Sun, August 28, 2025

Competitive advantage

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

Photo contest is now open [11]

Water polo athletes at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School travel for their home games and meets. The pool on their school campus doesn’t meet state requirements for competition, but a $13 million fundraising goal aims to change that. With $4.5 million raised so far, the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatic Foundation’s goal is to build a competition-ready pool for student athletes to use and to refurbish the school’s existing 60-year-old practice pool so it can be used by the public.

Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood writes about the need and how Solvang is helping [5]. Also, read about changes in county cannabis policy [3] ; a Lompoc local painting murals at his old elementary school [18] ; and the family focused on breakfast and more in Grover Beach [21]

•In an Aug. 21 statement, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, commented on the recent passage of a package of bills allowing California voters to determine whether the state should temporarily redraw its congressional maps through 2030 to counter the Trump administration and Texas Republicans’ partisan redistricting. “The only reason we are in this situation is because Donald Trump demanded that the Texas governor and Legislature create five more Republican House seats, rigging the 2026 election before voting even begins. But California is ready to fight fire with fire,” Padilla stated. “Trump and Republicans know they can’t run on their damaging record of ripping health care coverage away from 15 million Americans and jacking up premiums simply to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, so they’re trying to gerrymander their way to cling to power. … Democrats will continue to push for national redistricting reform to ensure future redistricting is fair and nonpartisan in all 50 states.”

•U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) sent a letter on Aug. 18 to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr that outlined “a series of concerns,” including those related to a $16 million settlement Paramount Global paid to President Donald Trump before the FCC’s July 24 approval of a merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. “The sequence of actions and statements leading up to and following the FCC’s merger approval, including Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Trump just days before the FCC issued its approval, raises significant questions and alarm that the FCC—an independent regulatory agency— has become a vehicle for President Trump to exact personal retribution and undermine the freedom of the press,” Schiff wrote in the letter. “I am writing to clarify the [FCC’s] terms and conditions for approving the recent $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, including any role played by President Trump or his associates in influencing the FCC’s actions. … Oversight by Congress is therefore imperative to assess the FCC’s actions and the circumstances surrounding the approval, which, if influenced by President Trump, would set a dangerous precedent of political interference in and corruption of the FCC’s merger approval process.”

•Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Aug. 21 that California’s Sites Reservoir infrastructure project received a nearly $219 million funding increase from the California Water Commission to ensure the project moves forward as quickly as possible. The additional funding is needed as a result of added costs from delays—including inflation and expected construction cost increases, according to Newsom’s office. “We can’t wait to protect our state from water shortages—there are 40 million Californians depending on us. I am pleased to see the Sites Reservoir project move forward with additional funding and urge the Legislature to continue to make our state’s water future a priority,” Newsom said in an Aug. 21 statement. “Each day that we delay these projects costs our state more money. The Legislature has an opportunity to make history by fast-tracking critical water infrastructure that will ensure we are resilient against droughts and can continue delivering necessary water—a basic human right—to all Californians.” The Sites Reservoir project is a key component of the governor’s water strategy, according to Newsom’s office, and will capture water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons and store it for use during drier seasons—holding up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, enough to supply more than 4.5 million homes for a year. m

Board of Supervisors reduces cannabis acreage cap, responds to grand jury report

While the maximum acreage allowed for cannabis cultivation across unincorporated Santa Barbara County will decrease by the end of September, the new limit won’t impact current growers—which are essentially grandfathered in under a recent Board of Supervisors directive.

At its Aug. 26 meeting, the board voted 5-0 to reduce the acreage cap from 1,575 to 1,417 on its second reading, which will put the rule into effect on Sept. 25. The supervisors initially considered higher reductions during the June 3 meeting as part of the county’s recent cannabis program revisions.

The board ultimately agreed that staff should explore the 1,417-acre option, which “provides a buffer for projects that are still in the pipeline, accounting for long-standing applicants and pending approvals,” county cannabis program manager Carmela Beck explained at the June 3 hearing.

Current cannabis cultivation projects in unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County total to 1,190 acres, while an additional 167 acres are tied to projects in the works that have already been approved.

Beck returned before the board at its Aug. 19 meeting for the cap reduction’s first reading. She also led a presentation to address staff’s responses to the Santa Barbara County grand jury’s June 20 report titled Cannabis Taxation and Expenditures.

She summed up the report as “focused on right-sizing the cannabis program’s expenditures considering program contraction and diminishing revenues.”

While staff agreed with some of the report’s findings, including stats on declining cannabis tax revenues, Beck noted that many of the report’s recommendations have already been implemented, some just a few days before the report was released.

On June 17, the Board of Supervisors cut approximately $1.28 million from its total cannabis budget, to ensure that annual operating expenditures don’t exceed annual cannabis tax revenues.

In the June 20 report, the grand jury noted that its investigation was conducted between August 2024 and May 2025. The grand jury also acknowledged that the Board of Supervisors “initiated significant changes” to the cannabis program, “many of which are consistent with the findings and recommendations in this report.”

“I think that’s the first time I ever looked at a grand jury report and thought, ‘Oh, we just checked off that,’ … It was so weird,” 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino told the Sun in July.

He said the timing was coincidental.

“It’s just intelligent people all looking at the same thing and kind of coming up with the same conclusion.”

Second District Supervisor Laura Capps also commented on the synced timing at the board’s Aug. 19 meeting.

“The grand jury really did their work here, but we were also very much aligned—almost by the week—and got the timing really right,” Capps said.

—Caleb Wiseblood

Lompoc continues pushing for county to annex land for housing

Lompoc is still in the middle of a longstanding debate with Santa Barbara County over annexing two parcels of land into the city to pave the way for a housing project.

Bodger Meadows would provide 200 single-family homes and 140 apartment units. The apartments range from studios to threebedroom units, and 20 percent of the units will be restricted for low-income families. The 58-acre project would also provide parks and amenities including a pool, a basketball court, and a barbeque pit.

The project is slated for land that’s currently an unincorporated part of Santa Barbara County, west of Lompoc, between Ocean Avenue, V Street, and Olive Avenue.

After hearing an update on the project during the Aug. 19 City Council meeting, Mayor Jim Mosby made a motion directing staff to come up with “creative ways” to green-light the project. The motion passed 5-0.

“We know we need the housing, and we need to get it done,” Mosby said during the meeting.

The project has a long history with the city and county, dotted with several application submissions over many years. Currently, the developers are on their fourth application with the county, which they plan to submit in September.

In 2023, the county failed to update and adopt its housing plan for submission to the state before deadline, according to Lompoc’s staff report. Because the county was not compliant with the state housing plan at that time, the Bodger property owners were able to file a Builder’s Remedy application, which has been processing through the county for almost two years. Builder’s Remedy applications allow projects to be approved in noncompliant regions of the state despite inconsistencies with local zoning regulations.

Dating back to 1999, the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) has repeatedly denied Lompoc’s request to annex the two parcels of land into the city. A more recent

denial in 2023 was due to what the county said would be negative impacts to agricultural land.

However, the current iteration of the project allows most of the land on its western side to remain agricultural, said Ginger Andersen, a senior land use planner at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.

Andersen represented the property owner, Jack Bodger, and the developer, Granite Peak Partners, at the meeting.

“Big projects like this take time and for good reason,” Andersen told the Sun in an email interview. “It’s a careful balancing act between community input, local regulations, engineering complexity, and California’s rigorous environmental standards.”

Lompoc is in need of housing, which this project delivers, Andersen added.

Lompoc must provide 2,248 new housing units in the next six years to comply with state mandates, according to the city’s 2023-2031 Housing Element.

Another point in the annexation debate is utilities. The city’s willing to provide water services and wastewater treatment if the property is annexed or if an out-of-agency agreement is reached by the developer and the property owner.

Next, the developer must apply to the city to initiate the annexation process and complete an environmental impact report, which could take one year. Then, the county must approve it before LAFCO can make its decision.

“We’re making real progress,” Andersen said. After hearing the staff’s presentation, Councilmember Steve Bridge said he is a proponent of the project, too.

“I think it should be in the city,” Bridge said. “We just need to find ways to work together.” —Madison White

Solvang DRC ‘spars’ with city staff about regulating art murals

Holiday decorations and hours of operation are among the types of signs that businesses and private property owners can freely display in Solvang without a city permit.

Distinguishing between what kinds of signage is under the Solvang Design Review Committee’s (DRC) purview and what might be exempt from the city’s upcoming sign ordinance update has been a focal point during the committee’s recent hearings.

At the DRC’s Aug. 21 meeting, Community Development Director Rafael Castillo followed up with its members about their disagreement with city staff’s recommendation to exempt art murals on private property from the ordinance.

WEED CUTTING: On Aug. 26, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a

acreage limit—from

to

cannabis cultivation projects in unincorporated areas of the county.

Solvang’s current municipal code doesn’t regulate murals.

“City staff recommends that you don’t enter into that arena for various reasons, particularly when it comes to free speech,” Castillo told the committee at its June 18 meeting, after DRC Chair Esther Jacobsen Bates requested to remove murals from the exempt list and explore potential future regulations.

“I would like to have input on content. I don’t know how that applies with art murals; our attorney would have to fill us in. But I do think it’s really important that it be coming in front of the committee,” Bates said. “I know it is potentially fraught with some First Amendment requirements or limitations, but I do think it’s really important that we regulate that.”

the Planning Department], … to somewhat regulate it but at the same time stay out of the First Amendment issues,” Castillo said. “We’re going to recommend no [application] fee on it, because, again, originally, we’re just looking to make sure you check all the boxes. And with art being so objective, we just don’t want to go there.”

Bates said she’d still prefer for mural applications to come before the DRC rather than solely the Planning Department.

“I really feel strongly that murals aren’t an over-the-counter permit,” Bates said.

She also recommended that staff “beef up” the mural criteria to include “potentially noticing neighbors of this coming in and allowing a period for feedback, which often really does help if there’s any content that might not be as broadly viewed as positive.”

City Attorney Dave Fleishman weighed in on the topic and told the DRC that the city could regulate certain mural features, including location and color scheme.

“Those are the kinds of things you can regulate. Going into content, … what one person may think is appropriate for a mural, other people may not think is appropriate,” Fleishman said. “We have to be very careful about that.”

After the DRC reached a consensus to cross murals off the exempt list, Castillo said he would work with Fleishman and other city staffers to bring back options on how to proceed with mural regulations.

When Castillo revisited the topic at the board’s Aug. 21 meeting, he presented a list of qualifiers that would exempt a proposed art mural from city oversight.

“What we’ve crafted is a whole exemption section for murals. … If you meet the criteria for a mural, you are exempt. You’ll still need to fill out an application and be reviewed [by

Castillo said that staff’s suggested mural criteria was crafted with inspiration from other cities’ policies, and one of its goals is not to “encumber something to go to a public meeting and to do a public notice and to argue about art. … It brings out the worst in people.”

“The minute this comes to a board, you are asking it to go sideways. You are inviting it to go sideways. … This isn’t about city property, this is regulating private property,” he told the DRC. “[By] the same token, the planning director has the discretion to always elevate it to this body if it needs to.”

The DRC’s effort to gather input on Solvang’s upcoming sign ordinance update will conclude at its next meeting in September.

Castillo thanked the board “for sparring on murals” and added that staff will “bring some of those things back, and ultimately in the end we’ll package this all up to both the Planning Commission and City Council for ultimate direction.” m

—Caleb Wiseblood

Deep ends meet

SYV Community Aquatics Foundation campaigns for public pool project with a $13 million price tag

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School is eager to have its own CIF-sanctioned swimming pool by the time Los Angeles hosts the Olympics in 2028—with help from some special equipment tied to 2016’s Olympic trials.

In 2017, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving public pool access in the valley purchased two Myrtha pool systems that were originally used during 2016’s U.S. swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska, according to Jake Kalkowski, one of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School’s longtime water polo coaches.

“A lot of the pools that you see in the Olympics are made with this Myrtha pool technology. … It’s very high quality stainless steel. It lasts longer than a traditional plaster pool,” Kalkowski told the Sun. “They bolt all these panels together, and then they can break it down. And that’s what we bought.”

Currently stored on campus in three separate shipping containers, the Myrtha accessories are integral to realizing the high school’s goal of constructing a new competition pool for its student athletes while converting its current pool into an all-ages recreational pool, he added. Kalkowski, who’s coached water polo for more than 20 years, is a founding board member of the SYV Community Aquatics Foundation, a nonprofit that formed in 2014 to raise funds for a facility that could serve Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton, Los Alamos, and other parts of the area that don’t have a public pool for residents to swim at.

Before the pandemic, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School’s current pool—built in 1965— offered some hours for the public to swim and occasional swim lessons for various ages, but only during summer months, SYV Community Aquatics Foundation Campaign Coordinator Alexis Adler told the Sun

“Now 60 years old, the facility has exceeded its intended lifespan and requires significant renovations,” Adler said via email. “In addition to its age, the pool does not meet CIF regulations, which prevents student athletes from hosting

official competitions on their own campus. As a result, ‘home games’ must be held in rented neighboring facilities in cities like Santa Maria.”

While the high school frequently coordinates with other schools across Santa Barbara County to rent pools, coach Kalkowski said that his water polo players still practice in the 1965 pool, despite the factors that disqualify it from hosting CIF competition events.

“It’s 25 yards long, and most of the pools we play in are 25 yards wide. So we’re at a disadvantage, conditioning-wise,” Kalkowski said. “A larger pool will definitely help us be more competitive.”

Aside from the pool’s length, its depth is also a problem, the coach added.

“At one end, [our pool] is 3.5 feet deep, and at the other end it’s 11.5 feet deep. You need all deep water in order to play water polo,” he said. “There are accommodations for it. … It’d be like if you’re playing football on an 80-yard field, … or playing half-court basketball, or something along those lines. It’s not a legit competitive field there.”

Over the past 11 years, the SYV Community Aquatics Foundation has considered a few different routes to address the area’s pool issues, including one project that fell through due to an unsuccessful grant pursuit after two years of preliminary work, Campaign Coordinator Adler said. The group paused its campaign in 2020 due to the pandemic, she added.

In 2023, the nonprofit resumed its fundraising efforts and began working with the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District on its current proposal to renovate the high school’s current pool for public use and build a new competition pool—one that meets CIF standards—from scratch.

The nonprofit’s proposing to retrofit the 1965 pool to be the community recreational pool.

“The goal is to have something for anything aquatic, for all ages and activities,” Kalkowski said.

“It will be primarily shallow for swim lessons or therapy, aerobics, and at a more comfortable temperature than the 72 to 82 degrees that

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would be in the competition pool. … Probably 88 or 90,” he continued. “It seems like a small increase in temperature, but it makes a big difference. And it’s not something that you would want to swim laps in.”

Shortly after reemerging in 2023, the aquatics foundation was encouraged by the high school district to enlist a fundraising consultant firm, the Kellogg Organization, to help coordinate the project and determine a suitable timeline of completion, Campaign Coordinator Adler explained.

“A readiness assessment confirmed that a campaign to fund a state-of-the-art, twopool community aquatics complex was both realistic and achievable,” Adler said via email. “An ambitious—but attainable—timeline was set to raise $13.7 million by December 2026. … To date we have raised nearly $4.5 million in donations and pledges.”

Adler added that $1 million of that was raised during 2025 alone. Almost half of that came directly from the city of Solvang in late May, through a $450,000 grant.

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“It’s a very meaningful checkbox for them to continue on their fundraising pursuits,” Councilmember Elizabeth Orona said at the council’s May 27 meeting.

With a 4-0 vote (Solvang Mayor David Brown was absent), the council granted the aquatics foundation’s grant request that evening.

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In its application to the council, the nonprofit included Solvang residents among the community members it intends to benefit, through swim lessons for youth, senior-friendly aquatic therapy and rehabilitation programs, and other services.

Orona said that one part of determining the foundation’s eligibility for the $450,000 grant was “to specifically verify that the funding was being used in alignment and direct correlation with the mission of the grant funding program, which was prioritizing human services, veteran services, senior members of the community, and members of the community at large who might be in greater need than others.”

“It is a very big number,” she said. “We would clearly be expecting to have our youth, our high school students, and the Senior Center, for example, leveraging the facility at the time that it becomes available.” m

Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

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JUST KEEP SWIMMING A local nonprofit has raised $4.5 million so far in its efforts to fund a two-pool facility at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School that would serve recreational swimmers of various ages and student athletes.

Small world, big scope

Lompoc resident and PACE founder raises funds for all-girls school near Kolkata, India Don’t

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

What began as a tin-roofed, three-room shack gradually evolved into a 3-acre education center for young women in a rural village in India near the city of Kolkata— where the school’s Lompoc-based founder was born and raised.

“I grew up with my mother telling me, ‘Finish the food on your plate, they’re starving children outside the window.’ And there were,” Deepa Willingham told the Sun. “I would say, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to take care of children like this.’ Except, … I didn’t do anything. [At age] 40, it didn’t bother me. At 50, it didn’t bother me. When I turned 60, it really bothered me. I felt ashamed of myself.

“I felt that I’d lived on this planet for 60 years, used mother nature’s resources, and hadn’t done anything to make the planet a little better,” said the longtime Santa Barbara County resident. Willingham worked in the hospital industry for several years before joining the Rotary Club of Santa Ynez Valley during the early 2000s. Starting in 2003, the retiree began working with the Rotary Club of Calcutta Metropolitan on a project that enveloped the next two decades of her life. About 20 miles outside of Kolkata city limits in the village of Piyali Junction, Willingham and other Rotarians developed the PACE (Promise of Assurance to Children Everywhere) Learning Center thanks to grant funding.

“Within six months, I had 85 girls. And then from there, it took off,” said Willingham, who added that the school—which serves elementary and middle school ages—provided the first formal education opportunity for many girls in the area. She explained that the project quickly doubled as an expansive infrastructure effort that impacted the entire village.

Due to a lack of clean water wells, Willingham said, many of her school’s earliest students had worms. Although the school had a clean well and it offered worm medication, drinking dirty water over the weekend would put these students back at square one, she explained.

“I decided this wasn’t working, so I wrote a Rotary grant and got $18,000 and went and put in 17 water wells in and around where the girls lived. This was 2007,” Willingham said. “In 2009, I did another grant application and got from the Rotary Foundation a 3-H Grant.”

The three H’s stand for health, hunger, and humanity, respectively. The Rotary Foundation launched this program in 1978 to undertake large-scale humanitarian projects.

“With $390,000, we put in 40 water wells, 400 toilets, 10,000 fruit trees, built roads, built an outpatient clinic, [funded] an ambulance. So, the whole infrastructure was changed,” said Willingham, who added that the project became a reference point for other Rotarians aiming to accomplish similar humanitarian initiatives.

“It has become a model. Rotarians from worldwide are going there, trying to see how it has been done,” she said.

In 2014, Willingham was among 10 women honored at the White House for their work in community development and global humanitarian efforts.

While her nonprofit, PACE Universal, accepts donations year-round to support the learning center, Willingham periodically organizes inperson fundraiser events close to home on the Central Coast.

On Aug. 31, the Pork Palace—at 1503 S. Highway 101 between Buellton and Gaviota—will host a fundraiser with dinner, wine, live music, and a silent and live auction to support PACE.

Willingham said it costs $420 total to support one PACE student for an entire school year, which includes two meals on campus each day.

“That pays for everything. It pays for their food; for their medication; their teacher’s salary,” she said. “All you have to do is give up going to a fancy restaurant in the United States two times, and you have changed a human life.”

For more information, visit paceuniversal.org.

Highlights

• To help Cabrillo High School in Lompoc upgrade its field and track, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians recently committed to a $500,000 matching grant toward the school’s $8 million stadium improvement project. The donation will offer a dollar-for-dollar match of all funds raised moving forward, up to $500,000. “We hope this grant will boost community support for the project and help the fundraising campaign achieve its goal,” Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman, said in an Aug. 19 release. m

Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood wrote Spotlight this week. Send comments to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

¡No pierdas ni una gota! Ahorremos juntos.

WORK AND PLAY: Founded by a longtime Santa Barbara County resident and local Rotary Club member, the PACE Learning Center serves elementary and middle school age girls in the village of Piyali Junction in India.

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The fake emergency

Trump administration cannot rely on the ‘energy emergency’ to justify loosening environmental standards for oil production

BY GIANNA PATCHEN AND ANDREW CHRISTIE

Do you know about the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule?

It prioritizes the health and resilience of ecosystems on public lands. The rule, legally binding on the actions and decisions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), requires them to “protect intact landscapes, restore degraded habitat, and make informed management decisions based on science and data.” Conservation must be on an equal footing with other uses on our public lands in resource management planning.

The BLM’s Bakersfield field office was recently reminded of this in a letter signed by the Sierra Club, CalWild, The Wilderness Society, Los Padres ForestWatch, the Conservation Lands Foundation, The Wildlands Conservancy, and Carrizo Plain Conservancy, responding to the BLM’s notice of intent to prepare an oil and gas supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS). The supplemental EIS is a do-over, the result of a settlement agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity and co-plaintiffs, who filed a legal challenge to a 2019 BLM decision that proposed to open more than a million acres of public land in California to oil and gas drilling and fracking.

Under that plan, areas of critical environmental concern, wilderness study areas, lands with wilderness characteristics, critical habitat for federally listed species, and lands immediately adjacent to the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the Wind Wolves Preserve could be opened up to more oil and gas drilling. They should not be.

A new element this time around is President Trump’s so-called “national energy emergency,” per an executive order last January. The Sierra Club told the BLM that it cannot rely on the “energy emergency” to justify loosening environmental standards for oil production because the premise that a national energy emergency exists is merely a pretext for boosting fossil fuels and cutting renewable energy production.

An emergency refers to “a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action,” or “an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action.” Nothing in the executive order meets this definition. Oil production is at an all-time high—see the U.S. Energy Information Agency report that the United States now produces “more crude oil than any country, ever”—and companies are sitting on more than 6,000 approved drilling permits on public lands that are not being used.

Earthjustice and Advocates for the West said much the same to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in May about his department’s use of “emergency procedures” to allow new oil and gas leasing to escape National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and eliminate opportunities for public comment.

They also noted that, “In deciding to hasten permitting and leasing, the department entirely failed to consider an important factor: the cost of limiting public input. There are numerous benefits to public participation—including increased accountability; additional scientific, technical, on-the-ground, or local expertise; and increased public involvement—that the department entirely failed to consider in adopting its emergency procedures.”

and leading to worse outcomes for communities and the environment.”

Environmental protection laws are being targeted on the federal and state levels under the false pretense that environmental protections inhibit necessary development. This red herring distracts from the reality that the largest beneficiaries of environmental rollbacks are large polluters. Environmental protection laws are first and foremost transparency laws that ensure the public and experts are aware of proposed projects and can flag any significant public health or environmental concerns.

In a recent issue of the TIMES of San Diego, Pam Heatherington, former director of the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo, now heading the Environmental Center of San Diego, described the outcome of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenge to a sprawling, 1,000-acre development:

“The court found that the environmental impact report had not meaningfully addressed the project’s serious wildfire risks and or its destruction of habitat for the endangered Checkerspot butterfly. The parties ultimately reached a settlement that would reduce the project’s footprint, preserve more land for rare and sensitive wildlife, and minimize wildfire dangers.”

That project had been reviewed and approved as compliant with San Diego’s general plan. That process was insufficient. Fortunately, the extra layer of review provided by environmental law made it a better and safer project—see above for the cost of limiting public input and avoiding worse outcomes for communities and the environment. That’s what CEQA and NEPA are all about, and why we must stand up in their defense. m

Gianna Patchen is chapter coordinator for the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Andrew Christie served as chapter director from 2004 to 2023. Send comments in response to letters@ santamariasun.com.

WRITE NOW!

We want to know what you think about everything. Send your 250-word letter to Sun Letters, 801 S Broadway Suite 3, Santa Maria, CA 93454. You can also fax it (1-805-546-8641) or e-mail it (letters@santamariasun.com). All letters must include a name, address, and phone number for verification purposes; may be edited for space or clarity; and will be posted to santamariasun.com.

Parachute drops are similar to paper towels: They don’t do much to help

Tax-funded parachute drops on rescue missions in Gaza remind one of another intervention by Trump during a crisis.

In September 2017 when Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria and left in ruin, its infrastructure was rendered useless and its people were in dire straits. Trump visited, arriving armed with paper towels that he lobbed at the desperate islanders. An embarrassing display by an insensate leader.

Our dangerous parachute drops seem almost as useless as those paper towels. They create chaotic scrambles to get the packages. Some drops have injured and killed people—with little to show for their efforts.

To halt the callous genocide taking place in Gaza, the gates must be opened. The armada of trucks carrying food and supplies needs to enter the area.

Opening the gates like those once opened at Dachau and Auschwitz would expose the inhumane genocide taking place. It would bring to light Israel’s systemic use of starvation as a weapon of war—an international crime. It’s not possible to be on both sides at the same time. Support the Gazans or continue backing Israel with money and weapons.

Parachute drops play well as propaganda. They disguise the fact that our continued support remains in essence our part in the war, by proxy, against Gaza.

It’s not a matter of backing Israel or Palestine but denouncing the brutal treatment by Israel of Palestine. Should the situation be reversed, I’d support the Israelis and call for an end to their suffering. It’s barbarous genocidal treatment of any peoples that I abhor.

In short, the Trump administration’s attempts to circumvent NEPA would “shut the public out of energy approval processes, thus compromising the quality and integrity of the Department of the Interior’s decision-making

Shirley Schaffer Arroyo Grande

Opinion

Lompoc’s luck

How many times has the city of Lompoc been denied by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of Santa Barbara County?

I’m not sure, but the city’s efforts to annex some of the land near Bailey Avenue out of the county have met with roadblock after roadblock. For a quarter of a century, the city has been attempting to expand its boundaries with minimal success—it got 10 acres in 2016 for a small housing development.

In 2010, as part of its general plan, the city approved expanding Bailey, rezoning 270 acres of land from agriculture to urbanized development, and constructing 2,700 homes and 200,000 square feet of commercial space. The Environmental Defense Center sued Lompoc for its forward-thinking expansion plans on behalf of the Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN).

Really, the acronym should be SBCAN’T. In 2018, the city submitted an annexation application to LAFCO for 148 acres along Bailey Avenue. No dice. In 2023, LAFCO denied it.

The Environmental Defense Center on behalf of SBCAN suggested the city look for potential infill development opportunities instead of sprawling.

“It’s important to reduce sprawl and promote development within the city’s existing boundaries,” attorney Maggie Hall said at the time. “This has been going on for a long time; the city of Lompoc has been trying to expand in this direction and annex, bring these properties within the city’s jurisdiction with the goal to provide residential development and convert ag land.”

What other kind of land would Lompoc be annexing? It’s surrounded by agriculture, a prison,

and a space base. Besides, the city isn’t looking for high-density housing projects; it’s looking for medium- to low-density—so infill won’t work, then City Manager Dean Albro said in 2023.

Now, Lompoc’s trying again, with a new city manager and a specific development on the docket, one that would build 200 homes and 140 apartments on 58 acres of what’s now county ag land with 20 percent of the units restricted for lowincome families.

“We know we need the housing, and we need to get it done,” Mayor Jim Mosby said about the project at the Aug. 19 meeting, asking staff to come up with “creative ways” to get it approved.

He was on the council during previous annexation attempts and likened the county to an alien wrapped around Lompoc’s neck wanting the city to die.

This time, the city might have a little more breathing room, thanks to moves the state’s made to NIMBY-proof badly needed housing development projects. The ol’ ag land shouldn’t be developed argument might not fly in the face of Builder’s Remedy, which the project used in its application thanks to the county’s inability to comply with the state-imposed deadline on its plan to meet regional housing needs.

The county eventually filed its plan, but the gap enabled projects submitted during the county’s noncompliance period not to follow certain zoning rules if those developments allocated a certain percentage of their units to affordable housing.

Builder’s Remedy is confusing, and the county’s already been sued over the way it dealt with a separate housing development application filed under the zoning loophole (Richards Ranch).

So maybe Lompoc will get lucky, the county will cave, and SBCAN won’t get its way. m

The Canary can’t right now. Send positivity to canary@santamariasun.com.

GOLD BUYI

Hot Stuff

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

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. Klein Dance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria. THE CEMETERY CLUB This comedy follows a group of widows who visit their husbands’ graves monthly until one day they meet a handsome widower at the cemetery. Fridays, Saturdays, 7-9:15 p.m. and Sundays, 4-6:15 p.m. through Aug. 31 $20. (805) 268-5969. orcuttcommunitytheater.com. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.

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/.

FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17

Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

VALLEY ART GALLERY: ROTATING

DISPLAYS Featured artists of Santa Maria’s Valley Art Gallery frequently display their works at the airport. Check website for details on monthly exhibits and full list of the gallery’s artists. ongoing valleygallery.org. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.

6-WEEK ADULT INTERMEDIATE ACRYLIC

COURSE Enjoy this follow-up class to our 6-week beginner acrylic painting class. This is only available to returning students who have completed a four, five, or sixweek beginner course. Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m. through Sept. 24 $285. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Art Spot on Wheels, 320 Alisal Road, unit 306B, Solvang.

6-WEEK BEGINNER WATERCOLOR CLASS Join our Beginner Watercolor class and learn the basic techniques, fundamentals of composition, and color theory! Tuesdays, 1-3:30 p.m. through Sept. 23 $285. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Art Spot on Wheels, 320 Alisal Road, unit 306B, Solvang.

GALLERY TOUR WITH YOSEMITE PHOTOGRAPHER WILLIAM NEILL

Attendees will learn more about the exhibition from the show’s solo photographer as well as the park, his process, and his time with Ansel Adams. Aug. 31, 4-5 p.m. calnatureartmuseum.org. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.

IT BEGINS WITH LIGHT AT GALLERY

LOS OLIVOS See Linda Hanly’s and Ellen Yeomans’ exhibit “It Begins With Light,” where their exquisite paintings that celebrate “light” on their canvases are on display now at the gallery, open daily. Sept. 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Mondays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 30 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT BRANDER WINERY Join us at the Brander Vineyard, for an afternoon of wine tasting and capturing the beauty of the landscape on canvas! Aug. 30 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $89. artspotonwheels.com. The Brander Vineyard, 2401 N Refugio Rd., Los Olivos.

RHAPSODY IN HUE ARTISTS NEIL ANDERSSON AND VICKI ANDERSEN Vicki Andersen and Neil Andersson are set to return for a duo show at Gallery Los Olivos. See their display, “Rhapsody in Hue” until August 31. Mondays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Aug. 31 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

SONGS FOR NOBODIES An unforgettable one-woman tour-de-force that celebrates the universal truth that everybody has a story—and a song—worth hearing. Thursdays-Sundays, 8-10 p.m. through Sept. 7 Starting at $25. (805)922-8313. pcpa.org/events/songs-for-nobodiessolvang. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang.

YOSEMITE: SANCTUARY IN STONE A solo exhibition by award-winning nature and landscape photographer William Neill. Through Sept. 1 California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, calnatureartmuseum.org.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic). Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach. FRIENDS OF THE ARROYO GRANDE

LIBRARY ART AUCTION The first ever art auction fundraiser for Friends of the AG Library is now live. Includes work by local artist Ellen November. Every 30 days, 9 a.m. (310) 384-6912. app.galabid.com/aglibrary/ items. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande. GREAT AMERICAN MELODRAMA: 50TH

ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR Full of

LOS OLIVOS LIGHT

Artists Linda Hanly and Ellen Yeomans will display their paintings in their new exhibit, It Begins With Light, at Gallery Los Olivos from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Monday, Sept. 1, until Tuesday, Sept. 30. Each work of art celebrates light on their canvases. Visit gallerylosolivos.com for more details. —Angie Stevens

songs, dance, and comedy to celebrate the milestone, with loads of opportunities to boo and cheer. Through Sept. 20 americanmelodrama.com. Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano. WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA

Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ALES FOR TAILS: COMEDY SHOW

BENEFITING LOCAL ANIMAL RESCUES

Join for a hilarious evening of comedy and good drinks at Humdinger Brewing, featuring the talented Leah Bonnema, who has performed for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Don’t Tell Comedy, along with Comedy Store regulars and local comics. The show’s net proceeds to benefit Atlas Animal Rescue and Shiloh’s Animal Rescue. Aug. 29 8-10 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.

ART AFTER DARK Art After Dark features an art opening of world-class artists. Refreshments will be served. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. through March 7 Free. slocountyarts.org/art-after-dark. SLO County, Locations countywide, 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) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

BEGINNING WATERCOLOR WITH JAN FRENCH You’ve heard watercolor is daunting, but it’s still fascinating you. Come be introduced to this tricky but dynamic painting medium! Sept. 4 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $100. (805) 747-4200. i0.wp.com/artcentralslo.com/wp-content/ uploads/2025/07/Beginning-WC-FrenchSeptember25-1.jpg?fit=1275%2C1650&ssl=1. Art Central, 1329 Monterey 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. Mondays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $35 per class. (805) 7474200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

BISHOP’S PEAK ACRYLIC WORKSHOP WITH DREW DAVIS Join for a 2-hour acrylic painting workshop, where Drew will lead you in creating an expressive, most recognized landscape in San Luis Obispo - Bishop’s Peak. Purchase of a ticket includes all the essential art supplies you may need, including a 16x20 canvas, apron, and paints. Light snacks will be provided and feel free to bring your favorite beverage. Sept. 6 2-4 p.m. $87.54. my805tix.com. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.

BRUSHSTROKES & BURROS:

PAINTING WORKSHOP AT RANCHO

BURRO DONKEY SANCTUARY Paint, sip, and support local rescued burros and mules at this donkey-inspired art workshop with local artist, Terry Greene. Sept. 6, 1-4 p.m. $125. (805) 710-8445. ranchoburrodonkeysanctuary.org/ painting-workshops. Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary, 4855 Righetti Road, 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.

OIL PAINTING WORKSHOP WITH DREW DAVIS Purchase of a ticket includes all oil

paints needed, canvas, brushes, an apron, and 2.5 hours of personalized instruction by Drew Davis himself! More info can be found at the link. Aug. 30, 1-3:30 p.m. $120. my805tix.com. Drew Davis Fine Art, 393 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.

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

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 Mondays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $35. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com /workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

WILDLIFE & EQUESTRIAN PHOTO

EXHIBIT The Photo Shop of SLO welcomes acclaimed wildlife and equestrian photographer Deborah Hofstetter with a display of recent captures that will capture your hearts imagination. Through Sept. 14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 476-8032. The Photo Shop, 1027 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo. NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY BRUSHSTROKES 2025 AND OFF THE WALL: SCULPTURE Brushstrokes 2025 features paintings by The Painters Group while Off the Wall exhibits sculpture by Central Coast sculptors. Both are on display through Sept. 15. Through Sept. 15, 12-4 p.m. Free. (805) 772-02504. artcentermorrobay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.

PHOTO BY: SARA CORNISH

PHOTO BY: LINDA TANNER

PHOTO BY: GEORGE REYES

PHOTO BY: GINA KILLINGSWORTH

PHOTO BY: CARLY PENSON

PHOTO BY: ALAN STRASBAUGH

PHOTO BY: CANDACE MASE

PHOTO BY: ALISA ASTON

COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. (559) 799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.

THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local birds. ongoing (805) 772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

RONÉ PRINZ & MEARA MCDONALD ART

EXHIBIT See paintings by Roné Prinz and photography by Meara McDonald. Through Sept. 25 Morro Bay Library, 625 Harbor St., Morro Bay, -(805) 772-6394.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

7TH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FARM DAY Join Students for EcoEducation and Agriculture (SEEAG) for its 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day. Sept. 6 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. (805) 8928155. sbcfarmday.org. Farms throughout Santa Maria Valley, Various Locations, Santa Maria.

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

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

CIRQUE ITALIA IS NOW PRESENTING:

“PARANORMAL CIRQUE!” Paranormal Cirque will expose you to a unique creation of combined theatre, circus, and cabaret with a new European style flare. A careful casting selection has united the best artists from all over the world. Sept. 5 , 7:30 p.m., Sept. 6 , 6:30-9:30 p.m. and Sept. 7 5:30-8:30 p.m. $20. (941) 704-8572. paranormalcirque.com/. Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg St., Santa Maria.

FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt. org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.

FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/firstfridayoldtownorcutt/. Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.

FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17

Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17.

First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

GROUP WALKS 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.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FARM DAY STREET FAIR Visitors can check out booths from SEEAG, local businesses and food vendors, and take home free produce, as part of the Santa Barbara County Farm Day. Sept. 6 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. (805) 892-8155. sbcfarmday.org. Bonipak Produce, 1850 West Stowell Rd., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY GOING BATTY AT THE NATURE CENTER

Join every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening from May through August. Program times vary by week depending on the time of sunset. See each week’s program time. Thursdays-Saturdays, 7:20-8 p.m. through Aug. 31 Free. (805) 693-0691. clnaturecenter.org. Neal Taylor Nature Center, 2265 Highway 154, Santa Barbara.

INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR SIGNS NEW YA THRILLER AT THE BOOK LOFT IN SOLVANG Wendelin VanDraanen (SAMMY KEYES mysteries, the book-to-movie sensation FLIPPED) signs The Steps a page-turner with “a deliciously dysfunctional family with dark secrets and shifting alliances.” Sept. 6 3-4 p.m. Free. (805) 688-6010. The Book Loft, 1680 Mission Dr., Solvang. LOOKING FOR THE WILD: A FREE FILM SCREENING BY NATURETRACK Enjoy a captivating evening of global adventure and environmental discovery with this award-winning Spanish documentary, Looking for the Wild (2016, 70 mins), directed by Andoni Canela. Sept. 5 7-8 p.m. Free. santaynezvalleygrange.org/ calendar/?month=9&yr=2025. Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall, 2374 Alamo Pintado, Los Olivos.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

LOMPOC ART WALK Lompoc transforms into a celebration and showcase of local artists during this monthly event, which features live music, art, exciting exhibitions, performances, and a variety of unique vendors. First Thursday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Old Town Lompoc, H and I St., Lompoc.

THE VILLAGE TREASURE CHEST This event is for the whole family. There will be vendors selling their wears, music, facepainting, and some kind of food booth. Come out and spend part of your Saturday supporting local vendors. First Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Vandenberg Village Community Services District Office, 3745 Constellation Road, Lompoc, (805) 291-6370.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 3623739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.

BOOK SIGNING WITH BESTSELLING

AUTHOR WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN

Award-winning and bestselling author Wendelin Van Draanen will discuss and sign her latest YA thriller, The Steps! Reserve your copy at the link. Sept. 6 Free. (805) 668-6300. monarchbooks805.com/ events. Monarch Books, 201 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande.

COMMUNITY NATIVE GARDEN

MONTHLY VOLUNTEER WORKDAY

Volunteers accomplish a variety of tasks including pathways maintenance, litter patrol of the garden perimeter, weeding, irrigation system expansion/repairs, pruning, and plantings. Volunteers should bring work gloves, a hat, drinking water, and tools related to the above activities. First Saturday of every month, 9 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 710-3073. Nipomo Native Garden, Camino Caballo at Osage, Nipomo. DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@gmail for details and reservations. ongoing (805) 619-0989. empoweryoga805.com. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR LAUNCHES NEW YA THRILLER AT MONARCH BOOKS Wendelin Van Draanen (SAMMY KEYES mysteries, the book-to-movie sensation FLIPPED) signs

The Steps a page-turner described as “Karen McManus meets The Queen’s Gambit.” Sept. 6, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. (805) 668-6300. Monarch Books, 201 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande, monarchbooks805.com.

MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS FOR ADULTS Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 dropin; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.

QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong through simple standing movements promoting flexibility, strength, relaxation, and increased energy. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, Qi Gong revitalizes and enriches your life. An outdoor class overlooking the ocean. Wednesdays, 4-5 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561. pismobeach.org. Margo Dodd Gazebo, Ocean Park Blvd., Shell Beach.

QI GONG: MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY

Balance your mind, body, and spirit with Qi Gong — gentle stretching and strengthening movements that promotes physical wellbeing and inner peace. This is geared towards all fitness levels and ages. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Shell Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ARTIFICIAL IMAGINATION: A HANDSON AI CREATIVITY WORKSHOP

- JOSH KNOX No prior experience with technology or the arts is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to explore. By the end of the course, we’ll each have created a personal piece of multimedia art and gained practical experience using AI as a creative partner. Participants should bring their own laptops to fully participate. Sept. 5 1-3 p.m. $24. my805tix.com. Oddfellows Hall, 520 Dana Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-0876.

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.

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

CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN

TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith based. All are welcome. Please wear a mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:3011:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo.

COMMUNITY FARM TOUR Join at the farm on the first Saturday of each month and get a public tour of the regenerative farm! First Saturday of every month, 9:3011 a.m. (805) 769-8344. cityfarmslo.org/ community-tours. City Farm SLO, 1221 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo.

FELINE NETWORK ADOPT A KITTEN

EVENT! Join the Adopt a Kitten Event at PetsMart in SLO. Come see our beautiful kittens for adoption; all are fixed, vaccinated, and microchipped. Aug. 30 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (805) 540-0006. felinenetwork.org. PetSmart, 1530 Froom Ranch Way, San Luis Obispo.

FIGHT NIGHT VIII - PRESENTED BY BEATDOWN PROMOTIONS Enjoy an unforgettable evening, featuring fighters battling it out in the octagon. Watch top-tier athletes showcase their skills, strength, and strategy in an actionpacked lineup of bouts. Enjoy the ultimate fight night experience with VIP tickets, including premium seating, exclusive access, and complimentary refreshments. This event is proudly supported by local businesses, ensuring a communitycentric atmosphere that everyone will enjoy. Tickets and more info can be found at the link. Aug. 29 5 p.m. $39.34-$71.47. my805tix.com. Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.

FREE VIRTUAL QPR SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING For participants to learn about community resources in Santa Barbara County and be able to recognize the warning signs of suicide for parents and adults (ages 18 and over) who work or live with youth between ages of 12-18. Offered in partnership with Family Services Agency of Santa Barbara and thanks to a grant from SAMHSA. Sept. 6, 10 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 770-1593. youthwell.org/mental-health-first-aid. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo. LGBTQ+ FED THERAPIST LEAD SUPPORT GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A pro-recovery group offering space to those seeking peer support, all stages of ED recovery. We understand recovery isn’t linear and judgment-free support is crucial. Share, listen, and be part of a community building up each other. First Wednesday of every month, 7-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. 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. 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. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. SLO OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY This free event brings our community together to learn more about overdose, how to prevent it, and to remember those we’ve lost. Aug. 30 12-3 p.m. Free. sloendoverdose.org/. Mitchell Park, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo. SLO PHILATELIC SOCIETY The SLO Philatelic Society (SLOPS) meets at the SLO Senior Center on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Visitors are welcome. First Tuesday of every month, 1-3 p.m. SLO Senior Center, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 540-9484, slocity.org/seniors.

STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi Gong boosts energy and vitality, reduces stress, improves balance and flexibility, and, best of all, is fun. Join instructor Devin Wallace for this outdoor class which is held in a beautiful setting. Call or email before attending. Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. $12. Crows End Retreat, 6430 Squire Ct., 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

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 14

WELCOME TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF FREEDOM

SHEILA E.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $49

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 / 8PM TICKETS START AT

HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 / 6PM TICKETS START AT $55

A1 COMBAT MMA

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4 / 6PM TICKETS START AT $55

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) 540-6576. 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.

TRICKZONE CLINIC: PARKOUR, TUMBLING, TRAMPOLINE It’s Trickzone time! Your kids can enjoy a 2-hour combo of tumbling and parkour, taking them from timid to triumphant. All levels are welcome, ages 5 to 17 years. Sept. 6, 1-3 p.m. $25/ 1st child, +$10 per additional sibling.. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo. com/saturday-event-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY 32ND ANNUAL CUHS AFS-PINEDORADO 5K FUN RUN Enjoy this family-friendly fun run. Proceeds provide scholarships to students planning to study abroad with AFS and support for sports teams. Aug. 30 7-9:30 a.m. $25 entry fee; $15 t-shirts. (805) 801-1132. coastusd.org. Coast Union High School, 2950 Santa Rosa Creek Rd., Cambria.

A BENEFIT CONCERT TO SAVE MORRO ELEMENTARY WITH CONDUCTOR KENT NAGANO Save Morro Elementary and join this benefit concert with Conductor Kent Nagano. For a pair of VIP seats in the premiere rows, reach out to friendsofmorroelementary.org. Aug. 31 3 p.m. $85. (805) 5463198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

CAMBRIA FILM FESTIVAL SPECIAL EVENT - “VOICES THROUGH TIME” - A HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION Join the Cambria Film Festival in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a special screening of four films from the “Voices Through Time” block featured in our festival. In addition to the film screening, there will be a special exhibit featuring the works of celebrated campesino artist, Ruben A. Sanchez. Ruben and his art are featured in the film, The Eye Begins in the Hand Sept. 6 7 p.m. $23.27-$28.62. my805tix.com. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria. CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html. CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS MEETING Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org/. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, (805) 927-1654.

EMBODIED YOGA ON THE CENTRAL COAST Take part in this 1.5 hour class, guided by Dawn Feuerberg, certified classical ashtanga yoga, tantra meditation guide and founder of Aurora Adventures, LLC. You’ll be guided into a nourishing warm up that will prepare you for the standing postures; the vinyasa flow will include sun salutations and a sequence that will help you move at your own rhythm and listen to your own body’s needs. Aug. 30 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. my805tix.com. Aurora Sacred Events, 21 24th St, Cayucos.

LOS OSOS FAMILY FUN FAIR This free, multigenerational celebration features activities, games, and entertainment for all ages. Kids can win tickets redeemable for face painting, prizes, or hot dog meals. Sept. 7, 12-4 p.m. portal.clubrunner.ca/2838. South Bay Community Center, 2180 Palisades Ave., Los Osos. MAIDEN TO CRONE SISTER CIRCLE Connect deeply with other women. Sharing the things that are close to our hearts creates a space of shared vulnerability that leads to deep connection. First Sunday of every month, 9-11 a.m. my805tix.com. From the Roots Up Healing Studio, 2055 9th St., Los Osos. MORRO BAY METAPHYSICIANS DISCUSSION GROUP A group of metaphysically minded individuals that have been meeting for many years now in the Coalesce Chapel. Club offers a supportive metaphysical based community. Members discuss a different topic each week. All are welcome to join. Fridays, 12:301:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $10-$15. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/. SOCRATES DISCUSSION GROUP Have a topic, book, or article you wish to discuss with interested and interesting people? Join this weekly meeting to discuss it, or simply contribute your experiences and knowledge. Contact Mark Plater for instructions on entering the Chapel area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon (805) 528-7111. Coalesce Garden Chapel, 845 Main St., Morro Bay.

WATERFRONT MARKET MORRO BAY LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVENT Don’t roast! Enjoy this three-day event that will feature over 30 local hand

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

BAR TAKEOVER THURSDAYS Join us

Thursdays to meet and chat with the winemaker of the flight we’re featuring that week. Thursdays, 4-7:30 p.m. $15-$30. (805) 623-5129. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, stellerscellar.com.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY Head to Food Truck

Friday, with wine bottle specials and local food trucks every Friday at the Wine Stone Inn. Fridays, 4-9 p.m. through April 24 Free. (805) 332-3532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.

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

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE

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

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

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

SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com.

Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.

TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

TAP THURSDAY Head to Tap Thursdays at the Wine Stone Inn every week, featuring $5 draft beers and $5 Cava’s. Thursdays, 3-9 p.m. through April 16 Free. (805) 3323532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 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.

WINE BINGO

WEDNESDAYS Join Wine

Bingo Wednesday at the Wine Stone Inn –– the original bingo night in Old Orcutt. The event will occur weekly with the purchase of an adult beverage. Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. through April 29 (805) 332-3532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.

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

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

LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR

Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 623-5129, stellerscellar.com.

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

MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY

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

OLD TIME GOSPEL SING-ALONG All are welcome. Call for more details. Last Saturday of every month, 5-6 p.m. (805) 478-6198. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria.

REGGAE BY RAILWAY: TRUE ZION AND ABOUT TIME LIVE Hear True Zion play live, with an opening set by About Time Duo. Tickets and more info at the link! Sept. 6 5-9 p.m. $14.70. my805tix.com. Guadalupe Social Club, 945 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.

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.

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

GRATEFUL TRIBUTE FESTIVAL: THE ALLIGATORS Head to The Stockyard BLAST & BREW -for a special daytime show, with two full sets of the early Grateful Dead era!! Aug. 30, 1-5 p.m. $15. my805tix.com. Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S. Broadway St., Orcutt, (805) 934-3777.

HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.

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

LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD BY LOBO

BUTCHER SHOP Check out live music every Friday night from a variety of artists at Steller’s Cellar in Old Orcutt. Dinner served by Lobo Butcher Shop between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Varies according to food options. (805) 623-5129. stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.

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

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

KARAOKE AT COLD COAST BREWING CO. Pick out a song, bring your friends, and get ready to perform. Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc, (805) 819-0723, coldcoastbrewing.com.

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

2025 LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE CONCERT SERIES Head to the Point San Luis Lighthouse in Avila Beach for Saturday afternoon concerts. Get tickets and more info at the link. Through Oct. 11 $28. my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

ARROYO GRANDE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES These free concerts will

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30

begin on July 4 and run every Sunday until September 21. Sundays, 1-3 p.m. through Sept. 21 Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/events. Heritage Square Park, 201 Nelson St., Arroyo Grande.

CENTRAL COAST HARMONY CHORUS

INVITES SINGERS TO JOIN FOR HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES Men and women are invited! No prior experience is necessary - just a love of music. Call or email for more information. Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. through Dec. 18 $20. (805) 736-7572. ccharmony.org. Nipomo Senior Center, 200 E. Dana St., Nipomo.

JAZZ AT PUFFER’S WITH TAYLOR RYAN, SUNNY WRIGHT, AND DYLAN JOHNSON!

Join pianist Taylor Ryan, vocalist Sunny Wright, and bassist Dylan Johnson for a beautiful Jazz Sunday Funday! Aug. 31 , 5-8 p.m. $5. (805) 773-6563. facebook.com/ PuffersofPismo. Puffer’s of Pismo, 781 Price St a,, Pismo Beach.

KARAOKE AT SLO COUNTY’S ONLY

FILIPINO CAFE Join for all day, all ages karaoke hosted at SLO County’s only brick and mortar Filipino cafe, Lumpia Bros Cafe. Enjoy karaoke, filipino dishes, acai, and coffee. Tuesdays-Saturdays-6 p.m. through Dec. 31 Free. (805) 202-8473. Lumpia Bros Cafe, 1187 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY A weekly event with barbecue offerings and more.

Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Rancho Nipomo BBQ, 108 Cuyama Ln., Nipomo, (805) 925-3500.

THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale afterhours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21 and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo. MUSIC WITH A VIEW - OPEN GATES AT THE CHAPMAN ESTATE GARDEN Enjoy Open Gates at the seaside Chapman Estate in Shell Beach. Bring a picnic dinner and music, tables, chairs, and views will be supplied. Docent-led garden tours are available. Fridays, 5-7:30 p.m. through Oct. 24 $5/ person + $5 for Docent tours (optional). chapmanestatefoundation.org/. Chapman Estate, Private residence, Shell Beach.

NATURAL SCIENCE: A TRIBUTE TO RUSH A powerhouse trio delivering authentic, high-energy performances of Rush’s greatest hits. Aug. 30, 7:309:30 p.m. $35-$60. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/natural-science/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

PIANO MEN: GENERATIONS A spectacular father-son tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John, delivering an electrifying celebration of two legendary music icons. Aug. 28 , 7-9 p.m. $49.50-$70.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/shows/pianomen-generations/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

POPS BY THE SEA: HOLLYWOOD HITS

The San Luis Obispo Symphony presents Pops by the Sea, where all your favorite soundtracks from movies, TV shows, and video games will be performed live. Tickets are available for purchase at the link. Aug. 30, 2:45-6 p.m. $28. my805tix.com. Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Ana Bay Rd., Avila Beach, (805) 595-4000.

RADIATION INVASION, GODCOLLIDER, FULL CLIP, NT4DB, OUTPATIENT X, AND SPECIAL FORCES LIVE WITH VISUAL ART BY ANIMALTEETH13 Anomaly House & Village Hardcore Shows are proud to present a night of food and music with different flavors of punk rock, combined with different flavors of Mexican cuisine. This show will feature live performances by an array of local and California-based bands. Get tickets now! Sept. 6, 7 p.m. $15.81. my805tix.com. La Casita Cantina and Restaurant, 1572 West Grand Avenue, Grover Beach.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ANNUAL JAZZ FACULTY CONCERT

Experience the artistry, energy, and improvisation of live jazz as the Cuesta Jazz Faculty take the stage! 100% of

FARM FRENZY

The seventh annual Santa Barbra County Farm Day will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at farms throughout the Santa Maria Valley. Join the Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) and more than 20 Santa Barbara County farms, ranches, and agricultural organizations for a day of self-guided tours, activities, and learning. General admission tickets, which are free, are required to participate, and can be acquired by registering through my805tix.com. For additional details and a list of participating farms, visit sbcfarmday.org.

—A.S.

ticket proceeds benefit music student scholarships. Sept. 5 , 7:30 p.m. $30 VIP, $25 General, $22 Senior (65+), $10 Student w/ID. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

BOB AND WENDY WITH PAUL GRIFFITH

Bob and Wendy’s music is a heartfelt blend of folk, Americana, and poetic storytelling—rooted deeply in the Central Coast and beyond. Hear them live at The Bunker SLO. Sept. 7 3-5 p.m. $15. (805) 235-5456. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

BRASS MASH FIRST FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER 2025 Experience the magic of the first Fridays of every month are magical with the vibrant energy of our all-horn band. Join the festivities at Liquid Gravity and immerse yourself in the unique fusion of your favorite rock and pop songs. It’s a musical journey that promises to be unforgettable, so make sure to wear sensible shoes for the dance-worthy beats. Sept. 5 6-10 p.m. $26. my805tix.com. Liquid Gravity Brewing Company, 675 Clarion Ct., San Luis Obispo, (805) 457-4677.

CARBON CITY LIGHTS AND CATE ARMSTRONG AT CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA Hear Cate Armstrong and Carbon City Lights play live, and head to the after party at Libertine Brewing Co. with Benny G and The Sweet Spots. Sept. 5, 5 p.m. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.

CONCERTS IN THE PLAZA: AFTER PARTY SERIES Enjoy free live music in downtown SLO every Friday, immediately following the Concerts in the Plaza. The concerts are 21+. Aug. 29, 8:30 p.m. and Sept. 5 8:30 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.

COUNTRY NIGHTS: PARTNER EDITION

Featuring Special Guest Instructor & DJ Vanessa Roberts, get ready for a night full of country swing, two-step, and everything in between! Aug. 30, 7-11 p.m. $20. nexusslo.com. Nexus Ballroom D.C., 3845 S. Higuera St. (Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.

IMVA AND EMILY SMITH AT CONCERTS

IN THE PLAZA Head to the heart of downtown SLO to hear Emily Smith and IMVA perform live at the Mission Plaza. At

8:30 p.m., head to Libertine Brewing Co. for an after party with Wilde Latin Jazz. Aug. 29, 5 p.m. Mission Plaza, Downtown, San Luis Obispo.

MAC SABBATH | SCHIZOPHONICS |

DESCARTES A KANT Mac Sabbath, the LA-based American parody heavy metal tribute band will perform live at SLO Brew. Hear them live, along with sets from The Schizophonics and Descartes A Kant. Sept. 4 7 p.m. $32.36. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.

MONKEYFLOWER, NORTH BY NORTH, VARGO, AND SKIPPING BREAKFAST

LIVE Hear an array of bands play The Bunker SLO. Get tickets and more info at the link. Aug. 31 , 6-10 p.m. $12.56. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

RAINBOW CITY PARK FALL TOUR

AT SLO DOCO DONUTS Rainbow City Park is bringing their fall tour through SLO on Sunday. Supporting acts will include Unlikely, Radiation Invasion, Ultraviolets, and Bloodsugar. Aug. 31 , 6-11 p.m. $10. (805)-782-9766. bandsintown. com/e/107136456. SLO DoCo Donuuts, 793F Foothill Blvd, San Luis Obispo.

SOUL EXCHANGE, KID PUNK, PARASITE, AND CLONE THE WOLF LIVE Head

to Humdinger Brewing for a night of live performances. Sept. 3 7 p.m. $10. my805tix.com. Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.

TOMMY GUERRERO LIVE American musician, composer, and professional skateboarder Tommy Guerero who is a former member of the Bones Brigade, a prominent skateboarding team of the 1980s that also included Tony Hawk and Steve Caballero, will hit the SLO Brew stage early September. Hear him live and get tickets at the link. Sept. 7 7 p.m. $32.36. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843.

WALL OF SOUND | THE GREAT DIVIDE Grateful Dead tribute band Wall of Sound will hit the SLO Brew stage. Get tickets and hear them live. Aug. 30, 6 p.m. $27.21. slobrew.com. Rod & Hammer Rock, 855 Aerovista Pl., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-1843. m

ARTS BRIEFS

Art exhibit at Mattei’s Tavern showcases horses and the wild West

Experience the power and grace of open roads and roaming horses at an art show at the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern from Aug. 30 to 31.

Artists Kimerlee Curyl and Karen Bezuidenhout showcase work that “invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with nature, spirit, and the beauty that exists in the unspoken,” according to the tavern’s website.

Curyl is a photographer known for her photos of wild horses and the beautiful landscapes they live in. She uses her work to advocate for the American West.

Bezuidenhout, an artist based in Santa Barbara, loves adventure and nature. Her South African heritage informs her art, which blends the colors of Africa and the West Coast.

The show will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Aug. 30 to 31.

The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern is located at 2350 Railway Ave. in Los Olivos. Make reservations online or call (805) 695-4784 for more information.

Local artists support Carrizo Plain fundraising efforts after Madre Fire

Artists are donating 50 percent of their sales from an online art show to support the restoration of Carrizo Plain National Monument, which was damaged by the Madre Fire in July.

The landscape paintings of Carrizo are available online through Oct. 15 and include oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic works.

Members of San Luis Obispo Painters for the Environment (SLOPE) and The Oak Group of Santa Barbara are partnering with the Carrizo Plain Conservancy to organize the sale, according to the show’s website. With each sale, the artist will donate money to the Conservancy’s restoration effort.

“Damage to woodlands and to the surrounding area is still being assessed, but it is clear that some large-scale restoration efforts including erosion control and possible seeding will be needed over much of the area,” according to Conservancy President Neil Havlik’s statement on the show’s website.

SLOPE artists Jan French and Laurel Sherrie started the fundraiser because they wanted to help the damaged ecosystems at Carrizo, according to press materials.

Purchases are made through the artists directly. Visit artforcarrizo.com to see the pieces for sale. m

Writing on the walls

A muralist returns home to Lompoc, aiming to inspire students at Arthur Hapgood with art and affirmations

BY MADISON WHITE

In 1992, when Jose Bustos was 12 years old, he painted his first mural. He created the design for an art contest at Arthur Hapgood Elementary in Lompoc and won, earning a permanent spot for the mural at the school.

The mural depicts an eagle’s wings spanning across the American and Mexican flags above a group of kids holding hands.

“I remember I felt like a little bit of a celebrity,” Bustos told the Sun about his fifth-grade year “It’s funny because I wish I would have kept that confidence throughout my life.”

Thirty-three years later, Bustos is back on campus and painting new murals to adorn its walls.

The year Bustos painted his first mural, his homeroom teacher started encouraging him to pursue art. She was the one who taught him how to scale his drawings on paper up to the full size of a wall. She also turned her classroom into an art gallery with his drawings of birds hanging in the air. She called the exhibit Olé Jose.

Despite his fifth-grade teacher, Bustos said he wished he heard more positive affirmations throughout his childhood.

Now, he paints affirmations on all his murals. He said he wants people to be reminded of the words when they think of the painting.

“I love positive affirmations,” Bustos said. “My whole idea is to spark that positive, happy emotion.”

He keeps a photo of himself as a 12-year-old in his pocket. He often thinks of making his younger self proud as he paints new murals at his alma mater.

The Hapgood principal asked Bustos to create six more murals, which he plans to finish by the end of September. He has been painting at night, when the students aren’t on campus.

His main motivation is to inspire the students at Hapgood, including his nieces and nephews, to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.

“It’s like, ‘Wow, if he did it, especially as, let’s say, a Mexican American or Mexican, then I can do it,’” Bustos said.

He paints the affirmations on his murals in Spanish and English because of Hapgood’s dual immersion program, which provides instruction in both Spanish and English. Bustos said he grew up speaking “Spanglish,” too.

Stylistically, the murals look like old-school tattoos with thick outlines and ribbons. Inside the ribbons are the affirmations.

One mural depicts a big, yellow sun in the middle of green mountains. The affirmation states,

“Soy brillante como el sol,” translating to “I am bright like the sun.”

Others include a butterfly, an anchor, a rocket ship, and an eagle, the school’s mascot. Bustos is still sketching the last mural, which will incorporate the history of the Chumash people. The finished images range from 7 by 18 feet to 6 by 27 feet.

Before starting each mural, any cracks in the wall must be filled in. Bustos primes and sands the wall before sketching the design.

Then, it’s time to paint.

“I’m wearing my knee pads. I have to lay on my side sometimes,” he said. Using a grid system, he paints the mural one square at a time, just like his homeroom teacher taught him in fifth grade.

He graduated in 2009 with an art illustration degree from California State University Northridge and remained in the Los Angeles area until 2024. Bustos sold his art throughout college and eventually worked at an art gallery and a tattoo shop.

When he moved back to Lompoc, Bustos’ family encouraged him to continue pursuing art. He doubted himself a little bit because he had not painted a mural since 2008, but he said every job he had until now prepared him to be a muralist.

“I really feel like I’m onto something with my murals,” Bustos said. “I just want to keep doing them.”

He didn’t anticipate living in Lompoc again. In fact, he said it was a “big no no” in his mind for many years. Yet, the timing was perfect for him to move home, pursue his passion, and work toward making it his business.

“It’s always been here at home,” Bustos said. One of his favorite affirmations is “I am excited,” which is fitting for this time in his life. To Bustos, it serves as a reminder to turn nervous energy into positivity.

“I’m finally feeling very proud of something that I’m accomplishing, and then, after this, I could die happy,” Bustos said. m

Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.

Follow along In the future, Jose Bustos plans to paint more murals in Lompoc and experiment with new media like spray paint. Follow Jose Bustos on Instagram @jose_bustos_art.

DETAILS, DETAILS: Muralist Jose Bustos paints with acrylics and uses an airbrush for shading at the end. PHOTO

IMAGE COURTESY OF LAUREL SHERRIE

COURTESY PHOTO BY JOSE BUSTOS

AFTER THE BELL: Jose Bustos works on his Arthur Hapgood Elementary murals at night, after students have left campus.

COURTESY PHOTO BY JOSE BUSTOS

FLYING HIGH: Before painting a mural, Jose Bustos sketches the design within a grid on paper to get the scaling right. Showtime! Send gallery, stage, and cultural festivities to mwhite@santamariasun.com.

Honey do!

Co-writer and director Ethan Coen has reteamed with co-writer Tricia Cooke (DriveAway Dolls) on this second installment of their planned “lesbian B-movie trilogy.” This time around, the neo-noir comedy focuses on smalltown private investigator Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley), who investigates strange deaths and becomes entangled with a religious cult led by Rev. Drew Devlin (Chris Evans). (88 min.)

Glen: The subtitle for this film should be Men Behaving Badly, because almost every male character is deeply flawed. Devlin’s corruption runs deep, from sexually exploiting his congregation to running drugs out of his church. His Aussie henchman, Shuggie (Josh Pafchek), is as dumb as a bag of hair and unquestioning in his loyalty. Earnest church member, Hector (Jacnier), is a murderous reactionary. Even police Detective Marty Metakawitch (Charlie Day) can’t stop himself from unrelentingly hitting on Honey no matter how many times she tells him, “I like girls.” Mr. Siegfried (Billy Eichner), who comes to Honey to investigate his philandering boyfriend, is a vindictive, simpering tool. The women aren’t much better; though to her credit, Honey tries to do the right thing. She’s a womanizing one-night-stand queen … until she meets police officer MG Falcone

HONEY DON’T!

What’s it rated? R

(Aubrey Plaza), who she goes back to for “seconds.” It’s all very titillating and violent and entertaining. Anna: Honey and her click-clacking heels is a spellbinder, but luckily this film isn’t trying to paint anyone in rosy tones. She’s like a beautiful steak served up on a platter, but on closer inspection, there’s a streak of gristle running through. One of the wonderful things about a character like this is their “take me as I am” attitude, and Qualley has a real knack for embodying that cool-guy persona. When Honey’s green-lipsticked and bad-boyfriend-having teenage niece, Corinne (Talia Ryder), turns up missing, Honey soon surmises that another recent death may be connected and tied to Devlin’s weird church. Between Drive-Away Dolls and Honey Don’t!, this trilogy is a lot of fun so far. They even managed to get me with the twist on this one. Let’s hope the next installation proves just as fun as the first two.

What’s it worth, Anna? Full price

What’s it worth, Glen? Full price

Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande

Glen: Honey is a compelling character, and it’s interesting you describe her “cool-guy persona,” because she embodies what our culture often favors in young men: looks, a knack with the ladies, and an ability to handle herself if violence is required. She’s compelling because she’s also kind and wise. When Mr. Siegfried tries to hire her to investigate his boyfriend, she has sage advice for him, though he doesn’t take it. Likewise, when her estranged father (Kale Browne) turns up to make amends, she doesn’t turn soft. Instead, she handles him like the bully he was to her and her sister,

DEPT. Q

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2025

Where’s it showing? Netflix

Created by Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani based on Danish writer Jussi Adler-Olsen’s book series, Dept. Q is about law enforcement workers dealing with trauma. At the center is formerly top-rated investigator Carl Morck (Matthew Goode), who was badly injured in a shooting that paralyzed his partner and killed another officer. Known for his abrasive demeanor and superiority complex, when he returns to duty, Morck finds himself relegated to the basement of the precinct and Dept. Q, which is tasked with investigating unsolved crimes.

He finds himself burdened with unwanted co-workers, such as insecure DC Rose Dickson (Leah Byrne), who suffered a breakdown on duty and hopes to prove herself. My favorite character is mysterious ex-Syrian policeman Akram Salim (Alexej Manvelov), who’s hired as a civilian employee. He’s clearly seen some serious action, and watching him become indispensable is fun. The central conceit is that lone wolf Morck thinks he doesn’t need help and believes he knows better than everyone, but it’s always his underdog teammates who deliver the breakthroughs required.

MISFITS: After a bungled shooting, investigator Carl Morck (Matthew Goode, center) returns to duty, demoted to leading a cold case team of the unwanted—DC Rose Dickson (Leah Byrne) and ex-Syrian policeman Akram Salim (Alexej Manvelov)— in Dept. Q , streaming on Netflix.

The cast shines, and watching broken people bravely carry on and do their jobs inspires and entertains. Season two has been greenlit. Count me in. (10 42- to 71-min. episodes) —Glen

Heidi (Kristen Connolly), when they were kids. Honey doesn’t need a man in any capacity. It’s a surprising little flick with the patented Coen kick. I hope Qualley returns as the lead in the next one. She’s loaded with sass.

Anna: She’s a great lead, and if they snag her for the next film, it’s sure to be a fun romp. Evans is good too as the smarmy preacher. There’s no lack of self-indulgence in his personality or his bedroom. One thing I loved about this film is it doesn’t feel the need to wrap up everything into

SMOKE

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2025

Where’s it showing? Apple TV+

It seems Smoke has taken notes on John Leonard Orr’s journal entries for Apple TV’s new series. Orr is a former arson investigator who was convicted of perpetrating the very fires he was investigating back in the mid ’80s and early ’90s.

Arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) seems to have it all. Part of that “all” is the dream of writing a book, but what we quickly learn is that while Gudsen thinks highly of himself, his prose leaves much to be desired. He’s got a supportive wife, which he doesn’t deserve. He’s got a new partner, Detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett), who he’s first cold to and then becomes creepily mesmerized by.

nice, neat little bows. Some things are left to dangle, others come out of the blue, and with a tight 88-minute runtime, we get just enough to have a good time and avoid boredom creeping in. This is the perfect excuse to head on down for some AC and freshly buttered popcorn. You’ll have a great time with Honey Don’t! m

New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

The series doesn’t take long to share with us that Gudsen is an awful, gross dude. The story also follows another arsonist Gudsen’s investigating, Freddy Fasano (Ntare Guma

Mbaho Mwine), a broken man whose life has been spent in the pile of forgotten toys, his mental health in absolute shambles. With some truly unpleasant characters, this series is propelled by the collective desire to see Gudsen, a man who believes he can outwit them all, go down in flames. (nine 42- to 65-min. episodes) m —Anna

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WALK TALL: Bakersfield private eye Honey Donahue (Margaret Qualley) investigates strange deaths tied to a religious cult, in Honey Don’t!, screening in local theaters.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

PYRO: Arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) thinks he’s too smart to get caught, but Columbia Metro Police Department Detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) is out to prove him wrong, in Smoke, streaming on Apple TV+.

PHOTO

BY MADISON WHITE

Cindy Flores never pictured herself running a restaurant. Instead, she was thinking of opening her own hair salon when she found a restaurant space for rent in Grover Beach last October.

Flores sent the link to two of her brothers, who have worked in the food industry for decades, and they visited the spot soon after. The Flores’ idea for a brunch restaurant started to take shape.

“We slowly got involved, and at one point we said, ‘OK, are we doing this or not?’” Flores told the Sun

The siblings opened Holy Belly in April after months of planning the concept and building the interior.

The décor is neutral with pops of green, compelmenting the plants that help enliven the restaurant.

Flores said she wants Holy Belly to be a welcoming, cozy atmosphere for people to gather in.

More importantly, she wants the food to be their top focus.

With more than 20 years of experience, Flores’ brothers Cesar and Omar oversee the kitchen, develop the menu, and order the ingredients.

Flores described herself as the face of Holy Belly, the one at the front of the house.

She said running a restaurant and interacting with customers makes her feel connected to the community. She has gotten to know her customers on a deeper level, too.

“I think that having a restaurant

means a sense of belonging in the community,” Flores said. “You have a place where you can bring in people and serve them food that maybe they’re not going to find anywhere else.”

Two of the most popular menu items are tiramisu French toast and blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes. Flores said she wants to provide customers with a culinary experience that goes beyond typical diner fare.

“I feel like [the dishes] do have that extra touch that maybe other places don’t have. I feel like that’s what brings uniqueness in our place,” Flores said.

Holy Belly aims to satisfy the diverse palates of customers while honoring classic brunch dishes, she added.

The breakfast menu, served all day, features eggs Benedict, omelets,

GRAND OPENING: Siblings Cesar (left), Cindy (middle), and Omar (right) Flores first welcomed customers to Holy Belly in Grover Beach with a soft launch in April.

HOT CAKES: Holy Belly serves breakfast favorites, like blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes, until it closes at 2 p.m.

FARM FRESH: Grover Beach’s newest breakfast spot, Holy Belly, buys locally sourced ingredients. The eggs on the chilaquiles are from Los Osos.

waffles, and chickenfried steak.

Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes sandwiches, burgers, salads, and seafood. A kids’ menu is also available.

While all their dishes have hints of Mexican flavors, the siblings also created a section of the menu dedicated to their Mexican favorites. Customers can choose from tamales, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and breakfast burritos.

In the future, Holy Belly plans to update its menu to feature seasonal ingredients. Flores said her brothers are creative chefs who enjoy making new recipes and offering specials on the menu.

They are proud of what they have accomplished so far, in less than one year of business. Flores said they’ve had a great response from the community.

During her childhood, Flores wished she had gotten to spend more time with her brothers, who got married and started their families young.

“When they moved here, I didn’t really get to grow up with them as much,” Flores said.

Now that they work together, Flores feels she is getting to know both her brothers on a deeper level.

“I discover how they are, how they interact with each other,” Flores said.

Cesar’s daughters even had a hand in naming the family business.

The name Holy Belly stemmed from its Spanish translation, “santa panza,” which Flores brainstormed. She thought it was catchy and fun, but it was not until her nieces approved that the decision was final.

In addition to spending time with her brothers, Flores finds motivation by being able to provide a place for the community to gather.

“I do want to feel successful, and not necessarily money wise, but just knowing that we did something. That is important to me,” Flores said. When talking about the future, she joked about franchising Holy Belly but mentioned that she and her brothers just take it one day at a time.

“I’m just going to play it as I go,” Flores said. m

Send omelets and blueberry pancakes to Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.