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The Odyssey: classic epic, modern overtones [20]

YOUR SONG. YOUR STAGE. YOUR SHOT. [21]

Winners of our annual contest tell tiny tales of marriage, mayhem, madness, and more [6]

NEWS

Wrong-way driver awaits murder sentencing [4]

ARTS

An Orcutt painter’s accessible art [18]

EATS

Local freshly prepped healthy meals [22]

WHAT TO RECYCLE In Santa Maria

NEWSPAPER & PAPER PRODUCTS

GLASS BOTTLES & JARS

Keep paper clean and dry, and only recycle pieces larger than a small envelope.

Empty and dry all glass bottles and jars before recycling.

Contents JULY 2 3 - JULY 30, 20 26

O

VOL . 2 7 NO. 2 2

ur judges pored over the 55 Fiction entries, which flowed into our office throughout the year from near and far. We laughed. We cried. We scratched our heads. And in the end, we deemed this crop of 24 the best of the best. Enjoy these tiny stories, written for you with just 55 words each [6].

Also, find stories about the Santa Maria woman awaiting sentencing for a wrong-way DUI [4]; an Orcutt artist who makes art accessible for all [18]; and a local chef prepping fresh, healthy meals [22].

Andrea Rooks associate editor BITE-SIZED EPICS: Hang that hammock and kick up your feet because it’s time to read the winners of our 55 Fiction contest, which produces the most diminutive vacation reads around.

RIGID PLASTIC

METAL

Empty and dry all rigid plastics before recycling.

Empty and dry all metal before recycling.

Cover artwork by Leni Litonjua > Cover design by Alex Zuniga

NEWS

News Briefs ..........................................................................4 Political Watch....................................................................4 Spotlight.................................................................................5

NO PLASTIC BAGS

CARDBOARD

Plastic bags cause contamination and clog machinery. Keep your recyclables loose.

Remove all plastic packaging before recycling.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Hot Stuff ...............................................................................12

ARTS

Arts Briefs............................................................................18

OPINION

Commentary ........................................................................8 Letters .....................................................................................8 Web Poll .................................................................................8 Mayfield..................................................................................8 Canary ...................................................................................10

MOVIES

Reviews ...............................................................................20

58th Annual ORCUTT MINERAL SOCIETY

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omsrockandgemshow.org 2 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

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www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 3

News POLITICAL WATCH • Awaiting consideration from the House of Representatives and Senate, the proposed Water Resources Development Act of 2026 would allocate $66 million in new federal funds for multiple Central Coast-based water projects, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced on July 14. “As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’m proud to have secured federal funding in this committee-passed bill to strengthen water infrastructure throughout the Central Coast,” Carbajal stated. “Like many communities across the nation, the Central Coast has some water systems that are aging beyond their intended service life or must be upgraded to accommodate our region’s growth. …

As the bill moves toward final consideration, I will continue working to ensure this essential investment is delivered to our communities.” Carbajal listed the cities of Lompoc, Solvang, Morro Bay, and Ojai as beneficiaries, as well as the Los Olivos Community Services District and Summerland Sanitary District. If passed, the Water Resources Development Act will provide $30 million to the Los Olivos Community Services District to complete a proposed septic-to-sewer project that would send wastewater approximately 3.5 miles to a connection point with the city of Solvang for treatment and disposal. “Building a sewer system to solve a problem that has persisted for more than 50 years isn’t glamorous, and it certainly is not easy,” Los Olivos Community Services District President Julie Kennedy said in a July 14 statement. “This investment gives Los Olivos a oncein-a-generation opportunity to build the solution our community has long supported while ensuring that local decisions remain in local hands.” The proposed bill would also provide $2 million to the city of Solvang for water infrastructure improvements, as well as $6.3 million to the city of Lompoc to support its water treatment plant and the construction of a stormwater treatment and flood control system.

• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and six other senators led the reintroduction of the Mamas First Act on July 17. This proposed legislation would amend the Social Security Act to allow doulas, midwives, tribal midwives, and lactation support providers to be reimbursed by Medicaid, according to Padilla’s office. Alongside Padilla, the co-sponsors of the Mamas First Act in the U.S. Senate are U.S. Sens.

Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois).

The bill’s endorsers include the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, the National Health Law Program, the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, Black Mamas Matter Alliance Incorporated, the American Association of Birth Centers, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, and several other organizations.

• On July 16, U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) sent a letter to U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche demanding that the U.S. Department of Justice launch a federal investigation into potential price gouging by big oil companies and to publicly report its findings.

“In April 2026, at the height of the war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, West Texas Intermediate [WTI] crude peaked at $112 per barrel.

The price of WTI has since collapsed to as low as $68 per barrel,” Schiff wrote. “While the price of crude has declined by nearly 40 percent, consumers have not seen a commensurate decline in the price of gasoline. … Rather than pass along savings from falling crude oil prices to consumers, oil companies are maintaining high prices and raking billions in profits in the process.” m

July 23 - July 30, 2026

➤ Spotlight [5] FILE PHOTO BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

Act now!

Send any news or story tips to news@santamariasun.com.

Poulsen continued. “He truly represented what it means to be an airman.”

No incident like this has occurred on base since the 1970s, a Space Launch Delta 30 spokesperson said in an email interview with the Sun. Officials are conducting a safety investigation to determine the root cause of the accident, and there haven’t been any updates as of July 21.

—Madison White

Closed-session Lompoc employee evaluation spurs public backlash

FATAL TRAGEDY: Former bartender Kendra Lynn Cordova—who pled guilty to second degree murder as a result of driving while impaired and on the wrong side of Highway 101—is scheduled to be sentenced in Santa Maria Superior Court on Aug. 4.

Wrong-way driver awaits sentence for murder Alerted by more than a dozen 911 calls, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers were on the lookout for a northbound driver in the southbound lane of Highway 101 around 5:15 a.m., on Sept. 8, 2024.

One caller described the driver—later identified as Santa Maria resident Kendra Lynn Cordova— as weaving between oncoming cars at 90 miles per hour near Los Alamos, according to Santa Barbara County Superior Court documents.

“Cordova sped down Highway 101 in the wrong direction for approximately 14 miles, despite headlights approaching her,” CHP Officer Jason Traughber wrote in his declaration to the court.

“Approximately 15 witnesses called to report Cordova driving the wrong way on the 101, … just prior to crashing,” he continued, “and killing Alma Lazaro.”

Traughber was among the first officers to arrive at the aftermath of a fatal collision between Cordova’s gray Mazda and a white Chevrolet pickup truck near Union Valley Parkway in Orcutt. One passenger of the truck, Lazaro, was declared dead at the scene.

After more than a year of pre-trial court proceedings, Cordova pled guilty to second degree murder earlier this summer.

Her sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4 in Santa Maria Superior Court. She faces a minimum of 15 years to life in state prison, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

“It’s [a] horrible instance of a purely preventable and absolutely senseless crime,” District Attorney John Savrnoch told the Sun. “She initially pled not guilty. … We were not coming off of the charge on that, from the moment that we went to the scene, communicated with CHP, and got the facts of that case.”

While preliminary court hearings began in April 2025, Cordova—whose blood alcohol level law enforcement determined was .26 percent the morning of the crash—pled guilty in June 2026.

If the case had gone to trial, the prosecution was prepared to argue that she committed a “Watson murder,” while citing a “pre-drinking intent to drive.” A Watson murder comes from the 1981 California case People v. Watson that set the precedent for a charge of second degree murder when “the facts surrounding a vehicular homicide support a finding of implied malice,” according to FindLaw. “California courts have long recognized that a traffic fatality by a grossly intoxicated motorist may support a conviction for second degree murder,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore wrote in court docs.

4 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

Within a few days following Lazaro’s death, District Attorney’s Office Investigator Commander Michael Huffman obtained a search warrant that granted him video surveillance footage from Cordova’s former place of work, the 1880 Union Hotel in Los Alamos.

On Sept. 7, 2024, Cordova worked a late bartending shift during a wedding celebration at the venue, between about 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Video surveillance showed that she drank a glass of vodka as soon as she arrived for work and poured additional drinks—including Champagne and shots of liquor—for herself throughout the night.

According to additional obtained surveillance from a neighboring business, The Maker’s Son, Cordova walked to her vehicle around 4:30 a.m., while “swaying and having difficulty standing,” about an hour before the crash and her arrest.

—Caleb Wiseblood

Vandenberg airman dies on base after an equipment accident An accident at Vandenberg Space Force Base killed a 23-year-old airman on July 16.

The heavy equipment that Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna was operating rolled down an embankment, Vandenberg reported in a news release on July 17. The Santa Barbara Coroner’s Office hasn’t yet determined Eneluna’s cause of death. There were no other personnel injuries.

“Our Vandenberg family is grieving alongside Cedric’s loved ones and his teammates,” Vandenberg commander and U.S. Space Force Col. James T. Horne III said in the statement.

“He made a lasting impression on his teammates through his character, dedication, and genuine care for others. On behalf of Team Vandenberg, I extend my deepest condolences to Cedric’s family, friends, and fellow airmen during this incredibly difficult time.”

After spending his childhood in the Philippines, Eneluna came to call Fayetteville, North Carolina, his hometown. His first duty assignment was at Vandenberg, where he arrived in August 2024 just five months after joining the military.

Eneluna was a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Pavements and Equipment Flight, which maintains roads and infrastructure for base operations. The group is known as the “Dirt Boyz” because of the nature of their work.

Other teams of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron include emergency response, fire prevention, and explosive hazards disposal. The squadron’s commander, Lt. Col. Seth Poulsen, said in the news release that Eneluna brought out the best in everyone.

“He was always ready to work, always willing to help, and always had a positive attitude,”

Discipline. Dismissal. Appointment of an interim city manager. A handful of business items on the table for the Lompoc City Council to discuss in closed session on July 14 were tied to City Manager Dean Albro’s performance evaluation.

Although the council ultimately gave Albro “a satisfactory review” and “did not consider or conduct the discipline/dismissal/release closed session or the appointment of an interim,” City Attorney Jeff Malawy reported, several public speakers criticized the council’s handling of those items.

Lompoc resident Carson Link described the topics agendized for closed session as “pretty shady” and “coming out of nowhere.”

“I’m not saying our city manager is perfect,” Link said. “It seems like a decision you should probably take to the community and discuss more openly than just having a closed, shotgun session where our city manager may lose his job.”

Among the following speakers, former Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne addressed her comments to Mayor Jim Mosby specifically.

“When I left that dais nearly two years ago, I handed you a successful community led by a very competent city manager. And I asked you not to fuck it up. And in less than eight months, you’ve slid downhill and you’re doing that with your behavior tonight,” Osborne said. “I know most of you work well with Dean. Most of you respect him. Most of you don’t think this is the right thing to do. So, I’m here to remind you that this is a pattern of behavior by the current mayor.

“Every time that he’s been on this dais, he has had a desire to fire a city manager,” Osborne continued. “He’s made life unbearable for … the person in that position.”

Another speaker, Shawna Stillwell, said she believes a personality conflict caused the discipline/dismissal/release item to be agendized.

“We don’t fire people because personalities clash,” Stillwell said. “If ‘I don’t like working with this person’ becomes a standard, every city employee becomes vulnerable to political retaliation.”

Prior to the July 14 meeting, Lompoc city staff received more than a dozen letters in support of Albro.

Among those submissions was a letter from a current city employee who said he feared potential retaliation from city officials by standing up for Albro.

“I still hesitate to make this comment, but my moral compass will always point true, and I can’t let this happen without saying something for the public record, even at the risk of committing career suicide,” Lompoc Accounting and Revenue Manager Matt Adams wrote. “At a time when senior leadership is changing rapidly, many directors and managers have left the city for other opportunities. Not all … for more money.

Some have left because the constant combative work environment being perpetuated in the city creates a mental health concern.

“Dismissing the city manager at a time like this can have devastating effects for staff morale,” he continued. “Please carefully consider the decision you are facing tonight.” m —Caleb Wiseblood

News

SPOTLIGHT

Making gains

residents annually at its two resource centers in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara.

Stovall said the work County Workforce Development Board hosts that the board does is “legitimately life-changing.” free youth career summit Some adults progress from not being able to provide for

BY MADISON WHITE their family to landing well-paying work. Others take advantage of free on-the-job training with areer exploration, scholarship wins, and the board’s partner companies to break into their industry connections are some of the desired career. possible outcomes for young adults if they “Ultimately what the Workforce Development attend a free workshop put together by the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board. Board wants to do is to connect people who are looking for jobs to jobs that Operations Manager are going to have living wages Alyssa Stovall and her team Lots to gain, little to lose and allow people to really organized the board’s first Locals ages 14 to 20 can register for the flourish and thrive in our youth career summit in years, free Aug. 6 youth career workshop by visiting community,” Stovall said. which will be held in Santa forms.cloud.microsoft/g/ZqY6TbvGNb. To be While the board works Maria on Aug. 6. Locals ages considered for a scholarship award, submit MUSICquite a bit with adults in 14 to 20 are invited to the free the application by July 31. the county, the other half conference starting at 10 a.m.

The event will be held at the Allan of its business is helping inside the Allan Hancock Hancock College Fine Arts Complex (800 S. FLAVOR/EATS younger folks. Stovall believes College Fine Arts Complex.

College Drive in Santa Maria) from 10 a.m. engaging young community “It’s been in conversation to 3:30 p.m. Attendance is free, and lunch is members early in their lives with some folk that are a part provided.

INFO will help them plan for bright of our board for a long time, futures. and we just decided that it “I think the earlier the exposure, the better. It was time to pull the trigger,” Stovall told the Sun. CALENDAR helps people have expectations about how things “We’re excited, and we’re hoping that it will sort are going to look in the future,” Stovall said. of be the first of many annual youth summit At the August youth summit, up to 125 events.”

OPINION participants will experience an atmosphere The event is one of the programs that the comparable to a professional conference. There’ll Workforce Development Board supports. Using NEWS breakout sessions, a keynote be a check-in period, mostly federal funding, the group aims to help presentation, complimentary job seekers connect with lunch, raffles for computers, employers and gain useful STROKES and scholarship awards. The skills. Individuals can also day is expected to conclude benefit from help on searching Send business and for a job, résumé writing, and nonprofit information to ARTSaround 3:30 p.m.

Students may learn more occupational training. The spotlight@santamariasun.com. about soft skills, interviewing board serves more than 25,000

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALYSSA STOVALL

C

Promote!

JOB SEEKERS: The Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board supports residents who want to improve their employability skills and search for jobs, through events like this mixer in March.

techniques, internships, and career pathways.

Employers will speak on industry panels including health care, technology, and education, and they will be available to answer questions.

“A lot of youth, I think, go to their first job interview or go to submit their first job application and really have had no exposure to what those processes are going to look like,” Stovall explained. “Our goal is to sort of give them a heads-up of what they need to do right to get these jobs, to get those interviews.”

There’s “absolutely no reason to be nervous,” she added, because there aren’t any high stakes.

The summit is meant to be an opportunity for learning and engaging with industry leaders in the community.

As the cost of living continues to rise, the board is there to help Santa Barbara County residents put their best foot forward.

“There’s no cost to attend. You get a free lunch.

You learn some new skills and information,” Stovall said. “I think it’s sort of a no-brainer. If you can attend, you definitely should because you’re only going to come out ahead.”

Highlights

• Join the Orcutt Mineral Society for its 58th annual Rainbow of Gems show from July 31 to Aug. 2. Held at Nipomo High School beginning at 10 a.m. each day, visitors will have opportunities to see rocks and minerals from more than 60 dealers and watch club demonstrations. Plus, don’t miss the silent auction, free giveaways, and kids’ activities.

Admission and parking are free. m Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.

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The Sun Called in Sick

Torture

This is a True Story

All the Better to Eat You With

Morro Bay in July. The sun stumbled in around 2. Late. Hungover. Took one look, decided it wasn’t worth it. Left the mess untouched.

The fog clocked in early. Didn’t speak.

Didn’t blink. Covered everything. Like it always does.

Knows the routine. Hides the evidence.

Never asks for thanks.

Knows you don’t mean it.

Jim Lowe Morro Bay

Misery, Minecraft, mayhem, and more

S

ince we opened our doors, the Sun has insisted that you, too, can become a published writer. In our annual 55 Fiction contest, we ask would-be authors to send us their tiny stories and cross their fingers. In 55 words or fewer, weave a tale full of emotion, description, and surprise. Give us characters and a story arc. It’s tough to do, but some folks have a real knack for it. Others, … not so much.

What started as a local contest has grown into one that receives stories from all over the world. This year’s entries are cheeky, absurd, mysterious, and dangerous. They tell us about life, love, rage, sadness, fantasy, and more. With six judges, we did our darndest to pick the best of the best.

—Camillia Lanham

I Met an Old Lady from Wheeling …

Married Life at Middle Age

Childhood Friend

A Lost Boy

A pleasantly plump 65-plus widow, a connoisseur of limericks, spotted an ad for short stories. Pure whimsy.

There once was a 55 contest.

With rules not subject to protest.

The stronger her courage, the shorter the verbiage.

With great trepidation, she damned hesitation.

Not word too absurd and becoming perturbed.

She pushed the send button.

Karen Underhill Flagstaff, Arizona After school I walk home with my best friend. I’ve been in love with him since we were 7, but he only sees me as a friend.

“I have a crush on someone,” he says.

“Oh.” I look down. It hurts too much to hear.

“I’m thinking of telling them soon.”

“When?”

“Right about now.”

Douglas Perkins Ayase, Japan

Honey— Have you seen the here it is.

I can’t find the I found it.

What did you do with the never mind.

Can you help me with got it.

Where did you put the there it is.

Can you I’ll do it.

I can’t I did it.

Where did I put the whatever.

Robert Pavlik San Luis Obispo

I work for the skies. I retrieve lost things from the human world and display them as constellations, in hopes that when you look up, you will remember. Today, on my first month at work, a small you appeared in my arms. Beaten, stitched, frail, and bony. Gently, I place you on the Orion Belt.

Kohei Kawada Yokohama, Japan

6 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

I knew a strange man He had a tattoo on his private part He used it to win bets in bars When he met a new girl He would say I’ll be damned I have Your Name tattooed on my private part It didn’t matter what their names were He would always win the bet Donna Staub Ojai

Conscious

They taught us memory’s proof of one’s self, so I trusted mine completely.

I remembered my childhood home, my mother’s voice, the dog we adopted in third grade. Then the doctor showed me the file: implanted history, assigned upbringing, fabricated records. “We test identity stability,” they said. I asked who “we” were. They didn’t answer.

Joshua Andrade Mundelein, Illinois

Minecraft

I went to the store, bought Minecraft, and headed home.

I stole some money from an old man and ran into a pack of wolves. I killed a few sheep that got in my way. I burned a village and smiled as smoke drifted into the sky.

Eventually I got home. And installed Minecraft.

Douglas Perkins Ayase, Japan

Death to Danny

Me and Danny, Danny and I. Comrade in Canada, until his demise.

Stabbed in the heart and slashed in the eyes.

His viper corpse dropped, lifeless where he lies.

I didn’t weep, I didn’t cry.

I simply smiled and dropped the knife.

Buried his body in packs of ice.

Me and Danny, Danny and I. Jayden Hawkins Glendale Heights, Illinois

I was bound and tied to the icy chamber.

Pummeled by the wrath of Poseidon, I struggled to break free.

I yelled and cried, but all they did was laugh at me.

Mocked me for my distress, feeding off my pain.

I looked up with pleading eyes.

“It’s just a bath, Max,” my owner said.

Eduardo Mendez Vernon Hills, Illinois

The girl didn’t look up as she set her basket down. “I saw a wolf today!” Granny smiled as the girl continued. “And I’ve been reading about predators. Did you know there’s a spider that eats its mother after it’s born? Well, I followed its example, but I’m still hungry. That’s why I came here.”

Tommy Millard Prairie Village, Kansas

Drifting

Ray’s wife was resting peacefully in bed.

She had Neptune-blue eyes, calm waves through a storm. She was his lifeline.

But it was getting late, so he let go of her hand. He watched the waves still on the monitor. White coats murmured as she drifted away forever.

And the ocean filled his eyes.

Kaima Akpuokwe Aurora, Illinois

In the Beginning

I was walking Brad, my pit bull, when I saw God in the park.

Lanky with straggly gray hair.

“I’m God,” He yelled.

Nearby, a teenage girl in tree pose locked eyes with Him and smiled.

“God conquers all,” He shouted.

Brad bared his teeth, growling.

God was no dummy: He turned and sprinted away.

Jon Slotnick Atascadero

Oro

They came from everywhere to see it shine in the light, glistening with a golden-yellow hue that shone with endless possibility. One by one, we each got to hold it, raising it up to the sky and imagining the life we could build with it.

Just think of how sweet the tamales would be. Elote.

Aaron Izek Burbank

Status Quo

The day after seemed like a normal one until …

Coffee made him sleep, Food made him hungry, Sun made him cold and pale, Air made him gasp, Work made him happy, Music made him frown, and sex made him sad.

Then she made him cry, and he sighed in relief.

Colin Jones SLO

Generations

“I saw you steal those cigarettes,” the old lady said to the young thief blowing smoke rings outside the 7-Eleven.

“Yeah, well thanks for not snitching on me.”

“I still might,” she said.

“Go ahead, but you’d better do it fast ’cause those Butterfinger bars you shoved up your sleeves are melting fast.”

Catherine Gardner Arch Cape, Oregon

Shock Till you Drop

Bound to his chair, Teddy awaited the moment that they flipped the lever and stopped his heart. Trembling hands.

Shallow breaths. Over the machine’s clicking and whirring, he screamed, “Please, I don’t want to die!”

As he strained in his seat, a bellowing voice said, “Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times!”

Ethan Lozada League City, Texas

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

My sister Evangeline and I hold hands on the porch.

Nuclear flames rain down on our neighborhood.

Evangeline is silent, adrift in her autism. The only word she has ever said is, “Tomorrow.”

The Stygian blaze consumes Daddy’s Honda.

We are alone.

Death is flicking at us.

“Today,” Evangeline says, finally speaking her second word.

PR Lee Columbia, Maryland

Husbandry

She cried for days after the men took away the child they had forced her to bear. She thrashed against the cold metal bars, which had imprisoned her from the moment her body was able to produce babies, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Later, men attached cups to her underside, sucking milk from her teats.

T.S. Cummins Shanghai, China

‘Mondays’

“Mondays, amirite?” he asks, sitting down at his workstation.

“Mondays,” she replies.

“Think we’ll see a change today?”

“Not likely.”

“In that case, I’m taking my break.”

He floats to the aft section of their workspace, pulls a lever, and disappears out the air lock.

“Mondays,” she sighs, unbuckling her safety harness and letting go.

Nick Coughlin Paso Robles

Refrigerator Art Tells All

A Pretty Penny

“Honey, the funds are running out quickly.”

He hummed distractedly. “I know, Viv, it’ll be fine.”

She frowned, her eye twitching, then sighed. Her arms came to hug his neck. “I wish you would have taken this seriously.”

He paused. “Would have?”

Her arms tightened, sweetly. “Your heart will sell for a pretty penny, Honey.”

Zoë Jester Mundelein, Illinois

A Healthy, Organic Diet

Recently divorced, empty nester, untethered. Andie surveyed her sterile refrigerator. The old one captured her life: kids’ art, vacation magnets, myriad photos, emergency numbers. Unlike social media, a refrigerator reveals the owner’s true essence. Andie’s Betty Ford roommate shared an affirmation card: Positivity Radiates from Me like F***ing Sunshine. New fridge. It’s a start.

Karen Underhill Flagstaff, Arizona

For three decades, Bennett weathered total isolation. He swallowed filtered rainwater, coaxed bruised vegetables from barren dirt, and avoided human touch. All to outlast the flesh-rotting global plague. Safe inside his sanctuary, he grinned, sinking his teeth into a succulent, homegrown tomato.

It lodged deep.

There was no one left to perform the Heimlich.

Karen Lun Morro Bay

ARTWORK BY LENI LITONJUA

The Antagonistic Antics of Giant Militants

My home was crumbling. Cries filled the city as buildings tumbled.

Evacuations had begun, soldiers guiding the stampede. We scurried to gather anything we could carry before the monsters returned.

We flooded out to human laughter and blinding daylight. Looking back, I watched giant children’s shoes deal the final blow, dooming any ants still inside.

Isabella Pearce League City, Texas

www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 7

Opinion ONLINE POLL

Should Pea Soup Andersen’s be demolished?

38%

No! There must be more Buellton can do to save the historic site.

38% Yes! It’s become an eyesore and a hazardous squatters den.

24% Yes. The city’s plan to keep the most historic part is great.

0% I’ve only gone to Santa Nella for pea soup.

8 Votes

Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.

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COMMENTARY

➤ Canary [10]

LETTERS

for change: democratic Clueless in Santa Barbara Vote socialists, progressives,

South County leaders know nothing about the world their constituents actually live in

BY RON FINK

I

How did that work out? When you look at home sales data, you’ll notice that the average magine a world without fossil fuels; it would be dark, very few people, only foraged food, no sale price for homes in South County starts at $1 million and above while those in North houses, nothing but silence and emptiness.

County, except for the Santa Ynez Valley, are This is the world that the movers and shakers well below that. in Santa Barbara County and statewide would Why? Because the planners and elected like to take you to. Their endless assault on the officials of Santa Barbara seemed hell-bent production and use of fossil fuel is a testimony on keeping the quaint and quiet atmosphere to the naivete of people who support those of the city by limiting new construction and elected to serve the community. using zoning codes to require expensive If you take a deep dive into how fossil fuels aesthetic conditions for new construction. are used, you’ll see that they are an essential And now they want to severely limit the ability part of everything you see around you or use of rental property owners to recover the cost every day. Even the electric vehicles that many of construction and maintenance of rental activists claim will “save the environment” and property by limiting the amount they can free us from the evil oil rely heavily on fossil charge their tenants. fuels during the production of the vehicle and In contrast, Santa Maria seems to have a later recharging the batteries. good planning process, as the city has grown And the “renewable energy” projects such as wind farms, solar panel plantations, and battery dramatically over the last couple of decades.

Large commercial projects and thousands of storage banks rely heavily on fossil fuels in the homes have been built. manufacturing phase. And consider this: You On the other hand, Lompoc has been always hear about potential capacity of these constricted by the Local Agency Formation projects during the sales pitches, but how often Commission policies that have prevented do you hear anything about the actual amount annexation of adjacent land for new housing of energy produced, cost per kilowatt, or construction. And it’s probably no accident reliability of these systems? that in 2018 Lompoc reported that more than Instead of creating a society where people 75 percent of theMUSIC total multi-family units are can afford to survive and perhaps enjoy life, affordable as compared to a high of 7 percent in they choose to create situations where simply neighboring jurisdictions. going to work consumes a large part of the FLAVOR/EATS Considering all the obstacles the ruling class family budget. Shutting down refineries and oil has placed for the construction of new homes, production facilities not only increases the cost it’s a wonder that any are built at all. Maybe per gallon but also requires refined products to INFO if the government stopped meddling in the be imported from out of state. housing and fossil fuel industries, things would Another clueless move is the mantra that be a little easierCALENDAR for working families to afford somehow the government can create affordable to survive and perhaps housing. Recently Sheila Lodge, enjoy life. m the first female mayor of Santa OPINION Barbara, passed away. As the Ron Fink writes to the Sun local media played clips of her Send us your from Lompoc. Send a letter campaign speeches over 30 views and opinion to NEWSfor publication to letters@ years ago, she was championing letters@santamariasun.com. santamariasun.com. “affordable housing.”

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Speak up!

STROKES

ARTS

MAYFIELD

independents, prairie populists

Was Dwight Eisenhower a communist? As a Republican president in 1956, he ran on a platform of expansion of Social Security; federal assistance for construction of hospitals; increased federal aid for medical care of the needy; and the creation of a Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. And an immigration policy that provided a haven for oppressed peoples, based on equality of treatment and free from “discrimination between racial, nationality, and religious groups.”

For at least 45 years, though, the Republican Party’s main policy has been cutting taxes for the wealthy, getting rid of regulations that corporations don’t like, and telling us all that this will result in prosperity for everyone. It was marketed and sold to America by none other than Ronald Reagan himself.

Instead, we have the greatest wealth inequality in the history of the country, billionaires prancing around onstage with chainsaws bragging about cutting “waste, fraud, and abuse,” and the top 0.1 percent—roughly 340,000 people—holding nearly $23 trillion of the nation’s wealth. Republicans in Congress are now telling Americans that we can no longer afford Medicare and Social Security.

Ordinary people across the country are saying, “enough,” and running for office, calling for an end to corruption, making the rich pay their fair share, and making housing and health care affordable. Republicans call them communists.

If you want an America that works for everyone, find a few of these candidates and support them.

Write some postcards, do some calling, or make a small donation. You can call them communists or call them democratic socialists, progressives, independents, prairie populists, or Democrats.

Maybe even call them 1956 Republicans. Let’s call them members of Congress.

Alison Jones Baywood-Los Osos

Loss of USAID affects higher education programs in California At a Senate hearing in June, Marco Rubio claimed that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) operated as “an independent State Department,” working contrary to U.S. interests. Despite Rubio’s previously claiming “no kids were dying under [his] watch,” former leading USAID administrator Atul Gawande told The New Yorker that according to recent studies, approximately 700,000 lives have been lost globally since USAID was dismantled.

Gawande explains these deaths were primarily caused by the disruption of humanitarian programs offering relief for those fleeing wars and natural disasters, as well as the cessation of health services that aided 14 million people suffering from severe malnutrition.

However, the losses caused by the USAID’s destruction are not limited to outside our borders.

USAID also funded agricultural research at UC Davis, including researcher Tara Chiu’s work helping smaller-scale farmers escape the cycle of poverty, a project that has now been terminated due to the cuts.

The dissolution of USAID has not only cost hundreds of thousands of lives but has directly impacted California’s higher education institutions and their ability to support farmers and improve their quality of life.

In order to restore both life-saving programs globally and crucial agricultural research in universities, we must urge Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) to prioritize the restoration of international assistance.

Katherine Lu San Luis Obispo

8 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

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www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 9

Opinion

Accidents and malice

T

n o i t a c u Ed Today

he news this week almost made me want to set down my feather pen and bury my head in the sand, à la my long-legged cousins.

A Vandenberg Space Force Base airman died on base after the heavy equipment he was operating fell down an embankment.

Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna was 23 years old.

The 30th Civil Engineer Squadron’s commander, Lt. Col. Seth Poulsen, said in a statement that Eneluna brought out the best in everyone.

“He was always ready to work, always willing to help, and always had a positive attitude,” Poulsen said. “He truly represented what it means to be an airman.”

No accident like this has happened at Vandenberg in about 50 years.

Another tragic accident from almost two years ago is being treated as murder. This one really gets me down because, in the words of Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch, “it’s [a] horrible instance of a purely preventable and absolutely senseless crime.”

In September 2024, an intoxicated driver, Santa Maria resident Kendra Lynn Cordova, was seen weaving between oncoming cars at 90 miles per hour near Los Alamos.

“Cordova sped down Highway 101 in the wrong direction for approximately 14 miles, despite headlights approaching her,” CHP Officer Jason Traughber wrote in his declaration to the court.

“Approximately 15 witnesses called to report Cordova driving the wrong way on the 101, … just prior to crashing,” he continued, “and killing Alma Lazaro.”

Cordova’s blood alcohol level was .26 percent.

The legal limit is .08 percent.

She initially pled not guilty to second degree murder, but after the court process played out, she pled guilty and now faces 15 years to life.

News in Lompoc perked me up a little. I can’t resist a good dressing-down.

Lompoc City Manager Dean Albro was briefly on the chopping block, facing discipline and dismissal on July 14. The City Council discussed his performance review in closed session that day—he got a “satisfactory” review—and council members’ lips were sealed when they got an earful from the community about the issue.

A certain former mayor got particularly spicy.

Jenelle Osborne addressed her comments to Mayor Jim Mosby specifically: “When I left that dais nearly two years ago, I handed you a successful community led by a very competent city manager. And I asked you not to fuck it up. And in less than eight months, you’ve slid downhill and you’re doing that with your behavior tonight,” Osborne said. “I know most of you work well with Dean. Most of you respect him. Most of you don’t think this is the right thing to do. So, I’m here to remind you that this is a pattern of behavior by the current mayor.

“Every time that he’s been on this dais, he has had a desire to fire a city manager,” Osborne continued. “He’s made life unbearable for … the person in that position.”

She would know. She had to work with the guy on more than one iteration of the City Council. m The Canary’s head is not in the sand. Send beach reads to canary@santamariasun.com.

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Hot Stuff

FLAVOR/EATS

10-DAY CALENDAR: JULY 23 - AUGUST 2, 2026 INFO

FLYING GOAT WITH FAYE

Spread the word!

Join tasting room ambassador Faye Walker (pictured left), a longtime wine club member who joined the Flying Goat Cellars team in 2023, during happy hour at the Lompoc winery on Friday, July 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. Enjoy laughs with good people and wine for $35 a bottle or $15 a glass. Get additional information at flyinggoatcellars.com.

—A.S.

Send event information to calendar@ santamariasun.com.

CALENDAR

OPINION

NEWS

STROKES

ARTS

ARTS SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

“ALONG THE HIGH EMBANKMENTS” AT PRESQU’ILE Los Angeles Nomadic Division and Presqu’ile present Cole Sternberg’s work along the high embankments, a free, self-guided installation. Saturdays, Sundays, 12-5 p.m.

Free. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presquile Dr, Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.

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.

DANCE CLASSES There are weekly dance classes, from ages 2 to adult, at KleinDance Arts . Mondays-Saturdays, 4-8 p.m. (805) 268-2530. kleindancearts.com. KleinDance Arts, 1954 S Broadway, Suite J, Santa Maria.

DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN DANCE Classes available for all skill levels.

Class sizes limited. 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.

GIAFUNNI’S COMEDY SATURDAY NIGHT

Enjoy some stand-up comedy, Giafunni’s Style, featuring touring professional comedians, comfy seating, delicious food paired with refreshing drinks and perfect blend of hometown hospitality and big city quality entertainment! July 25, 8 p.m. $17.91. my805tix.com. Giavanni’s Pizza, 1108 E Clark Ave, Orcutt, (805) 934-8555.

“POST-WILD: NATURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY” The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture is proud to present Post-Wild: Nature in the 21st Century, a juried exhibition featuring artworks by 34 emerging and established Santa Barbara County artists. Co-curated

by Allan Hancock College Professor of Fine Arts Laura-Susan Thomas and the Office of Arts and Culture, the exhibition highlights artists working across painting, ceramics, photography, digital media, and mixed media. Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Nov. 1 Free. sbac.ca.gov/post-wildnature-in-the-21st-century/. Betteravia Art Gallery, 511 Lakeside Pkwy, Santa Maria.

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

SANTA YNEZ VALLE Y

DISNEY’S FROZEN With magnificent music, heart, and a flurry of fun, Frozen is an unforgettable celebration of love and letting go. Tuesdays-Sundays, 8-10:15 p.m. through Aug. 2 $25. (805) 922-8313. pcpa.org. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang.

GO WEST THREE-ARTIST EXHIBIT AT GALLERY LOS OLIVOS JUL1 -31 Three Artists will share artwork inspired by icons of the American west, including Robin Deshayes, Deborah Kalas, and Linda Lewis, at Gallery Los Olivos. The gallery is open daily. Mondays-Sundays, 10 a.m.5 p.m. through July 31 Free. (805) 688-7517. .GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT KAENA Join us at Kaena at the Ranch in Solvang to spend the afternoon sipping delicious wine and capturing the beauty of the landscape on canvas! Aug. 1, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $89. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Kaena at the Ranch, 800 E. Hwy 246, Solvang.

SUMMER CAMP 3, JULY 20-24: OUT OF THIS WORLD Join for a week of fun, creativity, and artistic expression! This summer, we will be creating paintings, drawings, sculptures, weavings, clay, and more! July 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and July 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $425. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Art Spot on Wheels, 320 Alisal Road, unit 306B, Solvang.

SUMMER CAMP 4, JULY 27-31: MAGICAL WONDERS Join for a week of fun, creativity, and artistic expression! This summer, we will be creating paintings, drawings, sculptures, weavings, clay, and more!

July 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., July 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., July 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., July 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and July 31, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $425. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Art Spot on Wheels, 320 Alisal Road, unit 306B, Solvang.

WATERCOLOR IN THE VINEYARD AT BUTTONWOOD FARM & VINEYARD Join us at the picturesque Buttonwood Farm

New Times and the Sun now share their community listings for a complete Central Coast calendar running from SLO County through northern Santa Barbara County. Submit events online by logging in with your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account at newtimesslo.com. You may also email calendar@newtimesslo.com.

Deadline is one week before the issue date on Thursdays. Submissions are subject to editing and approval.

Contact Calendar Editor Angelena Stevens directly at astevens@newtimesslo.com.

12 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

& Vineyard to grab a glass of wine and a paintbrush! July 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $89.

(805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com.

Buttonwood Farm & Vineyard, 1500 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, California, 93463, United States, Solvang.

“WHEN THE EARTH WHISPERS BACK: NATURE’S HOPE” Woman Painters West, an organization of juried professional woman artists (100 + years old) were invited to exhibit at this museum creating paintings that answered their theme.

See 48 paintings juried from 100 entries on view at the museum. Through Sept. 16 Canatureartmuseum.org. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

ACTOR’S EDGE: ACTING CLASSES Actor’s Edge offers film and television acting training in San Luis Obispo, plus exposure to Los Angeles talent agents.

All ages and skill levels welcome. Classes available in SLO, LA, and on zoom. ongoing $210 per month. actorsedge.com. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

“CRAFT”ERNOON AT ART CENTRAL Art Central would like to open their gallery doors to artists who need workspace! Bring your own supplies and try out some sample supplies too. July 31, 4-6 p.m. Free. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

FIVE-DAY FIBER ARTS SAMPLER CAMP From embroidery to crochet, hand sewing, weaving, macrame, needle felting, if it’s got fiber, we’re probably going to try it! Two weeks to choose from. July 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

INDEX Arts.......................................12 Culture & Lifestyle ...........12 Food & Drink ......................14 Music ...................................17

$325-$425. (805) 439-1022. slolifestudio. com. SLOLife Studio and Mercantile, 12340 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.

MAGICANS CLUB This is a non-profit club where magicians from the local areas meet, exchange, share magic ideas, and showoff. Last Monday of every month, 6-9 p.m. Free. (805) 720-1164. SLO Elks Club, 222 Elks Lane, San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLYING GOAT CELLARS

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS MIXED MEDIA & PAPER ARTS BY HOPE MYERS Hand crafted journals, bookmarks, books, paper works, mixed media, watercolors and jewelry are on display in the Gallery’s Craft Atelier Space. Through July 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

(805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com.

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

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

THE BUTLER DID IT Enjoy this comedy whodunit by Tim Kelly, directed by Samvel Gottlieb. Mystery writers are invited to impersonate their fictional detectives at an event...and then a murder happens.

July 24, 7 p.m., July 25, 7 p.m., July 26, SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS 3 p.m., July 31, 7 p.m., Aug. 1, 7 p.m. and FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, Aug. 2, 3 p.m. $30. (805) 776-3287.

8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt.

By The Sea Productions, 545 Shasta Ave., org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.

Morro Bay, bytheseaproductions.org.

FREE BOOK SUNDAYS Visit the Youth CALL OF THE WILD EXHIBIT The Call Services Desk on the first Sunday of of the Wild exhibt embraces of energy, each month to receive a coupon for a passion and freedom of the world around free book of your choice from the Library us in vivid, dynamic, or whimsical ways.

Bookstore. For ages 0-17. Free. (805) Through Aug. 3, 12-4 p.m. Free. (805) 772925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ 2504. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., departments/library. Santa Maria Public Morro Bay, artcentermorrobay.org.

Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check PRESENTS FINE ART OIL PAINTINGS website for hike dates and private hike

BY PATRICIA NEWTON Enjoy offerings. (805) 343-2455. dunescenter. representational oil paintings of org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, California’s waves, coastline and rolling hills, built up in translucent glazed layers 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. that glow from within. Through July 29, SANTA BARBARA HUMANE CAR SHOW 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068.

AND DONATION DRIVE A family-friendly galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at day of classic cars, 50% off pet adoptions, Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, community giving, and affordable Morro Bay. veterinary care, all benefiting Santa GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE Barbara Humane. July 25, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

PRESENTS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY sbhumane.org/events. Santa Barbara

BY GREGORY SIRAGUSA Morro Bay Humane, Santa Maria Campus, 1687 W photographer Gregory Siragusa transforms Stowell Rd, Santa Maria, (805) 964-4777. dawns, harbors, oceans, cities, mountains, SANTA MARIA TOASTMASTERS Develop and sunsets into meditations on beauty your public speaking skills at this club and existence. Through July 29, meeting. Fourth Tuesday of every month, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068.

6:30-8 p.m. (805) 570-0620. Santa Maria galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.

Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay. CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 14

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(805) 845-9630 Adams Law Serving Your Employment Law Needs Throughout California

Serving Your Employment Law Needs Throughout California www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 13

Hot Stuff CULTURE & LIFESTYLE from page 12 SANTA YNEZ VALLE Y

GOING BATTY AT THE NATURE CENTER Going Batty consists of weekly talks and observation of hundreds of native California Myotis bats. Fridays, Saturdays. through Sept. 6 Free. (805) 693-0691. clnaturecenter.org. Neal Taylor Nature Center, 2265 Highway 154, Santa Barbara.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

MUSSEL ROCK COMMUNITY HIKE This is a perfect way to get outside, enjoy fresh air, and experience the beauty of the Central Coast. The hike is moderate, with sandy trails and coastal breezes ahead! Secure your spot by registering with the link below. July 25, 11 a.m. $5-$10. dunescenter.org/. Mussel Rock, 113 060012, Guadalupe.

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 COUNT Y

2026 C10 SLO DOWN Don’t miss The West Coast Destination Classic GM Truck Show, powered by Choppin’ Block Chassis Products. Enjoy chill tunes all weekend with a live DJ, @lilmansreggae, setting the vibe both days. July 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and July 26, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $15-$25. my805tix. com. Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Ana Bay Rd., Avila Beach, (805) 595-4000.

BADGE BUDDIES Come to the Discovery Center and meet our Badge Buddies.

Grover Beach Police Department is coming to the center to show us their vehicles. July 25, 10 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 698-7351. Exploration Discovery Center, 867 Ramona Ave., Grover Beach.

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.

JULY 23 - AUGUST 2, 2026 PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA BARBARA HUMANE

July 23, 5-7 p.m. Free. Court Street FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET GARDEN: LUCA Between Terrace, 999 Monterey Street, gelato, Vespas, and a hidden life San Luis Obispo. beneath the waves, Luca captures REDEFINING WOMEN’S the thrill of a summer you never HEALTH—A COTTAGE VIRTUAL want to end. Catch it in The Secret EVENT Physicians will share Garden this July. July 24, the vision behind the Cottage 7-9 p.m. Free. my805tix.com.

Center for Women’s Health The Secret Garden at Sycamore and how it unifies primary and Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach specialty care in a coordinated, Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302. patient-centered model. July 30, 4-5 p.m. Free. cottagehealth.org/ FRIENDS OF THE ARROYO womenshealth. Live Webinar, GRANDE LIBRARY ART AUCTION online, SLO County, The first ever art auction (805) 489-1488. fundraiser for Friends of the AG Library is now live. Includes work ROCKEROS CONTRA ICE: by local artist Ellen November.

CENTERPOINT Rockeros Contra Every 30 days, 9 a.m.(310) 384ICE is a benefit concert series 6912. app.galabid.com/aglibrary/ that fundraises for Colectivo items. Online, See website, Mariposa. Colectivo Mariposa is Arroyo Grande. a local mutual aid group based SACRED SOUNDS PORTAL: in Santa Maria that serves over PISMO BEACH Begin your 200 families by providing food, weekend by diving deep into diapers, and miscellaneous small a sanctuary of restoration for items to families who have had a profound inner exploration a a family member kidnapped by “soul-cation”! Located just blocks ICE. Proceeds from this event from the rhythmic, grounding go to purchasing these items. pulse of the Pacific Ocean and For this particular show, we are nestled within the vibrant, crystalalso conducting a back-toinfused space of The Portal at school drive in which attendees Living Energies, Sacred Sounds who bring school supplies Portal is a monthly morning (i.e. backpacks, binders) will retreat designed to realign your be entered into a raffle to win A free, family-friendly car show and donation drive will be held on Saturmind, body, and spirit. July 25, Colectivo Mariposa merch. July day, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Humane Santa 9-10:30 a.m. $25. my805tix.com.

31, 7 p.m. $10. my805tix.com.

Maria campus benefiting Santa Barabara Humane animals and the comThe Portal at Living Energy, 649 Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 munity pet food pantry. See classic cars showcased by the Los Viejitos Car Dolliver Street, Pismo Beach, (805) Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Club. Attendees are encouraged to bring donations including dog and cat 433-7685.

Obispo, (805) 781-9974. food, cat litter, and pet toys. Visit sbhumane.org for more information.

SCIENCE AFTER DARK JULY TERRACE HILL COMMUNITY NAUTICAL NIGHT Join us for PICNIC AND CELEBRATION —Angie Stevens OF 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF local wine and heavy appetizers THE GREENBELT Gather for from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. while you tour the aquarium. Coffee, tea, and a community picnic at scenic Terrace mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:30no-judgment session where no question desserts upstairs to follow with our guest Hill Open Space to celebrate the 30th is too small. Bring your phone and your 11:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church speakers for Scuba Night beginning at 7 Anniversary of the Greenbelt. July 25, questions and let’s figure this out together! SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo. p.m. July 28, 5:30-8 p.m. $23.27-$33.98.

6-8:30 p.m. Free. slocity.org. Terrace Hill July 29, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. my805tix.com.

K-POP PRINCESS DANCE PARTY my805tix.com. Central Coast Aquarium, 50 Hilton Garden Inn, 601 James Way, Open Space, Bishop St., San Luis Obispo, Get ready for the ultimate dance party San Juan St., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7280.

(805) 781-7302.

Pismo Beach. experience for kids who love music, TOUR THE HISTORIC OCTAGON BARN SUMMER BLAST CAMP 2026 Join us magic, adventure, and all things fabulous.

SAN LUIS OBISPO CENTER The Octagon Barn, built in for our full week of Camp which includes Whether your little one dreams of 1906, has a rich history that The Land tennis lessons, pickleball lessons, BACK-TO-SCHOOL EXTRAVAGANZA ruling a kingdom, performing on stage, Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County swimming, arts and crafts, marital arts WITH SLO COUNTY LIBRARIES Enjoy free or embarking on an epic quest, this looks forward to sharing with visitors. class, and much more! Mondays-Fridays, entertainment, carnival games, character unforgettable event lets them step into the Please RSVP. Fourth Sunday of every 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through Aug. 7 $395-$445. meet-and-greets, photo booth, food trucks, (805) 595-7600 ex 113. Avila Bay Athletic and other fun activities. Aug. 1, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. spotlight and shine. July 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m. month, 2-2:45 & 3-3:45 p.m. Tours are $35. my805tix.com. Madonna Inn, Club and Spa, 6699 Bay Laurel Place, free; donations are appreciated. Octagon Free. sanluisobispo.librarycalendar.com.

100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.

Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Avila Beach, avilabayclub.com.

Cuesta College, Highway 1, Obispo, (805) 544-9096, octagonbarn.org.

San Luis Obispo.

PARTY FOR A PURPOSE Hear live TECH SAVVY SENIOR 2.0 It’s Back! Tech music by B & The Hive, and enjoy raffle Savvy Senior 2.0 - Updated for everything CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN TRANS* YOUTH PEER SUPPORT GROUP TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith giveaways, games, information booths, and This group is a safe place for trans* and that’s changed. Phones, passwords, based. All are welcome. Please wear a scams, and even a little AI. A relaxed, an Assistance League Thrift Store Pop-Up. gender non-conforming people, as well as

June 19 ~ August 1

14 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

CLASSIC CARS

Welcome to the rip-roaring Wild West town of Roaring Gulch, CA, where Hilda Heartfelt, the newfound gold mine heiress, has both Marshal Wyatt Winchester swooning and sneaky golddiggers Bart Black and Calantha scheming. Saddle up for a musical melodrama that'll have your boots tapping and your heartstrings twanging!

Yeehaw!

those questioning, from ages of 11 to 18. A facilitated emotional support group to be heard, share your story, and hear stories that may sound surprisingly like your own.

Fourth Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m.

GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

ALL-AGES SUNSET BAT WALK IN THE ELFIN FOREST Come learn about bats and other nocturnal creatures of the Elfin Forest!

All ages are welcome. July 30, 8-9 p.m. Free.

(805) 772-3834. eventbrite.com/e/familyfield-trip-sunset-bat-walk-in-the-elfinforest-tickets-1989346579170?aff=oddtdtc reator&keep_tld=true. El Moro Elfin Forest Natural Area, 1100 15th St., Los Osos.

GRAND OPENING: TEAM MOREIRA MORRO BAY Join as we celebrate the grand opening of Team Moreira Jiu Jitsu’s new Morro Bay location with open mat, signup deals, and more. July 26, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. (805) 215-6083. teammoreirabjj. com. Team Moreira Jiu Jitsu Morro Bay, 400 Quintana Road, Morro Bay. LEARN TO SAIL AT MORRO BAY YACHT CLUB! Learn to sail at the Morro Bay’s only sailing school: Morro Bay Yacht Club. These sessions are led by competent, responsible sailing instructors. Expect a great experience, with the goal of each student being comfortable in commanding their own sailboat. There’s a focus on teamwork, developing leadership skills, and having fun. Through Aug. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $450. my805tix.com. Morro Bay Yacht Club, 541 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, (805) 772-3981.

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

2026 JAPANESE OBON FESTIVAL The street festival includes Obon dances, martial arts demonstrations, Bonsai instruction, and taiko drumming. Food includes chicken teriyaki dinners, Udon noodles, Kushiyaki, Sushi, Strawberry Shortcake. There will be a raffle and silent auction. July 26, 12-6 p.m. Free. (805) 3431053. guadalupebuddhistchurch.org/obonfestival. Santa Maria Veterans Memorial Center, 313 W. Tunnell St., Santa Maria.

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.

FOOD & DRINK continued page 17

THE GREAT AMERICAN Professional Live Theatre!

Fun for ages 5 to 105!

1863 HWY 1 ~ OCEANO, CA 3 miles south of Pismo Beach

www.AmericanMelodrama.com (805) 489-2499

SHOW TIMES

Wednesday - Friday: 7pm Saturday: 2pm to 7pm Sunday: 6pm CLOSED: Monday & Tuesday

Thank you for voting!

Our Best of NSBC winners will be published on August 20.

Don’t miss out on our largest publication of the year.

Book your ad space by the August 13 deadline.

SANTAMARIASUN.COM Contact us for more information (805) 347-1968 • advertising@santamariasun.com www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 15

2026 C10 SLO Down

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JULY 25 & 26

Cambria Center for the Arts

Paso Robles Event Center

Live at the Lighthouse Concert Series

The Mac & Cheese Festival 2026

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8

Mistress of Reality

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Avila Beach Golf Resort

The Bulter Did It

Everything You Want to Know About ASH FRIDAY, JULY 24 Odd Fellows Hall, SLO

FRIDAY, JULY 24 San Luis Obispo Public Market

Giafunni’s Comedy Night

Brasscals & Full Swing

NOW - SUNDAY, JULY 26 Sinsheimer Stadium, SLO

NOW - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10 Point San Luis Lighthouse, Avila Beach

FRIDAY, JULY 24 The Pour House, Paso Robles

FRIDAY, JULY 24 By the Sea Productions, Morro Bay

Shrek Jr The Musical

Brass Mash at Niffy’s Merrimaker

Sacred Sounds Portal

Playhouse at Sea

SATURDAY, JULY 25 Studio Black Box Theater, Grover Beach

SATURDAY, JULY 25 Niffy’s Merrimaker, Los Osos

SATURDAY, JULY 25 The Portal at Living Energy, Pismo Beach

SATURDAY, JULY 25 Morro Bay Whale Watching

SATURDAY, JULY 25 Giavanni’s Pizza, Santa Maria

K-Pop Princess Dance Party

Science After Dark July Nautical Night

The Art of Jazz

Morro Bay Comedy Night

Rockeros Contra Ice: Centerpoint

Hot Club of San Francisco

SUNDAY, JULY 26 Madonna Inn, SLO

TUESDAY, JULY 28 Central Coast Aquarium, Avila Beach

THURSDAY, JULY 30 Edna Contemporary Fine Art, SLO

FRIDAY, JULY 31 The Nauti Anchor, Morro Bay

Brass Mash at Castoro Cellars

Wines for Pines

An Afternoon of Greatness

Roots, Resonance, Radiance

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 Castoro Cellars, Templeton

Resonance Presents: All Things New

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 Trinity Lutheran Church, Paso Robles

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 Creekside Reserve, Cambria

Runaway Sherrie

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 The Stockyard, Santa Maria

16 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 Goddess Temple, Morro Bay

&

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 La Lomita Ranch, SLO

Scan QR code to sign up for the weekly Ticket Wire newsletter and get all the latest events each Wednesday.

FRIDAY, JULY 31 Humdinger Brewing, SLO

Improv Extravaganza

SUNDAY, JULY 26 Pismo Beach Vet’s Memorial Building

Matilda

FRI, JULY 31 - SUN, AUGUST 9 Templeton Performing Arts Center

First Fridays Comedy in Atascadero

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 Anderson Social, SLO

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 Decades HiFi Lounge, Atascadero

Yoga’ssage

Nature Rhythms in Harmony

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8 Let’s Get Tuned Yoga Studio, Morro Bay

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9 2177 Old Creamery Rd, Harmony

SELL TICKETS WITH US! 805-546-8208 INFO@MY805TIX.COM

UPCOMING EVENTS ON MY805TIX.COM

Paso Robles Rotary Club Winemakers’ Cookoff

FRI, AUGUST 7 - SUN, AUGUST 16

Avila Beach Golf Course, Avila Beach

SLO Blues Baseball 2026 Season

Little Shop of Horrors

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Hot Stuff FOOD & DRINK from page 14 (805) 623-5129. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, stellerscellar.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/.

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. wineanddesign.com/orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.

SANTA YNEZ VALLE Y

SOURDOUGH AT BUELLTON FARMER’S MARKET Shop from Urban Homesteadings, the female, veteran-owned sourdough specialty shop, at Buellton Farmer’s Market.

Mondays, 3-7 p.m. Free. (805) 865-6318.

UrbanHomesteadings.com. Avenue of Flags, Avenue of Flags, Buellton.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

FLY INTO FRIDAY WITH FAYE Ambassador Faye Walker is hosting July Happy Hour at the Flying Goat Tasting Room. Enjoy some laughs and a bottle of wine with her! July 24, 4-6 p.m. $35/ bottle and $15/glass. flyinggoatcellars.com.

Flying Goat Cellars, 1520 Chestnut Court, Lompoc, (805) 757-6649.

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.

JULY 23 - AUGUST 2, 2026 coldcoastbrewing.com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

CONCERTS IN THE PARK SERIES Enjoy Concerts in the Park 2026, with live music, summer nights, and community fun. July 25, 6-8 p.m.

Free. (805) 925-0951. anc.apm. activecommunities.com/ santamaria/activity/search?onlineSite Id=0&activity_select_param=2&activity _category_ids=35&viewMode=list.

Pioneer Park, 1150 W. Foster Rd., Orcutt.

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 JAZZ SATURDAYS Hear live jazz featuring swing guitarist Edwin Hite. July 25, 2-4 p.m. Free.

(805) 925-0860. instagram.com/ Crumblescafeandbakeshop. Crumbles Cafe & Bake Shop, 1635 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.

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.

STOCKYARD SUMMER & FALL CONCERT SERIES FEATURING THE SWEET SPOTS Aug. 1, 1 p.m. Free. The Stockyard, my805tix.com.241 S Broadway St, Orcutt.

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 VALLE Y

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

Personal Trainer Senior Fitness Specialist Pre/Postnatal Training Function Strength

805-608-1096 Fit-Byrd.com

brickbarnwineestate.com.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT REFUGIO RANCH VINEYARDS TASTING The Refugio Ranch Tasting Room features live music every weekend this summer. Join us to enjoy the atmosphere and our seasonal summer menu. Through Aug. 30 (805) 697-5289. refugioranch.com/events.

Refugio Ranch Tasting Room, 2990 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.

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

Tickets on sale now at My805Tix.com SELL TICKETS WITH US! IT’S FREE! CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO. 805-546-8208

Featured Events

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 COUNT Y

BRASSCALS AND FULL SWING | BASIN STREET REGULARS JAZZ CONCERT The Brasscals from Santa Barbara bring an explosion of acoustic joy to the hall as our feature band. This lively, multigenerational fifteen-plus piece powerhouse packs woodwinds, brass, a banjo, a washboard, and a bullhorn to smash the barrier between performer and audience, promising an energetic mix of funk, jazz, Balkan, Latin, and pop with plenty of crowd participation.

Opening the show is Full Swing, a stellar quartet of seasoned professionals from Los Osos on a mission to deliver premium listening and dancing pleasure. Their massive repertoire features swung standards, Great American Songbook classics, blues, funk, and vibrant Latin rhythms like mambo, tango, and samba.

Free for members! July 26, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $15. my805tix.com. Pismo Beach Veteran’s Memorial Building, 780 Bello Street, San Luis Obispo.

NIPOMO CONCERTS IN THE PARK Celebrate summer at Nipomo’s free Concerts in the Park series, with live bands, local food, dancing, and unforgettable evenings with friends, family, and neighbors every week.

Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. through Aug. 26 Free. (805) 929-5437. nipomorecreation.com/. Nipomo Regional Park, 255 Pomeroy Road, Nipomo.

Best of SLO County Winners Party

If I Only Had a Song

FRIDAY, MAY 8 The Cliffs Hotel and Spa, Pismo Beach

SUNDAY, MAY 10 Community Presbyterian, Cambria

Pickle Festival Fundraiser 2026

NMF Smoke Show Burnout Competition

Madonna Inn Expo Center, SLO

Santa Margarita Ranch

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

Rockin’ the Ranch: JD Project

Moonshiner Collective Under the Moon Concert FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 Dairy Creek Golf Course, SLO

FRI, AUG 14 - SUN, AUG 30 Oasis Senior Center, Orcutt

Grave Mistakes

Tent City Limits Concerts at The Printery

Zongo Yachting Cup 2026

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9 Filipponi Ranch, SLO

The Hallelujah Girls

FRI, AUG 14 - SUN, AUG 30 Santa Maria Civic Theatre

FRI, AUGUST 14 - FRI, OCTOBER 9 Atascadero Printery Foundation

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 Morro Bay Yacht Club

Casino Night Luau

Experiencia Bamboo: Intimate Fine Dining

Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band

SAN LUIS OBISPO

THE ART OF JAZZ Come out and enjoy the visual beauty of the gallery and the sounds of jazz and R&B! July 30, 6:45-9 p.m. $39.34. my805tix.com. EDNA Contemporary, 967 Osos St, San Luis Obispo, (805) 459-1711.

ROCKIN’ THE RANCH: SUMMER RENEGADES July 26, 1-4 p.m. $7.20. my805tix.com. Filipponi Ranch, 1850 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo. m

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 Morro Bay Community Center

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 Bamboo Farm & Nursery, Paso Robles

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 The Pour House, Paso Robles

Twin Fin Kings of the Coast Tour

Ballet Theatre Summer Performances

Pure Aloha Brunch

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 Libertine Brewing Co, SLO

POWERED BY:

&

SAT & SUN, AUGUST 15-16 Ballet Theatre, SLO

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 The Stockyard, Santa Maria

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www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 17

Arts ARTS BRIEFS Solvang Chamber presents another music in the park series

COURTESY PHOTO BY CAITLIN MCDONALD

OPINION

Finding the pockets

NEWS

STROKES

Showtime!

ART SCENE PHOTO BY MADISON WHITE

ARTS

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

One Orcutt painter channels her past to make accessible art for all

BY MADISON WHITE

L Join the Santa Ynez Valley community on Wednesday evenings for free summertime tunes at Solvang Park. The Susan Williams Summer Music Series, presented by the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, will continue through Aug. 26 featuring rock, blues, country, and jazz bands.

“While enjoying the music, guests can also indulge in delicious food and beverages available from numerous local restaurants,” the chamber announced. “Alcoholic beverages will also be permitted at the park; however, we urge all attendees to consume responsibly.”

On July 29, Territorial Law will be playing. In August, hear from The Ripley’s, Stacked, Smelly Cat, and Soul Kool.

This year the concert series is named after Susan Williams, a Solvang business owner and former chamber president who passed away in April. In a social media post, the organization said the series will honor Williams’ lasting impact and legacy of connecting the community through music.

The park is located at 1630 Mission Drive in Solvang.

Concertgoers are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

Bands will play at the gazebo from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.

For further details about the chamber’s other events, visit solvangcc.com or call (323) 719-1715.

A local performer hits the road for a Central Coast tour

PHOTO COURTESY OF GALE MCNEELEY

Hear original pieces and old Broadway tunes from singer Gale McNeeley on his four-stop tour in August called My Life in Song. He’ll be joined by pianist Paul Marszalkowski, a musical director at the Pacific Conservatory Theatre.

McNeeley will sing original songs and renditions of musical selections from his time on Broadway. He toured with Marszalkowski last fall, and McNeeley said it was fun to share the stage with such an accomplished piano player.

“My greatest joy is singing to an audience that loves music and loves the type of music that I love,” McNeeley told the Sun. The duo will play at the Unitarian Universalists church in San Luis Obispo (2201 Lawton Ave.) on Aug. 9 at 3 p.m.; St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Santa Maria (402 S. Lincoln St.) on Aug. 16 at 3 p.m.; Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara (1535 Santa Barbara St.) on Aug. 23 at 3 p.m.; and the Ojai Art Center (113 S. Montgomery St.) on Aug. 30 at 4 p.m.

At each intimate venue, McNeeley said he’s excited to see audience members’ reactions. The first 45-minute act will be followed by refreshments at intermission and a 30-minute second act.

A suggested donation of $15 will be accepted at the door, and there is no assigned seating. McNeeley said there’s room for everyone. m Staff Writer Madison White compiles Arts Briefs. Send details about upcoming events to mwhite@santamariasun.com.

ess than 1 percent of the global population is an Olympic athlete. Catalina Bertola often compares the achievement with life in the art world.

Most people will never reach Olympic status—in athletics or art— but that shouldn’t stop people from giving it a go. In her opinion, physical activity and creativity are part of a balanced lifestyle.

“There are those people that are going to be athletes and Olympians.

Whether or not you’re that person and that’s your thing, or you just want to be a healthy person, you need to move your body in some way,” Bertola told the Sun. “Whether or not you’re the full-time artist, totally in it, or you just want to be a healthy person … everybody needs some kind of creative outlet, or they’re not going to be healthy.”

The current culmination of her creative practice appears in a new painting series, which she’s hoping to display at the Santa Maria Public Library. Bertola is coordinating the group show with two other Central Coast artists, Niki Gatton and Zoe van Beurden.

Last time Bertola’s work appeared at the library was in 2023, and the library had booked the show a year in advance. The artist is expecting similar scheduling this time, too. She’ll contribute several paintings evoking feelings of daydreams, with light colors and patterns reminiscent of making shapes out of wandering clouds.

Before she was wielding whimsical colors, Bertola’s journey teetered on the brink. She had to drop out of art school in Indiana for mental health reasons. Classes were the last thing on her mind.

A signature pattern

See Catalina Bertola’s portfolio online and join her mailing list by visiting catalinabertola.com. Follow the artist on Instagram @catalina.bertola.

“In and out of psychiatric emergency wards, like next-level gnarly,” Bertola remembered. “Not to dismiss a little bit of depression, but like full-blown mental illness. And so, I wasn’t able to really get with the program.”

In retrospect, the artist is glad she dropped out. The life experience she gained while learning at her own pace gave her a new driving force.

Bertola moved back to Orcutt a decade ago. The Santa Maria native breathed new life into her identity as an artist after she received an Allan Hancock College course catalog in the mail.

“I wanted something enriching.

Rather than, ‘What’s my major?’ I just kind of flipped through. I was like, ‘What sounds interesting?’” Bertola said. “I ended up taking a philosophy class and an art class.”

In the years after moving to Orcutt, she was surprised to find pockets of creativity in unexpected places. The woman at church who stitches little dolls. The neighbor across the street who paints landscapes. Kids playing in a sensory table at the library.

Over the years, the artist was also experimenting with what she calls “her pattern.” It’s a geometric, linear pattern drawn with three vertical lines next to three horizontal lines. Bertola repeats the marks across the canvas or paper, and it starts to change shape.

Each line is a slightly different length, moving the next row or column in a new direction. She can incorporate COURTESY IMAGE BY CATALINA BERTOLA figures into the pattern, too.

“Kind of like a crosshatching linear pattern. I do it in ink. I do it in paint,” Bertola explained. “It’s not purely abstract—it’s the pattern but using the pattern to represent things or people.”

Looking closely, viewers will notice the distinct formation in most of Bertola’s work. It appears on utility boxes she painted in Santa Maria and Pismo Beach, her colorful canvases, a painted piano on Santa Barbara’s State Street, and it’s IN THREES: Catalina Bertola makes her signature even tattooed on pattern with three vertical lines next to three her left wrist. horizontal lines, like in this recent work titled Better.

A lot of her

18 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

AN OBSERVANT EYE: Before speaking with the Sun in July at Orcutt’s Cups and Crumbs, Catalina Bertola was inspired by vines and flowers snaking their way through gazebo panels, so she pulled out her sketch pad.

portfolio is interactive in one way or another. The artist’s first exhibit at Shepard’s Hall in the library included a sensory table, a community collage, and a jigsaw puzzle. Kids rolled around on the floor, and elderly viewers sat in chairs. She loved creating the accessible art experience and was happy that a blind community member could also participate in the sensory station at her opening reception.

“I feel like it completely shifted the energy,” Bertola said.

Her art’s never locked away or out of reach. The artist’s Instagram bio states that she’s “creating art for people who get scolded at museums.”

Quiet gallery strolls have their place, but Bertola’s mindset is more aligned with a messier, no-rules approach, especially since becoming a mom.

It was challenging to find her place in the local creative community because a lot of social connection events wouldn’t fit with her schedule.

“Like, I’m sorry, but I can’t go to an 8 p.m., ‘Let’s sip on wine and be at a quiet gallery.’ That’s not going to work for me,” Bertola said. “Even museums, it’s like, ‘Don’t touch.’ So I want to create something that’s for everybody.”

Parenthood is one of her most pivotal influences. She identifies as a full-time mom and a part-time artist, bringing her canvases to the park and sneaking in moments to paint while her young children are napping. It’s forced her to adapt and make the most of the time she gets for herself. She wants as much “bang for her buck” now because her time is stretched thin.

“If I’m going to do art, it has to fill me up. It has to feel good to me and be invigorating to me,” she said.

“The crazy, kind of ironic thing that happened is once I made that shift, I really did find my style for once after those 10 years of dabbling in art classes and just experimenting. I did really hone in to my style, and I got so much more positive feedback.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATALINA BERTOLA

PAINTING THE TOWN: At the intersection of Broadway and Grant Street, Catalina Bertola painted a utility box featuring classic Santa Maria images like tri-tip, fresh produce, and rows of crops.

Her time as a student will never be over, though. She’s constantly learning from those around her and teaching art to the next generation of kids at her church.

Spirituality impacts her artwork in “huge” ways. She uses her history with mental illness as motivation, and some of Bertola’s most rewarding experiences have been helping others feel understood.

“There’s so much pain and there’s so much ugliness, but as an artist, I get to really create connection,” she said. “It ties right into my spirituality, my religion.”

God has been the biggest part of her life, and she’s proud to share her story of hope and success. Bertola likes to share the idea that recovery is possible because it’s a message nobody told her when she needed to hear it.

“I’m glad I took my own journey,” Bertola said. “No regrets.” m Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.

JUL 5 - AUG 2

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Music at the Point

Local

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Admission

July

No Music Sun, July 26 Electric Lavender Train Sat, July 25

And between sets, DJ AV Green will be here to keep you swaying.

August Leslie & the Soul Shakers Sun, Aug 2 Dani Cole Sat, Aug 8 Spanky Paul Band Sat, Aug 1

12:30 - 3:30

Bobby Santa Cruz & Jalapeňo Jam Sat, Aug 15 Rockin B’s Trio Sun, Aug 16 Earls of Tuesday Sun, Aug 9

FIRST FRIDAYS

COMEDY

NATHANIEL WEBB Friday, August 7 • 8:00pm Decades HiFi Lounge, Atascadero

805-927-4502

www.raggedpointinn.com 19019 CA Highway 1 Ragged Point, CA

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Get more exposure and sell more tickets with a local media partner. Call 805-546-8208 for more info.

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Fluttering back

MAY 23– SEP 7 Experience a dazzling array of tropical species in a nationally acclaimed butterfly garden.

Photos by Gary Robinson www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 19

Film

SUN SCREEN

The return

corruption reigns. Leave it to Nolan to take a 3,000-year-old poem and make it a reflection of today. hristopher Nolan (Oppenheimer, Dunkirk, Anna: I’ve heard a lot of “it’s good, but it isn’t Interstellar, Inception, Batman Begins) wrote Oppenheimer” in critiques of The Odyssey, and directed this action fantasy based on and I say to those who live life in comparison Homer’s epic poem about Odysseus (Matt Damon), mode: “Good, it isn’t Oppenheimer!” Nolan is king of Ithaca, who after the Trojan War faces a an incredible writer-director, one who deserves dangerous voyage home to reunite with his wife, to give us movies that are not carbon copies of Penelope (Anne Hathaway). During the perilous each other, and when you look at the themes, I journey, he encounters creatures such as the cyclops dare say you may find two very similar men as Polyphemus (Bill Irwin), the Sirens, and the nymph the titular characters of both films. Brilliance begets destruction quite often, and Calypso (Charlize Theron). (172 min.)

Odysseus is a man we find in the wake Glen: I’m shocked at the number of of that realization. He’s struggling to THE ODYSSEY critics and online commenters who remember not just what he has done What’s it rated? R are panning The Odyssey. Maybe they but who he is—why exactly he yearns What’s it worth, went in with certain expectations that to find home so deeply. At Ithaca, Anna? Full price weren’t met. Were they expecting Penelope holds an ardent love for What’s it worth, something akin to Troy (2004), Clash her husband, last seen more than 20 Glen? Full price of the Titans (1981, 2010), or Jason and years ago. Her grown son, Telemachus Where’s it showing? the Argonauts? Nolan took liberties (Tom Holland), has been raised in Regal Edwards with the more than 12,000-line poem, the turbulence of a kingdom without RPX Santa Maria, leaving out parts and embellishing a king, and his need to know of his Movies Lompoc, others, which for didactic classicists father’s fate soon sends him on his own Regal Edwards might be an affront. However, if Arroyo Grande perilous journey. Antinous (Robert you go in open-minded, you’ll find Pattinson) is a loathsome but cunning an epic story about immigration, suitor, ready to upend the crown. It’s military aggression, and the importance of Homer’s sweeping tale brought to us with true civility, aka Zeus’ Law—essentially the Golden Hollywood flare. I loved it.

Rule to do unto others as you would have done Glen: The film sometimes breezes over story unto you. Odysseus is a man wracked with guilt elements, like The Siren section, which is great but who believes his Trojan Horse trickery has been not fully developed, but it handles other elements an affront to the gods, leading to his trials and in interesting and surprising ways. The scene with tribulations. The Bronze Age is imploding and Samantha Morton as Circe, the witch goddess

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

C

THE LONG WAY HOME: Odysseus (Matt Damon, center) faces one challenge after another as he voyages home after the Trojan War to reunite with his wife and son, in The Odyssey, screening in local theaters.

who turns Odysseus’ men into pigs, is amazing, and Morton delivers an intensely thrilling performance. Likewise, the interaction with the cyclops is so layered with meaning, and Bill Irwin, the actor and clown, is perfect for the role. Instead of our classic idea of a cyclops, his face is twisted and deformed, and his character becomes one of sympathy, not horror. If I ever get a chance to see this in IMAX, I’d gladly watch it again. It’s a stunning achievement.

Anna: Irwin’s performance and the digital design

of the character made him so sympathetic. I remember in reading the poem feeling as if the urgency was to flee a terrible beast, but in the film, I saw little more than a wounded animal, a simple sheep farmer tending to his flock. I found the film moving, and, while epic in length at three hours, well worth it. Nothing but praise from me. m New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen.

Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON MGM STUDIOS AND PRIME VIDEO

RIDE OR DIE

What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2026 Where’s it showing? Prime Created by Tessa Coates (Massive Dad), this new miniseries set in the U.K. and other parts of Europe follows besties Debbie (Octavia Spencer) and Judith (Hannah Waddingham) as they go on the run from a mysterious enemy.

Debbie is married to David (Jamie Parker), a member of Parliament who has his sights set on becoming Britain’s next prime minister.

Judith, it turns out, is a highly trained assassin who’s hidden her identity from Debbie for 25 years. Can you say “betrayal”? Meanwhile, GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Hannah Waddingham and David is up to some shady business, sending Octavia Spencer star in the mismatched buddy crime Debbie into a tailspin just as she and Judith dramedy Ride or Die, streaming on Prime. are falling out.

It’s a rough road for Debbie! What do you The leads are great together, creating a warm chemistry do when you find out your closest friend, your confidant, your that frays but is still present. The miniseries also features an “ride or die” trusted ally isn’t who she says she is? In Judith’s always welcome Bill Nighy as The Director, Judith’s ruthless mind, she was protecting her friend, so how can she fix it? boss. Fun throughout! (eight 48-to-55-min.

When they’re not dodging bullets and evading high-speed episodes) pursuits, they’re left to work through their trust issues and —Glen discover what was real in their relationship.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

BIG MISTAKES

What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2026 Where’s it showing? Netflix Nicky (Dan Levy) is a put-upon pastor whose mother, Linda (Laurie Metcalf); troublemaking sister, Morgan (Taylor Ortega); and suck-up sister, Natalie (Abby Quinn), keep him irritatingly busy alongside his congregation—a congregation happy to have a gay pastor as long as he is “nonpracticing.”

Morgan’s reckless (yet, to be quite honest, so relatable) behavior put herself and Nicky into a sticky situation with some unsavory characters, so the two are forced UNFORCED ERROR: Morgan (Taylor Ortega) and her to fulfill promises to Ivan (Mark Ivanir) after openly gay pastor brother, Nicky (Dan Levy), find themselves Morgan shoplifts a necklace that turns out to blackmailed into crime after Morgan takes something she be worth much more than the $79 price tag. shouldn’t have, in Big Mistakes, streaming on Netflix.

Metcalf, as always, is amazing as Linda— and, boy, am I glad she isn’t my mom.

Levy is always a gem, and while it can’t (and shouldn’t) be Blustering and hard-assed, she gives her kids a run for their compared to Schitt’s Creek, Big Mistakes is another bingeable money. Nicky is just trying to keep his life from imploding. But gold nugget from him. Warm, funny, and absurd adjacent. doing so while trying to balance the women in (eight 31-to-37-min. episodes) m his family, his secret boyfriend, and the weight —Anna of his faith all at the same time is exasperating.

@loberotheatre LOBERO.ORG / 805.963.0761 20 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

2026 18th annual new times music ards

showcase

fri. 11/13/26

song entry period

7/17-8/24, 2026

www.santamariasun.com • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • Sun • 21

Eats

FOOD PHOTOS COURTESY OF OMAR JIMENEZ

PRISTINELY PLATED: The salmon bowl is creator Omar Jimenez’s favorite dish because of the fish’s health benefits. It also keeps him full for a long time.

It’s what’s for dinner AT THE HELM: Born and raised in Santa Maria, Omar Jimenez runs a meal prep business to help people reach their health goals. He once struggled with drug addiction and obesity but turned his life around by eating healthfully and working out.

Protein?

No problem Omar’s Healthy Foods helps people reach their goals with fresh meal prep options

BY MADISON WHITE

O

mar Jimenez begins most days the same.

“First thing I do? I pray. Thank God for another day,” Jimenez said. “Then I go to the gym for an hour, two hours.

Get my little workout done. Unless I have orders. Business comes first.”

He works part time at the Santa Maria Country Club, but when he’s not busy there he’s in his kitchen preparing orders for Omar’s Healthy Foods LLC. Customers submit their requests to be ready on different days of the week, so Jimenez’s schedule varies.

The Santa Maria native is going on two years since founding his meal prep business. It started as a hobby with him posting pictures of his cooking on Instagram. Eventually, fellow gymgoers expressed interest in buying the meals, which typically are varying combinations of protein, vegetables, and rice. Breakfast recently hit the menu, too. The meals are available for delivery or pickup, and the contents are customizable.

However, there was a period of time when Jimenez’s mornings weren’t so disciplined. Today he’s going on five years sober, but he once battled drug addiction and underwent a serious weight loss journey.

“That process, it took me a while. I had to get my brain occupied and get myself right,” Jimenez said. “I started

working out, going to the gym. I started cooking.”

Shows like Hell’s Kitchen and baking competitions taught the chef about how other people operate in the kitchen. It also gave him ideas for putting his own twists on recipes, though he’s worked in the restaurant industry for much of his life.

He also got a formal culinary education at Allan Hancock College.

With support from a few friends and family members, Jimenez got his

Message Omar Jimenez on Instagram (@omars_healthy_foods_llc) or Facebook (Omar Jimenez) to see his current menu and place an order. Each meal costs $15 to $18. Opt in for pickup, or delivery near Santa Maria is available for an extra $6. Out of town orders are delivered for an additional charge, too. Buy in bulk for a discount.

health permits and business license and passed food safety courses to kickstart his own venture.

“I have a lot of family. I’m thankful for that, for them helping me out because without God or my family, this wouldn’t be possible,” Jimenez said.

Omar’s Healthy Foods maintains a menu of most requested favorites and switches out one or two new recipes almost weekly. Plus, Jimenez is known to take requests.

“I have some clients that like specific macros, which is like calories, protein, carbs,” Jimenez explained.

It’s a lot of work to log the macro counts in an app called My Fitness Pal, but he said he loves the challenge.

A few popular dishes are the beef cottage cheese bowl, the summer shrimp bowl, and the salmon bowl.

Each comes with a choice of flavorful vegetables and fluffy jasmine or cauliflower rice. Jimenez also includes

FRESH AND VIBRANT: The summer shrimp bowl at Omar’s Healthy Foods LLC is packed with seven pieces of shrimp, half a cup of jasmine rice, and the customer’s choice of fresh or cooked veggies.

22 • Sun • July 23 - July 30, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

a signature sauce—the most special one is his mom’s homemade tomatillo hot sauce.

While he hasn’t tired of his own cooking yet, Jimenez indulges in his mom’s Mexican comfort food and Santa Maria-style barbecue on special weekends. But for daily living, the business owner enjoys keeping his diet simple and healthy. Jimenez’s personal favorite right now is the salmon bowl.

“Salmon has a lot of good benefits for your body. It’s low in fat, high in protein,” he said.

Clients agree. Jimenez said some order his salmon every week.

He buys fresh produce and meat from local grocery stores and prepares every meal to order, which cuts down on waste for him and his diners.

One challenge has been dealing with rising costs of gas and groceries.

In April, Jimenez made a social media post telling his followers why his prices went up. The increase didn’t seem to deter business.

“Hey. They’re still here,” Jimenez said. “They’re still here, and I’m thankful for it. Because of them, I’m where I’m at.”

The chef believes his customers keep returning because of his superb service, tasty flavors, and presentation.

He makes everything as if he was the one eating it and then delivers it to customers as far as Lompoc and San Luis Obispo. Pickup is an option for those closer to Santa Maria. As long as clients place their orders two days in advance, Jimenez can accommodate their schedules.

When it comes to presentation, he wants the food to look as good as it tastes. While Jimenez carefully packages each container, the beef cottage cheese bowl requires a little extra attention.

Hot ingredients like the ground beef, sweet potatoes, and squash are measured out in the container. Jimenez stocks 2-ounce cups with cottage cheese, hot honey, and his mom’s salsa.

Rather than cutting into an avocado and risking brown spots, he gives the customer a whole avocado.

“So, when they eat their meal, they just open [the avocado] up. They get more,” Jimenez said.

His biggest motivation is seeing customers make their own progress.

They send messages with news of losing weight, taking pride in their newfound discipline.

“I’ve met some people with some amazing stories, and I tell them my story,” the chef said. “That pushes me to keep on going, and I never give up.”

Those connections remind Jimenez of where he started and how far he’s come. He’s found that building a supportive community around healthy living is the path he’s meant for.

“I’ve always wanted to tell my story, and maybe someone could learn.

People always tend to put people down or say they can’t do something or laugh at them,” Jimenez said. “Always prove people wrong, no matter what our life is or no matter what. Anything is possible and just don’t give up.” m Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.

HOT HONEY AND SALSA: When assembling this bowl for orders, Omar Jimenez packages cottage cheese separately and gives the customer a whole avocado so it doesn’t brown before they eat.

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