of “Santa Ynez Valley Secrets,” a book recounting the local history as well as the adventures of hundreds of valley residents, which received wide acclaim, selling out with each edition. Donations in her memory can be made to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum and Parks-Janeway Carriage House, P.O. Box 181, Santa Ynez, CA 93460, or the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Association, P.O. Box 207, Santa Ynez, 93460.

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Agricultural tourism discussion scheduled for June 20 Staff Report

nyone interested in the future of agriculture is invited to join a discussion of agricultural tourism moderated by John Parke, chairman of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 20, in Stacey Hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Los Olivos. Parke, the 3rd District representative on the Planning Commission, plans a “forward-looking” discussion where community members representing many different interest groups explore creative ideas for agricultural

tourism and consider how these can coordinate with other forms of tourism, such as bicycle touring or horseback riding. He also wants to balance the discussion with consideration of what constraints should be placed on agricultural tourism. Information from the discussion is expected to provide a starting point when the county begins work on a Farm Stay Ordinance later this summer. For further information, email WE Watch, coordinator of the event, at info@wewatch.net.

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he PBR Classic, known as the “toughest sport on dirt,“ will buck into action at the Santa Maria Fairpark’s Minetti Arena at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 13, during the Santa Barbara County Fair. The tour event will showcase the world’s elite professional rodeo riders and bulls in a competition that pits guts and determination against muscle and raw power. Each rider is also competing for the year-end title of PBR World Champion and a share of more than $10 million in prize money, including the $1 million year-end bonus for the season’s best bull rider. “It’s incredible to be hosting a PBR event.

Nothing beats the excitement and the athleticism,” said Richard Persons, Fairpark CEO. “It’s an exciting experience and we’re beyond thrilled to be able to provide this event to Santa Barbara County audiences.” What started in 1992 as a group of rodeo circuit bull riders with a shared dream to break from the confines of the rodeo format has been officially declared the fastest-growing sport in America. More than 600 bull riders from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico hold PBR memberships and compete in more than 300 bull-riding events each year. General admission is $40, with box seats at $65 and $80 until sold out. The Santa Barbara County Fair runs July 10-14 at the Santa Barbara County Fairpark in Santa Maria. For more information, visit www.santamariafairpark.com.

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Natural History Museum opens 2 big summer exhibits Staff Report

he Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has unveiled two spectacular summer exhibits, Butterflies Alive! and Prehistoric Forest. This summer will mark the museum’s first full run of Butterflies Alive! after $20 million in renovations supported by its Centennial Campaign. Visitors will be guidMonarchs ed through a garden while nearly 1,000 live butterflies flutter freely around them. The exhibit features a dazzling variety of butterflies, from local favorites like the Monarch and Queen to exotic tropical varieties like swallowtails, longwings, and White Peacocks. Various butterfly species will cycle through the pavilion throughout the summer, so no two visits will be the same. Visitors are invited to learn about the butterfly life cycle by checking out the emergence chamber. There, visitors will get to see how butterflies emerge from their chrysalids and dry their wings before being moved to the pavilion.

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Visitors who cross the wooden bridges over Mission Creek will enter Prehistoric Forest and take a stroll back in time to come face-to-face with dinosaurs. They’ll meet a Tyrannosaurus rex, the formidably armored Stegosaurus, high-crested Parasaurolophus, and Triceratops and Ankylosaurus mothers with their young. These handcrafted moving animatronics from Kokoro Exhibits spark the imaginations of dinosaur-lovers of all ages, officials said. Both exhibits are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Sept. 2, and are included with museum admission.

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Photo contributed This Tyrannosaurus rex is one of several animatronic creatures in the Prehistoric Forest.

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Danish Days oBIERDZINSKI CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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Bierdzinski says he will miss all the fun of his job, such as meeting an elephant.

ment pipeline, including the Village Hotels, Live Oak Lanes, The Hub, The Network, and new homes being built on Central Avenue. “I think we have a great variety of housing options and business types, from retail to industrial. Buellton continues to grow,” he said. A project Bierdzinski said he wished he would have seen get at least partly completed was a trail system, but he is hopeful that whomever the council chooses to replace him will finish the project. “I am also excited to see where the arts and culture committee takes the future of events. Under Kyle Abello’s leadership, I

think it will be a great addition to the town,” he said. Bierdzinski said he will miss his favorite restaurants, including Firestone Walker, Industrial Eats and La Tequila, but he will be stopping in often, especially for the Buellton Brewfest. His first plans after retirement are to sleep in, play more golf and travel with his wife, Sandra. “We want to go back to New Zealand and see the south island and hopefully to Scotland and other spur-of-the-moment trips. Who knows where the wind will take us?” he said.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 23

Industrial Way: Distill, my beating heart

By Donna Polizzi

olvang, Buellton, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Los Alamos are each a haven for great restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries. With so many options, it is difficult to decide what to do on any given day. Be prepared. There is so much to see and do in the Santa Ynez Valley that even a set plan can lead to an unexpected adventure. Keys 2 the Coast recently set out for a day trip to explore the best places to go in Buellton. The original plan was to check out Loring Wine Company at 201 Industrial Way, right off Highway 246. It’s locally known that their expertise is in producing excellent chardonnay and pinot noir, but there is a bigger story. Did you know that Loring Wine Company has a fantastic chef? They do, and April bakes artisan cookies on site to pair with Loring and Company wines. This was the first time that Keys 2 the Coast had heard of cookies and wine pairing. We were delightfully surprised. April’s delicious cookies magically enhance the flavor of their already delicious wine. You too will be a fan when you bite into these unusual cookie concoctions. Some of our favorites are the Lemon Brule, Montmorency Cherry, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Fig and Gorgonzola. It’s definitely a delightful sensation for the taste buds. The cookies melt in your mouth. Who would expect that a burst of flavor from a cherry and vanilla cookie would pair so fabulously with a 2014 Mateo Russian River Pinot? Wine tasting at Loring Wine Company is more than just sipping delicious wines. It is truly a savory and sweet experience.

Photos by Donna Polizzi Dorwood Distillery is a good place to taste and learn about small, handcrafted, batch spirits.

Donna and Tony Polizzi sample Dorwood Distillery’s G7 Gin.

Co-owner Jay Dorwood gives Keys 2 the Coast a memorable tour and tasting.

Bonus! Sharing the same parking lot with Loring and Company are Alma Rosa Winery, Industrial Eats (which has delicious food), and the unexpected highlight, Dorwood Distillery. The Dorwood Distillery experience was a delightful addition to spending an afternoon exploring, dining and drinking fine wine and spirits. Your day is guaranteed to come alive when you walk into the Dorwood Distillery and tasting room, which is owned by the charming Jay Lockwood. Distill my beating heart! Dorwood Distillery is a wonderful place to taste and learn about

small, handcrafted, batch spirits. The tasting room is quaint and nicely decorated. Once you start tasting, you begin to realize just how different this is from any other place on the Central Coast. You get to meet the maker, and the offerings are impressive. Vodka is made from Santa Barbara County grapes. Every single batch is hand-made using locally sourced ingredients. Tastings include whiskey, gin and two different types of limoncello. The White Hawk Malt Whiskey has a great smoky flavor, which is surprising since this whiskey had no barrel influence. Instead, it is

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distilled with Texas, Irish Scotch, in a 100 percent mesquite smoked barrel. I can only imagine how this would taste served up with some Santa Maria Style barbeque. The G7 Gin is not your dad’s gin. It also is made with Santa Barbara County wine grapes and is delicious served up hot, like a cup of tea. This tea is guaranteed to put a spring in your step on a Monday morning. Limoncello is a totally different experience. Think of a sugar bomb straight to the tongue. Most limoncellos are 50 to 60 proof, but Dorwood Distillery’s Limoncello is a whopping 80 proof, and it has just the right amount of sweet and sour. Imagine a heavenly sip by the pool while soaking up the sun. It is the perfect adult lemonade. If you enjoy a little spice in your life, and who doesn’t, the Habapeño Limoncello makes your tongue do the tango! There is no comparison. As Jay told me, “At Dorwood, we don’t do tastings, we do experiences. We do what it takes to serve the best spirits to be had.” If spirits and wine are not your forte, less than a block down the street is Figueroa Mountain Brewing’s brewery and tasting room. They have an outdoor patio that overlooks huge fermenter tanks that hold the beer before it is kegged, bottled and canned. Inside the tasting room, you can sometimes catch the brewers at work, creating some of the most popular beers such as Lizard’s Mouth or Aqua Santa. The outside patio is a great place to sit. They have plenty of comfortable seating and it’s fun to sit and eat delicious food at the picnic tables or you can sit around a fire pit. Figueroa Mountain Brewery has more than 20 different beers to choose from. What’s your pleasure? IPAs, blondes or stouts? Keys 2 the Coast was pleased to discover what we like to call the “Industrial Way Crawl.” Life is meant to enjoy to the max. Get out there and have some fun. Cheers, prohst, sláinte mhaith, salute, genstzt and kanpai to a great day! Donna Polizzi is a travel writer and founder of Keys 2 The Coast. Visit Keys2theCoast. Com or Facebook Keys2TheCoast.

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School is out, but lunch is still served this summer By Judith Smith-Meyer

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County

or kids who depend on school meals for daily nutrition, the Foodbank’s Picnic in the Park program will offer free lunches to kids 18 and under Monday through Friday, June 10 to Aug. 16, at 17 locations countywide while schools are closed for the summer. Lunches are served on a first-come, firstserved basis as part of the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program. There are no income requirements to participate, and all children are encouraged to attend. Each program site —in accessible parks, libraries, low-income housing and neighborhood centers — is managed by volunteers and groups who serve lunch, conduct nutrition education, and lead summer games. The Foodbank is working this year with Santa Barbara Unified School Food Services to provide fresh, plant-rich lunches prepared from scratch with local ingredients to children at all Picnic in the Park sites countywide. “With our focus on fresh ingredients prepared with love, and the Foodbank’s commitment to providing nutritious food to all who need it, we can make the greatest possible impact on children’s health countywide,” said Nancy Weiss, director of food services for SBUSD. To help provide meals to children facing hunger during the summer, people may donate or sign up to volunteer at: www. FoodbankSBC.org. By texting SUMMERFOOD to 877-877, anyone can input their city or ZIP code and

receive information about the nearest lunch program. Picnic in the Park sites in the North County include Los Alamos Park, 500 Drum Canyon Road in Los Alamos, and others in Santa Maria, Lompoc and Guadalupe. Picnic in the Park sites on the South Coast include six spots in Santa Barbara, Goleta and Guadalupe. Lunches will be served only Monday through Thursday at Jardin de las Rosas in Santa Barbara and at Los Alamos County Park. Additionally, lunches at Los Alamos Park will only be served July 1-Aug. 2. All other locations will serve lunches Monday through Friday and, except for Los Alamos Park, all other locations will serve lunches from June 10-Aug. 16. In partnership with Santa Maria Recreation and Parks, Picnic in the Park features organized fitness and outdoor play at north county parks. The Foodbank relies on community volunteers and groups to manage and support individual park sites, hand out lunches, organize food literacy training and summer games. The Foodbank is seeking volunteers in both North and South counties to help manage the 17 lunch sites, June 10-Aug. 16. Individuals interested in volunteering can visit foodbanksbc.org/give-help/volunteer/. Groups interested in volunteering for Picnic in the Park can contact Lisa Skvarla at lskvarla@foodbanksbc.org or 805-403-2471.

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Solvang restaurant honored with Michelin award Staff Report

irst & Oak Restaurant at the Mirabelle Inn in Solvang has been awarded The Plate in the 2019 edition of the new California Michelin Guide, making First & Oak the first Santa Ynez Valley restaurant to be Michelin-named. In a list of Southern California restaurants recommended by the Guide, First & Oak is one of only 13 eateries in the Santa Barbara area to receive either the “Bib Gourmand” Distinction or “The Plate” classification. The 2019 California Michelin Guide’s “Point Of View” on First & Oak (firstandoak.com) stated: “In a small, romantic boutique hotel, this is a deliciously old-school restaurant that is coming into its own with ambitious contemporary cuisine … Guests are invited to create their own prix-fixe menu by selecting four to five dishes from a variety of categories, such as garden, ocean or farm. … Masterful desserts have included a brown-butter sponge cake with dense clotted cream and marinated strawberries. Be sure to sample the owner’s own wine label, Coqueliquot,

available in a range of styles.” First & Oak opened in 2016, after the Rosenson family bought the Mirabelle Inn that houses the restaurant. The restaurant’s current chef, JJ Guerrero, continues to serve a locally sourced tasting menu format accompanied by a wine list created by Sommelier and General Manager Jonathan Rosenson. First & Oak and the Mirabelle Inn are owned and operated by the Dining Dancing Romancing (“DDR”) and Luxury Mansion Collection hospitality groups, respectively, which also own and operate The 1881 Restaurant at the new Mansion on Sutter hotel in San Francisco and The Elderberry House Restaurant at Château du Sureau in Oakhurst, California. First & Oak, at 409 First St. in Solvang, is open for dinner seven days a week from 5:30 to 8:45 p.m. High Tea service is held one Sunday per month. First & Oak is available for space rental and off-site catering, for private or corporate parties and events. For more information, go to firstandoak.com, Facebook or Instagram.

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Founding teacher retires with a flourish from charter school Linda Mayer gets a bagpipe tribute and a fond farewell By Raiza Giorgi

publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

hird-grade teacher Linda Mayer reflected in late May on her last bike ride with her class: “I just realized how long I have been doing this ride with students. The cost of ice cream in 1995 was 50 cents for a big scoop and today an astounding $1.99 for a smaller scoop.” It was Mayer’s passion for the outdoors and alternative education that led her to start the Santa Ynez Valley Charter School 20 years ago this summer. June 5 was her final graduation and farewell to a school she has represented with passion, commitment and plenty of flair, Charter School Director Dr. John Dewey said. Known for the 25 field trips she takes her students on each year, as well as her colorful classroom with its myriad lizards

Photo contributed As a tribute to Linda Mayer, the third grade was accompanied back to class after lunch on May 31 by bagpiper Tom Strelich of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Pipe and Drum Corps.

and fishes, Mayer took her students on one last trip to the Santa Maria Mini Rodeo. “Whether it’s project-based learning, field trips, cooking, guest speakers, presentations, plays or puppet shows, Linda goes all out to make every learning experience the most fun, the most meaningful and the most incredible,” Dewey said. “So when Linda shared with me that she was retiring at the end of this year, it took me a moment to take it in.” Mayer was one of a dedicated and determined group of teachers and parents who started the school with four classes and 80 students. Her vision was a school that promoted character development, outdoor experience, collaboration and hands-on learning. There is no suggestion that Mayer will change gears in her retirement, as she plans to stay busy with her catering business, family and volunteering.

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34 cadets graduate from Hancock’s EMS Academy

fter 16 weeks of classroom and field instruction, 34 cadets graduated from Hancock College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy on May 23 in a ceremony at Hancock’s Public Safety Training Complex in Lompoc. Upon graduation, the cadets can provide basic life-saving skills and have passed a national registry test to become emergency medical technicians (EMTs). “We train people who are there to help you on the worst day of your life,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers. During their time at the academy, the cadets learned critical skills such as patient handling and moving, emergency vehicle driving and more. In addition to the traditional classroom learning environment, the cadets were able to train in one of the only community college EMS simulation labs in the state. Hancock’s high-tech lab includes simulation manikins and an ambulance simulator that allows students to experience and practice treatment of a patient while in a moving ambulance. Several of the graduating cadets earned awards determined by their trainers and peers. Addison Cory was named class valedictorian. Those graduating were Victoria Arias, Ramiro Carlos, Addison Cory, Carlos Cruz, Jovanny Cruzrojas, Amanda Ecarma, Jonathan Edwards, Raelene Elisan, Alexis Flores, Fernando Garibay-Zamora, Jose Guardado, Alan Gudino, Anthony Guerrero, Phoenix Herrigel, Jackson James, Desmond Julius, Krystle Kaden, Kiera Lindberg, Andres Melgoza, Yareli Mendez, Nicole Mora, Chyann Morris, Arturo Nunez, Izack Perez, Daniel Porras, Edgar Ramirez, Nathan Ramirez, Renz Ramirez, Carrie Rodreguiz, Antonio Rodriguez, Christian Romero, Jacob Sabatino, Sabrina Sanchez, and Andrew Soto.

Students Jonathan Rojas and Hannah Stitt lead graduates in a procession during Hancock’s 98th commencement ceremony on May 24.

Photos contributed A new class of cadets graduated from Hancock College’s Emergency Medical Services Academy on May 23.

Hancock College Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers congratulates student Jennifer Cervantes, who received the prestigious Marian Hancock Scholarship on May 23.

Hancock Foundation awards $500,000 at scholarship banquet

Students and donors received celebrity treatment during a star-studded evening in the Joe White Memorial Gymnasium at the Hancock College Foundation Scholarship Banquet on May 23. This year, 428 scholarships worth more than $500,000 were awarded to 324 students. “This is such a great night for our students and their families, as well as everyone who makes the scholarships possible,” said Hancock Executive Director of College Advancement Jon Hooten, who emceed the banquet. “It’s a testament to the investment our community makes to changing the odds for Hancock students.”

Student Jennifer Cervantes received the prestigious Marian Hancock Scholarship. Named in honor of the late wife of Capt. G. Allan Hancock, the $10,000 scholarship is awarded to one outstanding student each year who exemplifies service to the school, scholastic achievement and personal conduct. Cervantes is the 54th student to win the scholarship since 1967. She is a first-generation college student and graduated in May with high honors and a 4.0 grade-point average. Cervantes earned two associate degrees at Hancock and plans to transfer to either Berkeley or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she hopes to obtain bachelor’s degrees in sociology and social work and welfare. “I want to focus on improving the lives of children experiencing poverty, immigrants, and those who are struggling academically and financially,” Cervantes said

Record 1,273 students graduate from Hancock College

Hancock College celebrated a record-setting year during the college’s 98th annual commencement ceremony on May 24. The event included more than 500 graduates, who gathered with their friends and families to celebrate the successful end to their journey at the college. This year, 1,273 students earned a record

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1,790 associate degrees in 94 different majors. The number of student graduates represents an increase of approximately 26 percent from the previous year, while the number of degrees earned is an increase of 17 percent. Students also earned 912 certificates of achievement, a 7 percent increase over last year. College Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers shared inspiring stories of students who worked to overcome challenges on their path to graduation. They included Jonathan Rojas, a first-generation college student who graduated with the help of the college’s many support services and is now transferring to UC Riverside; Jesus Hurtado, who earned an architectural drafting degree from Hancock while battling brain cancer; and Lisa Ruiz, who took her first class at Hancock while serving a prison sentence and is now graduating with an associate degree in addiction studies. The graduates also heard from Associated Student Body Government President Frankie Maldonado, who said his time at Hancock challenged him to be open to new experiences, including entering a public speaking contest at the statewide SkillsUSA competition, where he took home a silver medal. The 2019 commencement ceremony also marked the very first graduations by recipients of The Hancock Promise, which allows graduating high school students in the Hancock Joint Community College District to get their first year at Hancock tuition-free. More than 1,400 local students have received The Hancock Promise so far.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 27

Photo contributed Susie Margolis Pierson presents SYHS graduate Lita Wright a $3,000 scholarship from the Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community

Photo contributed All artists 17 and under are invited to enter the Wildling’s first youth digital art competition.

SYV Jewish Community Youth invited to submit awards $3,000 scholarship digital art for Wildling contest Staff Report

he Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community has presented a $3,000 scholarship to Lita Wright, who graduated this month from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. “With over 18 applications, hers spoke to the selection committee in a manner … which emphasized Tikkun Olam, a Hebrew phrase that represents a standard by which Jewish people measure their lives. It translates as ‘repairing the world’ through social justice and social action,” said Susie Margolis Pierson, president of SYVJC, at the awards ceremony on May 22. “Lita’s response to the essay prompt: “What can my generation do to improve and promote inclusion and understanding among all people?” struck a chord in all of the judg-

es. A particular sentence distilled succinctly the most critical action needed: ‘It is an innate biological part of every creature, human or animal, to be afraid of those who are different; however, this animalistic tendency is seeping into people’s thoughts every day without us acknowledging its existence.’ “Lita went on to describe the need for all of us to be willing to identify the origin of that perception … ‘understanding before judging’ is critical for change.” Margolis Pierson noted that all four judges read the essays separately, and all listed Lita as their first choice. Lita is also the winner of the English Department Achievement Award, President’s Education Excellence Award, Golden State Seal Merit Diploma and Gold Stole recipient, and she plans to attend Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.

Staff Report

oung artists have until Aug. 1 to submit digital art for “Summer Vacation in Nature,” the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature’s first such competition for youth. Eligible entries are still images, including digital photography, drawing, painting and illustration. The entries will be judged for their creativity, skill and interpretation of the theme, “Summer Vacation in Nature.” All accepted entries will be displayed on the Wildling website starting in the fall, and select works will be printed by the Wildling Museum and hung on the third floor. All accepted applicants will be invited to the award reception from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 7. The winner will receive $100, with other prizes to be announced.

“We are excited to offer our first digital art contest for youth. We want to honor all art forms and encourage young people to participate who might not be into traditional art mediums. We can’t wait to see the entries!” said Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate. There is no cost to enter. Young artists must be 17 years old or younger as of Sept. 1, and no one may submit more than five images. Submitted images must be in the jpg format in a size between 2 and 10 MB. Entries may be submitted online, by email, or in person at the museum. Complete entry details can be found at www.wildlingmuseum.org/programs-events. For more information, email info@wildlingmuseum.org or call 805-686-8315.

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o LOS ALAMOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 teach and mentor the little kids and in turn gain job experience, earn money and support from adults. “It is a really strong program,” Hartman said. “Children have something to do that’s fun and they don’t lose academic ground over the summer. It provides a safe environment for children with many fun and enriching activities children do not get in school, such as music, art, sports, and games, and it’s a real benefit for working families. Many new partners are signing on to this great effort to enhance the Summer in the Park Programs such as Hancock College, Santa Maria YMCA, and the Los Alamos Library. It is a circle of virtue.” The Los Alamos Men Club also donated

$7,000 to the program this year. The party continued until the last barbecue chicken dinner was eaten or taken home to share with other family members. The accumulated proceeds from the day’s event go to the Summer in the Park program. “I was really proud of my youth recreation counselors who were all volunteers at this event. They showed up at 9 a.m. and worked through the wind, the rain and the chill and stayed until we were done, with not a single complaint. They are terrific kids and I couldn’t do this event without them,” Dingman said. For more information on Summer in the Park, call Dingman at 805-478-3934 or visit thelosalasosfoundation.org or www. facebook.com/LosAlamosFoundation/.

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o CEMETERY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 sue, so she and her family showed up. They were met with a resounding “no” from the board members to amend the ordinance. “I wouldn’t even allow my own brother to put a bench against the fence. We don’t allow benches. We made an ordinance in 2006,” said Gonzalez, one of the board members. Another family friend asked to place one near their family’s gravesite and they were turned down as well, Gonzalez added. “The Donlon family also didn’t know about the ordinance. We didn’t get it to them … and it got put up,” Gonzalez said. “This isn’t a park, it’s a cemetery. There’s a park down the street with a bunch of benches. We don’t care if people come up with their lawn chairs, blankets, and come sit with their families,” Gonzalez added. The other big issue is that people want to plant trees to honor their loved ones, which the cemetery doesn’t allow because the roots pull up headstones, Gonzalez added. “That man right there,” Gonzalez said, pointing to Carrillo, before being interrupted by Carrillo’s son, who was upset. “I tried to communicate with Mr. Carrillo to come to the meetings,” Gonzalez said. Carrillo’s son asked why no one talked to the family before the removal of the bench. “We are volunteers. We don’t get paid for any of this. The little bench over there (pointing to a small concrete bench under a 64 , C A 93 4 SolvangWilliams, 218 •Scott tree) who was a guard x 1for PO Bois at the federal prison, and he was killed in the federal prison. The guards asked to put a bench next to the tree next to his grave so their little girls could sit. That’s why that bench is there, and it will stay,” Gonzalez said. The family noted that they installed their bench in 2016 and asked why no communication was made by letter or a phone call about the bench in the more than two years it was there. Gonzalez said he had never noticed the Carrillos’ bench before. Kopcrak said the bench had fallen over and they were concerned it would pose a risk of liability.

Kopcrak said he then took the bench and contacted the groundskeeper, but didn’t contact the family. Koprak also said that benches are to be removed to save time and effort for maintenance. “The bench sits on a cement platform and requires little to no maintenance,” said Erica Flores, a friend of the Carrillo family. “It’s a small town. You could have found us easily to notify us,” Rivera said. Gonzalez then interrupted, saying if he would have known the bench was there to begin with, he would have looked into it being removed. “In three years you mean to tell me you’ve never seen the bench? I find that hard to believe,” Rivera said. The Donlan family said their bench was put in in 2017 and cemented in, and they were never notified of any of the rules and regulations. The Donlons will turn their bench into a planter and are disappointed with how the board is handling this situation, according to Kerry Donlon. When the Carrillos asked if they could turn their bench into a planter, Kopcrak said no because it was in three pieces. Gonzalez said that several other local cemeteries do not allow benches either, but Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard, for example, does allow benches allowed in certain sections. “Obviously we should have taken better steps communication-wise (but) we are volunteers. Maybe we need to get board approval before people put their headstones or memorials in,” Gill said. The meeting ended in a shouting match between the Gonzalez, Kopcrak and the Carrillo family, and the board said it would not amend its ordinance. “The Carrillo family is exploring all options with their lawyer, which may include calling on the appointment of new board members at the expiration of the existing board members’ terms, and filing a complaint with the Grand Jury against the board for violations of the Public Cemetery District Law, Brown Act, and emotional distress damages,” Courtney said.

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June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 29

Ask the Zookeeper

Capybaras returning to SB Zoo this month

“

Are capybaras really the world’s biggest rodents?” – Joseph, age 10 They sure are, Joseph! I’m also happy to report that capybaras will return to the Santa Barbara Zoo on June 7. They are two sisters who were born Aug. 5, 2018, at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, where they were hand-raised after their mother passed away. There were five babies, and all of them were hand-raised. It’s been so great to get to know them. They don’t have names yet, but they do have personalities. The one that is currently lighter in color is more comfortable around people and braver in new situations, even though they were both handreared. But they are still not mature and it will be exciting to see how they change as they grow. It’s been four years since we had capybaras, or “capys” as we call them, and we’re so glad to have them back. Adult capys can weigh as much as 150 pounds and stand as tall as 2.5 feet. The species comes from Central and South America. They are most active on land but are also skilled and graceful swimmers. Capybaras’ feet are partially webbed (like otters or beavers), which allows them to dive deep and swim underwater for long

distances. Water is also where capys prefer to poop, as they rarely “go” on land. They have been called “swamp hogs” and “water pigs,” but these rodents are more closely related to guinea pigs than the kind of pigs you might find on a farm. Other kinds of rodents include gophers, hamsters, rats, porcupines and chinchillas, among others. Rodents are found on every continent except Antarctica. Just like porcupines and squirrels (also rodents), capybaras’ long front teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetimes. They tend to wear down from chewing food, but some capys end up with long teeth! Visit the capybaras near the Zoo Train station after June 7. You might see giant anteaters in that exhibit too, as we are

Photo contributed / Santa Barbara Zoo Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents, sometimes weighing 150 pounds.

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working to introduce the capybaras to our female anteaters. At first, they only get to smell each other. Then they’ll get to see each other through a mesh barrier. If all goes well, and the animals are all comfortable, they’ll share the exhibit. Keep your fingers crossed! — Melanie, mammal keeper

Does your child have a question about an animal at the Santa Barbara Zoo? Post it on our Facebook page (facebook.com/ santabarbarafamilylife) for a chance to get free zoo tickets.

30 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

Photo contributed The Midtown Men are veterans of the Broadway hit “Jersey Boys.”

The Midtown Men are veterans of the Broadway hit “Jersey Boys”

Staff Report

he stars from the original Broadway cast of “Jersey Boys,” reunited as The Midtown Men, will bring their 10th anniversary tour to the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 5.

Tickets for the show are $10, $15 and $20. Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer have performed all over the world and headlined with more than 35 major symphonies. The tour highlights these four Broadway vets and their powerhouse sev-

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en-piece band. Together, they bring to life the sounds of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons as well as those of many other iconic ’60s acts including The Beatles, Chicago and The Beach Boys. In addition to nearly 2,000 live shows, their 2012 debut album “Sixties Hits” was met with critical acclaim and

received 5-star album reviews across iTunes. This album was followed by the release of their first radio single, “All Alone On Christmas.” In 2014, the group released a live recording, “The Midtown Men: Live In Concert!” Tickets are available at the casino or online.

June 18 - July 1, 2019 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 31

To submit an event for publication, email the information to news@santaynezvalley star.com. To see more information online, go to www.santaynezvalleystar.com.

June 18

Magician Shawn McMaster - 10:30 a.m. at Solvang Library and 3:30 p.m. at Buellton Library - Don’t miss this crowd pleasing master magician! Best for ages 4 and up!

June 19

Solvang Music in the Park - 5 - 8 p.m. Come listen to Unfinished Business at Solvang Park. Concert is free to the public, bring a blanket or chair and enjoy!

June 20

Complying with U.S. Export Controls - 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Hotel Corque. Speakers will talk about various aspects of exporting, including an overview of export regulations and integrating export rules into daily business processes. Registration is $50; visit www.regonline. com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=2563676. Trading Card Club - 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Solvang Library - Meet friends to play Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh or Magic the Gathering. Beginners welcome! Agricultural Tourism - 7 - 9 p.m. at St. Mark’s-in-theValley Episcopal Church - John Parke, SB County Planning Commission Chair and Third District Commissioner, will moderate a forward looking discussion of Agricultural Tourism. Share their creative ideas for agricultural tourism and consider how these can coordinate with other forms of tourism. Coordinated by WE Watch.

day family-friendly music festival that offers camping, kids’ activities, music on three stages, ArtWalk, beer and wine garden, food vendors, craft vendors, etc. Our new home, El Chorro Regional Park, also offers hiking trails, botanical gardens, climbing rocks, playground and more!

Independence Day Parade Maker Craft - 10:30 a.m. - Solvang Library - Join to create a fun SYV Libraries entry for the annual 4th of July Parade! Materials provided, bring imagination. All ages welcome. Kids 7 and under supervised.

June 22

SYV Summer Classic - 5:30 - 8:45 p.m. at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church - The goal of the Summer Classic is advancing community and inspiring generosity to expand community services and projects throughout the Santa Ynez Valley. Dinner by New West Catering, live and silent auction and music. Visit www.SMITV.org/the-summer-classic.html

Field of Dreams Screening - 7:30 p.m. at Tower Pizza - Join the Central Coast Film Society for a showing of “Field of Dreams”, as they will also be getting a portion of the days sale at Tower Pizza. Movie will be screened in the courtyard, free to the public to watch. Visit www.centralcoastfilmsociety. org for more info. There will also be giveaways.

June 25

Live Oak Music Festival - All day - Live Oak is a three-

Every Monday

Every Friday

Yoga, 9 a.m.; Arthritis Exercise Class, 10:15 a.m.; Arts and Crafts every third Monday; Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-3793.

Every Tuesday

June 26-30

June 21 -23

Lompoc Flower Festival

Brain Injury Survivors of Santa Ynez Valley Noon-2 p.m., Bethania Lutheran Church, 603 Atterdag Road, Solvang. Jodi House Brain Injury Support Center offers a support group for brain injury survivors and caregivers; www.jodihouse.org.

Divorce Care Recovery Seminar and Support Group – 6:30-8:30 p.m. Santa Ynez Valley Christian Academy Library, 891 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez; Louise Kolbert at 805-688-5171.

Solvang Music in the Park - 5 - 8 p.m. Come listen to Echoswitch (Hard rock) at Solvang Park. Concert is free to the public, bring a blanket or chair and enjoy! Flower Festival - Ryon Park in Lompoc - Enjoy live entertainment, parade, beer and wine, arts and crafts and vendors at this fun annual event. Visit www.explorelompoc.com for more.

June 28

I Love the ’90s Tour with Vanilla Ice and Mark McGrath - 8 p.m. at the Chumash Casino - Chill out with chart-topping hits like “Ice, Ice Baby,” “Play That Funky Music,” “Fly” and “Every Morning.” Visit www.chumashcasino.com for more.

Every Thursday

Arthritis Exercise Class, 10:15 a.m.; Mah Jongg, Noon; Basic Cartooning, 1 p.m., Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-3793.

Music with Miss Diane - 10:30 a.m. - Solvang Library - Diane Byington shares songs, instrument play, rhythm chants and movement in a playful setting. Caregiver participation required. Best for baby/toddler/preschooler.

Movies in Solvang Park - 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Free family entertainment and movie begins when it’s dark enough. Popcorn and hot chocolate for sale. Films are rated G - PG13. Movie is Toy Story.

Crafternoons – 3:45-5:45 p.m. Arts Outreach, 2948 Nojoqui Ave. Suite 9, Los Olivos. $10/child; 805-688-9533.

Chair Exercises - 10 a.m., Buellton Senior Center, West Highway 246, Buellton; 805-688-4571.

June 26

Advanced Health Care Directive Workshop 2.0 1 - 3 p.m. at Atterdag Village of Solvang, 636 Atterdag Road. Plan ahead for future medical needs to ensure your wishes are honored. RSVP by calling 805-688-3263

Solvang Farmers Market - 2:30-6:30 p.m., First Street between Mission Drive and Copenhagen Drive, Solvang.

Sideways Inn Local’s Night Specials 5 p.m.- 8 p.m., 114 East Highway 246, Buellton; 805-691-8088.

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District Board of Education meeting - 4 p.m. in the board room in the Administration Building. Visit www. syvuhsd.org for agenda and minutes.

June 21

Thunder From Down Under - 8 p.m. at Chumash Casino - Direct from Las Vegas, the all-male revue returns to the Central Coast for another night of rowdy entertainment. Tickets at www.chumashcasino.com.

June 30

Bingo, 1 p.m.: Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-3793. Knit and Crochet - 1 p.m., Buellton Senior Center, West Highway 246, Buellton; 805-688-4571. Healing Hearts Support Group – 2-4 p.m. Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church, 1825 Alamo Pintado Road. Free. To R.S.V.P. call 805-693-0244.

Computer class, 9 a.m., Knitting, 9:30 a.m.; Tai Chi, 11 a.m.; bridge and poker, 12:45 p.m.; Mah Jongg 1 p.m., Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-3793. Toddler Tuesdays at the MOXI - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. www.moxi.org. Preschool Story Time - 10:30 a.m. at Solvang Library. Two-Step Dance Lessons – 6:30 p.m.; 8 p.m. - Industry Night and Karaoke Party. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. Visit www. themavsaloon.com.

Every Wednesday

SYV We Support the Troops – 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Volunteer to pack care packages on the 4th Wednesday of each month. Bethania Lutheran Church, 603 Atterdag Road, Solvang. 805-245-4951. Art Class, 9 a.m.; Book Club, 10 a.m. (call first);

Nutrition Classes - 11 a.m. - SYV Cottage Hospital Conference Room - Instruction Stacey Bailey is a dietician and offers weekly courses in various topics. For more information call 805-694-2351. Bring your lunch and talk nutrition. Tai Chi, 9:15 a.m.; Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.; Pilates – 10:15 a.m.; Ukulele 11:15 a.m., Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-3793. Bingo - 1 p.m., Buellton Senior Center, West Highway 246, Buellton; 805-688-4571.

Every Saturday

Cachuma Lake Nature Walk – 10-11:30 a.m.; 805688-4515 or www.sbparks.org. Junior Rangers Program – 12:30-1:30 p.m. Neal Taylor Nature Center, 2265 Hwy-154, Santa Barbara. Children 3 and up; under 10 years must be accompanied by an adult. $3/person. Nature Center admission is free. Visit www.clnaturecenter.org. parked; 805-693-0691 or Julie@clnaturecenter.org.

Coming up

Log onto www.cityofsolvang.com, www.buelltonrec. com or www.visitsyv.com to see a full schedule of programs and events that range from adult and youth sports to teen dances, field trips, excursions and more. • Look for the Ant on the Truck •

June 29

SYV Polo Classic - All Day at Rancho Piocho Ranch - The 8th Annual SYV Polo Classic is returning to Piocho Ranch at Happy Canyon Vineyard in Santa Ynez with the same smaller playing field and fast, action-packed polo. All guests are invited to dress for the occasion, with creative hats for the ladies encouraged. Tickets and more info visit www.syvpoloclassic.com.

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32 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H June 18 - July 1, 2019

$4,695,000 | 3170 Avenida Caballo, Santa Ynez | 3BD/4½BA; 20±acs Mary Elliott / Joe Ramos | 805.682.3242

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$3,850,000 | 3251 Short Rd, Santa Ynez | 4BD/3BA Carole Colone | 805.708.2580 Lic # 01223216

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$799,000 | 2727 San Marcos Ave, Los Olivos | 3BD/2BA

$695,000 | 500 Rancho Alisal Dr, Solvang | 3BD/3BA Claire Hanssen | 805.680.0929 Lic # 00887277

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Do you know your home’s value? visit bhhscalifornia.com

©2018 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Info. is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Sellers will entertain and respond to all offers within this range. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. Lic# 01317331