Sun, March 7, 2024

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

Preventative care

The Santa Maria Fire Department wants to provide annual physicals to firefighters to catch medical issues, like cancer, early [6]

Contents

California fire departments are slowly catching up with other states when it comes to providing annual physical exams to firefighters. What’s long been practiced elsewhere due to the higher prevalence of health issues such as cancer in firefighters is new in local cities, including Santa Maria. The Santa Maria Fire Department implemented an annual physical exam with the help of federal funding, but with that grant’s expiration, the department needs extra dollars to keep the program going. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor speaks with fire departments in Santa Maria and beyond to understand the issue and why it’s important [6].

You can also read an update on what’s happening with the groundwater adjudication lawsuit in the Cuyama Valley [4], about why the Wildling Museum decided to change its name [18], and what’s on the menu at T’s Red Tacos [21]

Camillia

• U.S. Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and Julia Brownley (D-Oxnard) are urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to finalize the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary with a larger footprint than the most recent federally proposed alternative and to include parameters that recognize the need for coexistence with future offshore wind development and ensure that the sanctuary can serve as a model for costewardship with local indigenous communities, according to a Feb. 26 statement from Carbajal’s office. The initial proposed boundary for the sanctuary stretched from the bottom of the existing Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, north of Morro Bay, to the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County. In a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo the Central Coast lawmakers are urging the final sanctuary to keep to the initially proposed northern boundaries, including Morro Bay, as well as the Gaviota Coast extension. “Finalizing the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would fulfill many of our mutual ecological and economic priorities to continue to protect our treasured natural resources for generations to come, while advancing renewable energy and maintaining sustainable access for commercial and recreational fishing,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a draft plan and implementation strategy for the conservation and recovery of the Vandenberg monkeyflower, a federally endangered plant, according to a Feb. 23 statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Recovery plans are required for federally listed species and identify recovery actions that, when implemented, will achieve the plan’s goals for conservation and persistence of the species. “Our strategy is to systematically increase the monkeyflower’s population and ability to withstand potential threats until it is able to become selfsustaining throughout all the areas where it is found,” Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office Botanist Kristie Scarazzo said in the statement. “We are committed to working with our partners to effectively manage the populations adaptively, as we learn what is most likely to achieve recovery throughout the plant’s small range of habitat.” Vandenberg monkeyflower is an herbaceous annual plant, endemic to the Burton Mesa landform in southwestern Santa Barbara County. The primary threats to this species include invasive species, anthropogenic fire, recreation and other human activities, habitat loss from development (including military, state, and residential), utility and pipeline maintenance, and climate change. A 30-day public comment period is open until March 25. Submit comments by email to fw8venturarecoverycomments@fws.gov.

• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) introduced the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Establishment Act, legislation that would establish a permanent nationwide water assistance program to help families afford their water bills, according to a Feb. 28 statement from Padilla’s office. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress appropriated more than $1 billion in 2021 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families to help low-income households pay their drinking water and wastewater bills. From June 2021 through September 2023, LIHWAP served more than 1.4 million households, restored water and wastewater services 100,479 times, prevented disconnections 753,558 times, and reduced 679,030 water bills, supporting more than 16,000 water and wastewater systems in low-income, tribal, rural, and urban communities. While LIHWAP funding is available in California through March 2024, the program needs congressional authorization to continue. “Access to safe, affordable water is a basic necessity, but skyrocketing drinking water and sanitation costs have left far too many American families unable to make their water utility payments,” Padilla said in the statement. “Just like home energy and nutrition assistance, water rate assistance is crucial for public health and economic prosperity. This program has proven to uplift vulnerable communities across the country, and it’s past time we make it permanent.” m

LA Superior Court rules on Cuyama Valley Groundwater Basin boundaries

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge confirmed that the Cuyama Valley Groundwater Basin is one connected basin—not separate subbasins—allowing for the groundwater adjudication to move forward following a yearand-a-half of delays and litigation.

“The court has been scrupulous to confine phase one of this adjudication to the boundaries of the court’s in rem [personal property] jurisdiction,” the judge wrote in the ruling. “Later phases of this adjudication may be used to determine whether management areas should be utilized (or not) and whether the basin should be differentially or homogeneously managed.”

The Cuyama Valley Groundwater Basin is one of California’s 21 critically overdrafted basins that was required under the 2014 California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to create a groundwater sustainability agency (GSA) and corresponding groundwater sustainability plan. After the California Department of Water Resources approved the sustainability plan, which called for a 60 percent water use reduction in 20 years, agricultural corporations Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms filed a groundwater adjudication against every landowner in the Cuyama Valley in August 2021.

The adjudication calls for a judge to rule on how much water everyone can pump, which created a parallel track to SGMA and forced landowners to join the lawsuit or risk losing their water rights altogether. In 2023, Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms dropped out of the adjudication, but remaining landowners not affiliated with the ag corporations are carrying the lawsuit forward.

“It sounds like the court’s decision is very much aligned with the GSA and our current [groundwater sustainability plan]. This seems good for the basin as a whole,” Condor’s Hope Vineyard owner Roberta Jaffe told the Sun in a statement. “It’s just frustrating that these efforts that are taking place in a public setting through the GSA are being duplicated in the courts.”

The cost, time, and energy demanded are “exorbitant” for the landowners who need attorneys to represent them and the taxpayers who pay for both the court and groundwater sustainability plan process, Jaffe added.

The judge’s ruling came after Cuyama landowners Santa Barbara Highland Vineyard, Brodiaea Inc. (Harvard University’s endowment fund), and a group of Ventucopa landowners pulled their boundary objection two days before the adjudication’s first phase in January. According to the judge’s ruling, the landowners filed their objection in September 2022, claiming that the basin should be divided into three separate subbasins.

The Sun reached out to Brodiaea Inc. and attorneys representing the Ventucopa landowners for comment on the decisions, but no one responded before the Sun’s deadline. The adjudication is scheduled to resume on March 11 in Los Angeles to discuss surface water rights, according to the Superior Court’s website.

“We are pleased with the judge’s ruling that the Cuyama Basin is a single basin with no subbasins within it as the Ventucopa farmers and farming interests controlled by the Harvard University endowment had alleged for years until recently,” Bolthouse Properties Vice President and General Counsel Daniel Clifford told the Sun in a statement. “Their last-minute withdrawal of their meritless objections not only surprised people but resulted in unnecessary delays and added expense for every groundwater user in the basin.”

This ruling allows the adjudication to proceed with a “one basin-wide approach” and “achieve groundwater sustainability that is acceptable to every groundwater user and the court,” Clifford added.

“There’s nothing that would surprise me at this point,” Cuyama rancher Jacob Furstenfeld told the Sun. “I just hope the work we put in— through the groundwater sustainability agency and the standing advisory committee and the community—that the groundwater sustainability plan will have a significant impact on what the court rules on.”

—Taylor O’Connor

Residential rezoning proposal divides Solvang Planning Commission

Three of Solvang’s five planning commissioners volunteered to recuse themselves from a recent rezoning decision due to conflicts of interest, but an artificial intelligence app spared one of them from the chopping block.

Rather than draw straws or names from a hat, as Planning Commissioner Aaron Petersen

suggested, Solvang’s staff used ChatGPT to randomly select who of the three conflicted commissioners would stay seated at a March 4 hearing on two undeveloped sites the city was eyeing for statemandated housing.

While commissioners Jack Williams, Joannie Jamieson, and Scott Gold each reside within 1,000 feet of at least one of the sites and requested recusals, Williams— chosen by ChatGPT— withdrew his request, as a minimum of three votes were needed for any motion on the item.

Although there are currently no development proposals in place for either of the two Solvang parcels in question, staff selected the sites for rezoning in order to accommodate the city’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) and comply with state law, Assistant Planner Lisa Scherman explained at the March 4 meeting.

Scherman said that Solvang’s total RHNA for the 2023-31 planning period includes 94 units dedicated to lower income housing, which the city hasn’t met.

“There are 48 lower income units identified, which means a shortfall of 46 lower income units,” Scherman said. “This is the reason the rezones are needed.”

To catch up with RHNA standards, staff recommended that the Planning Commission endorse rezoning one vacant parcel on Viborg Road from low-density single family residential to high-density residential and another in the Alisal Commons from recreational to high-density residential.

The proposal will move forward to the Solvang City Council for its final approval, but without a recommendation from the Planning Commission. The commission couldn’t reach a unanimous decision (with two commissioners recused, a 3-0 vote was required). Commissioners Williams and Petersen voted in favor of recommending the rezoning, while Commissioner Kief Adler dissented.

“In this case, what really annoys the hell out of me … is the fact that the state is mandating this,” Adler said. “I feel like we are a rubber stamp for the Planning Department. … Whatever the three of us decide tonight is really meaningless.”

While referring to the Alisal Commons parcel, currently zoned recreational, Adler said it would be a shame for there to be apartment buildings on land intended for parks or open space.

“The City Council is going to have the vote whether we give it our blessing or whether we say no,” Adler added. “With that said, I’m a no vote.”

—Caleb Wiseblood

Lompoc man found guilty of fentanyl distribution resulting in death

A Los Angeles jury found Kaelen Jacobkeali Wendel—a 32-year-old Lompoc resident and northern Santa Barbara County jail inmate— guilty of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death and serious injury of two inmates, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to court documents, Wendel smuggled fentanyl into the North County Jail’s

FILE ➤ ‘Long overdue’ [6] NEWS continued page 5

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM ➤ Spotlight [8] 4 • Sun • March 7 - March 14, 2024 • www.santamariasun.com

D unit on Oct. 19, 2022, and handed it to his co-defendant, 36-year-old Lompoc resident Michael Villapania. Villapania then sold the fentanyl to an inmate identified as “J.V.” in court documents, who then shared it with another inmate identified as “E.E.”

At 1:45 a.m. on Oct. 20, 2022, an inmate in J.V.’s cell alerted custody deputies that an inmate needed help, where a deputy saw E.E. bleeding from the mouth, according to court documents. The deputy radioed for help and told other inmates to go to the yard.

“As the inmates began to leave, J.V. did not respond. Another deputy saw this, tried to wake J.V., and unsuccessfully tried to find a pulse,” according to the memorandum. “Deputies and nurses began administering multiple doses of Narcan and performing CPR on both inmates. They revived J.V. but could not save E.E.”

Wendel was found guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury—a felony that carries a 20-years-to-life prison sentence—and is scheduled for sentencing on June 21, according to the Department of Justice. Villapania pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to one count of distribution of fentanyl and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 7, where he will face up to 20 years in federal prison.

This is one of several federal cases targeting fentanyl dealers who, in all but one case, allegedly sold fentanyl and fake pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the death of at least one victim, according to a May 2023 statement from the Sheriff’s Office that announced the Department of Justice indictment.

“It’s no secret that drug overdoses—especially from fentanyl—are a serious problem in this country,” said Ciaran McEvoy, the public information

officer for the Central District of California’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. “In recent years, because of the increase in deaths resulting from fentanyl, law enforcement has become more active in utilizing federal law that carries a 20-year mandatory minimum prison sentence for distributing drugs that result in overdose deaths to victims.”

In neighboring SLO County, the District Attorney’s office is prosecuting a fentanyl overdose death that happened at the county’s safe parking site as a homicide. It’s the second time SLO County filed murder charges for an overdose death, according to reporting from the Sun’s sister paper, New Times.

Both counties have seen substantial increases in overdose deaths. Santa Barbara County had 168 overdose deaths in 2022, compared to 133 overdose deaths in 2021, according to the Sheriff’s Office. While 2022 data was not available, SLO County saw a 40 percent increase in overdose deaths between 2021 and 2020 (88 to 123 overdose deaths), according to the SLO County Behavioral Health Department.

The Sun reached out to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency Los Angeles Division for comment. The DEA said in an email that it couldn’t issue a response before the Sun’s press time. The Sheriff’s Office said it was still gathering information for a statement as of press time.

—Taylor O’Connor

Primary elections update

Act now! Send any news or story tips to news@santamariasun.com.

The Sun couldn’t include coverage of the March 5 primary election in our print edition because of our deadline schedule. Please check santamariasun.com for updated local and state elections coverage. m

‘Long overdue’

Santa Maria Fire Department implements annual physicals and seeks additional funding for preventative care

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

Santa Maria Fire Battalion Chief Evan Scott got his third physical exam in his 20-year career as a Santa Maria firefighter after he helped establish the department’s health and wellness program. “It was a big deal. It was the goal I was shooting for before I retired,” Scott told the Sun “I banged that drum for 20 years, and I’m happy we finally got it.”

The Santa Maria Fire Department was the only fire department in Santa Barbara County that didn’t receive annual physicals that were to “industry standard,” set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)—a U.S.-based international nonprofit dedicated to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss to fire.

“That standard is different from a personal doctor because it measures specific benchmarks that are firefighter-related and geared toward measuring … a lot of standards to the effect of screening for cancers and things that are more prevalent in the firefighter community, versus outside communities,” he said. “Because they are done every year, we are able to catch medical concerns before they get to something that runs out of control.”

The Santa Maria Fire Department’s first iteration of the wellness program began nearly 25 years ago after the fire chief at the time applied for a one-time grant that helped get weight equipment for a weight room, provided a few personal training classes, and offered physicals, Scott said.

“Once the money went, it was gone and it was done,” he said. “As the years went by, it started to grow and became more popular to facilitate. I never received an actual budget to this day for the program, but over the last 20 years I’ve gotten more support from the fire administration.”

The Santa Maria Fire Department established a six-person Wellness Committee to oversee the program’s growth and improvement, he said. In 2021, Scott applied for a one-time $70,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to allow the department to provide NFPAstandard physicals to every firefighter, which

include annual cancer screenings, cardiovascular analysis, blood tests, and hearing and vision tests for every firefighter.

“Our Wellness Committee received a lot of appreciation for the physicals because everybody wanted them, and they were long overdue,” Scott said.

Now that the federal grant expired, the Santa Maria Fire Department will approach the city during budget hearings this summer to request funding from the department’s annual budget to cover continued physical exams. Statewide, local fire agencies are taking similar measures to provide annual physicals for firefighters that meet national standards.

“Not supporting annual physicals in 2024, in my own mind, it’s not OK; it needs to be done. I have yet to find somebody to convince me that it’s not worth it,” Scott said.

The grant-funded physicals saw 100 percent participation from the department and helped identify early-stage cancer in one of the firefighters on staff, Santa Maria Fire Chief Brad Dandridge told the Sun.

“The fact that we caught it was extremely helpful because this cancer would have been detrimental to his health,” Dandridge said, adding that the screenings save money for the city.

California state law presumes that firefighters get cancer from their jobs and requires local jurisdictions to cover full hospital, surgical, and medical treatment.

“Cancer is a leading cause of death in firefighters. We have a greater risk of certain types of cancers—our exposure to smoke and hazardous chemicals, all these increase our risk of cancer,” Dandridge said. “If implemented correctly, [physicals] should realize significant cost in workers’ compensation savings and medical issues, which is a win-win [for] all parties involved.”

Dandridge will approach the City Council before July to request approximately $60,000 a year to be allocated in the next budget cycle (2025 to 2027) to continue funding the program.

“I think it’s a benefit not only to the firefighters but to the city and community as well. If we

provide these programs in the workforce, we will have [healthier], more fit, capable firefighters,” he said. “We put ourselves knowingly in harm’s way, that is what we like to do to protect our residents in our community. It’s only right to continue to support these programs to keep a healthy workforce.”

The fire chief came to Santa Maria last year after working at the Fresno Fire Department, where he helped establish a similar physicals program for a department that has 21 stations and 350 firefighters.

Similar to Santa Maria, Fresno’s health and wellness program began through a general fitness program 15 to 20 years ago, Fresno Fire Captain and Training Officer Shane Brown told the Sun

The physicals program developed five years ago once the city got a new mayor who supported the program and worked with Dandridge and the department to provide annual exams to NFPA standards and an MRI body scan every two years, Brown said.

“A dozen or so cancers have been detected early and treated with long-term effects. Because these physicals are so detailed they can catch things early, they were able to handle it and get treated,” Brown said. “This elongates their career and minimizes impact to the city.”

Brown said the physicals helped him find skin cancer last year and a nodule on his thyroid. While the practitioner said the nodule was benign, he was still sent to a specialist to confirm. “I feel healthy, but if I were to ignore it and found out I had thyroid cancer, it would be a lot harder to overcome,” he said.

The Ventura Fire Department conducted its first sets of annual physicals last year, Ventura EMS Administrator Heather Ellis told the Sun.

“We wrote our standard to be in compliance with the NFPA, … which was a significant change for physicals in our department,” Ellis said. “I’ve been here for eight years, and we have been doing physicals much longer than I’ve been here, but it’s been [on] an odd schedule when people were at certain ages—it was every year and others every three years and then others on a two-year scale.”

Ventura allocated $150,000 to fund physicals last year, a 50 percent increase over the previous budget cycle, she said.

“It is at a cost, but it’s a needed cost,” Ellis said. “Having been a firefighter for more than 20 years myself, I know how hard this job is on the body. I came from another state as a firefighter, and I was shocked at the physicals process.”

Before moving to California, Ellis worked as a firefighter in Indiana, where firefighters have received annual exams for decades, she said. The Indianapolis Fire Department began its program in 1979 that provides physicals, access to a public health specialist, coordinated care services, and cancer prevention education, according to the Indianapolis Fire Department website.

“That was the norm, and that’s been the norm for me since the ’90s; it didn’t matter where I worked in Indiana. … The process here for physicals was somewhat foreign and unexpected,” Ellis said. “I am thrilled to be able to offer physicals on an annual basis and for them to be facilitated on duty. That is a huge benefit to our firefighters.” m

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

PREVENTATIVE CARE: The Santa Maria Fire Department is hoping to allocate $60,000 in its budget to continue annual physicals for firefighters that meet industry standards.

Futures in nature

Los

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

Nancy Stearns was a longtime volunteer with NatureTrack, a K-12 program that helps kids experience the outdoors through field trips and accessibility programming, NatureTrack Founder Sue Eisaguirre told the Sun

“She was a dedicated volunteer; she loved being out there with the kids and just getting them to use all of their senses. She would just see the kids light up as she let them explore the plants on the trail,” Eisaguirre said. “Nancy was amazing at getting them … to pique their curiosity.”

NatureTrack began serving Santa Barbara County schools in 2011 to connect kids to the outdoors through field trips that related to their curriculum at school. Volunteers like Stearns would lead student groups on the trails or at the beach, help them observe, and answer questions that came up during their exploration. In its first year, NatureTrack served around 600 students; now the nonprofit serves about 5,000 kids on an annual basis.

“It’s human nature to protect something you love, you enjoy, you understand. By connecting them with the natural world, and giving them an enjoyable experience, hopefully that leads them to protect the world they found interesting,” Eisaguirre said.

When Stearns passed away from cancer, her husband, Brett, created a $5,000 scholarship for North County high school seniors who want to attend a four-year college and study natural sciences, she said.

“[Brett] said Nancy would come home from working with students from Santa Maria or Lompoc and say how amazing these kids were; that’s what he saw and what he remembered, he wanted it to be for children who needed financial support,” Eisaguirre said. “Nancy worked herself through college—he remembers how hard she worked to support herself and put herself through school.”

The fourth annual NatureTrack scholarship is open for applicants until March 15. Students interested need to fill out an application that details their extracurricular activities, awards, and work experience; send their transcripts; and submit a 500-word essay that shares how this scholarship will “significantly impact” their journey and why it’s crucial to their college education, she said. Students need to have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher, and parents need to sign the application once it’s complete.

“I think $5,000 is substantial; I think it lessens the burden and allows them to choose that school that was out of reach. I think it could make a tremendous amount of difference,” Eisaguirre said. “It just gives them the selfconfidence as they head into their college journey. They get support from a group that recognizes their goals and what they want to do as well.”

Previous recipients have gone on to study botany in Utah, environmental engineering in Oregon, and environmental habitats in Australia, according to NatureTrack. Once accepted, the nonprofit will contribute $2,000 in the first year and then an additional $1,000 each year until the $5,000 is satisfied. NatureTrack will follow the student if they transfer to other schools, Eisaguirre added. Eventually, she said she’d like to see the scholarship offered to two students, but it will take another individual to underwrite the program.

“I hope we are encouraging for a high school student—now there’s means to go out in the natural world,” she said.

Highlights:

• Lompoc Parks and Recreation’s Spring Break Beach Bash Dance Camp is open for dancers 4 to 9 years old. This beach-themed camp will teach basic dance steps and technique, and camp will end with a performance for family and friends. It will run from April 1 to 3 from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Civic Auditorium , 217 S. L St. Registration costs $35 per child and can be completed in person at the Anderson Recreation Center, 125 W. Walnut Ave., by calling (805) 875-8100, or online at cityoflompoc.com/recreation.

• The Santa Maria Public Library, 421 South McClelland St., will offer one-on-one Tech Help sessions to help individuals with setting up new devices, installing apps, learning privacy best practices, and enjoying Library e-resources at home. The program does not include assistance with hardware repairs, virus removal, financial transactions, or applications that require users to input sensitive information. Sessions will be held on March 10 from 2 to 4 p.m., March 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 24 from 2 to 4 p.m., and March 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. Direct questions to (805) 925-0994, Ext. 8562. m

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

ATTENTION all former SMJUHSD

Special Education Students born 1997 and 1998!

All records for any Special Education student that was born within 1997-1998 and attended a Santa Maria Joint Union High School District school, your physical special education records are available for pick up at no charge from the District Office. All 1997 Records not picked up by June 1, 2023 and 1998 Records not picked up by June 1, 2024 will be destroyed. If you have any questions, or to arrange a pickup date/time, contact:

Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education

Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 2560 Skyway Dr., Santa Maria, CA 93455 805-922-4573 ext. 4311

ATENCION estudiantes anteriores de SMJUHSD nacidos en 1997 y 1998!

Todos los registros de cualquier estudiante de Educación Especial que haya nacido dentro de 1997 -1998 y asistió a una escuela del Distrito Escolar de las escuelas preparatorias de Santa Maria, sus registros físicos de educación especial están disponibles para recoger sin cargo en la Oficina del Distrito. Todos los registros del 1997 que no hayan sido recogidos para el 1 de junio de 2023 y registros del 1998 que no hayan sido recogidos para el 1 de junio de 2024 serán destruidos.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, o para programar una fecha/hora de recogida, comuníquense con:

Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. de Educacion Especial Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 2560 Skyway Dr., Santa Maria, CA 93455 805-922-4573 ext. 4311

The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Special Education Child Find

The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate high school age students suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes students that are highly mobile, migrant, experiencing homelessness, students that are wards of the state, and students attending private schools located within SMJUHSD boundaries.

If you suspect your child has a disability, contact the school special education department or district office Special Education Department. Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)

El Distrito Escolar de las Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria Educación Especial Búsqueda de Estudiantes

El Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria (SMJUHSD) busca identificar, localizar y evaluar a los estudiantes en edad de escuela preparatoria sospechosos de tener una discapacidad que puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades educativas sin costo alguno para las familias. Esto incluye a los estudiantes que son altamente móviles, migrantes, sin hogar, estudiantes que están bajo la tutela del estado, y los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas privadas ubicadas dentro los limites de SMJUHSD.

Si sospecha que su hijo tiene una discapacidad, comuníquese con el departamento de educación especial de la escuela u oficina de Educación Especial del distrito SMJUHSD.Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)

Class of 2025 applications are now available!

Do you have any weddings to go to this year?

71% I’m not invited to any, but I’ll be crashing a few for sure.

29% Only a few close friends and family members are getting married.

0% Yes—my fridge is already covered with invitations!

0% I’ll be attending a few and getting married myself!

A dam problem

Are the steelhead back in the Santa Ynez River yet?

BY RON FINK

N7 Votes

Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.

ormally the once proud and gracefully flowing Santa Ynez River is reduced to a dry sand bed with its banks occupied by numerous homeless camps, but occasionally during heavy rains it flows almost as it did when steelhead were abundant, long before Bradley Dam was built and Lake Cachuma was formed. For the last two years, following significant rain events, the river has once again been seeing a small creek-sized stream all year long.

Imagine living in Santa Barbara County in the 1800s. The Chumash who once called the entire coast of our county their home had been first colonized by the Spanish during the mission era and later placed on a small 30-plus-acre reservation by the U.S. government, which today is a vibrant and successful casino and hotel.

The Santa Barbara mission was the center of extensive grain fields and fruit orchards and the home range for great herds of livestock. By mid century, raising cattle was the most important local industry. After droughts in the 1860s, long before “global warming” was a thing, the cattle industry declined and several of the large ranches were subdivided and sold to eastern immigrants. This started a gradual transition from ranching to the more intensive farming of smaller acreages.

Soon the hard riding and dashing vaqueros were replaced by even harder working farmers who guided their horse-powered plows through the fields. Dry farming of wheat, barley, corn, hay, beans, peas, potatoes, garden vegetables, and fruit expanded rapidly. At the turn of the century, irrigation began to develop, first for growing sugar beets and alfalfa, then for vegetables and other crops.

Then, as now, Santa Barbara was the county seat, and in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the political leaders of Santa Barbara were faced with a problem that still exists today—how to get enough

water to allow the South Coast community to grow and prosper. Then it was for agriculture, today for industry and tourism.

In the early 1950s, the Cachuma Project was born as the South Coast water woes solution. It was created by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation using an earth-filled dam (aka Bradbury Dam) located 25 miles northwest of Santa Barbara in the Santa Ynez River drainage, which including its tributaries is about 900 square miles. Two other dams were previously located upstream and remain there today.

The Cachuma Project probably could not be built today since it destroyed thousands of acres of critical habitat, ruined a fishery, and obliterated thousands of years of Chumash culture.

Long-standing water rights rules normally preclude the transfer of water from one aquifer to another—yet as we know, these rules look good on paper, but in practice they are ignored, and water is transported thousands of miles all over the western United States.

Once the dam was complete, the gates were closed and the river dried up. Today it only flows from bank to bank in El Niño type storms. Floods, some very serious, still occurred in the Lompoc area because the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation had determined that the dam was not constructed “for flood control” but only to impound drinking water for the South Coast.

More than two decades ago, following a serious flood in the valley, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the dam, agreed to change its practices and manage the dam to preclude significant releases during storm events and raised the dam a few feet. The new practice allows for smaller releases prior to

significant rain events and the impoundment of a larger quantity of water during the storm. This new method has been tested during several storms, and it has proven to be a very good way to reduce the flooding threat in the lower valley.

And all those steelhead that once filled the river? Well, they are almost completely gone. A few remain in deep pools near the base of the dam in Hilton Creek, and all fishing in the river has been forbidden for several years by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because the fish may return someday.

But these fish aren’t in their natural habitat since they can’t migrate via the Santa Ynez River to the Pacific Ocean and return to birth newer generations of fish as nature intended. Today they migrate from fish farms via truck to stock Hilton Creek.

Isn’t it odd that the successors of those early Santa Barbara politicians who nearly eliminated the steelhead from the Santa Ynez River are now preaching to us that we must save the environment?

I am waiting for these same environmentalists to demand that Bradley Dam be removed, but that would never happen since their own personal lives would be impacted by its removal.

I guess the need to protect and conserve the environment only applies to someone else’s environment. Meanwhile, after decades of efforts to save the steelhead, they still aren’t in the lower reaches of the river and most likely never will be. m

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

Left turn signals are neither safe nor sane

About every four minutes of every day, at nearly all controlled traffic signals in Santa Maria, two and sometimes four vehicles traveling toward each other nervously swerve to avoid a collision. This game of automobile chicken plays out in all controlled traffic signal left turn lanes. This is neither safe nor sane. You and your family remain in danger because there is no identified right of way or path of travel, causing uncertainty, confusion, and distraction for even the most experienced driver.

The easy and low-cost solution to improve roadway safety and increase traffic flow across our city is to eliminate the controlled traffic signal left turn at nearly all roadway intersections in Santa Maria. Each time a controlled traffic signal allows for only the two opposing left turn lanes to move across the intersection, an extra cycle of time is added into the signal timing sequence. This reduces the number of vehicles that pass through the intersection and also requires more time. Eliminate the left-turn-only sequence to allow more vehicles to travel safely, sooner, and predictably across each intersection. The City Council should legislate safer roads and eliminate left turn signals.

Arecent Solvang Planning Commission meeting gave us proof that artificial intelligence will take over human jobs.

Instead of drawing names out of hat, the city relied on ChatGPT to tell it the commissioner who would remain on the dais to decide on whether to recommend rezoning city land for housing purposes. Three commissioners lived too close to the land in question, but the governing body needed at least three to vote.

So, the commission was in quite the conundrum!

Thanks to AI—the conundrum solution—the commission still didn’t manage to get the three votes it needed to make a recommendation to the City Council. Whew!

\ChatGPT pulled Williams back into the voting block, but commissioners voted 2-1 to recommend approving rezoning, thanks to Commissioner Kief Adler’s protest vote against the state requiring the city to meet housing needs.

“What really annoys the hell out of me … is the fact that the state is mandating this,” Adler said. “I feel like we are a rubber stamp for the Planning Department. … Whatever the three of us decide tonight is really meaningless.”

The 2-1 vote was truly meaningless, because it meant the commission couldn’t supply the needed votes to recommend a damn thing. City planners did recommend to rezone two parcels in the city to make way for denser development to comply with the state’s requirements, namely that the city make space for more lower income units—but the state didn’t mandate where that should happen.

That was the city’s choice.

Can AI live within 1,000 feet of city parcels and still vote? Would it be weird if ChatGPT weighed in?

You know what’s weird? The fact that Indiana fire departments have been conducting annual physicals for firefighters for decades to check for ailments and illnesses such as cancer, which are more prevalent in firefighters than the general population, and California fire departments haven’t.

While the Golden State does mandate municipalities to take care of health care expenses for firefighters with cancer, it doesn’t require those same government entities to provide preventative care that would catch cancer sooner.

Does that even make sense?

Santa Maria was finally able to implement an annual physicals program for firefighters with the help of post-pandemic federal dollars, but that money ran out. In order to keep things going, the Santa Maria Fire Department will be asking the city for $60,000 annually.

While the city may have the only fire department in Santa Barbara County that doesn’t have a secure program, it’s not the only one around that hasn’t provided the preventative care its employees need.

The Ventura City Fire Department just secured the funding it needs to have an annual physicals program last year.

“It is at a cost, but it’s a needed cost,” said Ventura EMS Administrator Heather Ellis, who was firefighter in Indiana before moving to California. She said annuals there were the norm and had been the norm for decades. “It didn’t matter where I worked in Indiana. … The process here was somewhat foreign and unexpected.” m

The Canary thinks California isn’t always progressive. Send hope to canary@

Janet Silveria President & CEO

What’s

Hot Stuff

ARTS

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE

CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. 805-928-7799.

Kleindancesarts.com. KleinDance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.

CASUAL CRAFTERNOON: POM POM

BUNNY WREATH Create an adorable and festive wreath. This workshop is free, and all materials will be provided. Registration is required, for patrons 18 and older. March 13 12-1:30 p.m. Free. 805-9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

A COMEDY OF TENORS A fast-paced, hilarious farce set in 1930s Paris. The play, written by Ken Ludwig, revolves around one hotel suite, four tenors, two wives, and three girlfriends, all set against the backdrop of an impending concert in a soccer stadium filled with eager fans. March 8-24 my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN

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

FLIRTY FICTION BOOK CLUB Flirty Fiction is a book club for readers of contemporary romance fiction. The group meets the second Tuesday of each month to discuss a new title. Diverse romance books of all types are welcome in this inclusive space.

March 12 , 5:15-6:15 p.m. Free. 805-9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/

departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

LEARN CALIFORNIA’S OFFICIAL DANCE: WEST COAST SWING Learn west coast swing in a casual, friendly environment, taught by Texas state swing champion, Gina Sigman. Free intro from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Beyond the Basics ($10) is 7 to 7:45 p.m. $10 entry includes social dance (7:45 to 8:15 p.m.). Tuesdays, 6:30-8:15 p.m. 832-884-8114. Cubanissimo Cuban Coffee House, 4869 S. Bradley Rd., #118, Orcutt.

MURDER MYSTERY AT THE LIBRARY

Come to the library for an afternoon of interactive intrigue. Question suspects and discover clues to see if you can solve the case. Registration is required, for patrons 18 and older. March 10 2-3 p.m. Free. 805925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

MURDER THEY READ: MYSTERY

BOOK CLUB Club selects a different cozy mystery author and explores their collection each month. The author for March is Dorothy St. James. You can choose any book in the series. For ages 18 and over. Registration is required. March 7 5-6 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SATURDAY CRAFTERNOON: JUNK

JOURNALING Learn how to repurpose everyday items and create unique personalized journals. This workshop is free, and all materials will be provided. Registration is required, for patrons 18 and older. March 9 2-3:30 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

VALLEY READS BOOK CLUB The Valley Reads is a monthly book club for adults featuring coffee, snacks, and lively

discussion. March 9 2 p.m. Free. 805925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

CALIFORNIA’S CHANGING LANDSCAPE:

THE WAY OF WATER Featuring more than 20 large-format documentary inkjet photographs of the Golden State, this timely exhibition showcases George Rose’s recent expansive documentation of California’s dramatic water story. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, calnatureartmuseum.org.

PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT VEGA VINEYARD AND FARM Spend the afternoon sipping delicious wine and capturing a beautiful landscape on canvas. March 17 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $89. 805-3258092. artspotonwheels.com. Vega Vineyard and Farm, 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton.

SPRING INTO 2024 Gallery Los Olivos presents three distinct artistic voices: Ginny Speirs, Patricia Watkins, Felice Willat. An award-winning photographer, oil painter, and jewelry artist share the spotlight at the venue. Mondays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through March 31 805-6887517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

TODDLER TIME ART PLAY GROUP This is a class for parents and kids to have fun together while meeting new friends and enjoying the art studio in a designated time and structure. Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. through March 26 $35. 805-325-8092. artspotonwheels.com/events/toddlertime-art-play-group/. Art Spot on Wheels, 320 Alisal Road, unit 306B, Solvang.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BIG GROVER BEACH LIBRARY BOOK

SALE The sale offers a wide selection of

current fiction, non-fiction, research, and coffee table books. Rain cancels. Cash only. March 9 9-3 a.m. Free to attend. 805-481-4131. GroverBeachLibrary.org. Grover Beach Community Library, 240 N 9th St., Grover Beach.

GRAVE MISTAKES Book editor Ray’s chances of courting writer and housemate Molly get pushed to the backburner when the duo’s landlord teams up with a ghost hunter and plots to kick his two tenants out in order to transform their home into a horror-themed tourist destination. Through March 16 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE A dazzling theatrical experience that captivates audiences with its wit, charm, and impeccable performances. March 8 7:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande, 805-489-9444.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY

JACKSON MUSICAL “The gods are real. Like, the Greek gods.” Based on the bestselling book series by Rick Riordan. This musical is a pop rock-fueled adventure brought to life through song, dance, shadow play, and all kinds of theater magic. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8-10 p.m. through March 9 $25 general admission. 805-756-4849. theatredance.calpoly.edu/ lightning-thief-percy-jackson-musical. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

UBU’S OTHER SHOE STAGED READING:

CONSTELLATIONS This spellbinding, romantic journey begins with a simple encounter between a man and a woman. What happens next defies the boundaries of the world we think we know—delving into the infinite possibilities of their relationship and raising questions about

RODEO POSTPONED

The Hancock Boosters’ inaugural Spring Roundup Intercollegiate Rodeo has been postponed to Oct. 5 and 6 due to rainy weather. For event updates and more information, visit ahcbulldogboosters.com or follow at facebook.com/ahcrodeoteam or Instagram @ahcrodeoteam. Those who’ve purchased tickets for the March dates may roll them to the October dates or request a refund. Email ahcrodeo@gmail. com or call (805) 503-9935 with any questions.

—Caleb Wiseblood

the difference between choice and destiny. March 15 -16, 7-8:30 p.m. and March 16 2-3:30 p.m. $15-$25. 805-7862440. slorep.org/shows/constellations/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

ADAM PARKER SMITH This exhibition will feature several works made throughout the artist’s career as sort of a mid-career retrospective. Adam Parker Smith has a unique ability to address complex themes in a whimsical, light-hearted way that makes his work incredibly accessible. March 16 -July 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/adamparker-smith/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

ALL AGES SCULPTING WITH JOHN ROULLARD John a retired school teacher who patiently guides potters of all ages to sculpt and work on details and design. Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

ART OF LIZ MARUSKA: AWAKEN TO BEAUTY Immerse yourself in a place held together by breathtaking sunlight and sparkling water. Discover a stunning painting and awaken to the wonder of art. Connect with beauty through Liz Maruska’s exhibition at SLO Provisions’ Art After Dark reception held Friday, March 1. Through March 31, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Free. 805-4394298. SLOProvisions.com. SLO Provisions, 1255 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

BARRY GOYETTE: MULBERRY For his exhibition at SLOMA, San Luis Obispobased artist Barry Goyette shows a series of portraits taken by a very specific mulberry tree as a site for portrait photography guided by the models, of varying stages of life. Through June 3, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/ exhibition/barry-goyette-mulberry/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

BEACON ART SHOW 2024 A nearly monthlong exhibition. Fridays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through March 24 Free. SLO United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks St., San Luis Obispo, 805-543-7580.

BEEHIVE: THE ‘60S MUSICAL Take a trip down memory lane with this musical celebration featuring iconic female voices

of the 1960s. Told from the perspective of six young women who came of age in this enigmatic decade and unforgettable time, this new show will have you “dancing in the aisles.” Wednesdays-Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through March 10 $40-$60. 805-786-2440. slorep.org/shows/beehive-the-60smusical/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

COBI MOULES: SHOWERING OF SPARKLY BITS Cobi Moules’ paintings feature queer bodies at play, exuding agency and abandon. Symbolizing queer joy, they transcend boundaries, obscuring the landscape as a backdrop to their pleasures. Moules reimagines 19th century Hudson River School landscape painting as queer spaces of desire and belonging. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through March 15 Free. 805-5463202. cuesta.edu/student/campuslife/ artgallery/index.html. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

FLOWER POWER: INTRO TO INK AND INKTENSE WITH LINDA CUNNINGHAM

Receive step by step instruction for creating beautiful floral greeting cards using Strathmore mixed media cards, black ink, and vivid colored Inktense pencils. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary. March 17 12:30-3:30 p.m. $40 per person. 805-4782158. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

HALF-DAY WRITING WORKSHOP

SLO NightWriters presents a halfday workshop for writers of fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir and poetry. Presentations include “Words and Music: Using Poetry and Music in Fiction,” “Writing Memoir,” “Building an Author Platform: Your Brand, Your Website, and Social Media.” Join in person or on Zoom. March 16, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $25 (members); $50 (non-members). SLONightWriters.org. Chandler Hall, UCC San Luis Obispo, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo, 805-544-1373.

THE MONDAY CLUB’S 63RD ANNUAL

FINE ARTS AWARDS COMPETITION For those who enjoy live jazz and classical

FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF PALOMA ALVARADO

music as well as art exhibits. Talented SLO County high school finalists compete for cash awards. Free and open to the public, with refreshments and free parking.

March 10 1-4 p.m. TheMondayClubSLO.

org. The Monday Club, 1815 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-541-0594.

PAINTING BISHOP PEAK WITH DREW

DAVIS Visit site for tickets and more info on the workshop. March 10 my805tix.com.

Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.

PAINTING THE COASTAL LIGHT WITH PASTELS WITH JIM TYLER In this twoday workshop, attendees will complete a larger, more complex painting; start with a wet underpainting technique to provide a rich glow. This is an instructor-led class with iterative demonstrations each step of the way. All experience levels are welcome.

March 15, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and March

16 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. $170. 805-7482220. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SLO NIGHTWRITERS: A COMMUNITY

OF WRITERS SLO NightWriters supports local writers with monthly presentations, critique groups, contests, and other events. Second Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. 805-703-3132. slonightwriters.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TEEBEEDEE: SHORTFORM IMPROV

AND JAM A shortform show with scenespirations coming directly from your audience suggestions. March 7 6-8 p.m. my805tix.com. Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane, suite 130, San Luis Obispo, 805 242-8372.

WALT WHITMAN GAY MEN’S BOOK CLUB

This club reads, studies and discusses books chosen by the group which relate to their lives as gay men. All are welcome.

Second Monday of every month, 7-9:30 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

AQUARIUS 2024 Central Coast Watercolor Society’s annual juried exhibit features a wide array of watermedia art from experimental to traditional. Meet the artists at the opening reception on Feb. 25, 2 to 4 p.m. when awards will be presented. Through April 1 Free. ccwsart.com/ aquarius-2024-show. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-772-2504.

ARTISTS ATRIUM RECEPTION FOR

SANDRA SANDERS, GRANT KREINBERG, AND JARI DE HAM Meet the gallery’s talented featured artists in person and get inspired by their incredible artworks. Support local artists by buying local art. March 9, 3-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW: THE ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE CENTRAL COAST

Cambria Center for the Arts is proud to present Bird’s Eye View: The Architectural Landscapes of the Central Coast. The featured artist is local resident Tigg Morales. Artist’s reception on March 2, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. through April 28 Free. 805-927-8190. cambriaarts.org. Cambria Center for the Arts, 1350 Main St., Cambria.

BOOK SIGNING WITH NICK OLIVERI

With the writer of The Last Conjurer. About the book: in today’s society, people scroll through a digital world that alienates them. As dangerous as it is compelling, this genre-defying journey crowns the critically acclaimed trilogy from novelist Nick Oliveri. March 9 1-3 p.m. 805-7722880. coalescebookstore.com. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay.

CRAFT ARTIST JARI DE HAM Jari de Ham began Chinese brush painting in 2002. This artist enjoys capturing the Central Coast’s cypress trees with their irregular balance, foggy atmosphere, fish, birds, and many other subjects. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

IT’S CHILI OUTSIDE

The 2024 Buellton Wine and Chili Festival takes place on Sunday, March 17, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., at Flying Flags RV Resort. Attendees can expect a diverse lineup of food, wines, craft beers, spirits, and more. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the fest will include a live Irish dance performance. Visit buelltonwineandchilifestival. com for more info. Flying Flags RV Resort is located at 180 Avenue of Flags, Buellton. —C.W.

through March 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FREE PHOTOGRAPHY DEMONSTRATION

PRESENTED BY CHUCK JENNINGS The Art Center Morro Bay is proud to present Chuck Jennings, M.A., M.F.A. Jennings is the sole proprietor of Giclée Print and will be showing his wide-ranging photos, explaining his technique, and discussing his journey to professional artist. March 11 , 3-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-2504. artcentermorrobay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

MACRAMÉ DRIFTWOOD PLANT HANGER

WORKSHOP Enjoy a macramé plant hanger workshop. Includes all materials, wine, and a plant. Make driftwood wall plant hangers with locally collected driftwood and natural cotton cord. Taught by Lindsey of Tied + True Goods. March 16, 4-6 p.m. $55. tiedandtruegoods.com.

Rising Tides Morro Bay, 560 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay, 805-712-9139.

MINDFUL MARKS: AN INTRODUCTION TO OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING FOR ALL WITH LYNDA MONICK-ISENBERG

Participants in this four-week course will be guided through traditional and nontraditional drawing exercises to develop personal drawing skills, techniques, and strategies in support of their own creative practice. March 13 10 a.m.-noon $145. 805-927-8190. cambriaarts.org. Cambria Center for the Arts, 1350 Main St., Cambria.

PAINT YOUR PET Enjoy a fun and creative afternoon of painting your pet. With the uploaded photo of your furry friend, the host will provide a sketched canvas and all the painting supplies you need to create a beautiful portrait that you can take home and cherish. March 9 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $60. 805-394-5560. coastalwineandpaint.com. Harmony

Cafe at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St., Cambria.

PHOTOGRAPHER GRANT KREINBERG

Kreinberg: “I favor nature and the outdoors of Northern California. I live in Northern California, and I’m always looking for a new road or a new area to explore.” Gallery is open daily. Mondays, WednesdaysSundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through March. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

SANDRA SANDERS: ACRYLIC PAINTINGS

In Sanders’ words: “The stress of life just seems to go away while I’m painting a beautiful seascape or a snowy mountain scene. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed painting them.” Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through March 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

SIX-WEEK SKETCHBOOK WORKSHOP WITH ARTIST SARAH A. PLETTS Students will learn the art of filling a large sketchbook with images and writing. Dreams, photographs, ideas, and more will be part of the creative process. Work from prompts (optional) sent out beforehand. Mondays, 12:30-2:30 p.m. through April 8 $120. 805-772-2504. artcentermorrobay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

ANDROID PHONE CLASS First Thursday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, 805-937-9750.

ANNUAL KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ST. PATRICKS DAY CAR SHOW This is the event’s 11th annual fundraising show of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. Also features local food trucks, live music with Unfinished Business, and a vendor faire with local crafters, artisans, and businesses. Proceeds benefit scholarship and youth programs. Exhibitors, vendors, and sponsors wanted. March 9 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission to the public. 805-878-1739. kofccarshow.com. St. Louis de Montfort Church, 1190 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.

BOUNCING BABY STORY TIME Explore pre-literacy skills through music, movement, and visual stimulation, and promote a healthy bond between baby and caregiver. Learn, connect, and grow with other babies and caregivers. For ages

Thank

You to The Caregivers of the Central Coast

DudleyHoffmanmortuary.com

1+805 922-8463

Santa Maria

License no. FD56

0-12 months. This program runs approximately 30 min. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. through April 10 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

CENTRAL COAST CORVETTE CLUB Open to Corvette owners and enthusiasts. First Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. Free. 805-934-3948. Home Motors, 1313 E. Main St., Santa Maria.

COMMUNITY HELPER STORY TIME:

UTILITIES A story time with a member of the Utilities Department. See a trash truck up close. Bring your questions and stay for the activities. In partnership with the City of Santa Maria Utilities Department. March 7 11 a.m. 805-9250994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:309:30 a.m. 805-937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.

GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing 805-3432455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.

LET’S BLOW OFF SOME STEAM Come to a special story time that encourages curiosity and exploration. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math themes will be explored through stories and discovered through hands-on activities. Come dressed for mess. Ideal for younger children, but all ages welcome. March 14, 4 p.m. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

ORCUTT MINERAL SOCIETY Second Tuesday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, 805-937-9750.

PRESCHOOL PLAY TIME Preschoolers and their caregivers are welcome to play and socialize with kids similar in age. Children will have the opportunity to engage in imaginative play, sharing, and making friends. For ages 3-5. March 11, 11 a.m. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org.

Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SECOND ANNUAL FUN IN THE SUN WALK

STRANGER THAN FICTION

The Grover Beach Community Library hosts its first giant book sale of 2024 on Saturday, March 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sale will include both hardback and paperback copies of fiction and nonfiction books of various kinds. Call (805) 481-4131 or visit groverbeachlibrary.com for more details. The Grover Beach Community Library is located at 240 N. 9th St., Grover Beach.

—C.W.

perspective on life. March 14 4-10 p.m. and March 17 8 a.m.-1 p.m. $320. 805-736-6528. sunburst.org/silence/. Sunburst Retreat Center, 7200 CA-1, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BELLY DANCING BASICS Delve into fundamental techniques, including isolations, shimmies, and undulations, while emphasizing proper posture and body awareness. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, an experienced instructor will guide you through each step. Come once or every week. Mondays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. through March 25 $22 drop in; or $120 for all six weeks. 805-619-0989. empoweryoga805.com/ events. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

history. March 10, 7-9 p.m. $0-$25. 805-7564849. pacslo.org. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. 559-905-9274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

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

30 Free. 805-528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo. LEARN TO SOLDER WORKSHOP Learn how to use a soldering iron and the materials used in soldering, including types of solder, flux, and soldering iron tips. You will put together and take home two small refrigerator magnet kits with LEDs that blink. Adults only. March 7 5:30-7:30 p.m. $5-$20. alpenglowindustries. com/pages/workshops. Alpenglow Industries, 3485 Sacramento Drive, Ste. F, San Luis Obispo, 805-242-8158.

MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-270-3346.

MISSION PLAZA MARKET At the Mission Plaza Market, you’ll have the chance to explore a wide variety of stalls offering unique products. Discover hidden gems and support local businesses while enjoying the company of fellow enthusiasts. The market will also feature live music. March 16, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. No entry fee. 805-540-1768. eventbrite.com. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.

TECH BREW MEETUP Tech Brew is a free networking event where people interested in technology can hang out in an informal environment with a small TEDtalk-like presentation from an interesting speaker. Info. online. Second Monday of every month, 5-7 p.m. 805-323-6706. meetup.com/softec/. StoryLabs, 102 Cross St, Suite 220, San Luis Obispo.

TEDX SAN LUIS OBISPO: DETERMINATION

Unlock your boundless potential. Embrace the power of determination and learn life-changing strategies for success. Determination means never giving up and always trying your best no matter how hard something is. March 14 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $34-$117. 805-756-4849. pacslo.org/ events/detail/tedxslo24. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

Entertainment Menu

March 8th - March 16th

Appetizer

Friday, March 8th

Banda la Imponente; Los de la Empresa & Latin Karaoke - 8pm

Second Course

Saturday, March 9th

Zep Heads & One Foot in the Grave - 8pm

Main Course

Friday, March 15th

Los de la Tuba Chicoteada & Grupo Echo - 8pm

Dessert

Saturday, March 16th

Hunks

Girls Night Out - 8pm

Entertainment so good you’ll say “more please”

110 W Ocean Ave, Lompoc (805) 819-0174

& ROLL A 1.5 mile loop to benefit Momentum WORK Inc.’s inclusive workforce programs. Note: this event takes place in the city of Santa Barbara. The loop starts at Chase Palm Park. Visit website for more details. March 16 9:30 a.m. 805-566-9000. momentum4work.org. Momentum WORK, Inc., 3070 Skyway Drive, s uite 104, Santa Maria.

TECH MADE EASY: ANDROID DEVICES This workshop is for anyone wanting to learn more about their Android-operated mobile device. Covers phone basics, apps, and simple troubleshooting. Please bring your cell phone to this free class and make sure you know your password. March 9 10:30 a.m.-noon Free. 805-925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

WILD NEW WORLD: ANIMALS AND PEOPLE

IN NORTH AMERICA The Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society hosts a free Zoom presentation by acclaimed historian Dr. Dan Flores, who will speak about his book, Wild New World: The Epic Story of Animals & People in North America March 13 , 7-8:30 p.m. Free. 805693-5683. syvnature.org. Online (Santa Barbara County), Visit website, Countywide.

WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE: MISSING PIECES

Find out what is being done to fill in the gaps in women’s healthcare in Santa Maria Valley. Join guest speakers in Shepard Hall to discuss human trafficking, hospital programs, local women’s health disparities, and learn about local services for women’s healthcare. March 9, 2-4 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. YOGA STORY TIME Children and caregivers will be introduced to mindfulness and learn exercises to help regulate emotions. Space and supplies are limited. Borrow a yoga mat or bring one from home. This program runs approximately 30 min. March 10 2 p.m. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

DIVE INTO SILENCE: SPRING RETREAT Usher in spring with awe-inspiring views and the opportunity to make big changes in your

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE Dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for the whole family. March 7, 6:30 p.m. my805tix.com/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande, 805-489-9444.

DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@gmail for details and reservations. ongoing 805-619-0989. empoweryoga805.com. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

EMBROIDERER’S GUILD OF AMERICA The Bishop’s Peak Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America invites you to attend its meeting on the third Saturday of each month. For more information, follow on Facebook at Bishop’s Peak EGA or visit the EGA website. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 16 Free. egausa.com. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach, 805-773-4832.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WATCH AND CLOCK COLLECTORS, CHPT. 52 Come join a friendly meeting of watch and clock collectors. Members bring watches and clocks to show, plus there are discussions of all things horological. Second Sunday of every month, 1:30-3 p.m. 805-547-1715. new. nawcc.org/index.php/chapter-52-los-padres. Central Coast Senior Center, 1580 Railroad St., Oceano.

SOCIAL GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS Call for more details. Second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. 805-904-6615. Oak Park Christian Church, 386 N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

”WHAT HOLOCAUST?” WITH GOLDIE JACOBY Behind every Holocaust survivor is an incredible story of determination, struggle, and loss, and a journey of the triumph of survival. Hear Goldie Jacoby’s moving story and experiences during one of the darkest times in

CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH WITH A LIVING HISTORY TOUR When you enter the iconic doors of the Julia Morgandesigned Monday Club, docents will take you back to the 1920s and ‘30s. You’ll learn about the intersecting lives of early pioneer club members and their connection with Julia Morgan. March 11, 1-4 p.m. TheMondayClubSLO.org.

The Monday Club, 1815 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-541-0594.

DOCENT TRAINING FOR OLD MISSION SAN

LUIS OBISPO Dan Krieger will present the origins and special history of Mission San Luis Obispo in the morning. Docents will conduct demonstration visitor tours of the church and grounds. Lunch provided. To register, contact Mission San Luis Obispo Docents. March 16 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 805-550-7713. Parish Hall (Mission San Luis Obispo), 751 Palm St., San Luis Obispo.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO ROUNDTABLE (FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS) In this roundtable, gather with Executive Directors and CEOs to share challenges, brainstorm solutions, gain facilitation skills, and build connection with each other. This roundtable will give you added support in your leadership role. March 7 12-1 p.m. $10; Free for Spokes members. spokesfornonprofits. org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

FREE PUBLIC TALK: FINDING WHERE GOD IS SEEN AND FELT? WHAT’S CHURCH GOT TO DO WITH IT? A new kind of thinking reveals God’s goodness for yourself and those around you. Hear Christian Science practitioner and teacher Emra Farkas discuss these ideas and healings she has experienced. In-person and livestreamed. March 10, 1-2 p.m. Free. 805543-5853. ChristianScienceSLO.org. First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1326 Garden St., San Luis Obispo.

HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP

A safe place to share life experiences with those who have depression or have had and recovered from the devastating effects of depression. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. through Dec.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY BRAIN EDUCATION SERIES FOR ADULTS: UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. You’ll learn the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, disease stages, risk factors, current research, and treatments available. March 12 , 5:30-7 p.m. 805-528-1862. Los Osos Library, 2075 Palisades Ave., Los Osos.

SEED STARTING AND SEED COLLECTING EVENT AT LOS OSOS LIBRARY Hope Merkle from Los Osos Valley Nursery will show how to do some simple seed starting and collecting, and teach everyone how to make seed bombs. March 9 10-11 a.m. 805-528-1862. Los Osos Library, 2075 Palisades Ave., Los Osos. S.O.S. (SAVE OUR SEAS) This is a benefit to raise funds and awareness to fight the federal and state agency permits for ocean surveys and near-shore dredging. March 9 12-5 p.m. my805tix.com. Morro Bay Veterans Memorial Building, 209 Surf St., Morro Bay.

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER St. Patrick’s Day Fundraiser by Kiwanis of Santa Maria Valley. With corned beef and cabbage, with potatoes, carrots, roll, and horseradish. Live music by Riptide Big Band, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. March 17 $20. 805-720-6711. my805tix. com. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE ORO

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

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE INN

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

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

FOOD & DRINK continued page 16

FRI-SUN, MARCH

THURSDAY,

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

Dallidet Adobe & Gardens, SLO

THURSDAY,

SATURDAY, MARCH

SUNDAY,

SUNDAY,

FRIDAY,

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

SUNDAY,

FRIDAY, MARCH

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Live

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

The Bunker SLO

SUNDAY,

SATURDAY,

FRIDAY, MARCH

SATURDAY,

SUNDAY, MARCH

SATURDAY,

Drum Brewery, SLO

A Comedy of Tenors, written by Ken Ludwig

8-24

Santa Maria Civic Theatre

The Weeds and Stuart Mason

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cambria

The Pirates of Penzance: New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players

Clark Center, Arroyo Grande

Music featuring Hoses

Weaving Women’s Voices Presented by Canzona Women’s Ensemble

MARCH 10 United Methodist Church, SLO

I Only Have PIES For You...

MARCH 14 Bramble Pie Company, Atascadero

Symphony of The Vines: Horn Hijinks

MARCH 10 Adelaida Vineyards, Paso Robles

Josh Heimendinger: JTS Brown Improv Workshop

MARCH 16 Central Coast Comedy Theater, SLO

Karaoke Y Banda with DJ Jow, La Banda Imponente, & more!

8 Flower City Ballroom, Lompoc

Zepp Heads: Led Zeppelin Tribute Band

MARCH 9 Flower City Ballroom, Lompoc

Live Music with Bob and Wendy with Special Guest Paul Griffith

MARCH 10 The Bunker SLO

Improv Comedy Show with Special Guest Josh Heimendinger

MARCH 15 The Hub, SLO

Clark Center & Martin Media Present: José Feliciano

10 Clark Center, Arroyo Grande

Coastal Wine & Paint Party

MARCH 16 Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, Cambria

Line Dancing Night: Beginner and Intermediate Lessons

MARCH 10 Templeton Mercantile

Los De La Tuba Chicoteada & Groupo Eco de Santa Barbara

15 Flower City Ballroom, Lompoc

Paint Your Pet: Includes wine, materials, & more!

9 824 Main St, Cambria

46 West Wine: Safari Weekend

SAT & SUN, MARCH 9-10 Wineries of Paso Robles, HW46 West

Dinosaur World Live: An Interactive Show

MARCH 7 Clark Center, Arroyo Grande

Family Day at the Dallidet

Hot Stuff

FOOD

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

SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. 805-937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria. TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805-332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.

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

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

BUELLTON’S WINE AND CHILI FESTIVAL Attendees are encouraged to bring their best green attire to celebrate this year’s festival taking place on St. Patrick’s Day. As part of the live entertainment, the Firedance Irish Dancers will be performing. March 17 Flying Flags RV Resort, 180 Ave. Of The Flags, Buellton, 805-688-3716.

SECOND SATURDAY OPEN AIR MARKET: LOS ALAMOS A carefully curated open air artisan and farm market. Features great vintage finds, handwoven and hand dyed textiles, hand-spun yarn, organic body care products, and locally grown organic eats. Second Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 805-7224338. Sisters Gifts and Home, 349 Bell Street, Los Alamos.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. 805-819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE 50TH ANNIVERSARY A family-friendly celebration of the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie with a special dinner and presentation by Wendy Lou Lee (who played the role of Baby Grace). Dinner will be served. Tickets required. Ages under 13 get in for free. March 16, 5:30-8 p.m. $25. 805-489-1259. saintjohnsag.com/dinner/. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 959 Valley Rd., Arroyo Grande.

MONTHLY FERMENTATION CLASSES New topics each month with a thorough demo and explanation of the process that creates non-alcoholic, probiotic, and nutrient-dense fermentations. Leave the class confident and prepared with recipes to make your own at home. Limited seating; reserve spot prior to class by phone/email. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30. 805-801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/ classes/. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach.

TRIVIA NIGHT Join BrainStew Trivia for a hilariously witty evening of trivia in Pismo. Teams of 1 to 4 people. Prizes awarded to the first and second place teams. Kitchen is open until 7:30 p.m. for brain fuel. Beer, cider, wine, and non-alcoholic options available. First Thursday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. Free to play. 805-295-6171. kulturhausbrewing.com. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

AT HER TABLE At Her Table’s mission is to bring awareness, support, and the spirit of celebration to women-owned and coowned businesses in the food, beverage, and lodging industry on the Central Coast. Visit site for more info on this year’s lineup of events. Through March 10 athertable.com/. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.

SCIENCE ON TAP Join the Estuary Program and SLO Beaver Brigade for a night of science talks all about beavers, watershed health, floodplains, and more. March 12 6-7:30 p.m. Free. eventbrite.com. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo, 805-439-2529.

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805623-8866.

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

MUSIC continued page 17

RUSS DOUGLAS LIVE Enjoy live music from Russ Douglas. Visit site or call for more details. March 8 , 6-9 p.m. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DANCE PARTY AND KIWANIS

FUNDRAISER Includes live music from the Riptide Big Band and accompanying vocalists. Purchase tickets from My 805 Tix. Dance funded by the Community Foundation of SLO County. March 17 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. $20 per meal; family pack for $75. 805-720-6711. RiptideBB.com. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

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

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

KARAOKE Y BANDA A night of Latin karaoke with KJ Yow and dance music by DJ Kazanova followed by live Banda and Grupo music. March 8 8 p.m. my805tix.com. FCB, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, 805-810-0714.

LOS DE LA TUBA CHICOTEADA With Grupo Eco Se Santa Barbara. Enjoy live Latin music. For ages 18 and over. March 15 8 p.m. $25. my805tix.com. FCB, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, 805-810-0714.

ZEPP HEADS LIVE A Led Zeppelin tribute. March 9 7 p.m. my805tix.com. FCB, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, 805-810-0714.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

JOSE FELICIANO LIVE Synonymous with an international presence that has influenced popular music for two generations. March 10 7 p.m. my805tix.com. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande, 805-489-9444.

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

SAN LUIS OBISPO

BOB AND WENDY WITH PAUL GRIFFITH Bob and Wendy, with Paul Griffith, return to The Bunker for a Sunday afternoon concert in the gallery. March 10 3-5 p.m. $15. 805-235-5456. thebunkerslo.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY SYMPHONY WINTER CONCERT: STUDENT

SOLOIST SHOWCASE The symphony will showcase the talents of four student soloists and a composer, winners of the Cal Poly Symphony’s Solo Competition. In addition, the symphony will perform four movements from Sergei Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” March 9 7:30 p.m. $15 and $20 general; $10 students. 805-756-4849. calpoly.edu. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

CANZONA PRESENTS: WEAVING WOMEN’S VOICES Join us for Canzona’s spring concert, Weaving Women’s Voices, which is a celebration of music composed (or arranged) exclusively by women. The concert promises an extraordinary musical journey spanning centuries and cultures and showcases a diverse repertoire. March 10 3-5 p.m. $10-$35. 805-242-6065. canzonawomen.org. San Luis Obispo United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks Street, San Luis Obispo.

CUESTA JAZZ FESTIVAL WITH DAVE TULL Don’t miss the chance to see Dave Tull perform with the Cuesta Jazz Ensemble and a specially formed rhythm section to showcase his fun music. March 9 8 p.m. $10-$15. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

JOHN SALMON AND JANET JOICHI PIANO RECITAL: BACH, BRUBECK, AND BEYOND John Salmon, a music professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Cal Poly Music Department faculty member Janet Joichi will give a free piano recital featuring piano duet versions of works by J.S. Bach and Dave Brubeck, plus some of Salmon’s compositions March 7, 11:10 a.m.-noon Free. 805-756-2406. music.calpoly.edu/ calendar/. Cal Poly Davidson Music Center, Room 218, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

LIVE MUSIC AT KROBAR Enjoy live music at Krobar, which showcases local, talented artists of all music genres. Kick-off your weekend right, grab your favorite seasonal craft cocktail, and vibe to the sounds of the night. Follow on Instagram to find out who is playing. Every other Friday, 6-9 p.m. and Every other Saturday, 6-9 p.m. through March 30 Free entry. 833-5762271. krobardistillery.com/events. Krobar Craft Distillery, 1701 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

LIVE MUSIC FROM GUITAR WIZ BILLY FOPPIANO AND MAD DOG Join “Guitar Wiz” Billy Foppiano and his trusty side kick Mad Dog for a mix of blues, R&B, and more. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 805-544-2100.

ARTS BRIEFS

Vega Vineyard and Farm hosts Painting in the Vineyard workshop

Art Spot on Wheels is holding its next Painting in the Vineyard event at Vega Vineyard and Farm in Buellton on Sunday, March 17, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Attendees of the workshop will spend the afternoon painting a landscape on canvas while enjoying some wine.

Admission to the event is $89. Vega Vineyard and Farm is located at 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton. Visit artspotonwheels.com for more details.

Art Spot on Wheels is locally known for hosting pop-up art events at various venues throughout the Central Coast as well as at its home studio in Solvang. One of the company’s latest offerings is its weekly art group for toddlers and their parents, held every Tuesday of March from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Art Spot on Wheels studio, 320 Alisal Road, suite 306 B, Solvang.

Los Alamos Theatre Group presents Cottonwood

The Depot Mall and Bar in Los Alamos will host the Los Alamos Theatre Group’s upcoming production, Cottonwood, an original play about small-town life. Performances of the show start March 15 and run through April 7. Admission is $20. Cottonwood follows the lives of multiple residents of a quaint town that’s been eyed by a real estate firm for gentrification. The show marks the return of the Los Alamos Theatre Group after a five-year hiatus.

In press materials, the play is described as suitable for all ages but recommended for “open-minded adults with a sense of humor who will recognize themselves and their philosophies in one or more of the characters.”

For more info on the Los Alamos Theatre Group or tickets to Cottonwood visit latgstore.square.site. The group is made up of volunteer actors, music composers, and technicians, and proceeds of the show are donated to local nonprofit organizations.

Community Clayworks artists create bowls for second annual SYV Empty Bowls

Artisans in a local collective created and donated the unique bowls featured in the second annual Santa Ynez Valley Empty Bowls fundraiser, scheduled to take place March 9 at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang on Saturday, with seating times at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Community Clayworks, an art studio based in Buellton, provided the event’s handcrafted bowls, which attendees get to take home to keep. Call (805) 688-4637 for more info on the annual dinner fundraiser. Proceeds support Bethania Lutheran Church’s weekly food distribution program. m

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

THE

Metamorphosis

Former Wildling Museum enters new era as the California Nature Art Museum

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

The word “wildling” can apply to a variety of wild plants or undomesticated animals. But its use in pop culture is often streamlined, as it almost always refers to a fictional clan created by George R.R. Martin.

“Over the years, we’ve had a lot of fans of Game of Thrones come in—‘Is this the Game of Thrones museum?’” local museum director Stacey OtteDemangate said, recalling some confused visitors of the venue formerly known as the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang.

“We’re like, ‘No, we’re not, but we’re really cool,’” Otte-Demangate said with a laugh.

Game of Thrones enthusiasts weren’t the only ones occasionally bewildered by the Wildling Museum’s title though, Otte-Demangate said while discussing the venue’s recent revamp and rebranding to the California Art Nature Museum (Cal-NAM). The venue was officially renamed in January.

“We needed a name that was more understandable by the general public,” said OtteDemangate, whose role as the museum’s executive director wasn’t changed by the transition. “It needed

to be a name that no one had a question about what they were going to experience here.”

Rachel Metz took on the role of assistant director at Cal-NAM one month before the museum’s renaming but was already familiar with the former Wildling Museum’s programming.

“When I started on here and knew that we were making this change, I really liked that it would become more intuitive. I think there’s a lot of value in just right away saying who you are and what you do,” Metz said. “People can feel like you’re accessible and feel like they know what they’re walking into.”

Don’t fear the reboot

Call (805) 686-1082 or visit calnatureartmuseum.org for more info on the California Nature Art Museum (Cal-NAM), located at 1511 Mission Drive, unit B, Solvang.

created specifically for the exhibit. Minnesotabased artist Susan McDonnell painted a handful of compositions for the show, including one that highlights a lesser known but vital pollinator in various ecosystems.

“I suggested a bat, because one of the things I wanted to make clear in the show was that it’s not just about honeybees,” said Otte-Demangate, who was thrilled that McDonnell chose a pallid bat as one of her subjects.

Other pieces in the show include uniquely augmented honeycomb artworks by Ava Roth, monarch butterfly photographs by Elizabeth Weber, and floral paintings by Cynthia James.

A Santa Barbara local, James is a self-described lifelong plant person, “from the time I was a child and built fantasy safari camps in our garden.” She read Brenda Starr comics, specifically a storyline where the fictional reporter was “in search of the black orchid in order to heal her fiancée Basil St. John’s blindness,” James told the Sun James became passionate about painting pollinators shortly after seeing an interview with Elliot Page about the actor’s work on the documentary Vanishing of the Bees

Many of James’ works portray “flowers and bees in a struggle to survive,” the artist explained.

Some of James’ pieces in the Cal-NAM exhibit, for example, are illustrations of subtly mutated plants with slightly menacing features, in reference to the harming effects of pesticides and GMOs, and bees “often fighting to survive or searching for a limited supply of pollen.” m

Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood’s favorite Starr is Ringo. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

“The overall mission is really just the same,” Otte-Demangate said, referring to the venue’s aim to reflect the need for conservation of wilderness and open spaces through art, one of the museum’s goals while it was known as the Wildling and today as Cal-NAM.

MUSIC

FLAVOR/EATS

On March 2, Cal-NAM premiered its latest group exhibition themed around an environmental cause. The Birds and the Bees and More: Pollinators, a showcase of various media from multiple artists, will remain on display through Sept. 2 in the museum’s first-floor gallery—recently renamed the Wildling Gallery in honor of the original museum’s legacy.

Some pieces in the show are on loan from the museum’s collaborators, while others were

Showtime!

Send gallery, stage, and cultural festivities to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

WARM WELCOME: Guests of the California Nature Art Museum (or Cal-NAM for short, formerly the Wildling Museum of Nature and Art) in downtown Solvang are often greeted by the venue’s store and visitor services manager, Sheila Francis.

September.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ART SPOT ON WHEELS

COURTESY IMAGE BY CYNTHIA JAMES

TAKE FLIGHT: Santa Barbara-based artist Cynthia James captures plant life and pollinators alike in her oil paintings. Some of James’ pieces are featured in The Birds and the Bees and More: Pollinators. The new group show is scheduled to remain on display at CalNAM through early

COURTESY IMAGE BY SUSAN MCDONNELL

BIRD IS

WORD: One of Minnesota-based artist Susan McDonnell’s paintings featured in Cal-NAM’s new group exhibition—The Birds and the Bees and More: Pollinators—is Hummingbird and Aquilegia

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE LOS ALAMOS THEATRE GROUP

COURTESY PHOTO BY JONI KELLY

Absence makes the heart grow

Johan Renck (Chernobyl, Breaking Bad) directs this science fiction drama based on Jaroslav Kalfar’s 2017 novel Spaceman in Bohemia about Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler), an astronaut on a solo mission on the edge of the universe, who at the six-month mark of his assignment to collect ancient space dust begins to relentlessly ruminate on his earthly life and Lenka (Carey Mulligan), the pregnant wife he left behind. He begins hearing a voice that turns out to be a spiderlike creature named Hanus (voiced by Paul Dano), who’s been hidden in Jakup’s spaceship. (107 min.)

Glen: This is a film that deeply wants to be poignant, and indeed, it has its moments. Despite its sci-fi trappings, at its heart, it’s the story of an emotionally unavailable man who doesn’t come to terms with his self-inflicted loneliness until he’s six months into a yearlong space mission. The profound isolation of being alone in space begins to eat at him, and first a voice and then a terrifying space spider appear. Is he going mad? I don’t think it matters if Hanus is real or the product of Jakub’s imagination. The outcome is the same. As Jakub recalls his relationship with Lenka with Hanus’ help, it eventually dawns on him that the support, care, and love that she gave to him wasn’t

TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2024

Where’s it showing? Max

Anthology series True Detective is always trying to recapture the magic of its premiere season. While there is no replacement for Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, this fourth season, Night Country brings the heat with legendary Jodi Foster as Police Chief Liz Danvers and badass Kali Reis as State Trooper Evangeline Navarro.

Set in fictional Ennis, Alaska—a town that stays barren and cold always and dark for more than 30 days of night—a strange incident has occurred at a research station and eight men are missing, and soon a murder is mixed up in all of the bizarre happenings in this strange land.

In True Detective fashion, the series focuses not just on the mystery at hand but the relationships between characters. Liz is surly and rough, both as a colleague and a mother to her teen daughter who’s enraged by the disenfranchisement of native people in the area. Navarro’s haunted by a loss that has constantly been dismissed and angered by the unwillingness of the authorities to step in.

reciprocated. He’s got regret. The question at the heart of the story is can he earn redemption?

Anna: This is a very reflective movie, and Jakub is reluctantly exploring his past, present, and future, himself, and his relationship—not just with Lenka but with his father, his childhood, and all the things that brought him to where he is now. Lenka and he usually speak on a service called CzechConnect, but lately he can’t seem to reach her at all. His contacts on Earth try to protect him from the truth—that Lenka has decided that Jakub is either not willing or able to be the partner she needs, especially with a little one on the way. Hanus seems to come along just as Jakub truly sinks into his isolation, and the new, mysterious entity offers him a probing look into his reality, which waits for him at home no matter how far he drifts off into space. Jakob is haunted, and the film slowly peels back the layers to reveal how and why he ended up alone and in the stars.

Glen: The story doesn’t quite succeed for me, but I think the film’s worth seeing because the performances are terrific—including Sandler’s, whose dramatic work I admire more often than some of his comedic roles, which sometimes come off as sophomoric and broad. I’ll watch Punch Drunk Love or Uncut Gems over Little

Nicky or Mr. Deeds any day. Mulligan is also deeply sympathetic as Lenka, who deserves a real partner. Dano’s voice work is soulful and affecting, and add in guest roles with heavy hitters such as Isabella Rossellini and Lena Olin, and Spaceman is worth your time.

Anna: I like Sandler in these dramatic roles as well; he shines. This film didn’t quite hit with me either, but I won’t deny that the performances are great. The film is based on a book, and I’m curious to know if it sticks close to its source

material in style. Maybe this sort of biggerpicture, self-actualization storyline plays out on the page a little better than on the screen. I still haven’t quite landed on how I feel about it. I do know that the performances are all-around worth a watch, so if you like heady art flicks, this one may be worth exploring. m

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

RELUCTANT PARTNERS: Police

Is there something supernatural going on in this arctic tundra? Luckily all episodes are now out, so you can binge away. It may not surpass season 1, but Night Country holds its own as a gripping mystery. (Six approximately 55-min. episodes)

—Anna

DUNE: PART TWO

What’s it rated? PG-13

When? 2024

Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande Co-writer and director Denis Villeneuve returns to his epic screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s famed 1965 science fiction novel about a future feudal interstellar society of competing noble houses controlling planetary fiefs. The story centers on young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), whose family house controls Arrakis, a desert planet whose export is “Spice,” a drug that extends life and enhances the mental abilities that make space navigation possible.

If you haven’t seen the first part, watch it first unless you’re familiar enough with the novel to catch up. In part 1, House Atreides is targeted by power-hungry House Harkonnen, who conspired to control the planet and its wealth. After losing a battle, Paul and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) escaped and sought refuge with the Fremen, Arrakis’ indigenous people.

Paul unites with Fremen Chani (Zendaya) as he seeks revenge on the conspirators who destroyed his family. His problem is the Fremen believe he’s the prophesied one to free them and their planet. If you saw the first, you’re going to

see this no matter what anyone says, but I’m happy to report this is visually stunning, with a pumping score, effective performances, spectacular special effects, and a satisfying reverence for its source material. Oh, and giant freaking worms! (166 min.) m —Glen

GROUND CONTROL: Adam Sandler stars as astronaut Jakub Procházka, who during a solo space mission encounters an alien who seeks to help him through his anxiety and loneliness, in Spaceman, streaming on Netflix.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX

Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster, left) joins forces with state trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) to solve possibly interconnected murders in Alaska, in True Detective: Night Country, streaming on Max.

SPICY! Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya) return for part 2 of the sci-fi epic Dune, screening in local theaters.

Glen?

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

There’s a popular carnival treat at T’s Red Tacos in Pismo Beach with ties to owner Roger Sharp’s start in the food industry.

At age 17, the Paso Robles local began operating his own churro cart. Today, the iconic fried pastry rolled in cinnamon and sugar is available at T’s Red Tacos with two sweet, gooey center options—chocolate or caramel.

Sharp owns multiple restaurants along the Central Coast, but he’s no longer in possession of the concession haul that helped kick off his career, he said.

“I wish I had it, to be honest,” Sharp said of the churro cart, which he often took to the Mid-State Fair, the Santa

Barbara County Fair, and other events during the 1980s. “I have no idea where it ended up.”

Sharp loves eating churros too, and he still has a sweet tooth for them. As for savory treats, including Sharp’s favorite fixtures at T’s Red Tacos, the prolific restaurateur’s motto is “the spicier the better,” at least to a certain extent.

“I don’t like it [spicy enough] to kill me, but I love it to be spicy,” said Sharp, who opened T’s Red Tacos during the fall of 2023.

Of the casual eatery’s salsa selection, Sharp recommends the habanero salsa to spice fans.

“The habanero can get kind of serious,” Sharp said. “It’s spicy, which is the goal.”

The star attraction of T’s Red Tacos is unsurprisingly its red queso tacos, assembled with handmade red corn tortillas. A special spice blend is responsible for the red color.

The red tacos are grilled with Mexican cheese and the customer’s

meat choice. Sharp’s protein pick when it comes to red tacos is the birria—a spicy beef stew—which he also named as the restaurant’s biggest seller, “by far.”

“It’s got a lot of flavor,” Sharp said, “and the ramen is really good too.”

The red birria ramen, made with noodles cooked in birria consommé, is one of two ramen options at T’s Red Tacos. The other is verde carnitas

ramen, with noodles cooked in verde consommé. Both ramens come with onions, cilantro, and salsa. For families and groups looking to share a dish at T’s, Sharp recommends the loco fries—platters of crispy french fries topped with a blend of melted cheese, cotija cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and the patron’s choice of either birria or carnitas.

Although one of Sharp’s goals in creating T’s was to offer something in Pismo that would stand out among the coastal town’s staple clam chowder and fish-and-chip joints, there’s more than a few options on the menu to please seafood die-hards.

Shrimp and pulpo, or octopus, are prevalent offerings and can be

Patrons of the red queso tacos at T’s Red Tacos can choose between six protein options: carne asada, birria, carnitas, pollo, shrimp, and pulpo

SEASIDE SPOT: Located on Dolliver

DILLA

featured in red tacos, puffy rolled tacos, vampiros, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, and fries (the shrimp and octopus fries plate is nearly identical to the loco fries with shredded lettuce and other toppings).

said Sharp, whose vampiros come with cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and the customer’s choice of meat, all stacked within two baked corn tortillas.

The two oceanic proteins are highlighted in T’s cocktail selection as well. Sharp’s personal favorite of these libations is the pulpo cocktail, made with fresh octopus, clam juice, avocado, cucumber, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and “a dash of heat.”

“They’re all good, but I like the octopus, that’s my favorite,” Sharp said. “I like the texture it brings to your mouth.”

Sharp also loves the texture of T’s vampiros, which he described as similar to tostadas.

“They’re crispy, like a tostada, but not fried,”

Through T’s diverse menu and colorful setting, decorated with Day of the Dead sugar skull murals and other art, Sharp aimed for the eatery to feel like a fresh concept while maintaining a down-to-earth approachability.

“The idea is it’s supposed to feel good and lighthearted,” Sharp said. “We know you’re probably going to the beach or just here for the day, and that’s [the feeling] we’re targeting; that lightheartedness.” m

Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood could use some churros and loco fries right about now. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.