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The Bluff: violent pirate action [20]

You can stay here While Solvang is planning to keep short-term rentals in its downtown core, those in other residential areas could get axed [7]

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

NEWS

Supervisors tackle illegal food vending [4]

ARTS

The Old Orcutt Yarnery [18]

EATS

Swedish coffee and pastries [22]

Contents M A RCH 5 - M A RCH 12 , 20 26

S

VOL . 2 7 NO. 2

olvang’s suburban neighborhoods won’t see any more short-term rentals popping up on their streets if the City Council’s recent vote clears a final reading at the next meeting. Illegal, unpermitted rentals are part of the problem, according to city staff, and the city needs to comply with both its own housing element and the state’s housing initiatives aimed at alleviating the housing crisis.

Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood writes about the decision this week and residents’ response to it [7].

Also, find stories about what the county’s doing about unpermitted food vendors [4]; a yarn shop in Orcutt that’s just like home [18]; and a Swedish coffee cart in Lompoc with big dreams [22].

Camillia Lanham editor

WELCOME TO SOLVANG: This short-term vacation rental in the heart of downtown Solvang is exactly the kind of tourist lodging the city wants to continue to allow.

But those in other residential areas might not be so lucky.

Cover photo courtesy of Max Hanberg > Cover design by Alex Zuniga

NEWS

News Briefs ..........................................................................4 Political Watch....................................................................4 Spotlight.................................................................................8

Commentary ........................................................................9 Letters .....................................................................................9 Web Poll .................................................................................9 Mayfield..................................................................................9 Canary ...................................................................................10

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

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News

➤ Keys to the city [7]

March 5 - March 12, 2026

➤ Spotlight [8] FILE PHOTO BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

POLITICAL WATCH • On Feb. 28, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement in response to the Trump administration’s military strikes in Iran. “Congress was not given any information that would indicate there was an imminent threat coming from Iran. Without such credible evidence, there’s no justification in sending our servicemembers into this conflict,” stated Carbajal, who described the strikes as an example of the administration bypassing Congress to unilaterally launch an unprovoked military operation with no defined plan. “President Trump promised to put Americans first and end foreign wars, but his actions in Iran clearly break those promises,” Carbajal stated. “The American people want solutions to the issues close to home, such as addressing the costof-living crisis. They do not want to be dragged into another reckless and endless war in the Middle East that will result in countless casualties.” U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) described Iran’s nuclear ambitions as posing “significant risks to the safety of Americans and regional stability” but condemned the Trump administration’s bypass of Congress.

“Regardless of what the president may think or say, he does not enjoy a blank check to launch large-scale military operations without a clear strategy, without any transparency or public debate, and not without congressional approval,” Padilla said in a statement.

“Donald Trump is now pushing the country toward a war that risks American lives without presenting a clear justification to the American people or any plan to prevent escalation and chaos in the region.”

•U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) recently weighed in on Paramount Skydance Corporation’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, following Netflix’s official withdrawal from its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery on Feb. 26. “What was true for Netflix is still true now for Paramount. The merger of two of Hollywood’s biggest studios must be subject to the highest levels of scrutiny,” Schiff stated, “free from White House political influence, to determine its impact on American jobs, freedom of speech, and the future of one of our nation’s greatest exports.” Earlier in February, Schiff sent a letter to Netflix Co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, and Paramount Skydance Corporation CEO David Ellison, pressing for commitments to protect California jobs and American workers as both companies were at the time pursuing the acquisition of Warner Bros.

Discovery. “We need to bring moviemaking back to our shores, increase production, and invest in our workforce,” Schiff said in his Feb. 26 statement. “For the sake of America’s moviemaking workforce and movie lovers everywhere, I will continue to push all parties to do their part.”

• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently released its fiscal year 2024-25 report to the Legislature on its Cutting the Green Tape initiative, now in its fourth year. The report shows that, over the past four years, the program has helped restore nearly 300,000 acres of habitat, reconnect 5.5 million acres of land, and improve more than 700 miles of California streams, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. Newsom described the Cutting the Green Tape initiative as making the approval process for restoration projects easier to navigate.

“Good environmental work shouldn’t get buried in paperwork, and we’ve proven it doesn’t have to,” Newsom said in a March 2 statement. “More than 500 restoration projects, nearly 300,000 acres of habitat returned to health, and permits approved in an average of 42 days. … California will keep restoring and protecting our environment for this generation and every generation that follows.” m

impounded 4,200 pounds of meat from unlawful vendors. Apart from food, EHS only took away utensils and serving containers on occasion, he added.

Nelson also asked staff if any vendor has ever come forward to recoup their impounded food.

EHS Director Jason Johnston responded.

“We’ve had one vendor that has requested a hearing to reclaim their adulterated meats,” Johnston said.

—Caleb Wiseblood

New affordable senior housing is coming to Santa Maria

SCHOOL’S OUT: Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann described a hot spot for unlawful food pop-ups in her district on Highway 246 near Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, especially during evening athletic events.

County supervisors approve overtime, equipment to deal with unlawful food vendors

One freezer. Two steel storage containers.

Six months of designated overtime. To improve and increase its enforcement efforts against unlawful food pop-ups across Santa Barbara County, Environmental and Health Services (EHS) recently asked the county Board of Supervisors for an extra $42,000.

More than 75 percent of the sum will fund overtime hours for up to four EHS inspectors between April and October, while the remaining $9,500 would be used to purchase one freezer chest to store impounded food and two seatrain containers for impounded cooking equipment.

Although 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson was part of the 5-0 vote that approved the allocation, he said he wished that EHS would designate regular evening and weekend shifts rather than incur overtime.

“I know it’s not very convenient for some of our employees to work night shifts, but I think that’s something I’d like to see come back,” Nelson said at the supervisors’ Feb. 24 hearing.

“We’re already paying and we already have enforcement staff. It’s just how we deploy them.

They’re often sitting at a desk from 8 to noon.

We really hope that from 5 to 9 they’re actually out on the street.”

County Health Deputy Director of Operations Lars Seifert told the board that EHS accrued more than 500 hours of overtime last year. He also said that enforcement logs show that EHS facilitated 58 “inspection events” since March 2024, “typically on afternoons and weekends,” Seifert added. “… [58] enforcement actions or shifts in the last year is about one a week,” Nelson said. “I hope that whatever comes out of what we do today is that we hit them hard, we hit them early, and we hit them often. … with shock and awe if necessary.”

A set of code revisions, including clarified and expanded definitions of sidewalk vendors and what counts as a sidewalk as opposed to the side of a highway or road, was also on the table for the board to consider approving that evening.

While remaining compliant with state legislation that protects sidewalk vending, the ordinance places new time, place, and manner restrictions on vending directly related to public safety risks, staff explained.

4 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

For example, one part of the ordinance prohibits vending in street medians, “to protect the health and safety of vendors and their patrons, because they are at risk of being struck by vehicles and/or causing vehicular accidents,” the staff report states.

Another piece of the ordinance limits sidewalk vendors’ hours of operation within residential neighborhoods to specific daylight hours “to protect the safety of sidewalk vendors and residents who would be more vulnerable to criminal activities during evening hours,” staff wrote.

The ordinance also emphasizes some existing regulations with new or clearer definitions, which helps give EHS “more impetus for a coordinated response” with local law enforcement and city code enforcement agencies, Seifert told the board.

“But it’s been clear. I mean, this has been an issue for two years. … We’ve known it’s illegal for the last two years, and it’s not more illegal after this,” Nelson said. “I guess I’m just frustrated. … We’re at the same spot that we were a year ago. What’s difficult for people out there is this is a long-standing problem and we’ve known about it.”

“It’s hugely important that this stuff gets taken care of early and often,” Nelson continued, “[and] not have to add so much bureaucracy and conversation about it.”

Before the board voted, 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann asked staff to amend one section of the code revision ordinance about operating near school campuses. A hot spot for unpermitted food pop-ups in her district, she explained, is on the side of Highway 246, directly across the street from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.

“They’re not there so much during school hours, but they’re there during athletic events.

They’re there for plays and musical concerts,” Hartmann said. “Any evening activity. They’re right across the street.”

Staff revised the ordinance to prohibit sidewalk vending within 500 feet of a school during school hours and school-sponsored events.

In October, EHS will return with an update on how the $42,000 allocation impacted its enforcement efforts, including the extra storage capacity for impounded food and cooking equipment.

“Have we confiscated any equipment at this time, or has it just been food product?” Nelson asked staff.

Over the past year, Seifert said that EHS

The city of Santa Maria is one step closer to breaking ground on 85 new senior housing units at the corner of Broadway and Stowell Road. A new three-story building will sustain 54 units, and an additional 31 will be added to the existing Vandenberg Senior Residence property.

Apartments will be available for people 55 years and older who earn 60 percent or less of the area’s median income, City Planner Cody Graybehl explained at the Planning Commission meeting on Feb. 18.

“I think it’ll be a successful project because we know we’ve got a lot more seniors every day,” Planning Commission Chair Tim Seifert said.

Commissioners approved the permit with a 3-0 vote. Robert Dickerson recused himself because he lives near the site, and Yasameen Mohajer was absent.

An L-shaped building is set to occupy roughly 40,000 square feet facing Stowell Road.

Inside there’ll be 25 studios, 17 one-bedrooms, and 12 two-bedrooms ranging from 400 to 800 square feet.

Residents will also have access to a bus stop with shelter and a turnout on Stowell.

“I think it’ll be a nice refreshment to that corner,” Commissioner Tom Lopez said.

In the middle of the 4.9 acres, located at 1314 S. Broadway, the outdoor area will be redesigned to include a pool, lounge area, and barbecue pits. Landscaping and gardens will be added, and the Vandenberg Senior Residence will be repainted to match the new complex.

Developers also plan to refurbish the Vandenberg Senior Residence sign to reflect the building’s history as a hotel, which was originally built in the 1960s. Architect Michael Song of EZ Plans said he saw the original rendering and was inspired to incorporate the “atomic ranch” style design into his company’s modern plans.

To round out the project, 31 units will be added to Vandenberg Senior Residence.

Builders want to convert the nonresidential space on the first floor to studios. The area was once a restaurant and bar from the building’s hotel era but hasn’t been maintained, according to the staff report.

An additional 2,225 square feet will be built onto the property for the rest of the new apartments at Vandenberg Senior Residence.

All but one unit will be studios, according to the staff report, ranging from 370 to 494 square feet. New recreation and fitness rooms are set to accompany the studios.

Previous iterations of the project went before the Planning Commission in the past. The current proposal is an amended version of a 2017 planned development that never came to fruition. Most recently, commissioners discussed the project at a study session last December.

“Senior housing—and housing in general—is something that we need in the community,” Planning Commission Chair Esau Blanco said on Feb. 18. “So, I feel like this is a very good project.”

Next, the developer must submit drawings to the city as part of its building permit application.

—Madison White

NEWS continued page 5

News NEWS from page 4

Interim City Administrator David Trujillo expanded on staff’s stance during the hearing.

Guadalupe abandons “We’ve tried to, I guess, kind of sway council Brown Act route for Royal to just, … give us a chance,” Trujillo said.

“We are by no means saying don’t elect an Theater committee oversight committee or establish an oversight committee. It has both its pros and its cons.

Over the past six months, the Guadalupe That’s why we let you guys make the policy and City Council has discussed its intention to we just enforce it.” form a Brown Act advisory committee to After Furness’ motion to uphold the oversee the Royal Theater revival project five-member Brown Act board failed, she multiple times. motioned to move forward with an ad In September 2025, the council voted hoc committee that included two council 4-1 (Councilmember Christina Hernandez members. She also volunteered to serve as one dissented) to appoint a five-member board. of those members.

On Feb. 24, Councilmember Whitney Mayor Ariston Julian seconded the Furness motioned to uphold that decision, motion, which passed 3-2 (Councilmembers after staff presented an alternative route to Hernandez and Amelia Villegas dissented). form a two-member advisory ad hoc—not “I’m not in favor of either at this point,” subject to Brown Act rules—instead.

Villegas said.

Furness’ motion failed without a second Hernandez said she would have preferred from any of her peers. if staff presented the council with quarterly “The Brown Act would actually force it to updates about the Royal Theater project, rather not be behind closed doors, … agendized and than form an ad hoc to privately meet with open to the public,” Furness said about the staff. public meetings that would take place if the “What I think is the community doesn’t council stuck to its original plan. trust us, so let’s create that trust. Let’s open the “I still stand firm that we need an agendized doors and invite them in, whether it’s quarterly oversight committee that can come ask the or every six months,” Hernandez said. “I think questions,” she continued. “I understand it everybody should have the opportunity to could be time-consuming to city staff, but I come ask questions.” also think, like I said before, you could utilize In response, Mayor Julian said he doesn’t the resources of those folks that are joining the believe that “the whole community says that committee to do some of the things that city they don’t trust us.” staff does not have time for “If they don’t trust right now.” us, there’s upcoming As part of the agenda elections,” he said. “If they that evening, staff noted Send any news don’t like the way we’re in its report that it did “not or story tips to operating, vote us out— see a significant operational news@santamariasun.com. some of us.” m advantage to establishing an oversight committee.”

—Caleb Wiseblood

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COVER

Can I crash on your couch for awhile?

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAX HANBERG

to alleviate the housing crisis in California,” Act now!

Castillo said. “We Send any news have a housing crisis, or story tips to whether we like it or news@santamariasun.com. not.”

Although the new policy, if enacted, will stop future shortterm rental permits in residential zones, current permit holders in suburban areas will be grandfathered in, to an extent, Castillo explained.

“If you have an existing vacation rental permit and you’re in that [residential] zone, we’re going to let you renew that. However, we’re not going to let you transfer that,” Castillo said. “What that means is if you’re going to sell that house on the open market, … then it goes to longterm housing. But for IN THE LONG RUN: Vacation rentals in downtown Solvang’s village mixed-use zone, like this one-bedroom rental on Alisal now, we’ll let you stay in Road, are not in the residential areas where city officials are considering banning short-term rentals. the program. We’ll let you do your thing.”

Based on direction from the City Council, the proposed ordinance doesn’t differentiate between short-term rentals with off-site property owners and homestay rentals where Solvang considers preventing short-term rental numbers from owners reside on the property.

“Owner-occupied homestays are a completely growing in suburban neighborhoods different issue than a large absentee-owned

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD vacation rental,” Solvang resident Susie “Adding vacation rentals in neighborhoods Townsend said during public comment at congests parking,” Hanberg said. “Some locals rom a zebra-themed bed and breakfast to a the council’s Feb. 23 meeting. “I completely are already upset about parking, so having it out permitted treehouse in someone’s backyard, understand the concern with allowing larger there would just contribute to that irritation.”

Solvang resident Max Hanberg has booked homes within the city to be rented as an Solvang Community Development Director some pretty wild vacation getaways in his unsupervised short-term rental. However, when Rafael Castillo told the Sun that the proposed lifetime.

He and his wife were already frequent users of policy reform was partly shaped by “chatter from the owner lives on the property, there is built-in oversight and far fewer, if any, issues, especially members of the community that there were Airbnb and Vrbo by the time they began using in the smaller ADUs and studios that can only some illegal rentals out there, and that some of both platforms to list a short-term rental of their accommodate up to two people.” these rentals were in their neighborhood.” own during the spring of 2021.

Townsend was the sole public speaker at the “We just want to make sure that everyone’s Previously a one-bedroom apartment for hearing, where she opposed multiple restrictions playing on the same playing field,” Castillo said. long-term occupancies, the couple’s towering laid out in the proposed policy update.

Part of staff’s investigation into the issue property on Alisal Road in downtown Solvang “We need to recognize that short-term rentals involved combing through vacation rental is hard to miss thanks to its height of 38 feet. and homestays are a very popular way for people listings on Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar websites.

Hanberg’s Danish-born father built the multito travel today. Travelers increasingly choose “We did do an enforcement back in level structure during the 1980s with inspiration this option. They want a different from Denmark’s 17th century Rundetaarn, or experience—a quiet neighborhood Round Tower, in Copenhagen. setting or an owner-hosted stay in a “He had an epiphany and decided he was more homelike environment,” she said. going to build a round tower,” Hanberg told the “Severely limiting these options … puts Sun. “I don’t know if you’re familiar with the one us behind current traveling trends. in Denmark, but it’s the highest observatory in “We can comfortably add all of Europe.” more permitted homestays in Available for about $550 a night, Hanberg’s the surrounding neighborhoods short-term rental affords its guests a living room, without bothering anyone and only kitchen, and bedroom, all connected via a spiral adding revenue to the economy that staircase that leads to a rooftop patio. will otherwise be lost,” Townsend “There’s not a better view in town, other than living up in the hills,” said Hanberg, whose —Solvang resident Susie Townsend continued. “Limiting the number of homestays in Solvang, especially in the property is located in Solvang’s village mixedouter neighborhoods within walking distance to November. We had approximately 20 use zone. downtown, will cost our city revenue that will be [properties] that were illegally advertising shortWhile some of Solvang’s short-term rentals taken to Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Buellton. term rentals without a permit,” Castillo said. are within the city’s residential zones, the city … When they stay there, they are more likely to won’t issue new permits to allow that use outside “These were properties that were outside of the dine and shop there.” of the village mixed-use zone if a proposed policy area that we’re going to be allowed for shortVacation rental operator Hanberg told the Sun term rentals, so they had no way forward. So moves forward. he doesn’t believe the proposed restrictions will essentially, what we did was we sent out a letter On Feb. 23, the Solvang City Council impact Solvang’s tourism numbers. unanimously approved new restrictions on short- about the new ordinance, and … [asked them] to “It crosses over. I see people from the casino remove their listing. We actually had a complete term rentals—regularly listed on platforms such here in my store all the time. The whole valley 100 percent voluntary compliance of all the as Airbnb and Vrbo like Hanberg’s—including a is a destination,” said Hanberg, who owns the cap that limits active short-term rental permits to properties.”

Castillo also described the city’s potential shift Solvang Shoe Store on Copenhagen Drive.

40. If the council maintains its stance and clears “There’s vacation rentals all over the valley, so the policy during its final reading on March 9, the in short-term rental policy as living up to goals set by Solvang’s current housing element—which I don’t think it’s going to affect tourism one bit new rules would go into effect in April. if they shut down the, for lack of a better word, calls for preserving long-term, high-density One aspect of the policy update Hanberg illegal ones.” m housing—and state initiatives. is pleased with is that it would ban new “The state is really taking a look at each short-term rentals from popping up in Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at individual municipality and making sure they’re suburban neighborhoods, “not just because of cwiseblood@santamariasun.com. actually doing what we’re supposed to be doing competition,” he explained.

Keys to the city F

‘Limiting the number of homestays in Solvang, especially in the outer neighborhoods within walking distance to downtown, will cost our city revenue that will be taken to Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Buellton.’

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www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 7

News

SPOTLIGHT

New year, new chamber

PHOTO BY MADISON WHITE

With a new location and staff lineup, the Lompoc Valley Chamber aims for a reset

BY MADISON WHITE

Lindley said. “Our weekly emails—if I’m being n 2009, the Air Force brought Melanie Lindley honest—had gotten stale, so we’re making sure that every week those are updated.” to Lompoc. She discovered a love for the area In addition to new staff members, the and decided to stay in town after retiring. chamber also welcomed four board directors: “It is really just a fantastic place. You don’t restaurateur Dave Jaskolski, aerospace engineer have to drive far to find something amazing to Dane Drefke, health care executive Yvette Cope, do,” Lindley said. “The beaches, the mission, the and aerospace professional Zack Pohlman. The wineries, … even without spending money.” new directors represent sectors that are growing Lompoc is home to many small businesses in Lompoc, including the needs of those who and passionate residents, Lindley added, who work at Vandenberg Space Force Base. need a central hub to discover the city’s latest “Having people on the board that understand and greatest. She’s one of the newest additions the need for those items in our community I to the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, think is really helpful,” Lindley said. helping bridge the gap between businesses, MUSIC The chamber’s refresh also extends to its visitors, and residents. physical location. By the end of March, it’ll move Lindley took her role as the executive FLAVOR/EATS on H Street, just one block director in January. After last year’s brief closure into a new building away from its previous office. During the move, announcement and financial woes with the Lompoc City Council, the chamber is navigating visitors can still visit the chamber’s old office on INFO I Street. Lindley keeps the doors open from 8 a path forward in more ways than one. a.m. to 5 p.m. giving out pamphlets filled with The other half of the chamber’s two-person local recommendations. staff is Communications Director Amanda CALENDAR “The priority of the move was to get us Mansfield, who started in February. Together to where we were able to better serve our Lindley and Mansfield run the organization along with guidance from the board of directors. community,” Lindley OPINION said.

In the historic office at the chamber’s previous They welcome volunteers who’d like to greet location, there was a lot of unused space on visitors at the front desk, too.

NEWS floors. The front desk the first and second Right now, they’re focusing on improving was downstairs, but staff communication with the offices were upstairs, Lindley public and rebuilding trust STROKES explained, making it difficult to with businesses. meet visitors when they walked “We’re making sure that Send business and we’re freshening up the way nonprofit information to ARTSthrough the doors. Situated next door to Certain Sparks we communicate. We’re spotlight@santamariasun.com.

Music, the new location will be revamping our website,”

I

Promote!

DOWN THE BLOCK: By the end of March, the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce will have fully moved into a new location on H Street, not far from its old office inside a historic 1892 building.

prime for making community connections and bringing in new members, she added.

Businesses want to see the chamber step up, which is exactly what Lindley and Mansfield are planning to do. The executive director said she brings transparency and integrity to her role.

“I’m going to always tell people where we’re at,” Lindley said. “Where we’re at right now is just trying to put in the work and show value.

That’s something that I brought with me to this job—the willingness to do the work and the willingness to do it right.”

Highlights

• Allan Hancock College offers free child care for its students at the campus library in Santa Maria. Kids ages 2 to 8 will receive a snack bag

and can join story time and crafting activities.

Parents are required to stay in the library and can use the time to study. Kids’ Corner takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information call (805) 922-6966, Ext. 3474.

• The Santa Maria Communications Division won a first-place award for an episode of Culture in the Valley at the Alliance for Community Media conference in February. Culture in the Valley and the award-winning episode on the Natural History Museum are available on the city’s YouTube channel and streamed at cityofsantamaria.org/tv. m Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.

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805-608-1096 Fit-Byrd.com 8 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

Opinion ONLINE POLL

What’s the most challenging part of being involved in a wedding 50% Making the proposal, ceremony, and reception personal and unique.

33% Getting everyone from Point A to Point B during the event.

17% Finding the right officiant.

0% Incorporating gorgeous flowers without breaking the bank.

6 Votes

Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.

Northern Santa Barbara County’s News & Entertainment Weekly 801 S Broadway Suite 3 Santa Maria, CA 93454 EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING | 805-347-1968 E-MAIL | mail@santamariasun.com WEB | www.santamariasun.com FOUNDER | Steve Moss 1948-2005 EDITORIAL EDITOR | Camillia Lanham ASSOCIATE EDITOR | Andrea Rooks SENIOR STAFF WRITER | Caleb Wiseblood STAFF WRITER | Madison White CALENDAR EDITOR | Angelena Stevens STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER | Pieter Saayman ART DIRECTOR | Alex Zuniga EDITORIAL DESIGNERS | Leni Litonjua, Taylor Saugstad CONTRIBUTORS | Glen Starkey, Anna Starkey, Ross Mayfield ADVERTISING SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE | Kimberly Rosa ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES | Katy Gray, Stasja Knopf, Tyler Dunavan, Riley Speidel PRODUCTION ASSISTANT PRODUCTION MANAGER | Mary Grace Flaus GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | Ellen Fukumoto, John Nygaard Business Cindy Rucker MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATOR | Ben Kerr CIRCULATION | Jim Chaney, Michael Ferrell, Margo Baldives, Simon Lopez, Joe Brice PUBLISHERS | Bob Rucker, Alex Zuniga OFFICE MANAGER | Stephanie West SUBMITTING LETTERS WRITE | Mail your letter to Sun Letters, 801 S Broadway Suite 3, Santa Maria, CA 93454.

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The Sun is published every Thursday for your enjoyment. One copy of each issue is available free to Northern Santa Barbara County residents and visitors. Subscriptions to the Sun are $156 per year. The entire contents of the Sun are copyrighted by the Sun and cannot be reproduced without specific written permission from the publisher.

Because a product or service is advertised in the Sun does not mean that we endorse its use. We hope readers will use their own good judgement in choosing products most beneficial to their well-being.

We welcome submissions. Please accompany them with a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. All letters to the editor become the property of the Sun. © 2026 Sun

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COMMENTARY

➤ Canary [10]

Learn to share

Obviously, any human use of an area is bound to impact the natural native There’s space at the Oceano Dunes for everyone environment. Our entire region was once to use the beach how they want wild and pristine.

BY JOHN DONEGAN If you believe that an existing use of an area should be eliminated and the area “returned to he use of the Oceano Dunes offroad nature,” are you prepared to live in a traditional vehicular area has remained a lively Chumash shelter and to give up your coffee topic of discussion locally. New Times’ shops? Or is natural restoration just for others?

Jan. 8 opinion section contained a couple of As with many of our most fractious issues, pieces opposing the use of the area by off-road the real fight just boils down to the culture wars vehicles, and the topic pops up frequently and blue vs. red tribalism. in often heated debate (“Oceano deserves a Those who oppose vehicular use tend vehicle-free beach,” and “Restore Oceano’s to be environmentally oriented suburban natural defenses”). liberals who cannot say the terms “internal The vehicle use area comprises roughly a combustion” or “MAGA” without spitting. third of the long stretch of beach that runs Many came to SLO from elsewhere to attend from Pismo Beach to Point Sal. The majority Cal Poly and stayed. of the beach is, for the most part, inaccessible Those who support by road and in a wild vehicular use tend to be state. Historically, for from more rural areas a hundred years, the and Central Valley beach was routinely towns and lean more used by vehicles, with conservative. They tend modern use restricted to like large 4×4 pickup to the 7 or so miles of trucks or Jeeps, may have the park. an ATV or motorcycles Our strong local for everyone in their family, and have immense winds created the dunes, and you can often RVs or camping trailers. Overall, they represent see a plume of dust rising from the entire an enthusiastic embrace of the motor culture length of the beach, not just the vehicular area. rejected by the opponents.

Opposition to vehicular use of the beach was They also display cultural traits that liberals originally based on the theory that vehicle find off-putting, like flying American or Mexican use created finely ground crystalline silica MUSIC flags at their campsites or on their vehicles or dust, which was dangerous to the downwind communities of Oceano, Nipomo, Santa Maria, displaying signs endorsing MAGA, Trump, or the Second Amendment.

All in all, there is a lot and Guadalupe. Although the SLO County Air FLAVOR/EATS to annoy the liberal environmental warrior.

Pollution Control District (APCD) originally There is land enough for both groups. Those claimed that all of the wind-borne dust was who prefer a remote, quiet, untouched beach unhealthy crystalline silica dust, a later study INFO have the rest of the local coast readily available

by Dr. Lynn Russel of Scripps Institute showed for their use, from Oso Flaco and the Guadalupe that it actually only constituted 14 percent of Dunes southward, which is roughly twice the the dust.

CALENDAR size of the vehicular use area Currently, opposition is used by many more people. centered on environmental OPINION Mechanical disturbance of impacts, such as damage the dunes quickly “heals” to the plover and plant life.

Send us your in the wind, and plants A lot of areas have been views and opinion to NEWS and birds soon re-establish fenced off to address those letters@santamariasun.com. themselves. concerns.

T

As with many of our most fractious issues, the real fight just boils down to the culture wars and blue vs. red tribalism.

Speak up!

STROKES

ARTS

MAYFIELD

Is it fair and reasonable to eliminate the enjoyment of the hundreds of thousands who currently use the area, just to accommodate the relative few who are capable of walking a number of miles on soft sand in search of an isolated and a pristine environment?

The hundreds of thousands of people who prefer vehicular use are also residents of California, pay taxes, and contribute to the local economy. They vastly outnumber the people who use the remote, natural areas of the coast. They’re also entitled to a “playground” to pursue their interests.

You need to learn to share with those who have just as much right to the beach as you do. You are not entitled to a private seaside naturalists club where the “undesirables” are excluded. You often preach “inclusion” and the acceptance of other lifestyles. Now is the time to practice it. m John Donegan is a retired attorney in Pismo Beach who confesses to occasionally driving on the dunes in his old Jeep. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.

WRITE NOW!

We want to know what you think about everything. Send your 250-word letter to Sun Letters, 801 S Broadway Suite 3, Santa Maria, CA 93454. You can also fax it (1-805-546-8641) or e-mail it (letters@santamariasun.com).

All letters must include a name, address, and phone number for verification purposes; may be edited for space or clarity; and will be posted to santamariasun.com.

LETTERS Our democracy is under attack

We have lived over half a century in this lovely idyllic locale and through many uncertain and traumatic events and times.

However, none compare to what is happening at this moment in time—none!

To say that we are living in an unprecedented time cannot be overstated or over-emphasized.

As such, our individual and collective responses need to be equally focused, strong, and unprecedented to meet this moment.

To be crystal clear, our democracy is under attack from within, the rule of law is being undermined and broken on a daily basis, along with the freedoms and rights our Constitution has provided now for more than 250 years.

The news is overwhelmingly worse each day and impossible to digest before the next day’s onslaught of more of the same.

What we do in this moment is critical and will determine the fate and future of our fragile social experiment of democracy, not only for ourselves but for all our children and grandchildren to come.

It is for future generations that we speak today, as well as for our current friends, neighbors, all trying to cope with the unspeakable fact that our own government is attacking us both individually and collectively, undermining our institutions at every level, and creating unnecessary, unprecedented chaos, discord, and dysfunction where none existed.

Homeland Security/ICE is the increasingly lawless, reckless, and destructive mechanism the Trump administration is using to dehumanize, demoralize, and divide our citizens and neighbors, terrorize our communities, and intimidate local government officials and institutions while dismantling our sovereignty and independent local governance. We have serious and increasing concerns regarding the recruitment, training, supervision, and accountability of the ICE agents in particular.

Marilyn Farmer SLO

www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 9

Opinion

‘Shock and awe’

T

WE TAKE PRIDE IN CARING for both the physical and emotional needs of your child.

Our team at Pediatric Medical Group is dedicated to the health and well-being of your child. Whether you have an infant, preschooler, or teenager, we work closely with parents to make sure that our care meets their children’s personal needs.

he Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has overtime on the brain.

Only this time, it’s not the Sheriff’s Office taking up space on the meeting agenda. It’s Environmental Health Services (EHS).

If you’re a public-facing business that could potentially be hazardous to public health, you know what this agency is all about.

But the rest of you are clueless!

That little known department is getting a little extra focus these days, thanks to the two-year struggle over how to tackle unpermitted food vendors taking up space along the county’s highways and some sidewalks, too.

Last year, EHS racked up more than 500 hours of overtime, conducting “inspection events”—where code enforcement officers go out and catch scofflaw food purveyors red-handed.

Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson was enthusiastic in his encouragement: “I hope that whatever comes out of what we do today is that we hit them hard, we hit them early, and we hit them often … with shock and awe if necessary.”

What kind of an operation is EHS conducting!?

The supervisor cautioned against relying on overtime for the afternoon and weekend hours when illegal food vendors operate. Why not schedule shifts, he asked.

But in the end, EHS received a little less than $50,000 to pay for needed overtime—shock and awe, included—a freezer to store confiscated food, and seatrain containers to store confiscated equipment. Has EHS done any equipment confiscating? Nope.

Ooh, is that where the shock comes in?

But code enforcement has confiscated a lot of food from these operators. Has anyone tried to

petition to get that food back?

“We’ve had one vendor that has requested a hearing to reclaim their adulterated meats,” EHS Director Jason Johnston told supervisors.

Ew. Adulterated means those meats are impure, unsafe, or lower in quality than they should be. And this is why said meats have no place on the streets, which is why supervisors are trying to do something about it. The vendors that are being targeted with shock and awe don’t store their food at correct temperatures, among other things— like not having permits and not having a hand-washing station and dumping grease on the side of the road.

I think the shock and awe of Guadalupe City Council’s march to bring the Royal Theater Project into something more transparent for the public has reached a disappointing finale for at least one elected official.

Councilmember Whitney Furness has been playing a tiny violin for a big Brown Act committee to oversee the project since last September. Her attempts to once again reinvigorate staff to pursue the item was met with silence as her colleagues on the council finally acquiesced to city staff.

No five-member Brown Act committee, just a miniature committee with two members who can check in with city staff about the project without official publicized agendas or public hearings. And the ad-hoc committee almost didn’t pass.

“I’m not in favor of either at this point,” Councilmember Amelia Villegas said.

No kidding. It’s taken up so much time on council agendas, I hope we’re done hearing about it. m

The Canary is apathetic, sometimes. Send invigorating emails to canary@santamariasun.com.

Call to schedule your child’s well exam today.

Shane Rostermundt, D.O.

Joseph Nunez, M.D.

Michele Kielty, D.O.

What’s Your Take?

Ryan Leachman, D.O.

1430 E. Main St. Santa Maria, CA

Lynn Peltier, C.P.N.P.

Jessica Prather, C.N.P.

www.pmgsm.com

805-922-3548

10 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

Geronna Leonards, N.P.

Monday – Friday

We know you’ve got an opinion.

Everybody’s got one!

Should Solvang stop allowing short-term rentals in some neighborhoods?

m No. Vacationers deserve lots of options for where to stay. m Yes. Outside the village area should only be for long-term residents. m Only if it allows current rentals to continue in perpetuity. m I don’t stay in vacation rentals.

This week’s online poll: 3/5 – 3/12 Enter your choice online at: SantaMariaSun.com

Hot Stuff

10-DAY CALENDAR: MARCH 5 - MARCH 15, 2026

CAR CULTURE

The 13th annual St. Patrick’s Day Car Show is set for Saturday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at St. Louis de Montfort Church in Santa Maria. Browse beautiful vehicles and enjoy a live performance from ’60s rock ’n’ roll band Unfinished Business. The show is free and open to the public.

Get vehicle and vendor registration pricing at my805tix.com.

—Angie Stevens PHOTO COURTESY OF MY805TIX

ARTS SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

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

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

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/.

THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER Christopher Robin has decided to run away with his friends Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and the rest. Probably they’ll go to the North Pole or to the South Pole. For there is a dark, mysterious threat that he’s to be sent away to Education. Nobody knows exactly what or where that is, and if he’s sent to such a distant place, what can his friends possibly do without him?

So it’s generally agreed that they’ll run away. As the situation becomes clearer, Christopher Robin isn’t quite so sure that running away is the answer. March 13, 7 p.m., March 14, 7 p.m. and March 15, 1:30 p.m. $17.91-$23.27. my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

PCPA PRESENTS MEASURE FOR MEASURE The PCPA presents Shakespeare’s most provocative and morally complex play, Measure for

Measure. Get show times and tickets at the link. Through March 15 $25-$41. pcpa.org.

PCPA: The Pacific Conservatory Theatre, 800 S. College, Santa Maria, (805) 922-8313.

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

BETWEEN EARTH & SKY EXHIBIT Featuring 20 dazzling photos of bright and beautiful birds amidst the backdrop of California wildflowers, Between Earth & Sky showcases some of local photographer Deborah Kalas’ most spirited work. Mondays, Thursdays-Sundays. through April 20 calnatureartmuseum.org.

California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.

SYV COMMUNITY ART SHOWCASE WINE AND CHEESE RECEPTION Friends of the Buellton Library Art Showcase will be on display through the month of March, and an artist reception on Saturday, March 7. Gallery hours are Monday 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, 2 to 4 p.m., and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1p.m.) March 7, 4-6 p.m. Free. sites.google.com/view/ fobl-buellton/home. Buellton Library, 202 Dairyland Rd, Buellton, (805) 688-3115.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

OCEANO SEABREEZE MARKET Browse from handcrafted artisanal goods and exclusive collections from local makers, artisans, and curators! Enjoy a live DJ, a delicious menu, and family fun! March 7, 12-4 p.m. Free. discoveroceanoca.com.

Oceano Elks Lodge, 410 Air Park Drive, Oceano.

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

SAN LUIS OBISPO

“ONE VISIT” POTTERY CLASS This is a great class if you are looking to try out pottery! Throw on the wheel or paint pre-made pottery. Get a student discount with a valid school ID. Fridays, 6-7:30 p.m. $75. (805) 896-6197. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

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, San Luis Obispo.

ALL AGES SCULPTING WITH JOHN ROULLARD John a retired school teacher who patiently guides potters of all ages to sculpt and work on details and design.

Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com.

Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES Anam Cre is a pottery studio in SLO that offers a variety of classes. This specific class is open to any level. Teachers are present for questions, but the class feels more like an open studio time for potters.

Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

ART AFTER DARK Art After Dark features an art opening of world-class artists.

Refreshments will be served. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. through March 7.

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.

Free. slocountyarts.org/art-after-dark.

SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.

CENTRAL COAST COMEDY THEATER IMPROV COMEDY SHOW An ongoing improv comedy program featuring the CCCT’s Ensemble. Grab some food at the public market’s wonderful eateries and enjoy the show upstairs. Second Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. $10. centralcoastcomedytheater.com/shows/.

SLO Public Market, 120 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo.

CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options.

Beginners welcomed. ongoing (805) 8355893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/ foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/babyhandprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

COMMUNITY MURAL PAINTING EVENT 25 to 30 community volunteers of all ages will come together in shifts to help paint a new mural as part of the City of San Luis Obispo Public Art Program. This marks the second of three community painting days. March 7, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. volunteer.slocity.org/need/detail/?need_ id=1198355. C.L. Smith Elementary School, 1375 Balboa St., San Luis Obispo.

DATE NIGHT POTTERY Bring your date and throw a cup on the pottery wheel.

Next, texture a clay slab and press into a form creating a personalized piece.

Guest are welcome to bring drinks; venue provides aprons. Pieces are fired, glazed, and ready in two weeks. Saturdays, 6-7:30

INDEX Arts....................................... 11 Culture & Lifestyle ...........12 Food & Drink ......................16 Music ...................................16

p.m. $140. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

FAMILY FRIENDLY WORKSHOP: LARGE PLATTER CLASS Fun for all ages.

Instructors will guide you in creating large platters and decorating them. Create pieces together for your home. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $50. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

FIRST FRIDAYS Visit SLOMA on the first Friday of each month for exhibition openings, music, and wines provided by regional winery partners. Admission is free and open to the public. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 5438562. sloma.org/events/first-fridays/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

FREE DOCENT TOURS Gain a deeper understanding of the artwork on view with SLOMA’s new docent tours.

Every Saturday, join trained guides for interactive and engaging tours of SLOMA’s current exhibitions. Saturdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/visit/ tours/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

GIORDANO DANCE CHICAGO: IGNITE THE SOUL! America’s original jazz dance company enters its 63rd season, honoring Gus Giordano’s legacy with bold works by Emmy winner Al Blackstone, Ray Leeper, and more. March 10, 7:30 p.m. (805) 7564849. calpolyarts.org/20252026-season/ giordano-dance-chicago-ignite-the-soul.

Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

LEARN TO WEAVE MONDAYS An opportunity to learn how a four-shaft loom works. You will get acquainted as a new weaver or as a refresher with lots of tips and tricks. This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, and much much more. Mondays, 1-4 p.m. $75 monthly. (805) 441-8257.

Patricia Martin: Whispering Vista Studios, 224 Squire Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, patriciamartinartist.com.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET This highenergy jukebox musical is a celebration of music history, packed with heart, humor, and pure rock ‘n’ roll magic. Fridays, 7-9

p.m., Saturdays, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m., Sundays, 2-4 p.m. and Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. through March 5 $43-$63. (805) 786-2440. slorep. org/shows/million-dollar-quartet-2026/.

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

MOBILE CLAY CLASSES Offering handbuilding, throwing, and ceramic decorative arts. All ages and abilities are welcome. Call for more info. ongoing (805) 835-5893. hmcruceceramics.com/ book-online. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.

PAINT A PREMADE POTTERY PIECE! Drop into the studio to pick out and paint a premade piece! There is fun for all ages, and prices are based upon size. Mondays, Wednesdays-Saturdays, 2-7:30 p.m. $30$75. app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule. php?owner=22676824&appointmentTy pe=35974477. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SAMANTHA NYE: WEB OF LOVE See Guggenheim Fellow Samantha Nye’s immersive video installation starring Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens filmed on location in SLO. Mondays, Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through March 13. Free. cuesta.edu/community/cuesta-arts/ artgallery/2025-2026-Exhibitions/ WebofLove.html. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 546-3202.

SATURDAY FAMILY POTTERY CLASS This family-friendly open studio time is a wonderful window for any level or age.

Saturdays, 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. $40. Familyfriendly open studio welcomes all ages and skill levels. Book online in advance.

Bring an idea; we assist with wheel or handbuilding! Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com/. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SATURDAY NIGHT IMPROV AT THE BUNKER This head-to-head short form improv showdown pits quick-thinking performers against each other in a high-energy battle of wit, creativity, and laughs. Teams will face off in fast-paced games, taking bold risks and big swings as they compete for audience favor and bragging rights. March 7, 6:15-8 p.m. $10. my805tix.com. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.

ARTS continued page 12

www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 11

Hot Stuff ARTS from page 11 SLO COMEDY UNDERGROUND OPEN MIC NIGHT Enjoy a night of laughs provided by the local SLO Comedy Community. It’s open mic night, so anyone can perform and “you never know what you’ll see.” Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Free.

Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337, libertinebrewing.com.

SLO NIGHTWRITERS: A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS SLO NightWriters supports local writers with monthly presentations, critique groups, contests, and other events. Second Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. slonightwriters.org.

United Church of Christ (Congregational) of San Luis Obispo, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.

WALT WHITMAN GAY MEN’S BOOK CLUB This club reads, studies and discusses books chosen by the group which relate to their lives as gay men. All are welcome.

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

NORTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

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

FOREVER STOKED PAINT PARTY Join us at the gallery, for a few hours to travel on a creative paint journey. You will receive as much or as little instruction as you prefer. No artistic experience is necessary.

Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. $45. (805) 772-9095. foreverstoked.com. Forever Stoked, 1164 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay. GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE MARCH 2026 FEATURED ARTISTS See the seven new featured artists on display until the end of March. Through March, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com/. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay. GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS “PACIFIC LIGHT” AN OIL PAINTING GROUP SHOW “Pacific Light” features fine art oil paintings by Joan Brown, Carol Astaire, and Patricia Newton in Gallery at Marina Square. Through March, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

MARCH 5 - MARCH 15, 2026 PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS CARY LARSON-MCKAY, EXHIBITING MIXED MEDIA SMALL WORKS See mixed media small works by Cary Larson-McKay, watercolor, collage, and more in the Craft Atelier Space in Gallery at Marina Square. Through March, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay. GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS TERESA FERGUSON, FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY Central Coast photographer Teresa Ferguson exhibits majestic landscapes of the central coast in the Upper Gallery at Gallery at Marina Square. Through March, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

(805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay. GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS: GRANT KREINBERG & LORA SALVADOR, PHOTOGRAPHY Discover a fine art photography exhibition

by Grant Kreinberg & Lora Salvador in the Upper Gallery in Gallery at Marina Square. Through March, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

(805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay. MOSAIC POT WORKSHOP Join us at Cambria Nursery for a hands-on Mosaic Pot workshop. March 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $60. (805) 927-4747. cambrianursery.com.

Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

JAZZ AT HANCOCK

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

CENTRAL COAST CORVETTE CLUB Open to Corvette owners and enthusiasts. First Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. Free.

(805) 934-3948. Home Motors, 1313 E. Main St., Santa Maria.

D&D AND BOARD GAMES AT THE LIBRARY Play board games, D&D, and other tabletop games! Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Presented by the Santa Maria Valley Adventurers League. March 8, 1-4:30 p.m.

Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria. org. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

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

FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/firstfridayoldtownorcutt/.

Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.

FREE PARENT EDUCATION NIGHTSYOUTHWELL Learn how to support gifted

Allan Hancock College music students will perform a mix of jazz styles—including swing, ballad, and Latin selections— during the Jazz Band Concert on March 6, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Hancock’s Boyd Concert Hall in Santa Maria. Tickets and more information are available at hancockcollege.edu.

—A.S.

Thursdays only BUY ONE GET ONE !

Any available seats on 2/19, 2/26 or 3/5 only. limit one per customer/order VALID FOR ONLINE ORDERS ONLY

CODE: SUPERBOGO

12 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

youth who also navigate challenges like anxiety, ADHD, and additional needs.

March 10, 7-8:15 p.m. (805) 770-1239. youthwell.org/workshops/. Online Webinar,, Compliance Key,364 E Main Street, Suite 1009, Middletown.

FREE VIRTUAL TEEN WELLNESS WORKSHOP Join YouthWell for a free virtual workshop designed to help

Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. students explore meaningful volunteer, internship, and leadership opportunities Registration is required. March 7, across Santa Barbara County. March 11, 2-3 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994.

5:45-7:15 p.m. (805) 770-1239. youthwell. cityofsantamaria.org. Santa Maria Public org/workshops/. Online Webinar,, Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

Compliance Key,364 E Main Street, Suite SANTA YNEZ VALLE Y 1009, Middletown.

THE WOMEN WINEMAKERS AND GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check CULINARIANS GRAND TASTING The website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. casitas, barn, and lawns of 27 Vines will be filled with dozens of women winemakers ongoing (805) 343-2455. dunescenter.org. and their lady culinary colleagues, fronted Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 by the just-awake March 7, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.

(805) 688-0881. 27 Vines, 27 Vines, ORCUTT MINERAL SOCIETY Second Santa Ynez, CA, USA, Santa Ynez.

Tuesday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, (805) 937-9750.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG SANTA BARBARA HUMANE’S WILD AFTERNOON BINGO Bingo with potluck.

WEST FEST Join us at the third-annual Parking in rear. Buy one of everything Wild West Fest, a lively Santa Maria for $20. Guests can participate without fundraiser supporting animals through bringing food. Look forward to a fun dinner, auctions, community connection, afternoon. Second Tuesday of every and support for SB Humane. March 14, 5-9 month, 12-4 p.m. All games are $1 each. p.m. $85. (805) 570-7733. sbhumane.org/ (805) 736-6669. Valley of Flowers Halfwildwest. Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Century Club, 341 No. N St., Lompoc.

Bradley Road, Santa Maria.

LOMPOC ART WALK Lompoc transforms SANTA MARIA BOXING CLUB PRESENTS into a celebration and showcase of LEGENDARY 009 CLUB Get ready for local artists during this monthly event, an action-packed afternoon of amateur which features live music, art, exciting boxing as local fighters step into the ring exhibitions, performances, and a variety and bring the heat! This is a family-friendly of unique vendors. First Thursday of every event celebrating athleticism, discipline, month, 5-8 p.m. Old Town Lompoc, H and and community spirit. March 7, noon I St., Lompoc. $25. my805tix.com. Edwards Community THE VILLAGE TREASURE CHEST This Center, 809 Panther Dr., Santa Maria, event is for the whole family. There will (805) 937-3158. be vendors selling their wears, music, SANTA MARIA TOASTMASTERS Develop facepainting, and some kind of food booth. your public speaking skills at this club Come out and spend part of your Saturday meeting. Second Tuesday of every month, supporting local vendors. First Saturday 6:30-8 p.m. (805) 570-0620. Santa Maria of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.

Vandenberg Village Community Services SMV HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL District Office, 3745 Constellation Road, LUNCH AND JULIA MORGAN Lompoc, (805) 291-6370.

PRESENTATION SMV Historical Society Annual Meeting Lunch, presentation about SOUTH COAST SLO COUNT Y Julia Morgan and Minerva Club Building ADULT SOFTBALL Let’s play ball! The City sponsored by The Foundation at Hearst of Arroyo Grande’s Adult Softball League Castle. March 7, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $35. is a fun and competitive program offering (805) 922-3130. santamariahistory.com. leagues for Coed Teams and Men’s Teams.

Minerva Club, 127 W. Boone, Santa Maria.

Sundays, 3-9 p.m. through May 17 $671.

ST PATRICK’S DAY CAR SHOW Only (805) 473-5474. arroyogrande.org/709/ entrants, vendors and sponsors need Adult-Sports. Soto Sports Field, Ash Street, to register. Everyone else can come on Arroyo Grande. down and enjoy! Get vehicle and vendor BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy registration pricing at the link. March 14, the grace and flow of ballet. No previous 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. St. experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 Louis de Montfort Church, 1190 East Clark p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes.

Avenue, Santa Maria.

(510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach VALLEY READS BOOK CLUB Join the Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., monthly book club for adults 18 years Grover Beach. and older, which features discussions.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 15 The book for March is The Heaven &

(805) 489-2499

1863 HWY 1 ~ OCEANO, CA

2026 Box Office Hours

CLOSED Jan 1st through Jan 27th Wednesday - Friday: 2pm to 6:30pm Saturday: 12pm to 6:30pm Sunday: 2pm to 5:30pm CLOSED: Monday & Tuesday

www.AmericanMelodrama.com

JUST SOME OF OUR SERVICES • Propane Refill & Exchange • Smog Check For All Vehicles • Clean Truck Check • Mobile Services For Big Trucks • Oil Changes • Battery Check, Test & Changes

1000 OFF

$

SMOG CHECK

Pass or Don’t Pay! Drive Ups Welcome!

• Brakes Check and Changes • Tune-Ups • Diagnostics • Tire Check • Carb Clean Truck Check • Uber And Lyft Inspections

69

$

00

Regular Price $79.00 Appointments 805-937-5340

Plus $8.25 Certificate + $1.50 Transfer fee +$1.00 OPUS fee. ’95 & Older $119.00 / ’96-’99 $109.00.

Vans & Motorhomes $119.00 Coupons may not be combined with any other offer. Expires 3/31/26

www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 13

Learn to Sail

Monte Mills & The Lucky Horseshoe Band

Morro Bay Yacht Club

The Pour House, Paso Robles

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

UPCOMING EVENTS ON MY805TIX.COM

Dear Jack, Dear Louise

Avila Beach Spaghetti Dinner/Bingo Night

40th Annual Renaissance Festival

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 18-19

The Rock, SLO

From the Barrel

&

Laguna Lake Park, SLO

SM Boxing Club Presents Legendary 009 Club

Saturday Night Improv

NOW UNTIL JUNE 4 San Luis Obispo Grange Hall

NOW UNTIL SUNDAY, MARCH 8 Oasis Senior Center, Orcutt

FRIDAY, MARCH 6 Avila Beach Community Center

FRIDAY, MARCH 6 Paso Robles

SATURDAY, MARCH 7 Edwards Community Center, Santa Maria

SATURDAY, MARCH 7 The Bunker SLO

Punk Rock Drag Show

Central Coast Jazz Guitar Fest!

The House at Pooh Corner

Friday Night Improv

St. Patrick’s Day Car Show

La Boutique Fantastique-Youth Ballet Showcase

SUNDAY, MARCH 8 Humdinger Brewing, SLO

FRIDAY, MARCH 13 Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, Buellton

FRIDAY, MARCH 13 Santa Maria Civic Theatre

FRIDAY, MARCH 13 San Luis Obispo Public Market

SATURDAY, MARCH 14 St. Louis de Montfort Church, Santa Maria

Fight Night X

Meat Your Match

Beer Yoga at Naughty Oak

SUNDAY, MARCH 15 Naughty Oak Brewing Co, Orcutt

Wealth, Women & Woo

SUNDAY, MARCH 15 Crows End Retreat, SLO

Best of the Central Coast Celebration

Co-Creation Project VIII Orchestra Novo

Exhumed

Nobody Does it Betta

Understanding Transgender Youth

Zinfest Weekend Grand Tasting

SATURDAY, MARCH 14 Santa Maria Fairpark

SATURDAY, MARCH 14 MCV Wines, Paso Robles

First Quarter Business Check-In

St. Patrick’s Day Bash w/The McNaughstys & Friends

TUESDAY, MARCH 17 ACI Jet, SLO

Moonshiner Collective w/Carbon City Lights FRIDAY, MARCH 20 The Rock, SLO

TUESDAY, MARCH 17 The Pour House, Paso Robles

Crystal Clarity Sound “Bath” Journey FRIDAY, MARCH 20 Mystic Nature, Nipomo

14 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 Humdinger Brewing, SLO

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 Region Winery Event Center, SLO

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

SUNDAY, MARCH 15 MCV Wines, Paso Robles

SATURDAY, MARCH 14 Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo

SUNDAY, MARCH 15 CPAC at Cuesta College, SLO

THURSDAY, MARCH 19 Odd Fellows Hall, SLO

FRIDAY, MARCH 20 Castoro Cellars, Templeton

Friday Night Improv

Other Desert Cities

FRIDAY, MARCH 20 The Bunker SLO

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 20-22 By the Sea Productions, Morro Bay

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

Dance Party

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

Vince Cimo’s Hot Fire

POWERED BY:

FEATURED EVENTS

FEATURED EVENTS

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT MY805TIX.COM

Hot Stuff

MARCH 5 - MARCH 15, 2026

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE from page 12 BYE BYE BIRDIE See this musical satire about teen idol Conrad Birdie, inspired

by Elvis Presley’s draft. Get tickets at the link. March 6, 7 p.m., March 7, 7 p.m. and March 8, 2 p.m. $15. my805tix.com. The Studio Black Box Theater, 835 W. Grand Ave, Grover Beach, (805) 473-0377.

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.

DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic).

Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org.

Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.

DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies.

Contact empoweryoga805@gmail.com for details and reservations. ongoing (805) 619-0989. empoweryoga805.com.

Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

HUGE LIBRARY BOOK SALE Join our biggest book sale ever. Books are sold by the inch — paperbacks are 50 cents and hardbacks are $1. The bag sale starts at 1 p.m. Cash only. March 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

(805) 481-4131. Grover Beach Community Library, 240 N 9th St., Grover Beach.

MORE EVERYDAY IMPROV: SKILLS FOR LIFE Interactive applied improvisation classes build empathy, emotional intelligence, resilience, and creativity through accessible, laughter-filled exercises. No experience is required; attend individual sessions or the full series.

Every other Sunday, 6-7:30 p.m. through March $15 each or $75 all. theagilemind.co/.

Women’s Club of Arroyo Grande, 211 Vernon St., Arroyo Grande, (805) 270-5523.

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

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WATCH AND CLOCK COLLECTORS, CHPT. 52 Come join a friendly meeting of watch and clock collectors. Members bring watches and clocks to show, plus there are discussions of all things horological.

Second Sunday of every month, 1:30-3 p.m. (805) 547-1715. new.nawcc.org/index. php/chapter-52-los-padres. Central Coast Senior Center, 1580 Railroad St., Oceano.

BOOK DRIVE FOR RAISING A READER POINT SAN LUIS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS Head to this book drive to collect new A docent-led tour of the buildings and gently loved English, Spanish, and and grounds of the historic Point San Bilingual books for infants and toddlers Luis Light Station. Check website for through 3rd grade readers. March 9, more details. Wednesdays, Saturdays pointsanluislighthouse.org/. Point San Luis 2-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 712-1224. themondayclubslo.org/event-6541299.

Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.

The Monday Club San Luis Obispo, 1815 QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong Monterey St,, San Luis Obispo.

BUILDING A BETTER SLO PRESENTS through simple standing movements COMMUNITY LAND TRUST: promoting flexibility, strength, relaxation, and increased energy. Suitable for all ages PLACEKEEPING FOR THE LOCAL PLACEKEEPERS Join in welcoming Ofelia and fitness levels, Qi Gong revitalizes Bello to San Luis Obispo to talk Community and enriches your life. An outdoor class Land Trusts and their growth throughout overlooking the ocean. Wednesdays, the US. March 5, 5:45-7:30 p.m. $17.91.

4-5 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class my805tix.com. The Penny, 664 Marsh card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561.

Street, San Luis Obispo. pismobeach.org. Margo Dodd Gazebo, Ocean Park Blvd., Shell Beach.

CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups QI GONG: MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Balance your mind, body, and spirit Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, with Qi Gong — gentle stretching and San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346. strengthening movements that promotes physical wellbeing and inner peace. This CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN is geared towards all fitness levels and TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith ages. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $14 per based. All are welcome. Please wear a class or $55 for 5-class card. (805) 440mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:304561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Shell 11:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo.

MUSIC Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach.

DAILY QIGONG PRACTICE For the early SOCIAL GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND riser or commuter, every weekday morning.

WIDOWERS Call for more details. Second Maintain or improve concentration, FLAVOR/EATS Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. (805) balance, and flexibility. Includes weekly 904-6615. Oak Park Christian Church, 386 Friday 3 p.m. class with more practices.

N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.

Led by certified Awareness Through INFO Movement teacher. Mondays-Saturdays, 6:10 a.m. and Fridays, 3 p.m. $35/ week or $125/month. (646) 280-5800.

CALENDAR margotschaal.com/qigong. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

EDITORS AND EDITING: HOW TO Send event information to calendar@ OPINION CATAPULT YOUR STORY FROM GOOD santamariasun.com.

TO GREAT Rolynn Anderson, author of 13 NEWSsuspense novels, and Mark Parsons, author of two young adult novels, present how SAN LUIS OBISPO to edit your work effectively. March 10, 30-DAY BREATH AND RESET JOURNEY 6:30-8 p.m. Free. United Church of Christ STROKES FOR WOMEN Wired at night, drained all (Congregational) of San Luis Obispo, 11245 day? Reset your body in 30 days. Focus Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo. on breath practices to calm stress, ARTS FREE TOURS OF THE MISSION Tour San sleep deeply, and restore lasting energy.

Luis Obispo’s Spanish Mission, founded Registration is required. Tuesdays, 6:30in 1772. Come learn its history and 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10-11 a.m. (805) importance to the development of this 235-7978. charvetgratefulbody.com. Live area. Tours are led by docents and meet in Webinar, online, SLO County. front of the church Sundays, 2:30 p.m. and AERIAL SILKS CLINIC Build memory, Mondays-Saturdays, 1:15 p.m. Free. (805) strength, coordination, confidence, and 550-7713. missionslodocents.org. Mission endurance at the Aerial Silks Clinic, San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, for ages 7 to 17. All levels are welcome.

San Luis Obispo.

March 14, 1-3 p.m. $25. (805) 547HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT 1496. performanceathleticsslo.com.

GROUP A safe place to share feelings of Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 depression with those who suffer and Broad St., San Luis Obispo. those who have recovered to a full, healthy BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. your potential through individualized (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness meditation instruction with an Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo. experienced teacher via Zoom. This class MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION is for those who wish to begin a practice (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, High Street, San Luis Obispo, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. (559) 905(805) 270-3346.

9274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 16 website, San Luis Obispo.

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

Eyes of Salt - Centerpoint Discourage

Irah Nox, Mark of the Altar, Ghostframe, Vicious SATURDAY, MARCH 21 Humdinger Brewing, SLO

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 Blast and Brew, Atascadero

An Evening of Jazz with Genesys Project

Kyle Smith Backwoods Tour

How We Met Comedy Dating Show

FRIDAY, MARCH 20 Humdinger Brewing, SLO

Rebel Heart Live

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 The Bunker SLO

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 The Pour House, Paso Robles

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 SLO Cider Co., SLO

The Brian Ho B3 Organ Trio

Wellness Providers Only Restorative Mindful Drumming SUNDAY, MARCH 22 Aspire Counseling Services, SLO

Improve Extravaganza at the Bunker

THURSDAY, MARCH 26 The Bunker SLO

Raven Slackjaw

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 Humdinger Brewing, SLO

Free Movie Night Finding Nemo

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 Sycamore Mineral Springs, SLO

The Bunker SLO presents: New Tomorrow

2026 Alternative Tastes Wine Fest

Stand Up Comedy at Giavanni’s

Armed for Apocalypse

Spread the word!

DENTAL CARE for the whole family!

NEW Patient

SPECIAL!

129

SATURDAY, MARCH 21 Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, SLO

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 The Bunker SLO

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 Pavilion on the Lake, Atascadero

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 Giavanni’s Pizza, Santa Maria

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 Dark Nectar, Atascadero

Science After Dark

Cisco Adler Live at Libertine

Oceanfront Easter Brunch Buffet

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Open Mon, Tues & Thurs 8am-5pm and Wed 8am-12pm

TUESDAY, MARCH 31 Central Coast Aquarium, Avila Beach

POWERED BY:

&

FRIDAY, APRIL 3 Libertine Brewing Co, SLO

SUNDAY, APRIL 5 The Cliffs Hotel & Spa, Pismo Beach

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

www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 15

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FREE TICKETS! FR S! ET ETS! FREE TICK TRICKZONE PARKOUR AND TUMBLING

MARCH 5 - MARCH 15, 2026

FREE TICKETS!

FREE TICKETS!

CLINIC Join this two-hour combo of tumbling and parkour takes kids from timid to

16 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF SLO

COLOR COMING TO LIFE

Around 30 community volunteers will grab buckets of paint and work in shifts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the community mural painting event on Saturday, March 7, along the walkway between W. Newport Street and CL Smith Elementary School in San Luis Obispo. For additional details about the event, part of the San Luis Obispo Public Art Program, visit volunteer.slocity.org.

—A.S. triumphant! All levels welcome. For children 5 to 17 years old. March 7, 1-3 p.m. $25. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com.

Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

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

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

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

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

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty.

With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song.

Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.

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

SECOND SATURDAY OPEN AIR MARKET: LOS ALAMOS A carefully curated open air artisan and farm market. Features great vintage finds, handwoven and hand dyed textiles, handspun yarn, organic body care products, and locally grown organic eats. Second Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (805) 722-4338.

Sisters Gifts and Home, 349 Bell Street, Los Alamos.

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

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

TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m.

Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

TAP THURSDAY Head to Tap Thursdays at the Wine Stone Inn every week, featuring $5 draft beers and $5 Cava’s. Thursdays, 3-9 p.m. through April 16 Free. (805) 332-3532.

Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.

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

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

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

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night.

Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. (805) 819-0723. coldcoastbrewing. com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

MONTHLY FERMENTATION CLASSES New topics each month with a thorough demo and explanation of the process that creates non-alcoholic, probiotic, and nutrient-dense fermentations. Leave the class confident and prepared with recipes to make your own at home. Limited seating; reserve spot prior to class by phone/email. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30. (805) 801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/classes/. Join to expand your knowledge of the fermentation process and get started fermenting at home.

We alternate between demonstration and hands-on classes. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30-$50. (805) 801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/classes/. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach.

TRIVIA NIGHT Join BrainStew Trivia for a hilariously witty evening of trivia in Pismo.

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

SAN LUIS OBISPO

DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.

SLO GRANGE PANCAKE BREAKFAST Join the SLO Grange Hall for a good old-fashioned pancake breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, juice, and coffee will be served, and proceeds will benefit local non-profits. Second Sunday of every month, 8-11 a.m. $10. (805) 543-0639. slogrange.org. San Luis Obispo Grange Hall, 2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

BRUNCH IS BACK Celebrate the second Sunday of the month with brunch. Enjoy a twohour cruise on the waterfront. Features fresh coffee, pastries, and more. Second Sunday of every month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $50. (805) 772-2128. chabliscruises.com. Chablis Cruises, 1205 Embarcadero, Morro Bay.

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLE Y/LOS ALAMOS

ANNUAL ST. PADDY’S DANCE The Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens presents the Annual St. Paddy’s Dance with Riptide Big Band and vocalists. March 8, 1:30-4 p.m. Free. (775) 813-5186. RiptideBB.com. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC Celebrate the first Friday in March with live music from Ryan Jenkins.

Enjoy wine tastings---glass or bottle! March 6, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 354-0260. elvinero.com/ events-1. El Viñero, 130 N. Broadway Suite A, 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.

JAZZ BAND CONCERT Hancock’s Jazz Ensembles will take center stage in the Boyd Concert Hall, performing a mix of jazz styles, including swing, ballad, rock, and Latin

MUSIC continued page 17

Hot Stuff MUSIC from page 16 selections. March 6, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $10. hancockcollege.edu.

Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College Drive, Santa Maria.

LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda.

Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.

LIVE MUSIC 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.

(805) 925-0464. coelhomusic.com/Lessons/lessons.html.

Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria.

SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes.

Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.

WELC OME TO UPL IF T ING HARMONIES OF F REEDOM

SANTA YNEZ VALLE Y

ALMA ROSA WINERY SOLVANG FIRST FRIDAY - MARCH Celebrate the first Friday of every month with 50% off bottles and glasses enjoyed at Alma Rosa’s Tasting Room. Hear live music by Matthew Clark Trio! March 6, 4-7 p.m. (805) 691-9395. almarosawinery.com/events. Alma Rosa Tasting Room, 1623 Mission Dr, Solvang.

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

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

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

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.

THE BAND PERRY

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNT Y

CLARK CENTER PRESENTS: STEEP CANYON RANGERS Steep Canyon Rangers are set to return with their signature blend of bluegrass, Americana, and rich Carolina storytelling. Hear them live at Clark Center for the Performing Arts. March 7, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $45-$59, Platinum $65; Senior & Student Discounts. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

ELECTRIC ELTON - A TRIBUTE TO ELTON JOHN Moon Coin Productions Inc. presents Electric Elton: A Tribute to Elton John. Get tickets at the link. March 11, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $41.50$79.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH EXPERIENCE®: A JOHN DENVER TRIBUTE STARRING RICK SCHULER A Rocky Mountain High Experience® offers more than nostalgia—it’s an authentic celebration of the music that defined a generation. March 6, 7:30 p.m. $69.50-$86.25. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

F R I D AY, M A R C H 2 7, 8 PM T I C K E T S S TA R T AT $40

TICKETS ARE GOING FAST

W E L C O M E TO F R E E D O M

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ANNUAL MUSIC FACULTY CONCERT: A FUNDRAISER FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS Experience the artistry, energy, and improvisation of live jazz and classical music as the Cuesta Music Faculty take the stage to benefit music student scholarships! March 8, 3 p.m. $10-$30. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY CHOIRS: ‘CANTUS NOVUS’ CONCERT PolyPhonics and the Chamber Choir will sing Renaissance and Renaissanceinspired works by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Claudin de Sermisy, and Cristóbal de Morales among others. March 6, 8 p.m. $12-$22. (805) 756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/ choirs. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.

CAL POLY JAZZ COMBOS SHOWCASE Cal Poly’s jazz combos will perform classic jazz repertoire as well as original student compositions. Dylan Johnson will be the director. March 5, 7:30 p.m. Free. (805) 756-2406. music.calpoly.edu/calendar/jazz/. PAC Pavilion, Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo.

PEACE, BEAUTY, HARP Unwind into the weekend with the peace and beauty of the harp in the peace and beauty of SLO’s historic church. Fridays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. through March 20 Free.

(805) 543-7212. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1344 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

PUNK ROCK DRAG SHOW Enjoy band performances by Martirio, Lot in Life, and Bone Maggot, and drag performances

by The Shimmer, Marceline Powerchord, Vicky Jean, Carbon Bard, and Estrella Electrica. March 8, 6 p.m. $15. my805tix.com.

Humdinger Brewing (SLO), 855 Capitolio Way, suite 1, San Luis Obispo, (805) 781-9974.

SLO SYMPHONY PRESENTS CLASSICAL HITS Celebrate the brilliance of musical genius with timeless works from history’s greatest composers, Bach Brandenburg Concerto, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”.

March 7, 7:30 p.m. $12-$92. (805) 543-3533. slosymphony.org/.

Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo. m

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used vinyl, cds, tapes, and stereo equipment WE PAY TOP DOLLAR FOR RECORD COLLECTIONS IN GOOD CONDITION

141 West Dana Street #100, Nipomo

805-619-7145

Hours: Tues-Saturday, 11-6 Sunday, 12-4 • Monday-Closed www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 17

Arts

OPINION

PHOTOS BY PIETER SAAYMAN

STROKES

ARTS BRIEFS County opens free public art workshop series

Showtime!

Submit drawings to Buellton’s community PHOTO COURTESY OF art project KRISTIN NEPERUD MERZ

Into the Forest is the theme meant to inspire local artists as they create work for Buellton’s newest community banner project.

The nonprofit Hearting Arts, led by Kristin Neperud Merz, helps boost art programs in the city. Artists of all ages and experience levels are invited to submit their pieces before April 19 to be considered for one of the banners. Drawings need to be original (no AI) and showcase imagination related to the Into the Forest theme.

Submitted drawings will be converted into digital illustrations and printed on banners that’ll hang on light posts around Buellton.

Driving down main streets in the city, people should see the colorful flags on display starting in July.

They’ll be hung on Avenue of Flags, Highway 246, and Industrial Way, like the Up in the Air themed banners from the nonprofit’s last project, Neperud Merz said in an email to the Sun. To submit artwork, fill out the online form by visiting buellton.art/submit-art. Artists don’t need to live in Buellton to participate.

Grants from the city and the Arts and Culture Committee support this community art project. For more information about the committee and starting new initiatives in the community, email Allison Firey at allison@cityofbuellton.com. m Staff Writer Madison White compiles Arts Briefs. Send information to mwhite@santamariasun.com.

ARTS

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA

In March the county launched Make It: Building a Public Art Practice to help artists of all experience levels plan community-based projects. They’ll receive guidance about all the practical questions that arise when creating public art. The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, an umbrella for creative programs within the county, is offering the program.

The series will be the first of its kind in the region, the county announced in press materials. Public art professionals Susan F. Gray and Pat Gomez will teach the workshops in a hybrid format. Participants can attend eight weeknight sessions and in-person networking events where they’ll learn how to find public art opportunities, manage contracts, make a budget, design proposals, and construct installations.

“We’re excited to work with artists to expand public art production in the region,” the office’s executive director, Sarah York Rubin, said in a statement. “This program is an essential bridge to making that possible.”

Registration is open for the sessions, which start on March 5 and end on May 2. Artists can sign up for the entire series or select individual classes. Those who attend four or more courses are eligible for a public art commission opportunity.

Visit sbac.ca.gov/workshops to register.

ART SCENE

NEWS

LOVER OF YARN: Lisa Long opened the Old Orcutt Yarnery four years ago, selling yarn, needles, pattern books, and all accessories needed for crocheting and knitting.

Hooked Discovery beckons all ages and experience levels to the Old Orcutt Yarnery

BY MADISON WHITE

L

isa Long learned how to knit at a Del Taco 15 years ago. At that point in her life, her routine was a long cycle of working, cooking dinner, studying for her degree, and falling asleep in the early hours of the morning. She needed to reactivate her creative brain.

“I called a friend of mine who knit, and I said, ‘I have got to use the other side of my brain again.

I forgot what it’s like,’” Long told the Sun. “So, she met me at Del Taco with knitting needles and yarn and taught me to knit. I never looked back.”

A crocheter since childhood, Long said she picked up knitting pretty quickly. She describes herself as a lifelong learner, constantly reading books and watching videos about new knitting techniques.

After realizing there was a lack of yarn shops in Santa Barbara County, the knitter researched what it would take to open one. Long’s husband was still working, but she was retired and wanted to occupy her time. She found just the right retail space in Orcutt and moved in four years ago. The Old Orcutt Yarnery was born.

An Orcutt resident since 1988, the owner has built an even stronger community by running her shop. She hosts classes and workshops for all skill levels, but one of the biggest events is the Central Coast Yarn Crawl coming up from March 6 to 8.

It’s the third year of the crawl that leads knitters from Cambria to Simi Valley and everywhere in between searching for passport stamps and raffle prizes. Eight shops will open their doors to the scores of avid craftspeople.

“We’ll have hundreds of people in here that weekend. It’ll be crazy,” Long said.

“Yarn people” love finding new shops everywhere they go. A bundle of yarn, called a skein, is often Long’s travel souvenir. When most knitters go into a new store, they ask for something they can’t get anywhere else. The Old Orcutt Yarnery owner has the perfect answer: custom yarn colors.

Two and a half years into the business, Long expanded the shop by more than double the square footage. The grand reopening came in August 2024, marked by a new line of custom yarn hung on the walls of the extra retail space.

A Canadian-based dyer colors Long’s line by hand. The skeins have names like Lompoc Flower Festival, Space Force, Guadalupe Dunes,

18 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

Join the yarn folks

Stop by the Old Orcutt Yarnery (350 E. Clark Ave.) Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Learn more about classes at oldorcuttyarnery.com or by calling (805) 862-2171. Visit centralcoastyarnshophop.com for details about the upcoming Central Coast Yarn Crawl. See tips and tricks on YouTube or Instagram @oldorcuttyarnery.

It feels good to spend time with people who like the same things, Syslo said, and she rarely has a customer with a negative attitude. For the most part everyone is happy to visit.

Syslo and Long knit a lot of the sample garments hung around the Orcutt Yarnery, and they wear their handmade clothing, too. Samples inspire knitters.

“Buying yarn is a really tactile experience. You want to touch it. You want to feel it. You want to see the colors in person,” Long said.

With a wide variety of yarn, needles, and accessories, there’s a price point for every knitter.

That doesn’t mean a sacrifice for quality though, which is a top priority at Old Orcutt Yarnery.

Good yarn feels soft and easy to work with.

“Junk yarn, you’re fighting it all the time,” Syslo explained.

Learning how to knit is frustrating enough without having to battle the yarn for success.

It’s like committing to a new language. Once a knitter knows how to read patterns, the hardest part is over.

“I always tell people when you learn how to read it and you learn how to fix mistakes, you feel like you have a superpower,” Long said. “You don’t have to be afraid of making mistakes because you know how to fix it.” m

Poppy Field, and Santa Barbara County Fair.

Every yarnery has its own “flavor,” too. Long feels hers is a cozy, homey shop with old furniture and windows lined with stained glass from the house her mother-in-law grew up in. The Old Orcutt Yarnery has a wraparound porch where visitors can sit and work on their projects, weather permitting.

It’s been a relaxing venue for Long’s drop-in woolgathering sessions on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon and Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. There are also stitch and sip events on the first Wednesday Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ of every month from 5 to 7 p.m. Disguised as santamariasun.com. work sessions for the hobbyists, the events are more like social gatherings because Long didn’t open the store for the sole purpose of selling yarn.

“I’ve met so many great people.

So many people from every background, every walk of life, everything,” Long said. “This is a place where, whether we agree on things or not, whether we come from the same background or not, it doesn’t matter. We all love yarn.”

One of the people Long met at the shop is Tracy Syslo, who came in to buy skeins and attend workshops. She’s been knitting PATTERNS COME TO LIFE: Buying yarn is a tactile experience, so Old Orcutt Yarnery owner Lisa Long likes to since she was a kid. Eventually showcase sample garments for customers. She and her staff Syslo started working at the Old make all the displays.

Orcutt Yarnery.

POSITIVE PATRONS: Tracy Syslo (left) bought yarn from the Old Orcutt Yarnery and attended woolgathering workshops. She loved the place so much she started working there.

www.santamariasun.com • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • Sun • 19

Film

SUN SCREEN

Bloody hell

beginning of the film, we’re meant to think her husband is the revered seaman, but we soon learn that her quiet island life hides irector Frank E. Flowers (Haven) cowrote many secrets of her past as a captain. Urban with Joe Ballarini (A Babysitter’s Guide as Connor is appropriately menacing and to Monster Hunting) this swashbuckling rugged—a man on a mission, ready to sacrifice tale about former female pirate Ercell Bodden his own band of merry men to find Bloody (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) now living a quiet Mary. His drive is clearly not all about the gold; and peaceful life on Cayman Brac with her disabled son, Isaac (Vedanten Naidoo), and her he’s enamored with the child (now woman) that he once groomed. It’s a tale of a mother’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth (Safia Oakley-Green), love, and about a fierce pirate pushed out of who knows nothing of Ercell’s past. All three hiding whose killer instincts still simmer just await the return of her captain husband, T.H. below the surface. She’s protecting her teenage (Ismael Cruz Cordova), whose ship is overdue. sister-in-law, who dreams of a life (103 min.) off the island, and her disabled THE BLUFF son who relies on a wheelchair Glen: This is a classic “past comes What’s it rated? R and leg braces for mobility. They back to haunt you” tale. As it opens, What’s it worth, Anna? wind up being a part of her final T.H.’s ship is being overtaken and Matinee plot to end Capt. Connor. then boarded by pirate Capt. Connor What’s it worth, Glen?

Glen: If you’re expecting tongue(Karl Urban) and his crew of suitably Streaming in-cheek pirate fare like Cutthroat bloodthirsty buccaneers. When he Where’s it showing?

Island (1995) or Pirates of the discovers T.H. has a gold bar from a Amazon Prime Caribbean: The Curse of the Black stash that was stolen from him long Pearl (2003), this ain’t it. The Bluff ago, he knows he’s finally found a is dark and gritty, and characters you care way to avenge the theft and recover his gold by about will die. Like Crank (2006), The Raid: finding the notorious pirate Bloody Mary (now Redemption (2011), and John Wick (2014), Ercell), who we learn he kidnapped as a teen, once the violence ball starts rolling, it doesn’t forcing her into the pirate’s life. That’s the setup stop until the end. I already knew Urban was a for a protracted action-packed rolling battle as credible action star, but I was surprised at how Connor lands on Cayman Brac and sets about fierce Chopra Jonas came off. But look, this is wreaking havoc. It’s very violent but not too gory—only one thrown severed head. not a great film. It’s competently put together Anna: Rolling it is; be prepared for a lot of with a good cast and good acting, including swashbuckling in this one. Ercell is a badass, the always welcome Temuera Morrison as the and a fiercely protective one at that. At the pirate Quartermaster Lee. But as a straight-

COURTESY PHOTO BY PAUL ABELL/AMAZON PRIME

D

BLOODY MARY: When her past comes back to haunt her, Ercell (Priyank Chopra Jonas) faces off against her old pirate partner, in The Bluff, streaming on Amazon Prime.

to-streaming action flick, it’s solid, and the cinematography by Greg Baldi, as well as the Australian and Cayman Islands locations, is beautiful.

Anna: It isn’t the kind of film I’d choose to watch, but it holds its own enough, and Chopra Jonas was the strong female lead the film needed. Personally, I get pretty bored when fighting seems to be the main drive of

a film, and while The Bluff suffers from that a bit, it does at least give us some people to root for. Watch this when you’re looking for an action-packed flick that doesn’t have very high stakes. m New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen.

Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST

What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2026 Where’s it showing? Netflix Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), and Robyn (Sinéad Keenan) are childhood friends that have—as many do—grown up and grown apart. All in Belfast, the three hear of the tragic death of their fourth childhood friend, Greta (Natasha O’Keefe), who mysteriously fell down the stairs and died at 38.

When they head to her tiny town to attend the wake, it soon becomes clear that there’s more to the story than meets the eye—especially when Saoirse’s curiosity gets the best of her and she realizes that the woman in the coffin is not Greta. The woman in the coffin is missing the friends’ matching Gaelic tattoo on her wrist.

So, who’s in the box and what really happened to Greta? Buckle up and put on your listening ears because these actresses are full-blown Irish as is everyone around them, and their quick banter likely means you’ll be glued to the subtitles like I was.

This romp through the countryside, through mysteries, through fake death after fake death, unveils a secret cult, a web of false identities, and more shady characters than one ever hopes to run into. The real magic is the leads, who ping off each other with vigor. I

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEACOCK

THE COPENHAGEN TEST

WHO’S IN THE BOX? Three childhood friends—(left to right) Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), and Robyn (Sinéad Keenan)—must sort out a mystery, in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, streaming on Netflix.

absolutely loved this! (eight 47- to 56-min. episodes) —Anna

What’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Peacock Created by Thomas Brandon (Legacies), this sci-fi spy thriller follows former U.S. Special Forces soldier turned analyst Alexander Hale (Simu Liu), who works for clandestine organization The Orphanage that oversees the rest of the intelligence community. He’s in a budding relationship with hot bartender Michelle (Melissa Barrera), but he’s grown tired of his office work, so he puts in for a field position and gets it. What he doesn’t know is that his brain’s been hacked by a nanite technology that transmits everything he sees and hears.

A fantastic premise with a lot of potential, this might have been great as a two-hour movie, but in between the effective action sequences, the series can feel plodding.

Too many characters, too many storylines, and this potentially taut little thriller is a sprawling behemoth that moves back and forth in time, including to the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall.

Eventually, Hale discovers the hack and informs his superiors, who decide to use the knowledge to draw out the hacker, but in the spy world, Hale doesn’t know who to trust. He’s a pawn,

SPY GAME: Alexander (Simu Liu), a secret spy, meets Michelle (Melissa Barrera), a bartender, and strikes up a relationship, but are either who they say they are? To find out, watch The Copenhagen Test, streaming on Peacock.

and the way to control his outcome is to stop following orders. (eight 47- to 56-min. episodes). m —Glen

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Eats

COFFEE PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELIZABETH HUDSON

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Coffee or matcha?

Fika Coffee Company is available to book for private events. Find the coffee cart at the farmers markets in Lompoc on Sundays starting at 10 a.m. and in Buellton on Mondays starting at 2 p.m. Email fikacoffeecentralcoast@gmail.com with inquiries and follow on Instagram @fikacoffeecart_.

HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS: Jordan and Elizabeth Hudson started their business, Fika Coffee Company, last year.

The name is an homage to Elizabeth’s Swedish heritage.

Casual traditions A husband-and-wife duo bring Swedish heritage to Lompoc with coffee and pastries

BY MADISON WHITE

E

lizabeth Hudson quit her day job last year to follow a longtime dream of running a coffee business. Her husband was 100 percent in.

“We retired the 9-to-5 and started a 24/7 instead,” Hudson said with a laugh.

“It’s been a blessing. It’s been my dream job.”

The Lompoc couple founded Fika Coffee Company, a small cart equipped with an espresso machine and a pastry case. By May 2025 the coffee cart was fully built, and they were ready to start selling. Though Fika hasn’t yet celebrated its first birthday yet, the Hudsons are already working on expanding business with a small coffee truck.

With a couple of years’ worth of experience as a barista, Hudson knew the job well. Her idea of a coffee cart came from watching a TikTok video, but her husband Jordan’s encouragement led Hudson to seriously pursue it. Before they realized it, the hobby became the couple’s full-time job.

Hudson grew up in Sweden, where her family is from, and lived there for almost a decade. She brought Jordan to the country on a business trip last year to teach him more about the culture and Swedish flavors. The heritage is still alive with Hudson, which she and Jordan incorporated into Fika.

“I wanted to do the cart, but I also wanted to bring my culture because Sweden is very big on relaxing and enjoying your time,” Hudson said. “Fika in Swedish means a coffee and pastry break.”

The husband and wife share their love for caffeine and sweet treats with community members at the Route One Farmers Market on Sundays in Lompoc. When the Buellton market

begins on March 16, Fika will be there as well. Students at Cabrillo High School can also get a taste on Wednesdays from 8 to 10 a.m.

At the Fika cart, customers will see a menu of Swedish-inspired coffee drinks and pastries. The Hudsons make syrups like caramel, maple, and vanilla cardamom. Changing seasonally, the current menu for spring offers a lavender white mocha with salted honey whip, a blueberry matcha, and a salted honey whip chai. One of their most popular staples is the vanilla cardamom latte.

In their commercial kitchen, Hudson makes coffee syrups and bakes pastries. Most of the baked goods have Scandinavian roots, like her cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron buns.

However, there are plenty more Scandinavian treats (like ones with whipped cream) that Hudson can’t make because of refrigeration limits.

That’s where the idea for a coffee truck comes in.

Not long after the Hudsons launched the Fika cart, they began thinking about retrofitting a bus. Not only will the coffee truck allow them to carry more milk options and perishable desserts, but it’ll be a much easier setup process.

Upon arrival, it takes more than an hour to set up or break down the coffee cart. It’s the most frustrating part of the job. They use her car, her husband’s truck, and a trailer to bring all the ingredients and supplies to their destination.

“It’s kind of a three-car business,” she said.

The bus will eliminate that struggle.

It’s small enough to fit inside a parking spot but big enough to provide more options than the coffee cart. Hopefully it’ll be operational by April, Hudson

22 • Sun • March 5 - March 12, 2026 • www.santamariasun.com

BOTTLE IT UP: For Valentine’s Day, Elizabeth and Jordan Hudson delivered bottled iced drinks to customers. It’s a solution for when they can’t make it to an event but still want to share their coffee and matcha.

said. Just like he built the cart, Jordan’s taking on the role of finishing the plumbing, electrical, and flooring inside the bus.

“It’s kind of shocking actually,” Hudson said. “I don’t know how he knows how to do this, but he’s great at it.”

While they’ll keep using the cart to cater small, private events, the business owners want to find a permanent location for the bus and stay open five days a week.

“We’re trying to really focus on the bus because we can pump out a lot more drinks, a lot more products,” Hudson said. “With the cart we’re very limited on space.”

In the coming year, the baker wants to continue growing Fika and sharing her Swedish culture with the community. For her, working the coffee cart is “true bliss.” m Staff Writer Madison White doesn’t cope well without a morning latte. Reach her at mwhite@santamariasun.com.

LICK THE LID CLEAN: Fika Coffee Company is known for its espresso concoctions, many of which are finishied with a creamy ”soft top.”

WHIP ON TOP: The menu at Fika Coffee Company changes seasonally but always includes staple flavors like vanilla cardamom, mocha, and caramel.

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You can enjoy Savin In 2020, shortly before a’s acros s the Savina’s passing, Central Coast, from Ventura to Santa Maria her daugh ter Milca and son-in -law to San Miguel on scheduled routes (delive Cristobal received her ry blessing to continue only). Make sure to order at least the busine ss. Today one day in , they lead the brand advance by calling (805) 631-14 with the same passio 69 or online n and purpose Savina at savina shomemadet amale s.com embodied. Milca remem . Every bers her mother’s tamale is wrapped with care dream vividly : to one and delivered day open a tamale to your shop, becom e the doors tep, wheth er face of tamal es, and for specia l events , small gathe be famou s just like rings, or a cozy night her favori te actres s, in. “Every bite people Sarita Garcia . “Right take is a celebration,” before she passe d, said she saw her name and Milca. “It’s my mothe r’s dream and my logo and couldn’t devotion, wrapped in believe it,” Milca said. corn husk and filled “Durin conversation with Cristo g a late-night with love.” bal, he promised my mom that her name The magic’s in the masa, and face would be which Milca is on every tamale people excited to bring to life would eat.” in a physical location Milca , now one of 11 childr en left, soon. Look for Savina’s Homemade Tamale shared tender memo ries that shape d her Shop in Santa Maria , Califo rnia, which connection to the family ’s food. “I remember Milca said is “a dream come true, where walkin g the street s with my mom and custom ers can come and enjoy a family siblings, marking corner s with chalk arrows tradition.” so we wouldn’t get lost. We followed her In Loving Memory, Savina like little ducklings to Salazar Lopez nearby grocer y stores October 27, 1932 – Februa ‘Lucky ’s’ and ‘William’s ry 14, 2020 Bros’, “Your hands may have gentleman saved us leftove where a kind rested, but your r produce for my legacy lives on in every mom to make dinner ”. It was these humbl tamale shared e around a family table.”

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Family owned and operated Call Jimmy, Billy Melena or Victor Sedillos

General Pest Service Only. Gophers & Rodents Excluded.

One Year Term Minimum. Homes up to 1,000 sq. ft.

PE

ENER OP L E •

GY • P L

AN E T

(805) 922-3774 • CSLB# 391670 • SINCE 1975

Margie Halsell, Owner 4620 & 4630 Song Lane magnoliaprimrose.com

Free Gopher & Rodent Estimates Same Day Service M-F

Look for the ANT on the Door

805-925-8711 • 734-4355

www.oconnorcentralcoast.com

Shop Local reserve your space today

MELBY’S Sun’s Best of Winner, JEWELERS

13 years!

Sun’s Best of Winner, 16 years!

1140 E. Clark Avenue · Suite 190 Santa Maria, 93455 1140 E. Clark Ave•CA Suite 190 (805) 925-1678 Santa Maria, CA 93455 (805)Store 925-1678 Our Hours Tues Fri: 9:30-5:30 Our -Store Hours Saturday: 10-3 Tues - Sat: 10:00-3:00 www.melbys.com

805.937.6200 JCMELENA@VERIZON.NET LIC. NO#937929

805.347.1968 www.santamariasun.com

Mention this ad for a Military discount