Santa Ynez Valley Star • November 7, 2025

Halloween in SYV — Haunts, scarecrows, and flash mobs, oh my!

Spooky season take all kinds of forms all around the Valley

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

Residents and visitors to the Santa Ynez Valley took advantage of Halloween to roam the area in their scariest, funniest, and wackiest (or some combination of the three) costumes — or in their regular clothes — to partake in “spooky season” events held in the area.

Chief among those events was the 31st Annual Haunted House and Street Fair in Solvang. For the second straight year, the city’s Parks and Recreation created a scary setup at the Solvang Festival Theater for the weekend of October 24 and 25.

Reception for the Haunted House was unprecedented as the attraction drew record numbers, with 1,137 people showing up on Friday, and 1,634 on Saturday, when the line to get in went all the way up 2nd Street and around the corner along Copenhagen Drive.

“This has been great,” said Candice Libera of Solvang Parks and Rec, who was managing the entrance at the

theater. “We had almost 1,200 last night and are expecting more. And everybody’s enjoying the fair we have out here.”

Yes, the Street Fair. As folks were waiting in line at the theater others were roaming about, many in costumes to check out the street vendors and also

grab a bite to eat at the Whiskey and Rye food truck. In addition to delicious dishes, the owners also had a widescreen TV so nobody missed Game 2

TBy Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

he Buellton Planning Commission and the Buellton City Council had a rare joint meeting on Thursday, discussing the city’s General Plan 2050 update.

The council members and commissioners, minus Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, who was absent, met with consultants Jean E. Ward and Adam Pisarkiewicz of Civic Solutions, as well as Aaron Pfannenstiel from Atlas Planning Solutions. Each consultant discussed a separate subject with the combined panel.

Ward described the General Plan as “a roadmap or a blueprint for future growth and development in the city.”

She went on to explain the plan needed an update becuase some of its elements were done as long as 20 years ago, and needs to update to keep up with changing needs and conditions of the city. She also said it must address state requirements.

Required elements or topics to be discussed on the document include: Safety, Housing, Conservation, Land Use, Open Space, Mobility, Noise. Subjects discussed on Oct. 30 included Resources and Conservation (led by Pisarkiewicz) and Noise and Safety (led by Pfannenstiel). The meeting followed a format of the consultant introducing the subject, with the Planning Commission, and then City Council asking questions about the topic.

Pisarkiewicz began his presentation in resource conservation by bringing up two topics he considered

as very important in the Santa Ynez Valley. Air and water quality were brought up first as he pointed out wildfire smoke was the biggest threat to the area. That could greatly affect the air quality as well as water. He asked the Buellton officials what they could focus on.

Planning Vice Chair Marcilo Sarquilla asked if the city was looking at moving some water through town like he pointed out San Luis Obispo does, and Planning Director Andrea Keefer said that staff was working on it. Planning Chair Shannon Reese followed up on that by asking about the paths along the rivers.

“At our prior meeting, we talked about scenic and biological resources; pedestrian connections and trials,” she said. “I’d like to explore some standards how trails

should look by waterways.” Keefer answered by saying staff had talked to SBCAG about getting some preliminary designs looked at.

Reese then pointed out the wildfire smoke was a problem in many communities and asked how those cities were able to combat it. Pisarkiewicz said there were some filtration systems that were utilized, but said policies in the safety topic would entertwine with that and help them figure out how to combat.

After Pfannenstiel elaborated on wildfire smoke and how it must be dealt with, City Councilmembers John Sanchez seemed to push back on the idea that wildfire smoke required radical action.

of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays.

However, the big attraction to the Fair, other than the Haunted House, was a flash mob of locals performing the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance. The group gathered at approximately 6:30 in zombie makeup to do the dance to the classic tune from the King of Pop.

Maria Henning of Santa Barbara was one of the volunteers who took part in the performance.

“I answered an email asking for dancers, and I thought it would be fun,” she said. “We rehearsed for two weeks at the Maverick Saloon, and I think we pulled it off OK.”

An old aquaintance of Henning’s, Kylie Tigard of Solvang, also participated in the flash mob.

“Maria and I went to school together over 40 years ago at Santa Ynez High,” Tigard said. “We’re still out doing crazy stuff.”

Caroline Howe of Solvang was one of leaders of the mob, helping out Vanessa Robertson, a line-dance instructor at the Maverick, who organizes the event every Halloween.

“I’m just here helping out Vanessa,” Howe said after the early Saturday performance. “She teaches the line dancing at the Maverick, and we’ve been getting the ‘Thriller’ flash mob together for the last five years. We

SOLVANG

Estimated 600 Santa Ynez Valley residents demonstrate as part of nationwide No Kings Rally

Approximately 600 people of all ages gathered peacefully on the sidewalks in Solvang on Saturday, Oct.18, for the No Kings Rally, organized by Indivisible SYV as a follow-up to the successful Oct. 14 No Kings Day. The diverse crowd of families, students, seniors, and veterans exercised their First Amendment rights to voice concerns about government practices they believe threaten constitutional freedoms and democratic principles.

“This is what democracy looks like,” rally organizers declared as participants filled the sidewalks with handmade signs and unified voices calling for protection of civil rights, the rule of law, and constitutional values. Signs bearing messages such as “Love our America. Love our Constitution” and “Stand up, fight back, stand up for your rights” reflected the crowd’s determination to engage civically. The peaceful demonstration drew enthusiastic support from passing motorists, who responded with honking horns and cheers.

The Santa Ynez Valley event was part of a nationwide movement, with an estimated 7 million Americans participating in similar gatherings across the country — the largest single-day protest in American history.

Participants represented a cross-section of the community and shared their motivations for attending:

“You have to have the courage to do what is right,” said one attendee, while another emphasized, “I want our democracy to survive.”

A local resident whose grandparents immigrated to the United States expressed solidarity with immigrant communities: “I was born here, but my grandparents came looking for a better life. They worked hard their whole lives and contributed to their community, and they, and others like them, deserve the right to do so.” Her sentiment was echoed in signs throughout the crowd reading “No human is illegal” and “There is room for everyone.”

Other participants stressed the importance of civic engagement and constitutional protections. “If you are not willing to stand up for your rights, you have no right to complain,” one person stated, while another added, “You can’t be silent. If you are, you are saying what is happening is OK.” Many carried signs proclaiming “No due process-no rights, no freedom. Justice for ALL” and invoking the principle that “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.”

Among the youngest participants, a six-

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year-old proudly displayed his hand-painted sign reading “Love your neighbors” and “We don’t like bullies,” embodying the message that “Hate has no home here.”

When asked about their hopes for the protests, attendees expressed optimism about creating positive change:

“I hope people will know it is OK to have an opinion and express it without fear,” one participant shared.

“I hope people will see we have solidarity here in the Valley,” said another, while a parent added, “I want my children to see we won’t let them destroy the progress we have made.”

Salute to the Veterans event set for Nov. 8

On Saturday, Nov. 8, the Santa Barbara County Veterans Foundation will hold its fifth annual Salute to the Veterans event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Solvang Park in the middle of downtown Solvang. Admission and parking are free and the event is open to all ages.

The event, which benefits local programs for veterans, will include the following: Live music from Out of the Blue, a military vehicle display, airplane flyover, a live performance of the national anthem, a Pin-Up Contest (go to   https://www.santabarbaracountyveteransfoundation.org/pin-up-contest/ to signup), vendor booths featuring local veterans programs, raffle prizes, and more. Food, beer, and wine will also be available.

For more info on the Salute to the Vets, go to santabarbaracountyveteransfoundation. org.

VFW Post 7139 to host annual Veterans Day Program

The VFW Post 7139 will host its annual Veterans Day Program at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall. VFW Post 7139 will honor and salute all American veterans who throughout our history have unselfishly placed their lives on the line for our freedom and way of life. Veterans Day started as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1918, when fighting ceased in World War I. This Solvang event includes an American Legion Flag posting in front of the Hall, national anthem, and songs by the SYV Chorale and SYV Wind Ensemble, and Vandenberg Space Force Base and local veteran speakers. A free luncheon will follow the program in the American Legion Wing served by Pam Gnekow’s SYV Outreach Foundation and the Daughters of the American Revolution. We invite all veterans, their families and caring citizens to attend. We also welcome veterans from allied countries who fought beside our servicemen and servicewomen.

LOMPOC

Sheriff’s detectives conducting search for missing, at-risk 9-year-old girl

Sheriff’s detectives are sharing an update on their investigation into missing at-risk 9-yearold, Melodee Buzzard. On Thursday, October 30, 2025, Sheriff’s detectives along with the FBI served follow-up search warrants at the home of Ashlee and Melodee Buzzard in the 500 block of Mars Avenue, as well as a storage locker and the rental car that Melodee was last seen in.

In anticipation of the need for access to the residence during the search for an extended time, detectives escorted Ashlee, Melodee’s mother, to an alternate location that would not interfere with their ability to conduct a thorough search. This case remains a missing person investigation. There have been no arrests made in this case at press time.

“We appreciate the FBI’s assistance in today’s searches” said Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Gotschall from the Criminal Investigation Division. He added, “ In cases like this, every detail matters and it is invaluable to have additional resources and specialized expertise. Collaboration with our federal partners allows us to ensure we’re using every available tool to help bring resolution to this case.”

The investigation began on Oct. 14, when a school administrator reported Melodee’s extended absence. Deputies responded to her residence in the 500 block of Mars Avenue in Lompoc, where they contacted Ashlee Buzzard. Melodee was not at the home, and no verifiable explanation for her whereabouts was provided.

Through their ongoing investigation, detectives have narrowed the critical timeline to between Oct. 7 and Oct. 10. Investigators have confirmed that Ashlee was seen returning to her Lompoc residence on Oct. 10, driving the same rental vehicle she departed with on Oct. 7 — but Melodee was not in the car. Investigators understand that this three-day road trip went from Lompoc to the Nebraska area, with the return trip including the state of Kansas. Detectives are now focused on determining where Melodee was during those three days and where she may be now.

Detectives are asking anyone who has seen Melodee or has information about her whereabouts to contact the Sheriff’s Office through one of the following methods:

• Detectives Line: (805) 681-4150

• Anonymous Tip Line: (805) 681-4171

• Online Tips: SBSheriff.org

Melodee Buzzard is described as a 9-yearold female, approximately 4 feet 6 inches tall, 60 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. This is a developing story, for more updates check santaynezvalleystar.com

BUELLTON

Jonata Middle School earns spot in 2025 national honor roll

Jonata Middle School was recently recognized as a 2025 Educational Results Partnership (ERP) Honor Roll School for our high academic achievement and student success.

The ERP Honor Roll program, sponsored by the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE), is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and districts that are improving student outcomes and preparing students with the skills employers value and demand. This recognition went to 19 schools in Santa Barbara County. Jonata Middle School is one of 1,834 public schools in California to earn this recognition.

The ERP Honor Roll utilizes public school student achievement data from the past three years of CAASPP results to identify successful schools and districts. Jonata Middle School stands out because they have demonstrated ability to help students reach grade-level achievement and beyond.

Schools that receive the ERP Honor Roll distinction demonstrate:

• Consistently high levels of student academic achievement

• Improvement in achievement levels over time

• Reduction in achievement gaps among student populations

• Additional details about the ERP Honor Roll:

• It is the only award given in collaboration with state and local business leaders.

• It establishes a high bar of performance using statewide student assessment data. It is conducted by Educational Results Partnership, a nonprofit organization that maintains the nation’s largest database on student achievement.

Because of this accomplishment, Jonata Middle School will be featured on the ERP Honor Roll

website at www.edresults.org. (page 63 of the “Honor Roll” document). Buellton Union School District is deeply thankful for the hard work of its students, staff, and families.

Solvang to look into building a new site for City Hall STAR NEWS

City manager cites need for more space, wants to see what options city has for new facility

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The City of Solvang may be looking for a site to place a new City Hall.

At the regular City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 27, City Manager Randy Murphy brought a discussion item asking for direction to find a way to fund a new building to serve as Solvang’s City Hall

In his staff report, Murphy noted the plaque on the front of the building said the current Solvang Municipal Center (aka City Hall) was completed in 1969.

“As is often the case with public buildings, city staff outgrew the available space, and the nearby Masonic Lodge (constructed in 1957) was acquired,” Murphy said. “Only minimal modifications were made to the building prior to commencement of City operations in 2001/02 when Parks & Recreation, Community Development (Planning/ Building), and Public Works were moved across the street into ‘The Annex’. This arrangement continues to this day, which, unfortunately, contributes to multiple inefficiencies between/among staff and the public.”

Murphy continued to list inad-

equacies of the building on 1644 Oak St., which the city administration with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Moreover, he was making his case on a night the video system malfunctioned, leaving colorful test patterns on the two video screens above the council dais.

“Building is older and it suffers from a serious lack of technology, as evidenced tonight,” Murphy said, gesturing up to the screens. “An evaluation shows we need about twice of what we have. We need a new City Hall sooner rather than later.”

Murphy said staff has evaluated options to moving into existing building, but nothing could be found that was feasible. He supplied council with a primary building design for a proposed new building that could be built on the lot across the street. An evaluation determined that a new City Hall would cost between $8.7 million and $10.3 million, and that price tag would increase 5% or more each year.

“It’s not an inexpensive proposition, but it could included in a bond offering or other opportunities, like grants,” he said.

Murphy cited other community benefits, such as the Fire Department taking over the space in the building that would be abandoned by the city, and the Solvang Library moving to The Annex when the city leaves that facility. Murphy

said both the Fire Department and the library were open to those scenarios.

“I’m just hoping to get direction from council whether or not this is worth pursuing,” Murphy concluded.

At first reaction, councilmembers seemed pleased with the idea.

“I’m interested about bartering with library,” Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Orona said. “Everybody needs more space; I would like to go forward.”

Mayor David Brown wondered if Murphy’s floor design really does take care of the “inefficiencies,” of the current setup, questioned the need for an exercise gym that was

on there, but Murphy reminded council that the plan was a primary draft he drew himself and could be modified — and said he envisioned the room as a potential child-care area.

That seemed to appease Brown, but Councilmember Elizabeth Orona warned about the financial consequences of such a project.

“I feel we have huge costs coming at us already,” she said. “To put unavoidable expenses on the backs of our residents and businesses, we better be really diligent.”

Elizabeth Orona asked further about the possibility of moving into an existing building and whether it would be cheaper to retrofit a cur-

rent building. She also brought up the possibility of moving into the former Rite-Aid space at the Valley Fresh Market shopping center. Murphy said a new building would actually be cheaper than a retrofit, which was confirmed by Planning Director Rafael Castillo, who also noted that the Rite-Aid space is not set up for the demands of a City Hall-type office and Murphy added that space doesn’t have enough square footage.

At the end, council instructed Murphy to pursue the matter, and he said he would have something in the next three to six months.

The City Council will next meet on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

always seem to draw some people, so it should be going next year, and however many years after.”

A few days after the Haunted House closed up shop for another year, Solvang Parks and Rec took to Facebook to thank everyone: “THANK YOU for making the 31st Annual Haunted House & Street Fair a TREAT! We had a record-breaking weekend!”

The department credited Fred Lageman for being the “creative genius behind the theme & design,” Jalen, Jenny, Elisa, Candice, Terri and Wendy, for the  décor at the front of house;

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and the Parks & Maintenance crew for setup, cleanup and road closures.

The department also gave credit to volunteers like Vivi and Ken Zigler, Anne and Val Nicholas, Kasi Maguire, Ryan Metzger, Athena McCandlish, Terri Harmon, Claudia Orona (for makeup), Chantel Green of the Solvang Festival Theater, Kevin McConnell (music and sound), the guides “walking five miles a night” and monsters and the street fair vendors for adding to the fun! The department added that funds raised at the event go back into community programs — keeping them affordable for all.

Solvang wasn’t the only community hosting a Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 24 — the Santa Ynez Cham-

“As far as the concern about wildfire smoke; it’s something that will happen,” he said. “ We have the requirement to have smoke monitors. I don’t understand making us put in a new system. I don’t see the point.” Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe answered by saying the future policy would mean encouraging new developers to put in filtration systems, rather than replace exisiting homes’ systems.

Mayor David Silva believed protecting your home from fire was the way to go.

“Requiring defensible space is appropriate for a plan,” he said.

ber of Commerce was holding its own Halloween celebration on Sagunto Street.

While there was no haunted house, there was a street busy with activity as attendees and the still-open businesses on the street greeted trick-ortreaters, took part in a costume contest, and some families sat on hay bales in a viewing area to watch the Disney Pixar movie “Coco” on a big-screen TV.

Linda Small, executive director of the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce, said the organization started this event up again as sort of a trial run after the event was interrupted.

“We had this going for a number of years, with bounce houses, petting zoos, a lot of things,” Small said. “Then the

pandemic hit and we had to discontinue it. This is our first attempt after the pandemic and we thought a movie, the businesses with the trick-or-treating, the restaurants being open, would draw some people.

“We’re just testing it out now, and we know there are a lot of other things going on tonight. We’ll see how this goes and if we have it again next year, and maybe make it bigger.”

Among the attendees were the Arias family from Lompoc — Ozzie, Melissa, and their toddler daughter Kaia — who were the winners in the family category of the costume contest. Ozzie wore an inflatable dinosaur on his lower half, making it look like he was riding on top of it, while little Kaia wore a dinosaur

“The more we acknowledge wildfire, we can look into landscaping with plants that help with fire mitigation.”

The discussion then went to noise and safety, with Pfaffenstiel leading the dicussion; first he asked the panel what the biggest source of excessive noise was in Buellton.

Sarquilla said the big one was Highway 246, with cars going too fast and making noise while they were moving. “The only benefit is it helps the air flow.”

Commissioner Daniel Contreras pointed to noise standards on construction that aren’t being followed, while fellow Commissioner Brian Campbell cited the increased launches from nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base as a problem. On the City Council

onesie and Melissa went with a more understated dinosaur decoration.

“We heard about this and thought it would be fun; it’s our daughter’s first year that she’s aware of Halloween, so we thought we’d come out here because it’s a little more low-key,” Ozzie said.

Across the Valley, people had a few more days to vote in the Scarecrow Fest, as businesses’ themed scarecrow display were up for judging, as onlookers were invited to vote for their favorites.

According to the Scarecrow Fest website (syvscarecrows.com), 52 displays were put up all over the Valley, up from 46 in last year’s contest. A list of winners, as well as the winner of the Harvest Award for the most popular will be shown in a future issue.

side, Councilmember Carla Mead said complaints in her District 4 included tractor-trailer trucks driving by apartment complexes on McMurray Road. Silva said landscapers and trash trucks that come by at 7 a.m.

Councilmember Hudson Hornick said that there were instances of noise, but creative ways to combat the noise, like his proposal to add a number of trees in the city to block the noise, and working with Caltrans to narrow 246. “Careful planning is necessary for 246,” he said.

At the end of the meeting, Ward said they would take the info collected and add it to the input they gave in the last meeting. Eventually, she said, they would have a draft plan sometime next year.

SPORTS Pirates football drops regular-season finale, but earns home playoff matchup

Santa Ynez falls to Sunset League rival Righetti 34-24 on Halloween night, will face Dos Palos on Nov. 7 at Rio Memorial Field

By Mike Chaldu michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The bad news on Halloween night for the Santa Ynez High football team was their defeat to Righetti in the regular-season finale, as the Pirates, despite getting off to an early lead, saw the visiting Warriors make big plays leading into halftime and into the second half to post a 34-24 win at Rio Memorial Field.

With the defeat, their second straight to close the Sunset League slate, the Pirates finished at 2-2 in the league, and 6-4 overall. SYHS had lost at San Luis Obispo the previous week by a 28-23 score. Righetti and SLO both finished 3-1 to share the league title. Despite the setback, SYHS got some good news the next day, Nov. 1, with the release of the CIF Central Section playoff seedings. With a No. 6 seed in Division IV, the Pirates will be at home for their first-round matchup against 11th-seeded Dos Palos. The Broncos also finished with a 6-4 overall record and were second place in the West Sierra League with a 4-1 mark. The winner of that game will travel to Fresno to face No. 3 seed McLane, the North Yosemite League champ with a 10-0 overall record, on Nov. 14.

The game against Righetti was a chance for Santa Ynez to capture at least a share of the Sunset League title, and to begin with, things looked good for the Pirates.

SYHS scored on their first drive, culminating in an 8-yard scoring pass from Jude Pritchard to Austin Willis and the Pirates led 6-0 after a missed extra point. In the second quarter, Diego Pulido added a 21-yard field goal for a nine-point lead, and after Righetti got on the scoreboard with a 5-yard TD run by Michael Mendez, Pulido kicked a career best 44-yard field goal — just three yards off the school record for a 12-7 Pirates lead.

It looked like that score would hold up by halftime, but Righetti was able to get into SYHS territory in the final seconds of the second quarter, and then Warriors quarterback Nick Matautia hit received Thomas Harris with a 38-yard touchdown run as the half ended to give Righetti a 14-12 lead at intermission.

In the second half, Righetti blocked an SYHS punt, and Julian Santos returned that for a touchdown, and Mendez rushed for another to give Righetti a 27-12 lead. After Pulido caught a 3-yard TD from Pritchard to close the gap, Mendez rushed for his third touchdown of the night, and the Pirates’ Greyson Foy closed the scoring with a 1-yard TD run with 3:38 left in the game.

Pirates head coach Josh McClurg blamed the loss on the inability to contain the Righetti offense, which came up with plays at crucial moments.

“We can’t give up big plays,” he said. “No matter where it’s at, the big plays are going to kill us. We can’t do that.”

McClurg also pointed to his team’s composure: “We have to be able to have composure in adversity, and not point fingers. We’ve struggled with that this year; when things are going good, we’ve been good, but when they go bad, we struggle with composure.”

SYHS was riding high on Oct. 17 with a 51-0 shutout at Pioneer Valley that had them at 2-0 in league and 6-2 overall. In that game, Austin Willis returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, the third time Willis had taken a kickoff back all the way this season, and the third time the Pirates have done so on the opening kick. The Pirates also scored touchdowns on the ground (three times), by pass (one), and also with interception return (Pulido) and fumble return (Ayden Finley).

The next week, Nov. 24, the Pirates lost a tough game at San Luis Obispo 28-23 for their first league loss. Like in the Righetti game, SYHS had a lead late into the second quarter until the Tigers scored with about a minute left to take a 14-10 lead at halftime. The Pirates were able to regain the lead at 17-14 as Pritchard threw a 12-yard TD pass to Jaxson Glover, and after getting the ball back, hoped to add to it, but SLO returned a Pritchard interception 35 yards for a score to give the Tigers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Kickoff for Friday’s playoff game against Dos Palos will be 7 p.m. at Rio Memorial Field.

Pirates girls water polo prepares for playoffs

The Santa Ynez defeated Cabrillo 11-3 to finish their play in the Sunset League finals on Oct. 29, and then faced Exeter on Wednesday, Nov. 5, in a CIF Central Section Division III first-round playoff contest. The results were not available at press time.

In the win over Cabrillo, Angelina Lefemine led the way with four goals and four assists, while Adriana Bilac and Elena Sleiman had two goals apiece. Goalkeeper Rylan Agin had 13 blocks to turn back the Cabrillo attack. The previous day, the Pirates lost 10-6 to Paso Robles in their first game of the tournament, with Bilac scoring twice and getting four steals, Eleanor Murphy with two goals of her own, and Agin with 15 blocks in goal.

The Pirates stood at 12-10 with a 3-3 league record for the regular season.

Pirates girls tennis eliminated in second round of CIF playoffs

The SYHS girls tennis team, the defending CIF Central Section Division II champions, fell short of a second straight title, suffering a 6-2 defeat to Reedley on Thursday, Oct. 30. The Pirates were swept in singles play, with the doubles teams of Keegan Withrow and Haley Towns (8-6) and Danielle Hyland and Claire Tipich (8-3) earning the only two points for SYHS.

SYHS won its first-round playoff match 5-4 over Templeton on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Danielle Hyland won the deciding match at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-3, in a hard-fought battle. No. 1 Keegan Withrow (6-1, 6-4) and No. 5 Clea Malkmus (6-3, 6-3) also won in singles, while doubles duos Withrow and Townes (8-1), and Tipich and Ainsley Haws (8-6) picked up points in doubles.

TBy Mike Chaldu

he Santa Ynez High School Drama Department, led by drama teacher Amy Curti, has had the custom of using its fall production to perform a classic play based on a novel, such as last year’s “Little Women.” This year, Curti had decided to mark the 250th birth-

day of the esteemed English author Jane Austen by putting on a dramatization of Austen’s classic novel “Emma.”

“Because it was Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, it felt appropriate to do this play,” said Curti, who is in her second year as the drama teacher at SYHS. “I know St. Joseph is doing ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and other high schools are doing Austen plays because of the milestone.”

Curti, the student cast members, and volunteer stagehands are currently hard at work on the production, which will culminate in performances on four straight days from Nov. 13-16.

The novel and story is focused mainly on its title character Emma Woodhouse, the protagonist of the story, a beautiful, high-spirited, intelligent, and somewhat spoiled young woman, but includes Mrs.

Weston, Emma’s former governess and close friend, and Mr. Knightley, Emma’s neighbor and good friend. Mrs. Weston has just gotten married to Mr. Weston after Emma had introduced them, and because of that fancies herself a matchmaker. She tries to match a young girl, Harriet Smith, with a social-climbing gentleman despite Mr. Knightley’s advice not to, resulting in romantic misadventures. Eventually, things right themselves as Emma learns to potential problems of her matchmaking and meddling in the lives of her friends and neighbors.

SYHS student Isla Burditt is playing Emma in this production, and she compared how the themes and characters of her time can relate to modern times.

“Jane Austen, as many people have said, was ahead of her time,” she said. “She has so many notes of all these strong woman characters. And with Emma, she talks about how the women of the time would just drop everything to be with a man and get married and that was the social norm, and she doesn’t want to oblige to that. I think that’s a theme that trickles into our time now.”

As far as portraying the character, Isla said she is trying to inject a little of her personality into the role.

“In watching other people’s depiction of Emma, I thought they were kind of bland;I looked at her as someone who could be funny,” she said. “My family tells me I’m almost like a cartoon character with my facial expressions, so I try to incorporate that into scenes like when Emma is talking with someone she doesn’t necessarily like.”

“Ultimately though, my favorite thing about Emma is how hard she tries,” Isla continued. “She tries to do well, but she's not really good about it. She’s kind of spoiled, but I like how hard she tries; she has a never-ending spirit.”

Addysinn Laliberte co-stars as Mrs. Weston, and enjoys her character’s role in the story.

“I think she’s the best friend of the story,” she said. “We are the ones who conspire and gossip, and as a teenager, I love to banter. However, I find her to be the true instigator in the story, but her motives are pure. She’s kind of the healthy conspirer.”

Alex Santi portrays Mr. Knightley, who is

portrayed as a voice of reason throughout the story.

“Mr. Knightley is the level-headed one, deep down a good person who generally cares,” Alex said. “He calls Emma out because he’s secretly in love with her. He’s like her conscience. I like how he is generally a good person.”

As the cast and crew continues to rehearse for the show, Curti hinted at a change for the selection of shows from this point. In the spring, the department will be putting on a production of “The Sound of Music,” following its production last spring of “Andrew Lloyd Weber’s School of Rock.” Curti said the fall shows may become musicals also.

“We did set a precedent last fall with ‘Little Women’ to do a classic play,” she said. “I am believing though that our heart and passion might be for the musical. There’s such an interest from the students and the community for musicals, especially seeing the difference in attendance for ‘Little Women’ and ‘School of Rock,’ I think we might be seeing more musical coming from this point forward.”

But for now, the focus is on “Emma,” and the work on this show gives Curti another chance to applaud the community’s work and support for the show.

“Right now we have Natalie Groves, a local artist, painting our sets,” she said. “Chris Mullins, a history teacher at Santa Ynez High, and Bob Rennick built the set for last year’s show and then redid it — they go above and beyond, and this is how the theater works with people pitching in. We even had Isla’s grandmother, Cyndee Burditt, make the costumes for this production. It’s all hands on deck.”

But Curti said there’s still work to be done.

“We still need to update our sound system and need a new stage,” she said. “If you’d like to make a donation or help out just contact me.” Curti can be reached at acurti@syvuhsd.org

“Emma,” presented by the Santa Ynez High Drama Department, will run for four days, from Thursday, Nov. 13, to Sunday, Nov. 16 at the SYHS Little Theater. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday showings will be at 6:30 p.m., while Sunday’s showing will be 1 p.m. Tickets are available on the ASB Webstore at syvpirates.org and at the door.