Sun, April 18, 2024

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office plans for changes to the health services it offers inmates [6]

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is negotiating a one-year extension of its contract with jail health care provider Wellpath to try and hold the organization more accountable for the services it’s supposed to provide. In response to concerns about inmate access to medical, mental, and dental care, the Sheriff’s Office is also collaborating with the county Public Health Department and Behavioral Wellness to provide services that are currently lacking at the jail—such as 24/7 mental health care. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor covers the issue this week [6]

You can also read about the impasse between Santa Maria and its firefighters’ union [4]; a pastels workshop in Lompoc [34]; and an Oceano cottage baker who made moves to open her own shop [37] Camillia Lanham editor

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• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) joined Grover Beach officials to present a $543,000 federal grant that the congressman helped secure through his work on the 2024 federal budget, according to an April 12 statement from Carbajal’s office. The funding included in the 2024 federal funding bill signed into law by President Joe Biden in March will allow the Grover Beach Police Department to upgrade its equipment, including new in-car video recorders, public safety cameras, license plate readers, and multi-band radio—bolstering public safety across the community. “I’m proud to be bringing more than $13 million in direct funding for Central Coast projects back to our region—including this important investment in Grover Beach’s public safety. This federal funding will have a profound impact on Grover Beach’s neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for all its residents,” Carbajal said in the statement. “I have been pushing to see this funding approved for the past year, and I’m proud to have helped break this year’s budget logjam last month to deliver this support for the Grover Beach Police Department. Every Central Coast resident deserves to feel safe in their community. This investment will help ensure residents feel safe.”

• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla announced that California will receive $60.6 million to help communities across the state better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events like wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat, according to an April 8 statement from Padilla’s office. This funding came through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program, which the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established. The PROTECT Grant Program funds projects to make transportation infrastructure more resilient to future weather events and other natural disasters by focusing on resilience planning, making resilience improvements to existing transportation assets and evacuation routes, and addressing at-risk highway infrastructure. In general, eligible projects include highway and transit projects, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and port facilities, including those that help improve evacuations or disaster relief. “As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of floods, wildfires, and extreme heat, climate-smart transportation infrastructure can be the difference between life and death,” Padilla said in the statement. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re delivering major investments in underserved and tribal communities to expedite emergency response and secure reliable emergency evacuation routes while creating more good-paying construction jobs.”

• Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration officials joined the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians at the groundbreaking of a large-scale solar and longduration storage microgrid in Corning—about 100 miles north of Sacramento—according to an April 11 statement from Newsom’s office. The microgrid project received a $32 million grant last year from the California Energy Commission’s Long-Duration Energy Storage Program—part of Newsom’s multibillion-dollar climate commitment. The program invests in projects that accelerate the implementation of long-duration energy storage solutions to increase the resiliency and reliability of California’s energy infrastructure and meet the state’s energy and climate goals. The project will provide 5 megawatts of solar generation and 15 megawatt hours of long-duration energy storage at the tribe’s Rolling Hills Casino and Resort, enhance energy resiliency by discharging power during emergencies, and lower fossil fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions. “California is showing the world how to fight the climate crisis while creating good jobs and more resilient communities,” Newsom said in the statement. “We’re building more projects like these to secure a clean and reliable energy future that benefits all our communities.” m

Santa Maria declares impasse with its firefighters over new contract

Santa Maria declared an impasse in its negotiations with the Firefighters Union Local 2020 on April 12.

The city and the union—which represents 57 firefighters, captains, engineers, and fire inspectors—first entered negotiations in November 2023 before the contract expired in December, city Public Information Officer Mark van de Kamp said in a statement.

After three contract offers, the parties haven’t reached an agreement and will enter mediation moving forward.

“The City Council remains committed to an agreement that works financially within the city’s budget constraints while demonstrating its continued commitment to public safety,” Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino said in the statement.

A negotiating party declares an impasse when it can’t agree on a successor contract, Firefighters Union Local 2020 President Matthew Chircop told the Sun. It starts a procedure that requires the employer to go through a mediation and fact-finding process if they choose, and they have to exhaust those efforts before they can impose a last, best, and final offer on the bargaining group.

“As long as they follow the impasse procedure, they can just impose on us, which means forcefully give us the last, best, and final offer. We don’t accept that, they just impose it on us; it’s a one-way agreement,” Chircop said.

Firefighters and community members planned to attend the April 16 City Council meeting to share their “outrage” with the impasse and advocate for a new contract during public comment, Chircop said before the meeting.

“Ultimately, an investment in your firefighters is an investment in the community and their safety,” Chircop said. “The voters overwhelmingly approved Measure U, they decided to tax themselves an additional 1 cent per dollar, and that support is astounding. We see it every day in the community, and unfortunately our elected leaders have forgotten about us.”

Measure U passed during the November 2018 election with 74.2 percent voter approval and proposed to “maintain/enhance essential services” including firefighter staffing, according to Ballotpedia. Chircop said that he’d like the city to use Measure U funds toward salary increases that bring Santa Maria firefighters up to market rate.

The Local 2020 brought forward about six proposals that tried to achieve average market pay in January during early stages of negotiations, which the city rejected, Chircop said. The most recent two-year contract proposed in April included a 5 percent increase

in year one and a 5 percent increase in year two with small increases to health coverage and a 5 percent cost of living adjustment, he said.

“While on the surface it may seem like a lot, the agencies in our market in the surrounding area, they already have scheduled raises for the next few years,” Chircop said. “We’re 14 percent behind market; their proposal would keep us at 12 percent behind the average market. … We’ve been open to fixing the disparity over multiple years, and the city is not considering it one bit.”

In an effort to help firefighters spend time with their families, Chircop said the union proposed a language change that would allow firefighters to use existing sick leave for baby bonding. Currently, firefighters have to use their vacation time or take unpaid leave if they want to be home to help care for their newborns.

“We have 61 members and over 60 children under the age of 10. That’s really frustrating too when we hire someone in the process of having a family and children, since they’re on probation they can’t use vacation yet and are not covered [by] the [Family and Medical Leave Act],” Chircop said. “We can’t use sick leave for baby bonding unless it’s in the [memorandum of understanding]; they wouldn’t even talk about it with us.”

Facing recruitment and retention issues, wage improvements and additional benefits would help the Fire Department maintain and enhance public safety services, he said.

“Every time someone leaves, it’s like resetting the clock. It does affect the workforce and it does affect your safety,” Chircop said.

—Taylor O’Connor

Dana Reserve project to go before SLO County supervisors on April 23 and 24

Before the end of April, the controversial Dana Reserve project and local residents should have an answer from the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors.

On April 23 and 24, the proposed Nipomo development will be presented in front of supervisors, six months after the county Planning Commission recommended approval of the project.

The development, the largest proposed for SLO County in 25 years, has been a hot topic for community members as many Nipomo residents think the project is too big and comes with too many environmental impacts.

“It creates a huge struggle that I’ll have to live with and maybe even my kids and their kids will have to live with because the destruction of the trees and just the development in general will have such a catastrophic effect,” co-founder

and co-executive director of the Central Coast Student Coalition Cesar Vasquez told the Sun. “I want the Central Coast to be a place where kids can truly thrive and where future generations can fully thrive, and his development doesn’t do that.”

The project is planning to cut down more than 3,000 oak trees, Burton Mesa Chaparral habitat and other nonnative grasslands to help make room for its 1,318 residential units, 203,000 square feet of recreational space, a shopping center, California Fresh Market grocery store, South County Cuesta College campus, and neighborhood parks, according to an August 2023 SLO County staff report.

Dana Reserve developer and Nipomo native Nick Tompkins told the Sun that he wants to bring new opportunities and housing options to Nipomo.

“The goal is to offer a range of housing types so it would meet the needs of lots of different people across 10 different neighborhoods essentially,” his daughter Elizabeth said. “It’d be sort of a master-planned community where many of your daily needs could be met on-site, so it would promote walkability, bike-ability, and there would be parks, native parks, and it could support everyone living there and bring things to the community.”

The Central Coast Student Coalition teamed up with the Nipomo Action Committee, and the YTT Northern Chumash Tribe to create an alternative map that will incorporate 800 housing units while keeping more than 100 acres of open space and natural habitat.

“We fully understand the need for housing in San Luis Obispo County,” YTT Northern Chumash Tribal Chair Mona Olivas Tucker told the Sun. “But we also understand not just the cultural significance of oak trees, but the value that they add to combating climate crisis, and deforestation isn’t the right step to take to combat the climate crisis. It’s not the right step to take to protect invaluable cultural resources.”

On April 23, the Central Coast Student Coalition will be holding a rally from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown SLO to promote the alternative map.

—Samantha Herrera

Coastal Commission waits to decide whether SpaceX rocket launches can increase

The California Coastal Commission recently delayed deciding on whether SpaceX should be able to increase the number of rockets it launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base. SpaceX proposed expanding its Falcon 9 space program by increasing launch activities from six to 36 per year, with anticipation for an additional increase to 100 per year at a later time, according to the staff report. On April 10, commissioners voted to extend a decision on the rocket launch proposal to give staff more time to address the cumulative impacts of increased launch activity and what dictates federal activity versus private company activities.

Private company SpaceX launches rockets from Vandenberg through a definition in the Coastal Zone Management Act that allows private companies to come on to federal land if they assist in “federal agency activity” on the base, according to the staff report. Because the company is performing federal agency activities, Vandenberg representatives went before the commission with the proposal.

The commission first heard the proposal in December but reopened it for discussion during its April 10 meeting after noticing that the Department of the Air Force closed Jalama Beach for SpaceX launches more than its annual maximum of 12 times—impacting recreational coastal access.

BACK TO THE DAIS: Santa Maria Firefighters Union Local 2020 members and fellow residents planned to attend the April 16 Santa Maria City Council meeting after the city declared an impasse on contract negotiations. Pictured: Firefighters and city union employees march outside City Hall during the Feb. 6 City Council meeting.

Coastal Commission staff proposed to have the launches at night when there would be fewer people to evacuate; provide a shuttle service to evacuate campers from the grounds; increase marine mammal monitoring before, during, and after launches to better understand the impacts; and monitor any impacts to endangered species like the red-legged frog or snowy plover, Environmental Scientist Wesley Horn told the commissioners.

Alongside mitigating noise concerns for residents hearing sonic booms in areas as far away as Ojai, commissioners shared concerns about holding private companies accountable for any debris lost in the ocean and/or damages to marine life with increased launch activity.

“I’m especially concerned about the plan to increase to 100 launches. I see this taking a little and slowly increasing more and more when the private entity has already not adhered to federal consistency determinations we’ve had in the past,” Commissioner Kristina Kunkel said. “I don’t think SpaceX should be able to skirt the requirements of a CDP [coastal development permit].”

A coastal development permit is required for individuals or businesses to conduct any development activities or when there’s changes in land or water use intensity even if no construction is involved, according to the California Coastal Commission.

SpaceX’s protection through the Coastal Zone Management Act allows the company to act without a coastal development permit because it’s performing federal activities for the Department of Defense.

As a result, the federal agency assumes monitoring and accountability responsibilities, Vandenberg Col. and Operations Vice Cmdr. for

Space Launch Delta 30 Bryan Titus said

“Approximately 25 percent of the launches today have [Department of Defense] satellites or payloads on them, but I would argue that all of them benefit the Department of Defense,” Titus said. “The other thing to keep in mind is we are trying to drive up capacity from a national security standpoint.”

Titus added that Vandenberg has multiple launch pads with several companies that work out of the base.

If the Coastal Commission determined a coastal development permit would be needed, then the commission would have to submit a letter to the Space Force Base explaining the commission’s position—something commission staff did last year during the discussions in December, Coastal Commission Deputy Director Cassidy Teufel said. He added that the commission received a strong response from the Department of Defense against requiring the permit.

“It hinges on this federal agency activity definition in the Coastal Zone Management Act, which includes activities contingent to the mission of the agency,” Teufel said. “The authority is different. Particularly, the federal agencies, it’s a negotiation and equal powers dynamic. If the commission were to object, the federal agency could move forward, and we would try to resolve the case through mitigation or litigation.”

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

If the Coastal Commission denies the project, Vandenberg can move forward with its project anyway but would still need to adhere to any U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and Marine Mammal Commission requirements. Under federal consistency timelines, the commission has one month to smooth out the details and make a decision. m

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Contract holes

Santa Barbara County aims to adjust its contract with jail health care provider, Wellpath, to improve service levels

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

eople are thrown into the snake pit,” Santa Barbara County resident Kate Smith said about the jail and the county’s mental health care system during public comment at a recent special meeting.

“You can talk about this year’s crop of buckets we could shoot people in to help, [but] it’s no different,” Smith said. “I don’t mean to be down on you people, but it’s time we formed that movement to create a mental health system for our loved ones.”

Smith was one of the several public commenters at an April 3 Santa Barbara County jail health care special meeting held at Direct Relief in Santa Barbara. Panelists from the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness, the Sheriff’s Office, jail health care provider Wellpath, the League of Women Voters, and Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice discussed jail health care improvements and ongoing health care needs after several 2023 Santa Barbara County grand jury reports found deficiencies in the jail’s current system.

Concerns about how to keep Wellpath, the county’s jail health care provider, accountable echoed throughout the day. Santa Barbara County pays Wellpath $14.7 million annually to provide medical and mental health services, but the contract doesn’t require monitoring to ensure Wellpath is providing those services, nor does it lay out any consequences if Wellpath fails to do so.

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“We’ve got some good public accountability, but as long as the sheriff is paying out a 12th of the yearly contract every month no matter how much staffing there is, I wouldn’t call that accountability. I think the contract needs to be changed,” 1st District Supervisor Das Williams told the Sun

Santa Barbara County isn’t alone in facing jail health care challenges or its issues with Wellpath. The private company oversees health care operations at more than 550 facilities throughout the U.S. and Australia, according to the company’s website, and has faced thousands of jail health care-related lawsuits, including in neighboring Monterey County, according to Monterey County Weekly reporting.

Monterey County and Wellpath faced a 2013 lawsuit over inadequate care at its jail, which was settled in 2015 and ordered the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, the county, and Wellpath to comply with higher medical, mental, and dental health care standards.

However, a recent court order found the county and Wellpath were noncompliant with the settlement agreement, hitting 80 percent below its benchmark for health care standards during its first round of audits in 2017, and 26 people died since the settlement, according to the Weekly. Wellpath didn’t respond to the Sun’s request for comment.

Statewide, inmate deaths are increasing, with more than 2,700 people dying in California jails since 2005, as jail populations are decreasing, according to CalMatters reporting.

“Oftentimes people who are in jail struggle with personal challenges in life that many people outside don’t. They experience a lot of trauma in their childhood years and as adults,” Sheriff Bill Brown said. “I think often people jump to conclusions that people die because they are in jail, and that’s not the case.”

While Santa Barbara County’s jail health

care services have improved since replacing its previous provider—which landed the county in a class-action lawsuit and settlement agreement to make improvements in the jail’s facilities— Supervisor Williams said that there needs to be adequate health care staffing levels to provide all needed services. Either that, or the contract should lay out that the county only pays for the services it actually receives.

“I definitely hope that the meeting gave the sheriff some negotiating power, some negotiating strength by showing Wellpath that the county is united in getting to a better place,” Williams said. “Any contract that comes before the Board of Supervisors is not a done deal, meaning we will scrutinize it.”

Nearly 60 percent of the inmate population qualifies for a mental health caseload placement, and more than 13 percent require specialty mental health care, according to county documents. However, Wellpath does not provide 24/7 mental health coverage at either of the jails, leaving a gap from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. that the Sheriff’s Office is still trying to address, Custody Cmdr. Ryan Sullivan said during the April 3 meeting.

A 2023 county grand jury report that investigated an inmate’s suicide found that Wellpath did not share the inmate’s mental illness history with custody staff, which could have informed staff “to make more effective classification and program decisions,” according to the report.

The county also saw an increase in inmate grievance reports, which are complaints submitted by inmates with medical, dental, and mental health-related concerns. More than 1,600 grievances were filed in 2023, jumping from 1,292 in 2020 and 931 in 2021, according to the staff report. The Sheriff’s Office received the most grievances in 2022 with 1,692.

Of the 1,646 filed grievances in 2023, 275 dealt with medical concerns, 119 with access to medications, 38 for mental health, and 27 with dental. Each grievance category saw an increase over the five-year average—with a 35.7 percent increase in mental health grievances, 33.1 percent in medical, 45.6 percent in medications, and 42.1 percent in dental, according to the grievances report.

“We feel that we shouldn’t have the number of grievances we have, and some are reflections on things that need to be improved,” Santa Barbara County’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Public Policy Chair Lynne Gibbs told the Sun

Gibbs serves on the Community Corrections Input Group, which formed in 2016 and suggests grievance process and jail mental health care system improvements.

“Our utmost priority is that they have 24/7 mental health coverage so that someone is available during a mental health crisis during the night. That’s our primary ask, and the sheriff has indicated that he’s trying to do that,” Gibbs said.

Sheriff Brown told the Sun that the Sheriff’s Office is in negotiations with Wellpath for a one-year contract extension that will expire April 2025 and will go before the Board of Supervisors for final approval. Following the extension, the county plans to go to a request for proposal process where other organizations, including Wellpath, can come forward to present jail health care plans to the county.

“There are a lot of aspects that need to be confidential, but I can say to you that we are working on increasing the role of [county] Public Health and Behavioral Wellness, both who are presently involved in reviewing and evaluating Wellpath’s provision of service, but there will be an expansion of that,” he said.

Public Health Director Mouhanad Hammami said during the April 3 meeting that the department is enhancing its auditing tool to look at time limits and “the appropriateness in the way health care is processed,” and adding a correctional health advisor position to work with the Sheriff’s Office to monitor the quality of care.

Behavioral Wellness Director Toni Navarro told the Sun that the department was scheduled to start providing Wellpath with rounds on April 15 to help with overnight staffing needs as part of its overnight crisis response team. One team will be stationed out of either the North or South County jail and a clinician in the other to help respond to jail crises along with calls from the community.

“We will do as much as we can do. We also have staffing challenges in the overnight hours. It’s one of the emerging issues of the overnight staffing of the mobile crisis benefit,” Navarro said. “This is an overnight crisis team for the whole county. If they are responding to a crisis in the community, that is a priority because they are not in a secured facility.” m

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

IMPROVING OVERSIGHT: The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is negotiating a one-year extension of the contract its jail health care provider, Wellpath, in order to create more accountability for services.

More than artwork

Marian NICU respiratory therapist creates watercolor paintings for patients and their families

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

Going into the medical field, Nickie Brayton knew she wanted to work with infants and their families As a respiratory therapist for Marian Regional Medical Center, she began working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) three years ago where she and her team help the youngest patients in the hospital.

“It’s been a great transition for me,” Brayton said. “I absolutely love it; it’s where God wanted me to be. I think they’re absolutely precious, such a gift.”

As a respiratory therapist, her primary job is to ensure a patient’s lungs, heart, and kidneys are functioning properly, Brayton said. Infants can need intensive care if there are difficulties during birth, they are born early, or they have existing health problems.

“I started doing watercolor painting right around [COVID-19] and I always wanted to learn how to do watercolor. I would try, and it would just not work out. I just didn’t understand it,” she said.

When taking a watercolor class at Allan Hancock College, someone told her she was using the wrong paper. When she followed their suggestion and bought watercolor-specific paper, it was a game changer, Brayton said. During the pandemic shutdowns, she taught herself how to paint with the help of YouTube tutorials.

“I started painting and had all these paintings, and I didn’t know what to do with them,” Brayton said. “I was having this conversation in my mind at work, and I prayed about it; the Lord led me to paint these paintings for kids in the NICU.” Brayton has since made about 25 paintings for infants in the NICU and their families in her own time. At a small desk in her family room, she sketches something out, paints it, and decides who to give it to at a later time, she said. She also buys her own supplies, frames each painting, and has fellow staff members sign and leave a personal message on the painting’s matting.

“Whenever these babies come in, generally I can’t make them all paintings, but when they’ve been incubated or on life support for three months or a long stay, I paint them something I feel led to paint,” she said.

Three or four weeks ago, she drew a rose for a new painting, she said. While Brayton said she doesn’t like painting roses, she continued sketching.

“I had gone to work the next day, there had been a baby in our services, and I was talking with the mom,” Brayton said. “I had asked her what her daughter’s middle name was, and she said her middle name was Rose. I said, ‘That’s who this painting belongs to.’”

While she loves giving families her work, the added personal messages from fellow staff members make these gifts better, she said.

“With a baby in the NICU, you become entwined in the family. We’re with them 12 to 13 hours a day,” Brayton said. “You get to know the kids and the parents really well. You get to know the parents in a sense. You pass around the frame, and everybody has something personal to say.”

During the NICU reunions—when families take their children back to see the NICU staff—families have told her they still have her paintings in their child’s room or in their family room, she added.

“I hope they take away [from my paintings] that they’re not alone, and that we’re here to encourage them and … we’re rooting for them,” Brayton said. “They’ve been through something that probably would have just wrecked me, but whatever they’ve gone through, we’re here for them.”

Brayton said that she plans to continue painting the gifts as long as she can to continue leaving families with messages from staff and something to lift them up.

“I’m just here to serve the community,” she said. “I was born and raised here. [I’ll do] whatever I can to help and show people love. We’re all in this together.”

Highlights

• The Dorothy Jackson Family Resource Center has relocated to the Family Service Agency (FSA) office at 101 South B St. The move allows FSA to provide its family support services, mental health counseling, and senior programs at one central Lompoc location. FSA’s Dorothy Jackson Family Resource Center seeks to support and strengthen families and individuals who face poverty, homelessness, violence, substance abuse, unemployment, and other barriers to family wellness. The center provides a safe environment to support basic needs, provide parent education, and build social connections so that families and communities thrive.

• The School Employees of San Luis Obispo County (SESLOC) Credit Union is hosting the Central Coast Kids Got Talent show with an April 25 application deadline to sign up. The qualifier will be held on April 27 at the Santa Maria Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram—1918 S. Broadway—at 10 a.m. Kids ages 7 to 17, separated by age groups, will put on their best performance to become a finalist for the showcase on May 30, the Santa Maria Rodeo’s opening night. During the showcase, three local judges will choose a winner in each category for a $200 prize and the “overall winner” will receive $500 plus $500 will be donated to a local nonprofit of their choice. m

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

ART FOR PATIENTS: Born and raised in Santa Maria, NICU Respiratory Therapist Nickie Brayton started making watercolor paintings for her patients and their families as a way to show support for what they’ve faced during their time in the intensive care unit.

Full Court Frenzy with Flight Squad presented by

V. Lopez Jr. & Sons

Thursday May 2

5:30 Doors Open

6:00 The Show Begins!

Lakeview Junior High School Gym

3700 Orcutt Road

Flight Squad is the premiere showball team in the country! Don’t miss the chance to see them in our community! Kids and adults alike will be dazzled by their basketball talent and it will be a fun night for the whole family.

Adult tickets - $10 Youth Tickets - $5

www.centralcoastkids.org/flightsquad

What would you like to see at the Cabrillo High School aquarium?

50% The octopus.

25% The starfish in the tidepool exhibit.

25% All the sharks.

0% The new wetlands exhibit that’s coming in May!

4 Votes

Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.

BY RON FINK

In January of this year, the state of California raised the minimum wage to $16 per hour, but this wasn’t good enough for some union leaders and the politicians they own in Sacramento. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has been trying to organize fast food workers but has failed, so they hatched a plan to save their organizing effort.

The SEIU has a strong lobbying presence in Sacramento; in 2023 they spent $2.3 million for what CalMatters, a nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization, says includes an “impressive string of wins this year, some of which only surfaced in the past few weeks: Bills to increase the number of guaranteed sick days, raise the minimum wage for health care and fast food workers, allow legislative staff to unionize, and make striking employees eligible for unemployment insurance, a benefit long on labor’s wish list.”

The major chain fast food places carry the logo of many nationwide brands, but they are owned and operated by thousands of small business owners known as “franchisees.” These folks usually own a few locations and employ entry-level workers to serve their customers. Anyone who operates a restaurant of any size knows that the profit margin for these operations is very narrow.

For weeks now, the government propaganda machine has been crowing about the new $20 an hour minimum wage for major brand fast food workers. The folks who would have benefitted from the raise were busy using their calculators to figure out what their new weekly income would be. Of course, they didn’t anticipate how the location owners would react to the new increases in operating costs.

This new mandate was hatched in top secret meetings, which included the SEIU, politicians, and Capitol staffers. Each was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement prior to participating. Public

comment was not included during these meetings.

As for the politicians, they gave little thought to the collateral damage this change would cause. Why, because when you raise the entry-level wage you also must increase other wages, such as cooks’ and managers’, to retain experienced employees. In addition, other food establishments that aren’t part of a national chain must increase wages to keep their employees.

Slow-thinking politicians and a governor who has never had to worry about struggling to meet his monthly expenses for a house or food for his family thought that “big business” would shrug this off and keep on flipping burgers and slicing pizza.

But on April 1, aptly named April Fool’s Day— this year in honor of the politicians who thought this idea up—workers at numerous locations across the state got a shock when they reported for work.

In most cases their hours were cut, thus they really didn’t get a raise in weekly pay at all. In others, staffing was reduced as workers are being replaced by automated ordering systems and/ or kitchen appliances. And in other cases, the locations were simply closed, never to reopen again.

For customers, the menu prices were increased to accommodate the increased cost of labor. Many of these locations are in low- to medium-income neighborhoods where folks can ill afford any increase in food costs. Now treating the family to a fast-food outing is going to be out of the question for both the newly enriched fast-food workers and the people they had served.

A conspiracy theorist would think that this was a mean trick played by SEIU leaders to punish an industry that they have had trouble organizing. In the process, all they did was hurt the very people they were trying to “help” because it was these folks who either lost their jobs or had their hours reduced and then had to pay more for a meal if the location stayed open.

Following this increase, the media interviewed several franchise owners; many said that they were either suspending any expansion plans, closing their locations, or were shifting their expansion plans to adjoining states where the business climate is friendlier.

The bottom line here is that the political class, especially of the liberal/progressive mentality, just can’t comprehend how businesses work. First a person must invest large sums of money to open any type of manufacturing or commercial enterprise. Then they must hire and retain qualified employees to make or sell their products.

For this investment, they expect some level of return (aka profit) so they can keep up with technological changes or expand the business and hire more employees. And the employees are paid so they can pay the rent, feed their families, and buy their kids clothes for school.

Another thing the political class doesn’t understand is that businesses don’t have an infinite cash flow. Just because the government mandates an increase in the hourly wage doesn’t mean that companies can absorb those cost increases.

And now national media is reporting that “a fair wage advocacy group is demanding that California’s new $20 minimum wage law for fast food workers be extended to all sectors to help working-class people who are struggling with the state’s high cost of living.”

No one ever gets ahead when the government steps in to help; these actions will only increase the cost of everything you buy. m

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

Listen to the voice of the village

The name Nipomo is said to have come from a Native American word that means village. The Community Alternative Plan for the Dana Reserve Project offers a single-family and affordable housing development choice that represents the voice of a village that has come together with experts to design a proposal with lasting beneficial impacts to the quality of life of county residents.

The Community Alternative Plan reduces impacts on traffic and air quality, already overburdened schools and infrastructure, and saves more than 2,500 oak trees and habitat, while providing 534 single-family homes and 266 multifamily units.

The benefits to county residents from the Community Alternative Plan come in the form of continuous open space for walking, hiking, and equestrian use by the public. The biological impacts from saving more than 2,500 mature oak trees and federally endangered species and special habitats will be significant to all who live and breathe.

Oaks enhance ecosystem function, including groundwater recharge; reduce stormwater runoff and stabilize soil; improve water quality by reducing erosion; and provide an important carbon sink. Oaks, a lovely visual resource, are important to local climate moderation, providing shade and cooling, and particulate matter removal.

The current Dana Reserve development plan, the biggest project proposed in San Luis Obispo County in 25 years, was found to have 19 significant and unmitigable environmental impacts, whereas the Community Alternative Plan reduces these impacts and still provides for increased housing possibilities. The work of the village on the Community Alternative Plan is rooted in a deep concern for housing, the environment, and the issues of the shortfall of funding and space at local schools, lack of a fire station, and shortage of sheriff deputies, all of which are significantly exacerbated by the developer’s plan.

Let’s look out to a future for Nipomo that brings life and health. Write to your county supervisor or show up at the SLO County Board of Supervisors hearing on April 23 to make public comment or show support for the Community Alternative Plan to be the vision for the Dana Reserve.

Dolores

Inever understood the point of the California Coastal Commission’s attempt to regulate federal agencies. Who reigns supreme?

Well, if it’s the Coastal Commission vs. the U.S. Department of Defense, I’ll let you guess the agency that gets to call the shots. If you think the commission is more powerful than the largest taxpayer-funded agency in the U.S., I’ll give you another try.

Vandenberg Space Force Base is asking the commission to “approve” an increase in annual rocket launches from SpaceX: from six annually to 36. The funny thing is that SpaceX—one of Elon Musk’s private companies—is already launching more than six rockets per year from Vandenberg. In 2023, SpaceX launched 28. So, does the base really need approval from the commission?

And although Vandenberg is “permitted” to launch 110 rockets per year through the National Marine Fisheries Service, according to the commission’s staff report, the Department of the Air Force has authorized 169 space launches annually from the base.

So, who’s in charge, really?

It’s not anybody but the Department of Defense. Vandenberg let it slip out that it plans to allow SpaceX to launch 100 rockets per year at some point in the future! And that’s just one of the companies it rents out launch pads to. In 2023, 37 rockets launched from Vandenberg, which impact more than just the base and the ocean.

So far in 2024, Santa Barbara County’s Jalama Beach—a county-operated beach, campground, store, and restaurant—has been closed and evacuated by SpaceX launches more

than 12 times. That would really suck. Twelve is the maximum annual allowance the Department of Air Force committed to not exceeding, according to the commission.

Unsurprisingly, commissioners and commission staff are concerned.

“I’m especially concerned about the plan to increase to 100 launches. I see this taking a little and slowly increasing more and more when the private entity has already not adhered to federal consistency determinations we’ve had in the past,” Commissioner Kristina Kunkel said.

“I don’t think SpaceX should be able to skirt the requirements of a CDP [coastal development permit].”

Renting space from an Air Force base has its perks. If at least 25 percent of the payloads SpaceX launches into the air are for Department of Defense business—and they are—then

SpaceX doesn’t need a coastal development permit to do much of anything. Anyone not doing federal government business absolutely needs a coastal development permit.

So, what happens if the Coastal Commission decides it doesn’t like what Vandenberg, SpaceX, and their spacey colleagues are doing? What if the commission decides SpaceX needs a coastal development permit to conduct its launches?

The federal government can and will give the commission what amounts to a giant middle finger as it continues down the path it’s on anyway. At least this exercise in futility gives the public a peek into what’s going on at Vandenberg, a largely private-public enterprise with hush-hush activities.

If we’re to take anything from this little show, it’s gotta be that, right? m

The Canary doesn’t trust the Department of Defense. Send peeks behind the curtain to canary@santamarisun.com.

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.

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/.

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.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Menken and Ashman’s hit dark comedy musical adapted from the cult classic film by Roger Corman. Whatever you do, don’t feed the plant. April 24 - May 12 pcpa.org/ shows/. Marian Theatre, 800 S. College Dr., Santa Maria.

LOT’S WIFE An episodic play told in the original, quirky voice of its main character. With wry humor and rare honesty, she relives the sometimes harrowing, sometimes hilarious, but always pivotal events of her life. Through April 28 my805tix.com/. Orcutt Community Theater (Klein Dance Arts), 3546 Skyway Drive, Bldg. 1, suite A, Orcutt.

NOVEL NIGHTMARES: BOOK CLUB A book club for lovers of haunting horror. This group meets the fourth Wednesday of each month to discuss a creator of creepy tales. The author for April is Jonathan Janz. Registration is required; ages 18 and older. April 24, 5:15-6:15 p.m. Free. 805-9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

THE SYVHS THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU The acclaimed comedy is set in the home of Martin “Grandpa” Vanderhoff and his eccentric family. Worlds collide when Alice brings home the boss’s son to meet the family. April 18 7-9 p.m., April 19 7-9 p.m., April 20 7-9 p.m., April 25 7-9 p.m., April 26 7-9 p.m. and April 27, 7-9 p.m. Adults $10; Students $5. 805-688-6487. syvuhsd. org. Santa Ynez High School Little Theater, 2975 CA-246, Santa Ynez.

CALIFORNIA’S CHANGING LANDSCAPE:

THE WAY OF WATER

Featuring more than 20 large-format documentary inkjet photographs of the Golden State, this exhibition showcases George Rose’s recent expansive documentation of California’s dramatic water story. Through July 8 California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, calnatureartmuseum.org.

PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT KAENA

Spend the afternoon sipping delicious wine and capturing the beauty of the surrounding landscape on canvas. April 20 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $89. 805-325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Kaena at the Ranch, 800 E. Hwy 246, Solvang.

POETRY IN PAPER Karen Bit Vejle’s gallery show. Make sure to experience this unique gallery exhibit during the museum’s regular hours before the show ends.

Through May 7 Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang, 805686-1211, elverhoj.org.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

420 COMEDY SHOW With touring comics, a live DJ, product specials, and more. April 20, 2 p.m. my805tix.com. Bleu Diamond Consumption Lounge, 1129 N. H St., Lompoc.

SUNBURST ART SERIES: PAINTING

IN THE GARDEN WITH PASTELS

Award-winning local artist Carol Talley is giving a pastel painting workshop and demonstration at Sunburst. She will show how to create a garden painting. Talley is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the West Coast. April 20 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $65. 805-736-6528. sunburst.org/art. Sunburst Retreat Center, 7200 CA-1, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

ABSTRACTED BOTANICALS A four-day workshop with Roberta Ahrens. Limited to 12 students. This unique workshop with cracked linen canvas and abstracted botanicals is “a journey into your unique expression on intriguing surface material.”

April 20, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., April 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., April 22 , 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and April 23 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $1,237 includes lunch daily. 805-550-6399. willowpondslo.com. Willow Pond SLO, 1250 Judith Lane, Arroyo Grande.

THE FISH WHISPERER A mysterious outsider plots to fix a small fishing town’s sudden bad luck when it comes to fishing. Through May 11 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.

LITTLE MERMAID JR. Presented by Coastal Youth Theater. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories. An enchanting look at the sacrifices we all make for love and acceptance. April 19, 7-9 p.m., April 20 2-4 & 7-9 p.m., April 21, 3-5

CATCH POINT

The Neal Taylor Nature Center hosts its 27th annual Fish Derby at Cachuma Lake on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21. Contestants must fish during official tournament hours (starting at 6 a.m. on April 20 and through noon on April 21). Registration is $10 for youth (ages 4 to 15) and $35 for adults. Winners will receive cash and merchandise prizes. Visit clnaturecenter.org or call (805) 693-8381 for more details.

—Caleb Wiseblood

p.m., April 25 7-9 p.m., April 26 7-9 p.m., April 27 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. and April 28 3-5 p.m. $25-$30. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter. org/shows/cyt-little-mermaid-jr/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S

CINDERELLA The clock is ticking. Get ready for a night of laughs, love, and catchy tunes as St. Joseph High School presents this classic musical. The talented cast and crew have been working hard to bring a fun and lighthearted rendition of this timeless classic to life. April 19, 7-9:30 p.m. and April 20, 2-4:30 & 7-9:30 p.m. $20. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/sjhs-cinderella/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ADAM PARKER SMITH: FOR THE TIME

BEING 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. Through July 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/ exhibition/adam-parker-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.

APRIL BANKS: OUTLANDISH Los Angeles-based artist April Banks is a creative strategist working across visual art, social engagement, and exhibition design. Her practice sits intentionally

between image, space, and experience. Through July 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/aprilbanks/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. 805-7474200. artcentralslo.com/gallery-artists/. Art Central, 1329 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.

BEYOND THE BASICS OF WATERCOLOR

WITH VIRGINIA MACK This is a class for those who love imagining ways to further their visual expressions. A watercolorbased course, but one that branches out into other media. Fourth Thursday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $35 per class. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo. HAVE A DINO-MITE SPRING BREAK (WITH LINDA CUNNINGHAM) During this workshop, receive step-by-step instruction for creating beautiful fossil images. You’ll create your own work of art using Inktense pencils and water. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary. April 20 11 a.m.-noon $35 per person; $60 for two from same family. 805-4782158. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ART Owen and Kyoko Hunt from Kyoto, Japan offer classes for Japanese calligraphy (Fridays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.), a Japanese art called “haiga” (Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m.) and more at Nesting Hawk Ranch. Fridays $45. 702-335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.

PAINTING TERRACE HILL SUNSET WITH DREW DAVIS Check site for tickets and more info on the class. April 21, 1-3 p.m. my805tix.com/. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CENTRAL COAST A self-directed fun group of dynamic artists who enjoy painting and sketching outdoors. Artists meet on site at various locations. Weekly plein air destinations are provided by Kirsti Wothe via email (mrswothe@yahoo.com). Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.

THE SCARLET IBIS AND RODEO Civic Ballet of SLO presents Drew Silvaggio’s original contemporary ballet, based on the short story by James Hurst which explores themes of family, acceptance, pride, fragility, and more. April 20, 7-9 p.m. and April 21 2-4 p.m. $40-$60. 805-756-4849. pacslo.org/events/detail/westsidestory24. Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. SCULPTURE CLASS WITH ROD PEREZ

This weekly sculpture drop-in class gives an opportunity for potters to take on new projects and learn new techniques relating to sculptural work. Additionally, every first Friday of the month, a new project will be taught by Rod Perez for beginners. Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SLO FILM FESTIVAL

As a premiere six-day annual event, the SLO Film Festival showcases more than 100 independent films, hosts exciting red-carpet events, and invites filmmakers and industry professionals to the area for panel discussions and workshops that bring the community together to celebrate the arts. April 25, April 26 April 27 and April 28 805-546-3456. slofilmfest.org/. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SONGBIRD SPRING COLLAGE WITH LINDA CUNNINGHAM

Receive step-bystep instruction for creating a beautiful bird-themed paper collage using multiple mediums, including hand painted rice papers. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary. April 20

ROOM TO GROW

The Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticultural Society hosts its City Garden Care Day on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Lompoc’s drought tolerant demonstration garden at 1801 W. Central Ave., Lompoc. Participants of the event will help beautify the garden, currently in full bloom with examples of plants that grow well regionally. First-time volunteers are welcome. Call (805) 450-3668 or visit lvbhs.org for more info.

ARTS from page 11 sbhumane.org/wildwest

For tickets and more information, visit or scan the QR code.

1-4:30 p.m. $40 per person. 805-4782158. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

UBU’S OTHER SHOE STAGED READING: WORLD PREMIERE Title TBD. Experience being a part of the creative process as SLO Rep presents the world premiere of a brand new play. April 19 -20, 7-8:30 p.m. and April 20, 2-3:30 p.m. $15-$25. 805-786-2440. slorep.org/shows/ubuworld-premiere/.

SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING WATERCOLOR This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors. To enroll please contact Mack via email: vbmack@charter.net Wednesdays, 1:303:30 p.m. $35. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo. com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

WILD ART! (GALA AND ONLINE SILENT AUCTION) A vibrant benefit for Outside

Now’s nature connection programs for the next generation. Come and enjoy live music, treats and drinks, creative artwork, live and silent auction opportunities, raffle drawings, and great company. Or, register and bid online from home. April 18 , 6-9 p.m. $35 adults; free for children. 805-5419900. outsidenow.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. 559799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL JOHNSTON Johnston’s photography features horses, landscapes, birds, and

more, captured locally and abroad, including in Portugal. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

JEWELRY, SMALL WORKS, AND ART BY HOPE MYERS Myers is an award-winning watercolorist, collage artist, and jewelry crafts person. She has been creating her artwork on the Central Coast for more than 30 years. Hope’s jewelry features vintage beads and crystals and is assembled in Los Osos. Gallery open daily. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

OIL PAINTINGS BY JEFF ODELL Odell’s paintings of Morro Bay span across more than 40 years. They are a historical archive of the changes through those years.

Odell’s frequently seen with his plein air easel and paints. His original oils are on canvas and wood. Gallery open daily. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 29 Free. 805-772-1068.

galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

BUBBLE ART Grow a glorious bouquet print using watercolor and bubbles. This workshop is free, and all materials will be provided. Registration is required, for patrons 18 and older. April 22 4-5:30 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994 ext. 8562. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. EXPLORING THE TRAILS OF ORCUTT Join the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County as we enjoy all the trails that Orcutt provides. April 27 9-11:30 a.m. Free. 805-448-8012. sblandtrust.org. Orcutt Community Park, 4854 S, Bradley Road, 109, Orcutt.

FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. 805-937-9750. oasisorcutt. org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt. FLOWER CROWNS AT NAUGHTY OAK BREWERY Celebrate Frühlingsfest fest by making dried flower crowns. Class includes all materials for crown and a beverage. April 25, 7 p.m. my805tix.com. Naughty Oak Brewing Co., 165 S Broadway St. suite 102, Orcutt, 805-287-9663.

GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing 805-343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.

HEALING WITH HOPE: READINGS AND REIKI A safe space for healing and selfdevelopment for the LGBTQ+ community. Hosted by House of Pride and Equality (HOPE). April 20, 3 p.m. my805tix.com. Shade Residence, 1202 Fieldstone Lane, Santa Maria.

NATIONAL SUPERHERO DAY Visit the Youth Services desk to celebrate with a scavenger hunt, coloring sheets, and crafts. Come dressed as your favorite superhero for even more fun. April 28 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library,

by

ADULTING 101: HEALTHY LIVING/ SAFETY Learn from Library staff about grocery shopping, digital couponing, menu planning, budgeting, meal prep, mental health resources, and personal care. Retired firefighter and EMT Scott Hunter will demonstrate basic first aid skills. Receive a first aid kit and safety whistle. Registration required; for ages 16-30. April 23 , 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free. 805925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. CASUAL CRAFTERNOON: WATERCOLOR

Photo with Fido

The California Central Coast is home to one of the sweetest, juiciest berries on earth -- the strawberry.

Special Themed Days

“Senior Day” Friday, April 26

• Seniors 62+ receive FREE admission, all day

“Youth Day” Saturday, April 27

• Youth (6-11) receive $5 admission, all day

• Kids (5 and under) receive FREE admission, all day (everyday)

“Fiesta Day” Sunday, April 28

Special Fiesta Day, Concert & Rodeo event to be held in the Michelob Ultra Minetti Arena (separately ticketed event). Event will feature Hispanic-themed music and rodeo. For concert & ticket information visit: vmgconcerts.com

Community Showcase & Commercial Vendors

We are proud to welcome vendors of all sorts, including cosmetic, health and beauty product sales, candy makers, jewelry sales, new product lines, home repairs, commercial companies, and our Community Showcase Vendors are local artisans and small businesses from right here on the Central Coast.

Food Concessionaires

Over 25 FOOD BOOTHS what will offer strawberry-flavored food and drinks

• Strawberry-topped funnel cakes

• Strawberry popcorn

• Strawberry smoothies

• Strawberry ice cream

• Strawberry tamales

PIZZA

Beer and Wine

• SALADS

Cozy, Alaskan Atmosphere

• Retro Video Games

• BURGERS

• GRILLED SANDWICHES

BAKED and COLD SANDWICHES

Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Options

In-House Dining

KLONDIKE INFO

• Take-Out

• Curbside Delivery

2059 S. Broadway

Santa Maria

805-348-3667

104 Bridge Street

Arroyo Grande Village

805-481-5288

• DoorDash

MONDAY NIGHT

• UNPLUGGED

• Pizza and Board Games

= F U N!

The Klondike Founders, Mike and Pam, have been serving Good Times and Good Grub Since 1988 ! Yup

Pediatric Medical Group wants to ensure all newborns, infants, children and adolescents are up-to-date on their comprehensive well-child care, inclusive of appropriate screenings, complete physical exam, laboratory exams, fluoride varnish and vaccines.

Pediatric Medical Group is scheduling well exam visits for children of all ages. Strict safety precautions have been put in place to ensure the safety of patients and their parents.

• We provide rapid COVID-19 tests (15 Min results) Flu tests, and Flu vaccines.

• Face masks are required to be worn

• Strict sanitation practices are in place including disinfecting exam rooms after each visit.

1430 E. Main St. Santa Maria, CA

Call to schedule your child’s well exam today. Monday – Friday

www.pmgsm.com

805-922-3548

Special Attractions

SEPARATE TICKET REQUIRED

Saturday 4/27/23

Monster Truck Thunder

This show is a family event that kids of all ages can enjoy! The event is held in the Michelob Ultra Minetti Arena. Gates open at 5pm, show starts at 7:30pm (separately ticketed event).

Get tickets at: monstertruckthunder.com

Sunday 4/28/23

Fiesta Day

Special Fiesta Day, Concert and Rodeo event to be held in the Michelob Ultra Minetti Arena (separately ticketed event).

Event will feature Hispanic-themed music and rodeo. For concert and ticket information visit: vmgconcerts.com

David Ikola, M.D. Shane Rostermundt, D.O. Joseph Nunez, M.D.

Dr. Michele Kielty, D.O.

Geronna Leonards, N.P.

Lynn Peltier, C.P.N.P.

Jessica Prather, C.N.P.

Complimentary FOR CITY OF SANTA MARIA CUSTOMERS

hoose KITCHEN PAIL KITCHEN PAIL

New Distribution Site: Pick up at the Recreation and Parks Department, 615 S. McClelland St., Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No appointment necessary, one per household.

A complimentary indoor kitchen pail is available to provide a convenient way to collect food waste before depositing in your organics container. Promotion available for City solid waste customers. Bring utility bill as verification of eligibility to receive complimentary pail.

Strawberry Eating Contest

Presented by Santa Maria Fairpark Foundation

Who hasn’t gazed upon a decadent dessert and been tempted to throw manners aside and just dig right in? At the Strawberry Festival it’s OK to stuff your face with pie — at least when you’re competing in one of our Strawberry Dessert Eating Contests! Whether you’re eating or just watching, the desserteating contest is a popular event to attend. Open to all ages, the contest will be held daily at 2 pm on the Community Showcase Stage.

Can a strawberry be a work of art? We think so. Each year the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival challenges students to provide their best interpretation of a strawberry and we are always blown away by the results. Hundreds of works of strawberry art are on display during the Festival. Don’t miss the chance to browse the gallery and see the many different ways a strawberry can invoke inspiration.

Strawberry Art Contest

Presented by The SUN

12:30 PM to 3:30 PM Sat, Apr 20, 2024

Venue: Foxen 7200 Tasting Room

We are excited to host an educational program with Zoo To You Wildlife Conservation. This gathering will be focusing on sustainable pest management in vineyards. Enjoy lunch from Plenty on Bell, paired with a flight of our SIP Certified wines, while we learn more about Foxen’s sustainability practices and interact with some cool critters!

Seats are limited! Get your tickets today.

Questions? Email tastingroom@foxenvineyard.com or call (805) 937-4251 x 105

Adults $70.00

$50

Grounds Entertainment & Activities

Strawberry Shortcake

Miss Strawberry Shortcake will be making daily appearances throughout the Strawberry Festival.

Camel Rides

When was the last time you did something really adventurous? Well here is your opportunity! Climb into the saddle of one of these exotic animals and let your mind get swept away to a foreign land. Oliver Livestock will also have a baby camel, water buffalo, and zebra on display. Get your picture as you are riding an 8-foot camel.

Chalk Art Display

The area in front of the convention center will be transformed into a gallery of strawberry-themed masterpieces. We know the little ones will be inspired and want to get in on the fun too, a children’s chalk area will be available near the artists and is included with Festival admission.

Cruzin’ Car Show

Presented by Montecito Bank & Trust

“Strawberry Cruzin” originated in 2019 when many events had to be shut down due to the pandemic. The annual Strawberry Festival was unable to be held so the Santa Maria Fairpark got creative and put on a drive-thru Srawberry Festival where the community could drive through the Fairpark and enjoy the festive strawberry displays. Drive-thru attendees could also order and enjoy Strawberry Festival food from the safety of their own vehicles.

One of the highlighted areas on display was the “classic cars” that our community had on display. This “sweet” tradition has been growing since then and in 2024 we are so happy to announce that the classic car show has grown even more and will now fill the entire Park Plaza building! You will surely want to browse through and enjoy the beauty of these “sweet” classic cars!

Strawberry Tasting

Presented by California Women for Agriculture

Daily 12-4pm

Sink your teeth into some of the sweetest, juiciest strawberries around. Strawberry tasting being held inside the Convention Center is always a popular attraction for visitors. Did you know there are hundreds of varieties of strawberries? Growers have donated several varieties for festival attendees to compare and the California Women for Agriculture will have them available for tasting. Delight your taste buds with a burst of strawberry flavor.

Telemundo Carnival and News Channel 12

Kiddie Carnival

Paul Maurer Shows is known for its unique, brightlypainted rides, and their sparking lights (that work and shine brightly at night) including the newest ride, a thrill seeker’s favorite, the 55’ “Rock Star” or watching the spectacular light show on the 70’ “Giant Wheel” or 60’ Zipper. Of course you wouldn’t want to miss the 100’ Super-Shot that is guaranteed to take your breath away either!

From the colorful, three-toned canvas, aluminumframed family games, the food concession wagons selling those carnival favorites like hand-dipped corndogs, cotton candy and popcorn, Paul Maurer Shows continues to make the commitment in making your fair or event rank as one of the best!

Unlimited-ride Carnival wristbands will be available for sale $30 presale and on site for $40 at the Carnival ticket booths

Paul Maurer Shows & Carnival

Steve’s Fun Balloons

Steve is a balloon artist and family entertainer who enjoys creating smiles, memories, and fun times for all Festival guests.

Jeremy the Juggler

With something for everyone, this show has a variety of stunts that range from incredible to ridiculously funny.

Celebrate imagination and cardboard. Supplies will be provided. April 23 10 a.m. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

POETRY FOR SELF CARE Looking for a new form of self-expression? Poetry facilitation is the use of poetry to promote well-being. Participants will be introduced to a poem and explore their reaction through writing or illustration with guest facilitator Dot Winslow. Registration is required; for patrons 18 and older. April 21 2-3:30 p.m. Free. 805-9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA MARIA VALLEY STRAWBERRY

FESTIVAL A celebration of our area’s prized commodity. Attendees can expect the traditional favorites including carnival rides, strawberry tasting, and the children’s art contest. The festival is described as a reflection of our community. April 26 12-10 p.m., April 27 12-10 p.m. and April 28 12-10 p.m. $12. 805-925-8824. santamariafairpark.com/. Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg St., Santa Maria.

SATURDAY CRAFTERNOON: BEE BATHS

Save the bees. Create a place for bees to cool down and stay hydrated for the warmer months. This workshop is free, and all materials will be provided. Registration is required, for patrons 18 and older. April 20, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. 805925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

TO-GO KITS: EARTH DAY PLANTS

Celebrate Earth Day by upcycling eggshells from home to use as seed planters. Kits will include soil, seeds, and empty egg cartons. One kit per person. Available for pick-up at Orcutt, Cuyama, and Los Alamos branch libraries while supplies last. For patrons 18 and older. April 22 Free. 805925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

WEDDING AND QUINCEAÑERA EXPO Find all your needs for the special day in one location. Meet local florists, photographers, DJs, bakers, and more. April 20 10 a.m.-4 p.m. cityofsantamaria.org. Santa Maria Veterans Memorial Center, 313 W. Tunnell 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 minutes. April 22 , 11 a.m. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

THE NEAL TAYLOR NATURE CENTER 27TH ANNUAL FISH DERBY Rain or shine. $5,000 plus in cash prizes. Thousands more in merchandise prizes. Register in advance. April 20, 6 a.m.-10 p.m. $10-$45. 805-693-8381. troutderby.org. Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, 2265 CA-154, Cachuma Lake.

SEEAG HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL EARTH DAY PLANTOPIA U-PICK YOUR GARDEN FUNDRAISER Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) will host its fundraiser to celebrate Earth Day. Participants can select a combination of 12 small plants to fill two six-pack containers. Pre-order online and receive a free bag of compost from Agromin. April 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $35. 805-892-8155. SEEAG.org/ plantopia. Refugio Ranch Tasting Room, 2990 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

CITY GARDEN CARE DAY Earth Day is almost upon us; help beautify Lompoc’s demonstration garden, which is now in full bloom and provides examples of plants that grow well in our area. Wear comfortable clothes, a sunhat, and closed-toe shoes. First-time volunteers welcome. April 20 9 a.m.-noon Free. 805-450-3668. lvbhs.org/ activities. City of Lompoc Drought Tolerant Garden, 1801 W. Central Ave., Lompoc.

KRIYA II MEDITATION At this in-depth event, activate the healing power of your chakras and discover ways you can help consciousness to evolve, both personally and globally. April 25 1-4 p.m. $340. 805-736-6528. sunburst.org/art. Sunburst Retreat Center, 7200 CA-1, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. ongoing Starts at $70. 805-835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.

BREATHWORK WITH WMW This space is designed for women of all ages and backgrounds to come together, share experiences, and co-create a space of mutual support and empowerment. April 27 9-11 a.m. my805tix.com. The Cliffs Hotel and Spa, 2757 Shell Beach Rd, Pismo Beach, 805-773-5000.

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.

FULL MOON YOGA, MEDITATION, AND SOUND BATH

An evening of celestial connection and soulful movement. All yoga levels welcome and encouraged. April 23 8-9 p.m. my805tix.com.

Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach.

MODEL RAIL DAYS 2024 SLO Model Railroad Association presents Model Railroad Days at the Oceano Depot, with a free display of working model railroads (different scales and sizes; fun for all ages). Free parking. April 19 10 a.m.-4 p.m., April 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and April 21 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission. slomra.org. Oceano Train Depot, 1650 Front St., Oceano, 805489-5446.

POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS

A docent-led tour of the buildings and grounds of the historic Point San Luis Light Station. Check website for more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS

Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. 805-4816399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

AGING GRACEFULLY WITH PREVENTATIVE CARE “We can’t stop getting older, but we can shift our thinking about it.” Moving from “I can’t do anything about it” to “I have some control over how my mind and body ages.” Series sponsored by Unity Five Cities. Details from chris@peacefulpoint.com. Over Zoom. Wednesdays, 6-7:30 p.m. through Nov. 20 Love offering. (805) 489-7359. unity5cities. org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. 559-9059274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

BIRDS AND BOTANY MONTHLY WALK

AT SLO BOTANICAL GARDEN The Garden is excited to present a monthly bird walk series on the fourth Thursday of every month which explores the intersection

of birds and botany. Fourth Thursday of every month, 8-11 a.m. $10 for Garden Members; $40 for general public. 805-5411400. slobg.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

THE BUILDER GAMES 2024 Join to support People’s Self-Help Housing signature fundraiser. Cheer on teams building playhouses, as they race against the clock and face fun challenges. See who becomes this year’s ‘Builder Games Champion.’ April 27, 3-7 p.m. $125. 805548-2358. buildergames.org. Peoples’ Self-Help Housing Corporate Office, 1060 Kendall Road, 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.

DIVISION 23 CALIFORNIA RETIRED

TEACHERS LUNCHEON AND MEETING

The bi-monthly luncheon and meeting will include entertainment by Judy Philbin accompanied by her son Garrett. The duo will sing favorites from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. Email letremblay3756@gmail.com for more info. Come and network with fellow retired educators. April 18 , 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m. $25. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo.

EARTH DAY STORYTIME With Lori Fisher Peelen, author of popular nature books for kids. April 23 10-10:30 a.m. my805tix.com. San Luis Obispo Library, 995 Palm St., San Luis Obispo.

FOSTERING COMMON PURPOSE WITHIN THE ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES SECTOR For this roundtable, the group is seeking representatives from local nonprofits that serve the arts, culture, and humanities sectors. This is an opportunity to gather to build relationships and collaborations between those serving in the same nonprofit sector and to share challenges, successes, and opportunities. April 24 10-11 a.m. Free. spokesfornonprofits.org.

Online, See website, 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. 30 Free. 805-528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

LEVERAGING AI FOR IMPACTFUL GRANT

PROPOSALS A dynamic training class designed to enhance grant writing through artificial intelligence. April 18, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 for Spokes members; $35 for nonmembers. spokesfornonprofits.org. People’s Self-Help Housing, 1060 Kendall Road, San Luis Obispo, 805-781-3088.

MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION

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

MOONLIGHT HOURS AT THE SLO

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Come to the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum for free every third Thursday of the month. Third Thursday of every month, 5-7 p.m. Free admission. 805-545-5874. slocm.org/moonlight-hours. San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum, 1010 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

PLUG-IN TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION

Get inspired by local action, connect with others, and discover more ways to get involved with the SLO Climate Coalition. Attend virtually or in-person. Sustainable snacks and childcare will be provided.

Third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. sloclimatecoalition.org/events/. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.

Q YOUTH GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) This is a social support group for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth between the ages of 11-18. Each week the group explores personal, cultural, and social identity. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

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TIDAL RAVE

In conjunction with the SLO International Film Festival’s Surf Nite festivities this year, Riff Tide will perform on Friday, April 26, from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., at the Fremont Theater. During the local band’s performance onstage, surf videos will be projected behind them on the Fremont Theater’s screen. Visit slofilmfest.org or Riff Tide’s Facebook page for more info. The Fremont Theater is located at 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE from page 27

QI GONG FITNESS ONLINE Qi Gong is a gentle but powerful way to strengthen body, mind, and spirit. Great for balance. Instructor: Gary West, through Adult School, San Luis Coastal Unified School District. An online class. Wednesdays, 9:35-10:35 a.m. through May 22 $90. 805-549-1222. ae.slcusd.org/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Helps to lower stress, increase flexibility and energy, and can even help with anxiety and chronic joint pain. It combines gentle stretches, strengthening postures, and flowing movements. Participants will stand but chairs will be made available. April 28, 1-2 p.m. $21 nonmembers. 805-541-1400. slobg.org/event/ qi-gong-for-less-stress-more-energy/. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.

SAN LUIS OBISPO SPRING WEDDING

EXPO A one-stop destination for all things wedding and event planning. Whether you’re engaged and planning your dream wedding or organizing a special event, this expo is the ultimate source of inspiration, expertise, and the latest trends. April 21 12-4 p.m. my805tix.com. Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.

SECOND ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE Come out to beautiful Avila to rummage to kick off Earth Week. Features clothes, toys, gear, books, home goods, and more. All money raised will support Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School. April 20, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School, 1401 San Luis Bay Dr., San Luis Obispo, 595-7169, bsfcs.org.

SLO COUNTY EARTH DAY FAIR

Come enjoy a beautiful day in the sun, celebrating our home; planet earth. The SLO County Earth Day Fair will feature live music, food and drinks, a fun kids zone, and an electric car show. Don’t miss this exciting community event. April 20 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. sloclimatecoalition.org/ earth-day-fair-slo-county/. Laguna Lake Park, 504 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo. SLO LEZ B FRIENDS (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)

each other. Transgender and Nonbinary folks welcome. Third Friday of every month, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. sloqueer.groups.io/g/ lezbfriends. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

SLO NOONTIME TOASTMASTERS CLUB MEETINGS Want to improve speaking and leadership skills in a supportive and positive environment? During COVID, we are meeting virtually. Contact us to get a meeting link for info. Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m.

Free. slonoontime.toastmastersclubs.org.

Zoom, Online, Inquire for Zoom ID.

SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN: WEEKLY COFFEE MEETING

SLO RAMs is a group or retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo.

SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+

AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. 805-5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-541-4252.

TRANS* YOUTH PEER SUPPORT GROUP

6-8 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-541-4252.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

2024 EARTH DAY CELEBRATION: PLANET VS. PLASTICS Greenspace-The Cambria Land Trust is hosting a familyfriendly afternoon to promote the Earth Day theme “Planet vs. Plastics,” partnering with Soto’s True Earth Market. This year’s Earth Day Festival will have local ecoorganizations, classes, music, and animal ambassadors. Food and wine for purchase. April 21, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 805-9272866. greenspacecambria.org. Creekside Reserve, 2264 Center St., Cambria. 36TH ANNUAL AAUW GARDEN TOUR

Visit gardens in any order during your selfguided tour. Tickets available at Volumes of Pleasure Bookshop and other outlets. Visit site for more details. No pets. April 28, 12-5 p.m. my805tix.com. Volumes of Pleasure Bookshop, 1016 Los Osos Valley Rd, Los Osos, 805-528-5565.

CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS

Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, 805-7722840, sttimothymorrobay.org.

THE CHALLENGES OF GARDENING IN LOS OSOS

Join the Los Osos Valley Garden Club as Master Gardeners Thorv and Marylou Hessellund explore some of the resources available to help us be successful gardeners in our climate zone. Presentation will follow a member talk on “Repotting Cymbidium Orchids” by Peggy Rice. April 21 2-4 p.m. Free. lovgardenclub.com. First Baptist Church of Los Osos, 1900 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos, 805-528-3066.

CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS MEETING Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org/. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, 805927-1654.

A good core group of friends who gather to discuss topics we love/ care about from movies, outings, music, or being new to the area. We come from all walks of life and most importantly support

This group is a safe place for trans* and gender non-conforming people, as well as those questioning, from ages of 11 to 18. A facilitated emotional support group to be heard, share your story, and hear stories that may sound surprisingly like your own. Fourth Tuesday of every month,

Community Theater

WIN TWO TICKETS! BRUCE COCKBURN

Wednesday, April 24

Harold Miossi CPAC, Cuesta College, SLO

Entertainment Menu

April 19th - April 27th

Appetizer

Sunday, April 21st

Sunday Night Karaoke

6pm

Second Course

Friday, April 26th

Dinastia Detuzantla 8pm

Main Course

Saturday, April 27th

Dr T and the Blues Criminals 8pm

www.FCBallroom.com

Entertainment so good you’ll say “more please”

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

Spanish Line (805) 944-5896

Hot Stuff

ROCK ON

The Morro Bay National Estuary Program hosts its Earth Day Cleanup at Morro Rock on Saturday, April 20, from 9 to 11 a.m. All ages are welcome and cleaning supplies will be provided. Attendees are welcome to show up anytime within the event time frame. Admission is free. Visit the program’s Eventbrite page for more info. —C.W.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE from page 28

EARTH DAY CLEANUP Join the Morro Bay National Estuary Program for a cleanup in honor of Earth Day. Meet at Morro Rock any time from 9 to 10:30 a.m. All ages welcome, and supplies will be provided. Learn more at mbnep.eventbrite.com. April 20 9-11 a.m. Free. mbnep.org. Morro Rock, Coleman Drive, Morro Bay.

EARTH DAY FESTIVAL AT CAMBRIA NURSERY A weekend-long celebration with creative workshops, 20 percent off all plants, garden demonstrations, and eco-friendly activities for the whole family. Enjoy a delicious free lunch (daily, noon-1 p.m.), and connect with like-minded individuals passionate about sustainability. “Let’s cultivate a greener future together.” April 19 -22, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit website to view free and paid activities. 805-927-4747. cambrianursery.com. Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.

OPEN FLOW: DANCE AND MOVEMENT

A community of movers and shakers who come together to express themselves through dance and movement. Inspired by a variety of conscious movement modalities, Open Flow is led by Silvia Suarez and Matt Garrity, embodiment teachers who share a passion for integration through movement exploration. Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. $10 (general), $5 (ages 55 and older). SilviaAthaSomatics.org. Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, 772-6278.

POLLINATORS WITH THE MASTER GARDENERS Want to learn more about pollinators in SLO County? Join the Cayucos Library for an informative discussion with Master Gardeners of SLO. April 24, 10-11 a.m. Free. 805-995-3312. slolibrary.org. Cayucos Library, 310 B. St., Cayucos.

SOCRATES: DISCUSSION GROUP Group members present interesting and thought provoking topics of all sorts. Topics are selected in advance and moderated by volunteers. Vaccinations are necessary. Enter through wooden gate to garden area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. 805-528-7111. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

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

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805-332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ

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

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

SANTA BARBARA HUMANE’S WILD

WEST FEST This fundraiser includes dinner, live entertainment, silent auction, and more. Stay tuned for more details. April 20 4-7 p.m. Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road, Santa Maria.

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, 805332-3532, 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

DINNER, WINE, AND ROSES

FUNDRAISER Presented by Rotary Club of Solvang. Enjoy a multi-course menu, live and silent auctions, and live music from Out of the Blue. April 19 5 p.m. $150 per person. my805tix.com. Vega Vineyard and Farm, 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton, 805-688-2415.

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

AVILA BEACH SPAGHETTI DINNER

AND BINGO NIGHT Enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner with salad, garlic bread, and dessert, followed by Bingo. April 19 6-8 p.m. my805tix.com. Avila Beach Community Center, 191 San Miguel St., Avila Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ROSÉ THE SLO WAY WINE FESTIVAL AND FUNDRAISER Showcases the acclaimed wine region’s premier Rosés. Guests will taste wine from 20 boutique Central Coast wineries, meet the team behind the wines, and enjoy savory food pairings. April 21 , 1-4 p.m. $150. hotel-slo.com/events/rose-the-slo-way/. Hotel San Luis Obispo, 877 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, 805-235-0700.

WINE 4 PAWS Visit any of the 75 participating SLO County wineries and businesses to raise funds for Woods Humane Society. 10 percent of all sales will support dogs and cats in need of homes. April 20 -21 805-801-6589. Wine4paws.com. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

BRASS MASH AT COTTONWOOD CANYON Brass Mash performs all your favorite tunes mashed into an energetic and infectious groove, with powerhouse instrumentals and a tight sound. The band consists entirely of horns, winds, and percussion to play a variety of music styles. April 20 6 p.m. my805tix.com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria, 805-937-8463.

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.

LADIES OF THE ‘80S Features a Madonna look-alike contest, prizes, and more. April 20, 5 p.m. my805tix.com. Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S Broadway St., Ste. 101, Orcutt, 805-934-3777.

MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY

Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. ongoing 805-925-0464. coelhomusic.com/ Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria. OLD TIME GOSPEL SING-ALONG All are welcome. Call for more details. Last Saturday of every month, 5-6 p.m. 805478-6198. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria.

SANTA MARIA PHILHARMONIC SEASON

CONCERT: MUSICAL TRAVELOGUE

Maestro Michael Nowak and the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra lead an orchestral excursion across Europe and the United States for the closing

MUSIC continued page 32

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It’s Time for the 29th Annual Photo Contest! Winning Images

Entry Period is April 25–May 13 by 5pm

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Win cash prizes, get published in our annual Winning Images issues on June 20, see your work in an online gallery, and be part of a show at The Photo Shop in San Luis Obispo! ONLINE ENTRIES ONLY! visit us at www.santamariasun.com for more information

Dan Baum, 2023

J.J. Baker, 2023

Michael V Messina, 2023

Lance Wilson, 2023

Jonathan Shapiro, 2023

Dylan Kyle, 2023

performance of the 2023-2024 concert season. April 27 7:30-9:30 p.m. $45. 805925-0412. smphilharmonic.org. Grace Baptist Church, 605 E. McCoy Ln., Santa Maria.

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

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

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

WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

VOCES DE RANCHO Presented by Savage Entertainment. April 19, 8 p.m. my805tix. com. FCB, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, 805-810-0714.

YOUTH OPEN MIC NIGHT A fun, welcoming environment for first time performers and an opportunity for kids and teens to showcase their talent. Prizes awarded every month for Outstanding Performer. Last Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. certainsparks.com/. Certain Sparks Music, 107 S. H St., Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

SLO MASTER CHORALE: BEYOND THE NOTES Explore the traditions of the music of the Eastern Orthodox Church and its transcendent qualities, and learn how the music of the Church has transformed over the years. This presentation coincides with the SLO Master Chorale’s concert on Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. April 20 3-5 p.m. Free. 805-538-3311. slomasterchorale.org. San Luis Bay

Estates Lodge, 6375 Firehouse Canyon Road, Avila Beach.

UP IN THE AIR AT MULLIGAN’S Featured act will play it’s eclectic blend of upbeat original music, along with some familiar favorites. The six-piece ensemble features vocals, guitars, mandolin, keys, flute, bass, drums, and Latin percussion. April 19, 5 p.m. Free. 805-595-4000. avilabeachresort.com/mulligans/. Mulligans Bar and Grill, 6460 Ana Bay Road, Avila Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

30TH SLO FILM FESTIVAL SURF NITE

WITH RIFF TIDE With drinks in the lobby, live music from Riff Tide from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., and film showing at 7 p.m. April 26 4:30-7 p.m. $25. 805-546-3456. slofilmfest. org. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

’90S PROM NIGHT With B & The Hive. April 20 7-10 p.m. my805tix.com. Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane, suite 130, San Luis Obispo, 805 242-8372.

AL STEWART WITH THE EMPTY POCKETS An evening with legendary Al Stewart, best known for his hits “Year of the Cat” from the Platinum album of the same name and more. Accompanied by the Empty Pockets Band. April 20 7:3010:30 p.m. $50. pciconcerts.com. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

BEYOND THE NOTES: RACHMANINOFF AND HIS ALL-NIGHT VIGIL (INSPIRATIONS) Learn about Rachmaninoff’s sources and musical references utilized during his composition of the work “All-Night Vigil.” These presentations coincide with the SLO Master Chorale’s concert on Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center. April 21 1:15-2 p.m. Free. 805-538-3311. slomasterchorale.org. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

BURLEY THISTLES IN SLO Burley Thistles plays guitar-woven music that has an

indie attitude and a tough beat. April 21 3-6 p.m. eastoneverett.com/. 1215, Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo.

CENTRAL COAST GUITAR SHOW 2024

For the price of admission, those attending the show may “walk in” new, used, old, or rare guitars, amplifiers, and other musical items. April 20 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

my805tix.com/. Veteran’s Memorial Building, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

CHARLES GORCZYNSKI TANGO

QUARTET BENEFIT FOR SLCUSD BANDS

The Charles Gorczynski Tango Quartet is bringing Argentine tango music to SLO. Proceeds benefit the SLO and Morro Bay High School and Middle School Music Programs. Mark your calendar for an unforgettable afternoon. April 21 3-5 p.m. $20. my805tix.com/e/charles-gorczynski.

Mount Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 Fredericks St., San Luis Obispo.

JOVIAN QUEEN AND SILVITICI YELLOW MASTER BLUE Visit site for tickets and more info. April 19 6-9 p.m. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

RED OAK COUNTRY Live in concert. Tickets available online in advance. April 20 6:30 p.m. my805tix.com. Veteran’s Memorial Building, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

RIFF TIDE ROCKS EARTH DAY IN LAGUNA PARK Catch the band during the annual SLO County Earth Day Fair at Laguna Lake Park. This free family-friendly event is sure to entertain, educate, and inspire our community. April 20 1-2 p.m. Free show. 805-440-2547.

slochamber.org/event/slo-county-earthday-fair/. Laguna Lake Park, 504 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.

SLO MASTER CHORALE: VESPERS Sergei

Rachmaninoff’s “All-Night Vigil” is his signature choral work and has become a fixture in choral repertoire. April 21, 3-5 p.m. $20-$60. 805-756-4849. pacslo.org/ events/detail/vespers-24. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo. m

Arts

ARTS BRIEFS

Elverhoj Museum holds new exhibit, Under the Same Sun: From Low-riders to Farmworkers

Five artists of various media and styles are participating in the Elverhoj Museum’s new group exhibition, Under the Same Sun: From Low-riders to Farmworkers, which is scheduled to open at the Solvang venue on Saturday, April 20, and run through early July.

The show’s featured artists—Jacqueline Valenzuela (whose work is pictured), Priscilla S. Flores, Narsiso Martinez, Oscar Pearson, and Luis Ramirez—are based in Central and Southern California, and their works in the exhibit are described as vignettes that celebrate “the diverse stratum of communal being” that relate to “this contemporary moment in California,” while acknowledging “that we are all a part of this everyday experience,” according to press materials.

The Elverhoj Museum of History and Art will host an opening reception for the exhibit on Saturday, April 20 (4 to 6 p.m.), where the public will have the chance to meet the show’s five featured artists in person. The artists will return to the museum on Saturday, June 29 (4 to 6 p.m.), for an art demonstration and dialogue, where they’ll discuss their tools, techniques, and motivations behind their respective works.

To find out more about Under the Same Sun: From Lowriders to Farmworkers and other upcoming exhibits hosted by the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, call (805) 686-1211 or visit elverhoj.org. The museum is located at 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang. Admission to the venue is free, while a donation of $5 is suggested.

Gallery Los Olivos presents UNITY, an upcoming duo show

Local artists Wendy Brewer and Christine Marie have compiled a collection of their works that celebrate human and spiritual experiences in UNITY, Gallery Los Olivos’ next duo exhibition slated to open on Wednesday, May 1, and remain up through the end of May.

The exhibit showcases mixed media mosaics by Brewer (whose work is pictured) and abstract fine art paintings by Marie. Brewer incorporates glass, beads, metal, clay, and other materials in her works and has described her process as a creative journey that nourishes her heart and soul, according to press materials. Marie’s colorful, expressionist paintings in the show were inspired by moments of introspection and stillness.

An opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Saturday, May 18, from 2 to 5 p.m. Call (805) 688-7517 or visit gallerylosolivos.com for more info. Gallery Los Olivos is located at 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. m

Caleb Wiseblood. Send information to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

Hue haven

Brush up on pastels with Carol Talley at Lompoc’s Sunburst Sanctuary

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

Since the analytical brain doesn’t play a huge role when semi-abstract artist Carol Talley begins a painting, it’s fitting that one of her most memorable clients is someone well-known in the wizarding community as nearly headless.

“This guy walks by, and I was like, ‘Oh shit, that’s John Cleese,” the local pastelist said, recalling an outdoor Santa Barbara art fair she participated in years ago. “He walks into my booth and looks at things and says, ‘I’d like to buy this … let me give you my name,’ and I was like, ‘I know who you are, I don’t need your name.’

“He wasn’t afraid of people recognizing him, which is nice. … Of course, I complimented him on all his great work,” added Talley, who described the Monty Python legend’s reputation among artists in the area as really positive. “He was always very supportive of the arts in Santa Barbara.”

Talley said she especially enjoys getting the chance to meet those interested in her work face-to-face at outdoor art festivals and pop-ups because that’s not always a given when selling at a gallery, unless it’s a day she’s on-site. Outdoor settings in general are embedded in Talley’s art, as most of her representational pieces are based on scenic locales and plant life found along the Central Coast.

“During the pandemic, I explored abstraction, but I would say my real comfort space is kind of semi-abstract, or you can call it impressionistic, but impressionism really covers a lot. … I’m all over the map,” Talley said. “I do sometimes do things that are pretty close to realism, but I really

Let

Sunburst Sanctuary in Lompoc presents Painting in the Garden with Pastels, led by Santa Barbara resident and awardwinning artist Carol Talley, on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For registration info, email carol@caroltalley.com. Visit sunburst.org for more info on Sunburst Sanctuary, located at 7200 Highway 1, Lompoc. To find out more about Talley and her artwork, visit caroltalley. com. The local artist is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the West Coast and a member of the Pastel Society of America.

enjoy a more expressive, freer style.”

The pastelist added that she’ll usually set some boundaries for herself, such as limiting the number of colors she can use, because to paint “without any sense of any kind of structure can be chaotic,” she said.

Attendees of an upcoming pastel workshop and demo will have the opportunity to observe Talley’s process firsthand. The garden-based class will take place at Sunburst Sanctuary, a multifaceted retreat center in Lompoc, on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Along with its yoga sessions, song circles, and other events, Sunburst Sanctuary hosts periodic art workshops on an ongoing basis.

“We have greatly enjoyed having Carol Talley as part of the art classes we offer here at Sunburst,” the venue’s Retreat Center Coordinator April Juels told the Sun. “She is a wonderful artist and teacher and a much-appreciated part of our series.”

Showtime!

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

Juels said Sunburst Sanctuary started hosting its art workshop program, which brings in various artists to serve as instructors, in early 2023. The series was initiated by longtime Sunburst Sanctuary member and artist Dawn King.

Aside from coordinating art events at the venue, Juels occasionally participates in them as well.

“I love attending the art classes as much as I can … since we offer a variety,” said Juels, who plans to attend Talley’s April 20 workshop. “It’s always interesting to see what our offerings are, as they are never the same.”

Some art classes at Sunburst Sanctuary are approximately two hours, while others start in the morning and end late in the afternoon, with a scheduled lunch break. This is the case for Talley’s garden class, and attendees are asked to pack a lunch to bring. For Talley, the go-to meal for scenarios like this varies.

“It’s usually whatever’s kicking around the kitchen,” Talley said. “Sometimes it can be canned fish, which is kind of stinky, but usually it’s tofu with some vegetables or something. That keeps me going.” m

Send comments in parseltongue to Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@ santamariasun.com.

COURTESY IMAGE BY JACQUELINE VALENZUELA

INTERPRET THE INTUITIVE: Pastelist Carol Talley, who’s leading an upcoming workshop and demonstration at Sunburst Sanctuary in Lompoc on April 20, often paints semi-abstract scenes based on nature, such as this pastel piece titled Abundance

PHOTO COURTESY OF WENDY BREWER

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROL TALLEY

OAK IN OIL: Local artist Carol Talley described her art style as “all over the map,” as she enjoys painting impressionist pieces as well as realistic landscapes. Locally known as a prolific pastelist, she occasionally paints with oil. Valley Oak is one of her recent oil commissions.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNBURST SANCTUARY

GARDEN GALLERY: Sunburst Sanctuary, a scenic retreat center in Lompoc, has been hosting its ongoing art class series since early 2023. The multi-faceted venue also hosts yoga retreats and various other events throughout the year.

Film

Last full measure

Writer-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men) helms this war movie set in a dystopian near-future America where Texas, California, and other states—in the face of an increasingly autocratic and fascist U.S. President (Nick Offerman) who appoints himself to a third term—join forces to depose him. The story follows four journalists—Lee (Kirsten Dunst), Joel (Wagner Moura), Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson)—as they travel a circuitous route from New York to Charlottesville and beyond as the so-called Western Forces advance on Washington, D.C. (109 min.)

has started down brings nothing but pain. This is a heart-wrenching film.

Glen: Like all great war movies, Civil War is staunchly anti-war, depicting the carnage, the horror, the senselessness, the brutality, and the ugliness of combat. Telling the story through the eyes of journalists makes sense. Joel is an adrenaline junky who gets off on the rush of war. Lee is weary of conflict, realizing her attempts through her work to show the world the futility of war have failed—war never stops. Sammy is their seasoned mentor who begs for a ride to Charlottesville. Jessie is just 23 and idolizes Lee, a renowned war photographer. Against Lee’s wishes, she convinces Joel to let her tag along. There’s a heartbreaking moment between Lee and Jessie when after facing death Jessie says how she’s never felt more afraid or more alive. Lee looks at her with such sad resignation because she knows the path Jessie

3 BODY PROBLEM

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2024

Where’s it showing? Netflix

CIVIL WAR

What’s it rated? R

What’s it worth, Glen? Full price

What’s it worth, Anna? Full price

Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Movies Lompoc, Fair Oaks

Anna: The whole cast takes these roles on with gusto, but Kirsten Dunst is especially forceful as Lee. The reality of war wears on her face. Along their travels, the group stumbles upon a small town where at first glance the fact that a civil war surrounds them seems to go unnoticed. They stop into a boutique where the clerk (Melissa Saint-Amand) dryly tells them the town simply doesn’t want to think about or acknowledge the conflict; however, the armed men on the rooftop across from the shop may feel differently. Jessie convinces Lee to try on a dress, and looking at herself with a puffed organza shoulder and V-neckline reminds Lee just how far war has brought her from life’s normalcy. She sees herself in Jessie, and in that she sees the difficulty that lies in front of her young admirer. Jessie may think she wants to be in it, to be on the front line, but the reality of death and destruction is a lot less romantic than the thought of being a famed photojournalist. When real lives of people that you know get into the mix, all romance is gone. There’s just death and blood and heartbreak. I’ll be thinking about this film for a long time to come.

Glen: Another harrowing moment comes when they stumble across some soldiers led by a nameless psychopath (Jesse Plemons, Dunst’s real-life husband), who’s absolutely frightening as he casually pours lye onto a mass grave. At gunpoint, he asks the journalists, “What kind

of American are you?” It perfectly sums up the tribal partisanship gripping the U.S., where each side believes its political opponent is an existential threat. Could this actually happen in America? The scene is also a reminder that in war, war crimes and atrocities are inevitable. The mass grave wasn’t filled with enemy soldiers. It was filled with murdered civilians. Anna: I thought the choice to put Plemons’ character in bright red plastic sunglasses was telling. He literally saw red. Those were no rose-colored glasses. As the journalists trek on

toward Washington, D.C., they start to wonder what it’s all for. Will it be worth it? Joel has the intention to interview the president, and Lee has the intent to photograph the takedown, but what comes is the unmistakable mess of war. Sometimes the wizard is just a man behind a curtain, yet so much revolves around his whims. This film should not be missed. m

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

Based on Chinese sci-fi author Liu Cixin’s novel The ThreeBody Problem (from his Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy), Netflix’s nonlinear, character-rich series is about the Santi, an alien race from a dying planet that contacts Earth. The story surrounds the humans who are aware of the Santi.

This U.S. version is being criticized in China for its racially diverse cast (all the novel’s characters are Chinese) as well as its graphic depiction of a “struggle session” in 1966 during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, where we see defiant physics professor Ye Zhetai (Perry Yung) beaten to death by the Red Guards as his physicist daughter, Ye Wenjie (Xine Tseng), helplessly watches. The experience makes Wenjie lose faith in humanity, which is central to her motivation when she’s sent to a remote state-run Chinese SETI installation trying to contact alien life. She eventually makes contact, and

LAWMEN: BASS REEVES

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2023

Where’s it showing? Paramount Plus

Real-life Bass Reeves (1938-1910) was born into slavery and owned by Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves, and when the Civil War started, Reeves’ son George R. Reeves acquired ownership of Bass, joined the Confederate Army, and took Bass with him. Bass eventually attacked George over a poker game argument and escaped into Indian territory, where he learned to speak five Native American languages: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Creek.

After the Emancipation Proclamation, Bass returned to Arkansas, married his wife, Jennie (Lauren E. Banks), had children, and tried his hand at farming until 1875 when Judge Isaac Parker (Donald Sutherland) swore in Reeves in as a lawman. During his 35 years in law enforcement, Bass made more than 3,000 arrests, killing 20 men in the line of duty. In short, he was an amazing historical figure and ripe for the picking by series creator Chad Feehan (Southland, Rectify, Ray

The miniseries depicts many historically accurate moments in Reeves’ life as well as

HARDENED: Based on an historical figure, David Oyelowo stars as Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a runaway slave turned lawman, in Lawmen: Bass Reeves, streaming on Paramount Plus.

fictionally embellishing other elements, and it’s a gripping, albeit slow burning, story with a terrific supporting cast including Dennis Quaid, Barry Pepper, and Garrett Hedlund. A must-see for Western fans. (eight 32- to 57-min. episodes) m —Glen

WAR-CORE DESPONDENT: Kirsten Dunst stars as Lee Smith, a hardened journalist covering a new American civil war, who’s racing to Washington, D.C., as the seceding states’ militias invade, in Civil War, screening in local theaters.

ALIEN JOB INTERVIEW: As a pretext for invasion, an alien race called the Santi contacts humans through a headset disguised as a puzzle-to-solve videogame, in 3 Body Problem, streaming on Netflix.

BY CHERISH WHYTE

Hard work and artistic flair are second nature to Trina Galvan—who has operated a registered cottage kitchen called Drizzle Cakes from her home in Oceano off and on since 2021.

In March she took a leap of faith, expanding her portfolio beyond cakes, rebranding as Drizzle Bakery, and opening a larger-scale business at The Kitchen Terminal in San Luis Obispo.

Her ambitious goals are twofold—to offer exceptional products for all events and all diets, including vegan and glutenfree, and to “make this my only job so I can spend more time with my son,” she said.

Currently a one-woman show, Galvan hopes her business will grow to employ other family members, “because what is mine is theirs,” she added.

“I was born in Santa Maria to Pedro Galvan and Luciana Bautista, both immigrants from Mexico,” she said. “My siblings and I were raised in Arroyo Grande—more specifically, Huasna Valley. My parents were both farmers, and I had the privilege to grow up farming. We had small plots of land throughout the Central Coast, but Huasna Valley was my home. “Farming was backbreaking at times, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It taught

me independence, responsibility, freedom from societal pressures, a strong work ethic, and a free spirit, with endless outdoor adventure time.

“When I was young, I remember I enjoyed three things: farming, browsing through National Geographic magazines—I loved their photography— and watching the Food Network. I loved anything dessert-related, but I also watched cooking shows—Martha Stewart before she got canceled, Ace of Cakes, Unwrapped, Good Eats, and Emeril, just to name a few. Let’s just say my sister and brother got annoyed with my show preferences.”

After Galvan graduated high school in 2003, she landed her first job in the bakery department at Vons in Grover Beach—“and the rest is history,” she said.

“I’m self-taught—everything I have learned has been from hands-on experience,” she continued. “I’ve held various roles from associate baker, sous pastry chef, bakery manager, pastry chef, and now bakery owner.”

Employers, large and small, from whom Galvan has gained “new insights and experiences I’ve used along the way are Vons, Costco, Chumash Casino, Cal Poly, Splash Café, House of Bread, La Bodega, Bang the Drum, Linnaea’s, and SLO Baked,” she said.

She added that while she’s had some great employers, she has also experienced “some very toxic and unprofessional work environments,” and gently reminds locals to support businesses that treat their employees well.

Galvan’s professional pledge is to promote “diversity, transparency, human kindness, community, trust, and authenticity,” she said.

However, her top priority is producing quality baked goods. Customers can select from cakes listed on Drizzle’s Facebook and Instagram pages or request a special wedding-specific order form.

In addition to cakes and cupcakes, Galvan offers a wide range of seasonal goodies, including cookies, muffins, scones, granola, and more, some of which can also be found on Harvestly, SLO’s online farmers market that delivers as far south as Nipomo.

Galvan’s deadline for orders is Wednesday at noon, with extra lead time requested for large functions. She bakes and decorates her products on Friday and offers pickup at The Kitchen Terminal on Saturday morning.

FOR

OCCASION: Peruse Drizzle Bakery’s extensive portfolio of traditional and trendy cakes or work with proprietor Trina Galvan to custom order the dessert of your dreams.

Trina Galvan and her 3-year-old son, Rio, visit the Lompoc mission during time off from her newly opened Drizzle Bakery at The

SUMMER GUIDE

Local delivery options are available for weddings, corporate events, and case by case for customers “who absolutely can’t make it to the kitchen,” she added.

“In the future, I would like to be able to make morning pastries such as croissants and Danishes,” she continued. “I have a lot of cake photos, but my favorite thing to do in a bakery is the laminated doughs.

“[At a prior job] I loved watching the process from start to finish. I used to roll in the butter, shape the Danishes and croissants, and the next day I’d proof and bake. I then garnished and filled the cases. It was so satisfying seeing the cases fully stocked.”

BOOK YOUR AD BY: MAY 31 PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 6

BOOK YOUR AD BY: MAY 17 PUBLICATION DATE: MAY 23 J.J. Baker, 2023

Galvan’s also excited about the transition from a cottage kitchen— which follows county-mandated ingredient restrictions—to a commercial facility that allows perishable items.

WINNING IMAGES

BOOK YOUR AD BY: JUNE 14 PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 20 ENTRY PERIOD 4/25 - 5/13 5pm

She looks forward to hitting local markets for fresh, seasonal products, “and I love harvesting, so I will most likely go to you-pick farms where I can pick my own berries.”

She added that eventually she plans to open her own storefront.

“Becoming a mom has really pushed and motivated me to continue on this journey,” she said. “I’m excited for this new chapter in my life … and I’d be forever grateful for any support.” m

Contributor Cherish Whyte will be ordering a slice of Trina’s flourless cake on Harvestly for immediate gratification. Reach her through the editor at clanham@newtimesslo.com.

Trina’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

Gluten-free

1 cup semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup Dutch cocoa

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the semisweet chocolate and butter together. Whisk the rest of the ingredients into the chocolate/ butter mix. Spray a 10-inch, parchment paper-lined springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour in batter. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the cake reaches 200 degrees. Cool. Top with ganache and fresh berries. For the ganache, simmer 1 cup heavy cream, remove from heat, then whisk in 1 cup finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate until smooth. You can use dark chocolate as well. Let cool before spreading.