A Lompoc artist leans into the creep factor with the help of a 3D pen and his love of characters [18]
BY MADISON WHITE
The Murdochs: a nasty, wealthy clan [20]
Beauty, death, suffering, monsters—all play into Joe Cerny’s new artistic passion of crafting wearable masks with the help of a 3D pen. The Lompoc resident creates characters you can hide behind, if you want, or hang on your wall. Though not all are inherently creepy, Cerny’s creations often lean that way as he aims to give people something that can help them feel free from insecurities and inhibitions. Staff Writer Madison White talks to Cerny about his inspiration and his process [18] Also, find stories about the audit inspired by a Lompoc City Council member’s fraud case [4]; why the county district attorney is disappointed with the sentencing in a felony DUI case [6]; and a new deli making waves on Marian Regional Medical Center’s campus [22]
Camillia Lanham editor
• Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) introduced a bill package in mid-April that aims to improve health care access for Californians. The package includes three separate bills that put new policy mandates on health insurance companies and osteopathic physicians across the state. Assembly Bill 1703, for example, would ensure that all osteopathic physicians serving patients are operating with licenses issued by the state of California. Hart’s office described this bill as a response to a gap in current law that has allowed certain internationally trained osteopaths to see patients without a license. Assembly Bill 1682 would require health insurance companies to cover scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and Assembly Bill 2011 would cement in California law a President Joe Biden-era federal regulation that tightened restrictions on requirements that health insurance companies can place on mental health care, ensuring they do not exceed those placed on physical health care. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump announced it would not enforce the Biden-era rule and may even rescind it, according to Hart’s office. “At a time when the federal government is rolling back landmark health policies, California ought to step up in new ways to make sure that people of all ages can receive the care they need from trusted health care providers,” Hart said in an April 15 statement. In addition to working on his legislative package, Hart is chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight In this role, he’s led state oversight hearings on the impacts of health care policies posed by the Trump administration. “To pay for the president’s billionaire tax breaks, too many hardworking Californians are having to forgo seeing their doctor, taking necessary medication, or otherwise receiving care,” Hart stated.
• California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin issued a statement on April 26 in response to the attempted shooting by California resident Cole Tomas Allen at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C. “The attempted assassination of President Trump and mass shooting of other guests at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was a terrible act of violence. This violence must stop now,” Rankin stated. “Democrats must end their violent rhetoric; their words have consequences and are causing real harm. … The assassination of Charlie Kirk and the multiple assassination attempts on President Trump’s life prove that violent rhetoric is creating a deadly environment. The California Republican Party stands with President Trump and every victim of political violence.”
• On April 23, U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Adam Schiff (D-California) joined more than 30 other legislators to raise strong concerns about the reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). “The USFS is charged with managing the 193-millionacre National Forest System, … including over 141 million acres of urban forests in our cities and towns,” the legislators wrote in a joint letter to USDA Deputy Secretary Alexander Vaden . “A 2025 survey by the Partnership for Public Service found that the USFS was significantly worse at fulfilling stakeholder needs and providing quality service than a year earlier. The sweeping changes being proposed, potentially impacting more than 6,500 employees … threatens to further erode the agency’s ability to complete its mission.” The legislators added that the reorganization “also jeopardizes the world-class research the USFS produces to improve management of the [National Forest Service], assist public and private forest landowners with insect and disease outbreaks, and spur innovative approaches to managing wildfire.” m
REBATE REVIEW: At the April 21 City Council meeting, Lompoc
continued a previous discussion regarding an audit of questionable rebates. The City Council requested an independent investigation of all rebates from the past two years.
Lompoc is auditing its rebate program after fraud allegations
Rebates for turf landscaping and water leak detection are under the microscope in Lompoc, including those received by the current city manager. The city plans to pay for a thirdparty audit of applications to water and energy conservation rebate programs going back at least two years.
On April 21, City Council members continued a discussion about the 2024-25 annual audit, the year in which Councilmember Steve Bridge is accused of committing eight felonies. One of those charges is providing a fraudulent contractor’s license on a rebate application form.
“The evidence is right here in front of us. I’ve got an invoice here,” Councilmember Jeremy Ball said at the meeting. “Yet, we still don’t talk about that. We act like that didn’t happen, but we want to go figure out if somebody got paid a little bit extra for Sheetrock.”
Lompoc was required to report the investigation into Bridge to their auditors, a city finance employee said. The independent accounting firm assessed 81 payments that the city made to rebate applicants between February 2024 and October 2025, City Attorney Jeff Malawy said. Of those 81, auditors determined that 11 applications lacked proof that licensed contractors performed the work. Not all applications asked for a license number, but now the city requires it.
There also could be variables other than licenses that might invalidate applications.
“So, the auditors basically stated in their report that those rebates should not have been processed, meaning that they should not have been approved,” Malawy told the council.
Mayor Jim Mosby said one of the reasons he called for the discussion was because two of the payments involved City Manager Dean Albro, who did not provide contractor numbers in applications. Mosby said he was “astonished.”
In an email to the Sun, Albro said his family followed program guidelines and didn’t break any rules or laws. Albro added that he recused himself from the discussion at the suggestion of the city attorney.
Mosby mentioned that some rebates were only $100, and he doesn’t believe the masses were intentionally filing fraudulent applications.
“I think there was a level of—from what I see—it was a level of innocence, ignorance, complacency, [and] apathy that was going on with the process,” Mosby said.
Martin Bender, a Lompoc utility commissioner, told the council during the April 21 meeting that he wanted to better understand the rebate program amid the allegations against Bridge.
Bender filed his own request with the city to see all rebates between November 2023 and November 2025.
While reviewing rebates, the utility commissioner said he found applications that failed to comply with the rules. Bender said he’d submit his findings to the city clerk.
“Some of them were super obvious; some of them were more nitpicky, but at the end of the day, my bigger concern was that you had a city manager who also submitted rebates improperly, and he’s supposed to oversee the program,” Bender said.
The independent report that council members requested could expose more rebates that shouldn’t have been approved, City Attorney Malawy said. If there’s evidence of criminal activity the city would report it to the county District Attorney’s Office.
“I am in no way saying that I have any knowledge that there is any fraud because I have not reviewed these things,” Malawy said. “I have not reviewed them in detail, but I have reviewed them enough to see that there are applications that did not have contractor license numbers.”
The City Council voted 4-0 in favor of a thirdparty review. Councilmember Bridge recused himself.
At a future meeting, staff will present possible financial remedies the city could earn back. They’ll also bring a report about the history of rebate application rules to help the council decide if it wants the investigation to go back more than two years. If evidence of fraud is discovered, the city can report it to the District Attorney’s Office and seek refunds in small claims court.
—Madison White
Phone app controversy inspires changes to Solvang’s ethics code
Skateboard pro Robby Hargreaves’ 60 seconds of airtime at a Solvang City Council meeting in February prompted city officials to take a multimonth deep dive into a cellphone app developed by Mayor David Brown.
The local owner of Solvang Skate Shop approached the public comment podium that night to ask about a new scavenger hunt-style mobile app he’d heard about and the process behind how a business in town could become featured on it.
“I just wanted to get information about the app, which I thought was a city-run app,” Hargreaves told the Sun via email in late April. “I am speaking up to stand up for other businesses who feel there might be backlash for doing what I did.”
Over the next two months, Brown’s Solvang Passport app became a heated talking point, including at the council’s April 27 meeting. That night, the council considered revising its code of ethics to address some officials’ complaints that they weren’t properly notified about Brown’s app
and perceived conflict of interest concerns—as the app charges a monthly $250 fee to businesses that are highlighted.
“We’re trying to balance a lot of things here and be responsive to your concerns about not being notified,” City Attorney Chelsea O’Sullivan told the council.
Brown told O’Sullivan and other city staff in December 2025 about Solvang Passport to request advice on any potential conflicts he should be aware of while operating his new business.
Staff didn’t notify members of the council about Brown’s request because there’s nothing in current city code that requires that kind of disclosure, City Manager Randy Murphy explained.
“I didn’t say anything because there was nothing in the code that says, ‘Hey, you all should know or have an opportunity to weigh in on it,’” Murphy said after staff introduced a proposed ethics code addition. “This is an effort to address council members’ concerns that were raised about being blindsided or surprised by the Solvang Passport app.”
Staff’s pitch on April 27 was to add one sentence to Solvang’s code of ethics: “Members of the City Council shall promptly notify staff and the City Council of any new material financial interests that arise during the members’ term in office.”
The council ultimately directed staff to return with a rewrite after some officials argued that the ‘financial interests’ descriptor was too broad and vague.
Councilmember Elizabeth Orona said she also didn’t agree with staff’s description of the policy as “self-enforcing in that it places the responsibility upon individual members” to ensure their conduct meets ethical standards.
“I’m just going to go for the heart of the matter right now. I do not agree necessarily with selfpolicing ethics,” Elizabeth said. “There needs to be something in our ethics code that lets the council members take a position formally, because—I told you, Dave—I don’t want to be part of a council that just ignores something that’s wrong or that’s unethical or unfair to residents and businesspeople. … I will say, honestly, I don’t want to be part of a council that’s unable to do that.”
Staff explained at a previous meeting in March that Mayor Brown would face personal liability for any hypothetical failure to comply with conflict of interest rules and that his “potential statutory conflicts seem to be manageable.”
As she’s also stated at prior hearings, Councilmember Claudia Orona repeated on April 27 that there’s nothing prohibiting someone from filing a complaint about Brown’s business to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).
“I think it’s pretty good as written,” Claudia said about staff’s original revision to the ethics code. She said it wouldn’t be a good use of city staff’s time to continue lingering on the issue.
“I can understand how it looks bad if somebody is in an elected position and they’re starting a new business. … The business owners might be inclined on joining in on the business because they think that might get them special consideration or special favor,” Claudia said. “I can see how it looks messy, but until there is an actual action where he is granting special privileges to somebody just because they do business with him, I think there’s less of an ethical problem.”
Claudia’s family business, the Solvang Trolley Ice Cream Parlor, is a featured destination on Brown’s Solvang Passport app, which rewards users who scan certain QR codes at specific venues with discounts from local shops and eateries.
“If we expect City Council [members] to have nothing to do with anybody and just focus on public service, well then maybe we should employ them full time with the city and expect them to not have any other income so that they can’t possibly be influenced by outside interests,” Claudia said. “We don’t do that, and ultimately we’re still free to pursue whatever businesses we have.”
Two speakers participated in public comment
Mayor Jim Mosby
during the ethics discussion, one of whom was Solvang Skate Shop owner Hargreaves. He returned to publicly apologize to Mayor Brown, he explained, for any negative impacts his comments about Solvang Passport in February caused.
“I did not mean to cause any hardship towards you or to the City Council whatsoever. I’ve known Mayor Brown for the better part of 12, 13 years. … I look at you as a mentor, and I love you,” Hargreaves said, “and part of loving our friends is also [saying] when we believe that there’s some wrongdoing. And I just want to make that known. … I’m not taking a shot at you, Dave.”
—Caleb Wiseblood
County passes ‘symbolic’ ICE safeguard policy package
Whether a new Santa Barbara County initiative helps alleviate or worsen residents’ concerns about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity was up for debate at the Board of Supervisors’ April 21 meeting.
“We have people out there who are becoming constitutional scholars on both sides on what is lawful and what is not,” 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson said at the hearing. “We have people slashing law enforcement’s tires, attacking officers who are arresting people lawfully, and it’s because they think they have some vigilante obligation.”
“I’m concerned that this adds … fuel to that fire,” said Nelson, the sole dissenter in a 4-1 vote to establish a use and preservation policy that prohibits “unauthorized use of countyowned property, including for civic immigration enforcement activities, except as required by law.”
The board reviewed that protocol and two other policies related to immigration enforcement, including a “know your rights”
educational item to prevent voter intimidation at local polling sites this June and November.
Nelson was part of the 5-0 vote to move that forward but dissented on the county property policy as well as a directive for staff to explore land-use and zoning tools that could allow the board to prohibit future ICE facilities from being developed on unincorporated county land.
“Where does the supremacy clause come in with these types of local ordinances and local control with the federal government?” Nelson asked county staff. “I hate to use the word, but does federal government trump local government when it comes to this? Sorry, pun really not intended.”
“Generally speaking yes,” County Counsel Rachel Van Mullem replied, “but it depends on whether the federal government has occupied the field so there is still ability for the states and local governments to regulate.”
Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann described the three-policy package as more symbolic than enforceable.
“It may be symbolic, but symbols are important,” Hartmann said. “Symbols say we’re trying and we’re doing what we can.”
As part of the majority that approved the package, 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said he didn’t consider his decision to support the policies to be controversial before commenting on Minnesota resident Alex Jeffrey Pretti’s death in January.
“It’s so murky of what you can and can’t do. But moving these items is not really controversial to me,” Lavagnino said. “What I’ve seen from ICE over the last year, it’s just unconscionable. I never thought in this country, honestly, that I would witness somebody get executed in broad daylight on a street that is an ICU nurse in the Department of Veterans Affairs because he’s out speaking his mind and doing what this country was founded [on]: letting your point be heard.” m
—Caleb Wiseblood
Pediatric Medical Group is scheduling well exam visits for children of all ages. Strict safety precautions have been put in place to ensure the safety of patients and their parents.
• We provide rapid COVID-19 tests (15 Min results) Flu tests, and Flu vaccines.
• Face masks are required to be worn
• Strict sanitation practices are in place including disinfecting exam rooms after each visit.
David Ikola, M.D. Shane Rostermundt, D.O. Joseph Nunez, M.D. Dr. Michele Kielty, D.O.
Saturday, May 9 • 8:00pm Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles
Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
Saturday, June 6 • 8:00pm
Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles
lines of cocaine, but it was a calm night,” she stated in court documents. “The next morning, we woke up around 6:30 to get dressed and get Albert to work on time. I remember the morning was wet and foggy as I was driving down the 154.”
Attorney Webb expanded upon conditions related to the weather, as well as the road and the truck Fultz was driving that morning.
“All reports and accompanying declarations indicate that the roads were wet and that it was a foggy morning,” Webb stated. “They also indicate that the roads were becoming oiler, due to ongoing construction on San Marcos Pass. … Cars were often sitting idle on various stops on the San Marcos Pass … and leaking oil that wouldn’t ordinarily occur without the ongoing construction.”
It is Fultz’s belief, according to Webb, that she was unable to stay in her lane “due to the road conditions and the condition of her brother’s truck, which she never drove.”
Fultz stated that she borrowed her brother Casey’s 2005 GMC Sierra truck to give her boyfriend a ride. In court documents, Casey said he had meant to take the truck to a shop around that time because it would “shake a bit when I drove it” and needed new windshield wipers.
“It was … difficult to see because Casey’s windshield wipers were not working at all,” Fultz wrote in her declaration. “As I made my way around the turn where the construction waiting line usually starts, I saw there was no line for me to have to stop for and I was clear to keep going.
onvicted of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, 29-year-old Katelyn Fultz will serve less than 300 days in Santa Barbara County jail, followed by five years of probation.
At around 6:50 a.m. on May 1, 2025, Fultz crossed over double yellow lines on Highway 154 and crashed head-on into 24-year-old Carly Howard’s vehicle. Howard died within a few weeks of being in a coma while hospitalized.
Nearly a year later, Fultz’s sentencing in mid-April followed a recommendation from the county Probation Department for seven years of state prison time, while county District Attorney John Savrnoch argued for 10.
“A wonderful young lady lost her life due to the illegal actions of somebody else, … and the consequence for that was a sentence that is less than some sentences given out on misdemeanor cases,” Savrnoch told the Sun. “It is profoundly distressing.
“It dramatically undercuts our ability to state that if you drive under the influence and hurt or kill somebody, you will suffer serious consequences,” he continued.
Savrnoch said that Howard’s family members traveled from as far as Arkansas to attend Fultz’s sentencing hearing in Santa Barbara on April 14.
“Her family are also victims of this crime,” he said. “People who actually knew Carly made statements, and the sentence imposed was imposed based upon a presumption of what Carly would have wanted. Yet the people that knew Carly best were ignored.”
The basis for Judge Brian Aronson’s verdict, Savrnoch believes, was a misinterpretation of Howard’s and her family’s devout Christian values, he explained.
“As far as we can tell, … it was based upon the faith of Carly and her family, but that is not what the family was arguing for. In fact, they were rightfully shocked and very upset by this judgement,” Savrnoch said.
He said that Howard’s sister, Cassandra, asked the court for a 24-year prison sentence,
“which wasn’t necessarily a sentencing possibility. … But she talked about 24 years because Carly was 24.”
The maximum prison sentence in California for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is 10 years without prior convictions.
Court documents show that defendant Fultz’s family appealed to Christian principles, especially forgiveness, as part of their testimonies prior to sentencing.
Fultz’s mother, Susan, told Judge Aronson that she prays for Howard’s family every day, “that they may somehow find peace after this horrible tragedy.”
“I pray they will come to understand that Katie [Fultz] is so heartbroken and never meant to inflict so much pain on another human being and all who loved her,” Susan stated. “The grief her family must be going through is unimaginable.”
While defense attorney Joshua Zane Webb argued in court that sending Fultz to state prison amounts to taking “away another young life,” Susan told the judge that the 29-year-old “will be eaten alive in there.”
“All I can do now is pray. … I just pray that the courts, but especially Carly’s family, can forgive Katie,” Susan wrote on March 13.
Prior to Fultz’s sentencing, Judge Aronson reviewed statements from her lawyer that addressed specific circumstances of the fatal collision, including Fultz’s blood alcohol level of 0.167 percent—and the presence of cocaethylene, the compound formed in the liver when someone uses alcohol and cocaine.
“[Fultz] openly admitted to drinking the evening before and to ingesting a small amount of cocaine,” attorney Webb stated in court documents. “Ms. Fultz claimed to have not felt the effects of anything that next morning.”
In her declaration to the court, Fultz said she spent the evening prior to the collision with her boyfriend, Albert Ineira.
“He and I had a few drinks and a couple
“That is where I believe I intended to resume some acceleration, but the tires slid immediately,” she said, “and I started going out of control so rapidly that no matter what I tried—brakes, turning the wheel—it was impossible. As fast as this was all happening, I just remember thinking, ‘Please get out of the way, I can’t do anything!’ No matter how very hard I was trying.”
District Attorney Savrnoch told the Sun he believes Fultz’s statements lack any “true contrition.”
“There’s nothing in there that showed a desire to significantly change,” Savrnoch said. “Let’s add to the fact that the defendant in this case didn’t even have a license. … There are a lot of transportation options for people, but none of them can be getting behind the wheel under the influence and without a license. That’s inexcusable behavior.”
According to court records, Fultz was also cited in 2022 and 2023 for driving a vehicle without either a valid license or proof of registration.
The Sun reached out to Fultz’s attorney, who said via email that he would reserve comment until mid-May after Fultz finishes some paperwork.
The terms of Fultz’s probation will be finalized before the end of April. She was remanded into custody on April 14 to serve her county jail sentence of less than a year, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“The consequences imposed as a result of the judge’s sentencing choice do not reflect the seriousness of the crime committed,” Savrnoch told the Sun
On Fultz’s reported blood alcohol level on the day of the crash, Savrnoch said that the 0.167 figure wasn’t determined until four hours after the collision.
“Impaired driving ... is the one violent crime—and I definitely categorize this as a violent crime—that we’re all exposed to. This is not a matter of high-risk behavior being in places that are generally dangerous,” Savrnoch said. “Citizens are exposed to the possibility of being victimized by an impaired driver just by living their lives. We all drive. We all drive on the same highways. … Carly had no say in this matter. Carly was driving on the 154 in her lane when somebody else’s choices and actions took her life.” m
Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
RURAL ROUTE: Highway 154 was temporarily closed in both directions on the morning of May 1, 2025, after a pickup truck turned into the opposite lane and crashed head-on with a small SUV. The truck’s driver was recently convicted of manslaughter while intoxicated.
Playing for keeps
A new live-action role-play chapter in Santa Maria extends a sword to prospective participants
BY MADISON WHITE
In a land not so far away, mortals of all ages build friendships while running around the park swinging harmless weapons and defending themselves with handmade shields. Though it’s a pretend world, their bonds are quite real.
Dean Scott often spends his Sundays with friends competing in live-action role-play (LARP) games. They pretend to be characters with different names, embarking on quests and playing team battle games.
“It’s a really fun community,” Scott told the Sun. “This is where you make friends. This is where you build bonds.”
On April 19, Scott—aka Wrekless—and a group of around 60 LARPers gathered at Rotary Centennial Park for the inaugural event in the first “park” of its kind in Santa Maria: Watchers Keep. The LARPers will meet on the first and third Sundays of the month to play. To become officially recognized, the park needs to sustain enough people for six months and be voted in by its kingdom, the collection of parks in California. There are different kinds of LARPing, but Scott’s group is part of the nonprofit Amtgard International. The leader described their version as a combat sport where participants wear jerseystyle tunics with numbers instead of dressing up as characters with background stories.
In addition to small local games, Amtgard LARPers can attend biannual camping events with hundreds of people. Scott and his fiancée had a blast at their first such event in King City
Promote!
just three months after they started playing in 2023. But afterward, their truck broke down, and while it was at the shop, someone stole their brand new LARPing gear.
Back in San Luis Obispo, fellow players donated replacements so Scott and his fiancée could keep playing.
“I’m getting teary thinking about it. It was the sweetest thing, and that was the moment where it clicked for me,” Scott said. “It’s not about the battle games. It’s not about the awards. It’s about the community. … You’re making a family.”
Scott has met mentors and some of his “best friends in the entire world” through LARPing. His nephew is now playing too, which means they get to spend more quality time together.
“The moment my nephew started playing, I was like, ‘Now I have to make this park, and I have to grow it. I have to make sure that this game grows and lives way past when I’m going to be playing,’” he explained.
Scott wanted the inaugural event in Santa Maria to be “big and flashy” in hopes of attracting the attention of locals on South College Drive and Bradley Road. He hired a photographer for the historic day, called over a Guadalupe food truck, personally invested in extra gear and obstacles, and invited friends from parks as far as Santa Cruz and Fresno. After everyone signed the Watchers Keep Declaration of Independence, the group started playing games like capture the flag.
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The Watchers Keep founder has come a long way since his childhood in Santa Maria. He often felt picked on, remembering being a nerdy white kid in a town where “there was not a lot of that.” When he moved back to the area as an adult, Scott
joined San Luis Obispo’s Seven Sleeping Dragons. His LARPing journey galloped from there. Within a couple of years, he earned a masterhood in construction, making him a little bit of an “anomaly” because it usually takes LARPers a decade to earn that distinction. Scott chalked it up to the fact that he’s been an artisan his whole life.
There are many ways to level up in the LARPing universe, but most of the fun is simply escaping the world’s craziness.
“You’re literally running around with your friends in a park laughing,” Scott said, “and you just create these memories.”
Highlight
• The city of Santa Maria is hosting its first BiciChella event on May 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Santa Maria Transit Center (400 E. Boone St.). It’s meant to promote alternate modes of transportation like biking and public transit. Expect free bicycle repairs, transit bus demonstrations, information from local organizations, and light refreshments. m
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.
SPELLS AND SWORDS GALORE: On April 19, Dean Scott and a crew of around 60 people from across the state gathered at a Santa Maria park for some live-action role-playing. It was the inaugural event for the group, Watchers Keep.
Should Guadalupe change how it collects fees from its sole cannabis dispensary?
75% Yes, but it should be a 5 percent tax; better yet, 4.20 percent!
25% Yes. Changing to a sales tax makes much more sense.
0% No. The business promised to pay a percent of its gross sales as a fee.
0% No, and it shouldn’t lower the current fee from 6 percent either.
4 Votes
Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.
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First let’s stipulate that the primary duty of government is to ensure the safety of the public and provide a robust utility infrastructure and a serviceable road system. Public safety includes a police function, district attorney, jails to house those convicted of violating the laws, fire protection, and emergency medical service. Everything else government does is “nice to have” if you can afford it.
If any of these components of the public safety system aren’t adequately staffed to meet community needs, then “assuring public safety” is only a phrase used in political campaigns and not a reality.
Santa Barbara County currently faces a $70 million shortfall for the next budget cycle. To achieve a balanced budget, some service areas must be reduced in scope.
Mike Stoker, a former county supervisor and currently the president and CEO of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayer Advocacy Center, said in a recent newsletter that the current budget cutting proposal being considered is “approaching the budget with a standardized approach to all departments using general fund dollars to proceed with no increase from last year’s budget. For the Sheriff’s Office, that essentially means a $5 million cut.”
On Feb. 8, Noozhawk reported that “in a letter to the board, Sheriff Bill Brown stated that multiple studies done by his staff and outside personnel found that the number of funded positions in his department is ‘insufficient to maintain the minimum staffing levels necessary to provide mandated services and reasonable levels of safety for our community members, personnel, and inmates.’”
During the past year, some supervisors have expressed concerns over the sheriff’s department overtime costs. In fact, Noozhawk reported on Feb. 10 that “the Sheriff’s Office has been in deficit for at least 10 years to the tune of millions of dollars.
Last year, the department overspent its budget by $4.4 million.”
The Noozhawk report states that Sheriff Bill Brown “told the board that his department is still dealing with staff shortages, and overtime hours are the only way to fill those gaps. He added that reducing overtime hours would ‘compromise staff, inmate, and public safety.’”
And on April 15, Sheriff Brown informed the Board of Supervisors that on closer examination, the proposed $5 million cut would result in the loss of 53 sworn deputies and 19 civilian employees, including a dozen Isla Vista foot patrol positions.
To address the cuts, Noozhawk reported on April 17, “Second District Supervisor Laura Capps proposed that the Sheriff’s Office return with other proposals to restore at least six of the positions in the foot patrol.”
She obviously doesn’t understand the gravity of the problem. Sheriff Brown had already proposed reorganizing this service area to serve it more efficiently.
I doubt that any of the supervisors have ever had to oversee a 24-hour-a-day operation and/or a public safety function. To serve an area as large as the unincorporated portions of the county and the contract cities, provide bailiffs for the court, and operate the jail, it takes a specific number of deputies.
To support the idea that cutting an already underfunded sheriff’s department to help resolve general fund budget shortages is irresponsible.
For the last couple of decades, the Board of Supervisors’ majority has aggressively pursued shutting down one of the largest general fund revenue resources in the county.
Speak up! Send us your views and opinion to letters@santamariasun.com.
On April 16, the Sun reported that the county Planning Commission voted in favor of an ordinance the supervisors asked for that would lead to phasing out local oil and gas development. “Last October, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2, with the North County supervisors dissenting, to direct staff to develop the prohibition on drilling new oil and gas wells as well as to create a long-term plan to phase out existing oil and gas operations in the county.”
Could the loss of this funding source be part of their budget problem?
Is it wise to cut the Sheriff’s Office’s budget? Is it the sheriff’s budget or the revenue-reducing, business-killing policies of the Board of Supervisors majority that are contributing to the budget shortfall? m
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
Ricardo Valencia is best for supervisor
I’ve studied all the candidates running for Steve Lavagnino’s seat on the Board of Supervisors. I am voting for Ricardo Valencia in the June 2 primary. Ricardo’s campaign is powered by dozens of energetic volunteers, and like Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, he is funded by hundreds of small donations from ordinary people. No surprise then that he is endorsed by the same Working Families Party that supported Mayor Mamdani. Ricardo Valencia will be a strong, new voice on the Board of Supervisors for the thousands of families in his district who are often forgotten in Santa Barbara. Ricardo was educated in Guadalupe and Santa Maria, then went to the University of California Berkley. After graduation, instead of working in the Bay Area, he returned to teach at Santa Maria High. His students will tell you how he has inspired them to believe in themselves, in their cultural heritage, and their future success in higher education and service to their community. Ricardo serves as a board member for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. He has promoted education in the performing and visual arts for every Santa Maria elementary and junior high school. He has also helped the district to balance its budget so elementary and junior high schools can give our children a big step up on their way to high school.
When I compare Ricardo Valencia’s work on the school board to Ms. Aguilera’s on the Santa Maria City Council, the difference is clear. She was endorsed by Etta Waterfield four years ago, and under Ms. Aguilera’s watch, the city has spent more money than it generates and has run up a $25 million deficit each year, for the next two years.
She is funded with big donations by the same special interest groups—lawyers, farm owners, big business owners and developers, that have controlled Santa Maria’s politics forever.
Ms. Aguilera supported the council in selling city land on three corners of Main and Broadway to a big developer for his own housing projects and sweetened the deal with more than $1 million in tax breaks.
Now Ms. Aguilera has joined the council in contracting with a PR firm for $30,000 to persuade us to increase our sales tax to help pay for their giveaways.
And why would Ms. Aguilera’s campaign be allowed to post her signs a full month before state and city rules allow them, giving her an early advantage over her two opponents, who followed the rules?
The third contender in this race is Steve Lavagnino’s chief of staff, Cory Bantilan, who jumped into the race a little late. He is expected to mirror Mr. Lavagnino’s policies if elected, rather than the more working-family policies of Mr. Valencia. This should lead to some interesting debates.
I encourage every voter to look carefully at the three candidates and vote in the primary. If you vote by mail, vote early so your vote will be counted. New post office policy does not promise to postmark your vote the day you put it in the box. Look for your ballots to come in the mail soon.
Gale McNeeley Santa Maria
Michael V. Messina, 2025
Jim Je rey, 2025
Tim Bennet 2025 Wyatt Stapp, 2025
Petra Stevenson, 2025
Danna Joy Dykstra-Coy, 2025
License to love Opinion
Lompoc’s little rebate program for local residents seems to be backfiring.
After the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office charged City Councilmember Steve Bridge with a litany of offenses, including committing fraud on the energy and conservation rebate program applications, the city is taking a closer look at things.
As part of the city’s annual audit for the last fiscal year, it found 11 questionable rebate payments—including a couple received by City Manager Dean Albro
Mayor Jim Mosby said he was “astonished” to see that two of the payments that probably shouldn’t have been processed went to Albro. The city manager did recuse himself from the discussion and insisted that he followed program guidelines and didn’t break any rules or laws.
But he didn’t include a contractor’s license number on his applications, and apparently he wasn’t the only one. At least Bridge “ginned up” a license number for his application, amirite? Bridge is saying the same thing: innocent, man!
Isn’t Albro the one responsible for running the program? Should he benefit from something like that?
Lompoc Utility Commissioner Martin Bender thinks not.
“At the end of the day, my bigger concern was that you had a city manager who also submitted rebates improperly, and he’s supposed to oversee the program,” Bender said.
On top of all that, the city seems to have run the program in a slapdash manner that may have been confusing for residents—with changing rules about licensed contractors and other things. Mosby said he didn’t think that residents were intentionally filing fraudulent applications.
“I think there was a level of—from what I see—it was a level of innocence, ignorance, complacency, apathy that was going on with the process,” Mosby said.
Now, the city is going to hold a third-party review of the rebate program that goes back at least two years. You think they’ll find other city officials doing things they shouldn’t be doing?
In Solvang, there seems to be some debate over what city officials should be doing when it comes to their personal business matters. Yes. The City Council is still talking about Mayor David Brown’s Solvang Passport app.
Now, council members are tinkering with adding a line into the ethics code—“Members of the City Council shall promptly notify staff and the City Council of any new material financial interests that arise during the members’ term in office.”
It’s too “self-policing,” according to Councilmember Elizabeth Orona, whose hitch in her giddy-up about this app seems to be getting bigger by the day.
“I do not agree necessarily with self-policing ethics,” she said, adding that the policy essentially needed more teeth.
How else would someone disclose new financial ties? Somebody else reporting it? I guess that’s what happened in this case—a business owner inquired about what he initially thought was a cityowned app that businesses could participate in. And it spawned this months-long conversation about Brown and what he was allowed to do off the dais. Solvang Skate Shop owner Robby Hargreaves apologized for his role in all of this, telling the council on April 27 that he didn’t mean to cause any hardship.
“I look at you as a mentor, and I love you,” Hargreaves said during public comment. “I’m not taking a shot at you, Dave.” m
Hot Stuff
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. (805) 928-7799. Kleindancesarts.com. Klein Dance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria. CASA GRANDE SPRING CRAFT FAIR
Head to Casa Grande’s Spring Craft Fair and get your Mother’s Day gift for Mom. May 2 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. (661) 437-7261. Casa Grande Craft Fair, 519 W. Taylor St., 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. ongoing Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, (805) 937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
VALLEY ART GALLERY: ROTATING
DISPLAYS Featured artists of Santa Maria’s Valley Art Gallery frequently display their works at the airport. Check website for details on monthly exhibits
and full list of the gallery’s artists. ongoing valleygallery.org. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
ARTIST ANN WIRTZ PRESENTS LIMITLESS Wirtz’s figurative works consider the stories and relationships between people and their environment, offering paintings that speak to human connection in our daily lives. May 1 -31 (805) 698-0084. annwirtz.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. MOTHER’S DAY PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT SUNSTONE WINERY Are you looking for a unique way to celebrate Mother’s Day? Join us at Sunstone Winery to grab a glass of wine and a paintbrush! May 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $89. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Sunstone Winery, 125 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez.
“WHEN THE EARTH WHISPERS BACK: NATURE’S HOPE” Woman Painters West, an organization of juried professional woman artists (100 + years old) were invited to exhibit at this museum creating paintings that answered their theme. See 48 paintings juried from 100 entries on view at the museum. Through Sept. 16 Canatureartmuseum.org. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
EVOLVING The Lompoc Valley Art Association’s Cypress Gallery will be featuring “Evolving”, an exhibition by artists C. Wood and Chuck Klein. Thursdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (805) 737-1129. lompocart.org/events. Cypress Gallery, 119 E Cypress Ave., Lompoc. MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND PAINTING AT ROCK 12 DISTILLERY Celebrate Mother’s Day with a cocktail and a paintbrush at the picturesque Rock 12 Distillery! May 9
Actor’s Edge offers film and television acting training in San Luis Obispo, plus exposure to Los Angeles talent agents. All ages and skill levels welcome. Classes available in SLO, LA, and on zoom. ongoing $210 per month. actorsedge.com. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
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. (805) 835-5893. hmcruceceramics.com/. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
DISNEY’S ALICE IN WONDERLAND
JR. Coastal Christian School Presents: Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. May 2 , 2-3 & 7-8 p.m. and May 3 2-3 p.m. $22. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Classical Arts
Entertainment Presents: The Sleeping Beauty by International Ballet Stars. Believe in magic again! May 4, 7:30-9:45 p.m. $49.50-$64.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter. org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., 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.
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.
BEGINNING JUNK JOURNALING WORKSHOP WITH JUNKGIRLS Part scrapbooking, part journaling, and a whole lot of fun, this workshop is sure to get you hooked on this popular craft, junk journaling. May 2 2-5:30 p.m. $135. (805) 439-0123. JunkGirls, 870 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo, junkgirls.com.
BEGINNING WATERCOLORS WITH JAN FRENCH Come be introduced to this tricky but dynamic painting medium! The class is for beginners or advanced who’d like to “loosen up.” Inquire via email. Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $130. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
BRUSHSTROKES & BURROS: PAINT, SIP, AND SUPPORT RESCUED DONKEYS AND MULES Moms, mimosas, and masterpieces; enjoy a creative afternoon at the sanctuary. All proceeds fund the rescue and rehabilitation of our beloved donkeys and mules. May 2 , 1-4 p.m. $125. (805) 710-8445. ranchoburrodonkeysanctuary.org.
Rancho Burro Donkey Sanctuary, 4855 Righetti Road, San Luis Obispo.
WALK WITH THE WINEMAKER
Alma Rosa Winery is hosting a Hike with the Winemaker event on Sunday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Alma Rosa Estate in Buellton, where participants can stroll with winemaker Samra Morris and get a behind-the-scenes look at the estate while listening to stories and perspectives. The 1-mile route will end at the historic Ranch House with a wine tasting and light bites. Admission is $50 for members and $100 for nonmembers. Additional information can be found at almarosawinery.com.
—Angie Stevens
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.
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.
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 for exhibition openings, music, and wines provided by regional winery partners. Free and open to the public. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. 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.
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.
MOBILE CLAY CLASSES Offering handbuilding, throwing, and ceramic decorative arts. For all ages and abilities. Call for info. (805) 835-5893. hmcruceceramics.com/book-online. SLO County, Countywide, San Luis Obispo. MOTHER’S DAY COMEDY SHOWCASE Celebrate Mother’s Day with an evening of great touring comics from The Comedy Store, Laughs Unlimited, and The Improv. Bring your Mom for free! May 9 8-10 p.m. $20. (805) 878-2038. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, 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. 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. 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. THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT When a fresh out-of-Harvard fact-checker is assigned to a talented writer’s essay, they come head-to-head in a hilarious yet gripping battle over facts vs. truth. Fridays, 7-9 p.m., Saturdays, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m., Sundays, 2-4 p.m. and Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. through May 14 $28-$47. (805) 786-2440. slorep.org/ shows/the-lifespan-of-a-fact/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GLEN MCDOWELL
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
MAY FEATURED ARTIST HEMA
SUKUMAR, FINE ART ACRYLIC
PAINTINGS FROM THE COAST TO THE HILLS From shorelines to mountaintops, Hema Sukumar catches California and beyond in acrylic with warmth and a sharp eye for color. Through May 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
MAY FEATURED ARTIST JARI DE HAM, EXHIBITING SCULPTURES AND SMALL
WORKS From Chinese brush painting to stone sculptures, Jari de Ham’s work finds the Central Coast in an ancient artistic tradition. April 30 - May 29
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
MAY FEATURED ARTIST NATHAN
TOOLE, WHERE COLOR FINDS ITS OWN
ORDER Find color and form that feel right before you know why. Nathan Toole exhibits his acrylic abstract paintings. April 30 - May 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
NEIL SIMON’S CALIFORNIA SUITE By the Sea Productions is celebrating its 10th year of live theater in Morro Bay with a director’s workshop production of Neil Simon’s “California Suite.” May 1 , 7 p.m., May 2 7 p.m., May 3 , 3 p.m., May 8 7 p.m., May 9 7 p.m. and May 10, 3 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. By The Sea Productions, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS 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.
FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.
FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/firstfridayoldtownorcutt/. Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing (805) 343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.
JUNK JOURNAL BOOK CLUB Combine crafting and reading into one! The book for May is Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang. This is for patrons 18 years and older. Registration is required. May 2 3-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0994. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
MOTHER’S DAY FURBABY SIDEWALK STROLL AND COSTUME CONTEST
Join us for a family-friendly community event where pet parents and their furry friends dress in costumes, get prizes, and enjoy live music! May 10 12-3 p.m. Free. sbcanimalcare.org/events.
Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S. Broadway St., Orcutt, (805) 934-3777.
SMKA 2026 KART RACING SEASON
Participate in this local kart racing series, featuring kid karts, LO206, and two-cycle classes, delivering competitive sprint racing, driver development, and familyfriendly events for all skill levels. May 3, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $10. smka.org. Santa Maria Karting Association, 3951 S Blosser Rd, Santa Maria, (805) 464-6114.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
LOMPOC ART WALK Lompoc transforms into a celebration and showcase of local artists during this monthly event, which features live music, art, exciting exhibitions, performances, and a variety of vendors.
First Thursday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Old Town Lompoc, H and I St., Lompoc. THE VILLAGE TREASURE CHEST This event is for the whole family. There will be vendors selling their wears, music, facepainting, and some kind of food booth. Come out and spend part of your Saturday supporting local vendors. First Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
CELEBRATE MOMS AT CUYAMA
The third annual Mother’s Day High Tea will be held at Cuyama Buckhorn in New Cuyama on Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m. Sip from a selection of tea blends crafted by Ferial Sadeghian, while enjoying light pastries and snacks. Cuyama local Ron Miller will also perform live music. Tickets to the high tea are $78. To reserve a spot, head to cuyamabuckhorn.com.
—A.S.
Vandenberg Village Community Services District Office, 3745 Constellation Road, Lompoc, (805) 291-6370.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
ADULT SOFTBALL Let’s play ball! The City of Arroyo Grande’s Adult Softball League is a fun and competitive program offering leagues for Coed and Men’s Teams. Sundays, 3-9 p.m. through May 17 $671. (805) 473-5474. arroyogrande.org/709/Adult-Sports. Soto Sports Field, Ash Street, Arroyo Grande. BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. Starts at $70. (805) 835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No experience
needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 3623739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach. BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. (559) 9059274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
BOOK SALE Check out the used books for sale to benefit the Friends of Shell Beach Library. May 9 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Shell Beach Veteran’s Community Building, 230 Leeward Avenue, Shell Beach, (805) 878-7454.
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.
DAILY QIGONG PRACTICE For the early riser or commuter, every weekday morning. Maintain or improve concentration, balance, and flexibility. Includes weekly Friday 3 p.m. class with more practices. Led by certified Awareness Through Movement teacher. Mondays-Saturdays, 6:10 a.m. and Fridays, 3 p.m. $35/week or $125/month. (646) 280-5800. margotschaal.com/qigong. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
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.
LA CONVERSACIÓN Join La Conversación, a group for practicing spoken Spanish. There is no homework or lessons, just conversation. Thursdays, 9-11:30 a.m.
Free. Greenhouse Coffee Company, 1064 E Grand Av, Arroyo Grande, (805) 825-1345.
LGBTQ+ FED THERAPIST LEAD SUPPORT GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A pro-recovery group offering space to those seeking peer support, all stages of ED recovery. We understand recovery isn’t linear and judgment-free support is crucial. Share, listen, and be part of a community building up each other. First Wednesday of every month, 7-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
MOTHER’S DAY TEA PARTY This beautiful event includes tea and lemonade, tea sandwiches, scones, dessert, music, crafts, photo ops, painting class, and more! May 10, 1-3:30 p.m. $50. (805)
473-5472. https:/arroyogrande.org/rec. Historical Society Heritage Garden, 126 S. Mason St., Arroyo Grande. 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. Q YOUTH GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) This is a social support group for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth between the ages of 11-18. Each week the group explores personal, cultural, and social identity. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong through simple standing movements promoting flexibility, strength, relaxation, and increased energy. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, Qi Gong revitalizes and enriches your life. An outdoor class overlooking the ocean. Wednesdays, 4-5 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card with no expiration. (805) 440-4561. pismobeach.org. Margo Dodd Gazebo, Ocean Park Blvd., Shell Beach.
QI GONG: MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY Balance your mind, body, and spirit with Qi Gong — gentle stretching and strengthening movements that promotes physical wellbeing and inner peace. This is geared towards all fitness levels and ages. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Shell Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach. SOCIAL GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS Call for more details. Second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. (805) 904-6615. Oak Park Christian Church, 386 N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.
STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi Gong
boosts energy and vitality, reduces stress, improves balance and flexibility, and, best of all, is fun. Join instructor Devin Wallace for this Crows End Retreat outdoor class, which is held in a beautiful setting. Call or email for location and to reserve a spot.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, Arroyo Grande.
WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS
Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. (805) 4816399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
2026 MOTHER’S DAY FAERIE FESTIVAL
Join for a Mother’s Day celebration at the SLO Botanical Garden filled with arts and crafts, music, and family fun! May 9 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. (805) 541-1400. slobg.org/ calendar-of-events/. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
30-DAY BREATH AND RESET JOURNEY
FOR WOMEN Wired at night, drained all day? Reset your body in 30 days. Focus on breath practices to calm stress, sleep deeply, and restore lasting energy. Registration is required. Tuesdays, 6:307:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10-11 a.m. (805) 235-7978. charvetgratefulbody.com. Live Webinar, online, SLO County.
5TH ANNUAL SHEEP SHEARING
SHINDIG Join for our 5th Annual Sheep Shearing Shindig and Ag Festival — a free, family-friendly afternoon of live demonstrations, hands-on activities, farm tours, live music, with local food, beer, and wine. Whether you’ve been a friend of the farm for years or you’re visiting for the first time, there’s something here for everyone of all ages. May 9 12-4 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. City Farm SLO, 1221 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, (805) 769-8344.
CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN
TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith based. All are welcome. Please wear a mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:3011:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo.
CITY FARM SLO’S YOUTH
EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM Check site for more info on programming and summer camps. ongoing cityfarmslo.org. San Luis Obispo, Citywide, SLO.
DEATH CAFE (EVERY 1ST TUESDAY ON THE MONTH) At Death Café, curiosity and community converge for open, thoughtful conversations about mortality, loss, and our shared human experience. Donations to Hospice SLO County are always appreciated. First Tuesday of every month, 11 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 544-2266. hospiceslo.org/services/deathcaf%C3%A9. Hospice SLO County, 1304 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY Join the Comic Book Day and grab up to 12 free comics. Those in costumes earn more. There is free parking behind the Captain Nemo Comics store. May 2 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Free. (805) 544-6366. facebook.com/ events/2161380934716526/. Captain Nemo Games, 563 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo.
GARDEN FOUNDER WALK AND TALK
Walk and talk with Eve Vigil in the Botanical Garden each month on the first Wednesday. Free garden tour with paid admission to the Garden. Free for members. No need to RSVP, just show
SHEEP SHINDIG
The fifth Annual Sheep Shearing Shindig and Ag Festival will be held on Saturday, May 9, from noon to 4 p.m. at City Farm SLO. The free, family-friendly afternoon will include hands-on agriculture and wool processing, live demonstrations, farm tours, live music, and local food. Visit my805tix.com to get more details on specific happenings.
—A.S.
up and enjoy. First Wednesday of every month, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free with $5 Garden Entry. (805) 541-1400. slobg.org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT
GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
JAPANESE AMERICANS AND THE AMERICAN DREAM Author Naomi Shibata will highlight the 20th century Japanese American experience and reflect on the impact historical events had on the Central Coast community. May 2 , 10:30 a.m.-noon Free.. (805) 781-4187. San Luis Obispo Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
LUNCHTIME IN THE GARDEN UC Master Gardeners of SLO County extend an invitation to the public to visit our demonstration garden. See what’s in bloom and learn something new. First Wednesday of every month, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Sept. 2 Free. (805) 781-5939. ucanr.edu. Garden of the Seven Sisters Demonstration Garden, 2156 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
SIP ‘N’ SAUNTER Attendees can “Sip & Saunter” their way through downtown’s beautiful tree-lined streets, sampling some of the Central Coast’s finest food and drinks. May 3 12-4 p.m. downtownslo. com/events/sip-n-saunter. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.
SLO PHILATELIC SOCIETY The SLO Philatelic Society (SLOPS) meets at the SLO Senior Center on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Visitors are welcome. First Tuesday of every month, 1-3 p.m. SLO Senior Center, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 540-9484, slocity.org/seniors.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
THE FIRST TEASE: A FIVE-WEEK BEGINNER BURLESQUE SERIES Only 10 spots are available for this beginner-friendly burlesque series, led by performer Miss
Belle Voilé. Learn burlesque fundamentals, build confidence, and perform! May 1, 6:308:30 p.m. $299. nexusslo.com. Nexus SLO, 3845 S Higuera St. (Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY 2026 CRUISIN’ MORRO BAY CAR SHOW April 30, 5-8 p.m., May 1, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and May 2 , 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $95. my805tix.com. Downtown Morro Bay, Inquire for address, Morro Bay.
CAYUCOS ANTIQUE STREET FAIRE Join us at the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce’s upcoming Antique Street Faire. May 3, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (805) 751-3737. Cayucos Antique Street Faire, 10 N. Ocean Ave, Cayucos, cayucoschamber.com/antique-faire.
CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org.
CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS
MEETING A Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, (805) 927-1654.
LEARN TO SAIL AT MORRO BAY YACHT
CLUB! Learn to sail at the Morro Bay’s only sailing school: Morro Bay Yacht Club. These sessions are led by competent, responsible sailing instructors. Expect a great experience, with the goal of each student being comfortable in commanding their own sailboat. There’s a focus on teamwork, developing leadership skills, and having fun. Through Aug. 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $450. my805tix.com. Morro Bay Yacht Club, 541 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, (805) 772-3981.
MORRO BAY METAPHYSICIANS
DISCUSSION GROUP A group of metaphysically minded individuals that have been meeting for many years now in the Coalesce Chapel. Club offers a supportive metaphysical based community. Members discuss a different topic each week. All are welcome to join. Fridays, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $10-$15. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.
FOOD & DRINK
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
BAR TAKEOVER THURSDAYS Join us
Thursdays to meet and chat with the winemaker of the flight we’re featuring that week. Thursdays, 4-7:30 p.m. $15-$30. (805) 623-5129. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, stellerscellar.com.
FOOD TRUCK 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.
MOTHER’S DAY HIGH TEA Join for the third annual Mother’s Day High Tea at Cuyama Buckhorn! Celebrate all the moms in your life with light bites and freshly prepared tea during this Buckhorn take on a traditional high tea affair. May 10 2 p.m. $78. cuyamabuckhorn.com. Cuyama Buckhorn, 4923 Primero St., New Cuyama, (661) 766-2825.
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, hand-spun 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/.
THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER
Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the
complete list of classes, for various ages. ongoing Varies. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
HIKE WITH THE WINEMAKER Join winemaker Samra Morris for a behindthe-scenes walk through one of the most distinctive corners of the estate—a one-mile journey that’s equal parts scenic stroll and insider experience. Along the way, you’ll hear the stories behind the vines, from clonal choices to vintage variation, all shared from the perspective of the person shaping the wines in your glass. May 3 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $50-$100. almarosawinery.com. Alma Rosa Estate, 7250 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton, (805) 691-9395.
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.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET
Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.
PIÑATAS ON THE PATIO What is more festive than a piñata? Join for some brunch drinks and a couple of good hits to a piñata (or two). Good times and goofy prices promised. Turns will be determined on a first come, first served basis. First Sunday of every month Free. SLO Public Market, South Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BRUNCH IS BACK Celebrate the second Sunday of the month with brunch. Enjoy a two-hour 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.
=MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH Celebrate the mother figures in your life with a delicious brunch at Cambria Pines Lodge! May 10, 12-3 p.m. $29-$59. (805) 927-4200. cambriapineslodge.com. Cambria Pines Lodge, 2905 Burton Dr., Cambria.
WOOD-FIRED PIZZA NIGHTS AT CAMBRIA PINES LODGE Join us every Friday for an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and festivities at the Pizza Nook at Cambria Pines Lodge! Fridays, 5-9 p.m. through Sept. 25 Free. (805) 927-4200. cambriapineslodge.com. Cambria Pines Lodge, 2905 Burton Dr., Cambria.
MUSIC
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY 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.
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS AT THE COPACABANA! SENIOR PROM Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens presents a “At the Copacabana” dance, with music by the Riptide Big Band and vocalists. May 3 , 1:30-4 p.m. Free. (775) 813-5186. RiptideBB.com. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria. HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
LIVE JAZZ SATURDAYS Enjoy live jazz, featuring swing jazz guitarist Edwin Hite. May 2 2-4 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0860. instagram.com/ Crumblescafeandbakeshop. Crumbles Cafe & Bake Shop, 1635 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.
LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR
Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 623-5129, stellerscellar.com.
AUGUST
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. SIPS FOR STRINGS: SANTA MARIA PHILHARMONIC GALA Celebrate classical music at Presqu’ile Winery, while helping the Santa Maria Philharmonic stay live and local. Enjoy an evening of wonderful music and good company. May 1 6-9:30 p.m. $125. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presquile Dr, Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866. SANTA YNEZ VALLEY AN ACOUSTIC EVENING WITH RYAN BINGHAM Join us for a special night of music, heritage, and generosity - benefiting Los Adobes De Los Rancheros and Solvang Theaterfest. April 30 8-10 p.m. $275. (805) 686-1789. solvangtheaterfest.org/showlisting. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang.
GAINEY VINEYARD’S CONCERTS IN THE VINES PRESENTS FLAMENCO IN THE VINES Experience an unforgettable evening of fine wine and fiery flamenco beneath the full moon. Renowned guitarist Tony Ybarra will be accompanied by dynamic professional flamenco dancers. May 2 , 6-9 p.m. $50$75. (805) 688-0558. shop.gaineyvineyard.com. Gainey Estate Vineyard, 3950 Hwy 246, Santa Ynez.
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
VOICES OF THE VALLEY We are honored to announce Voices of the Valley, a one-night-only benefit concert supporting three cornerstone arts organizations that enrich the cultural life. May 8 7-9 p.m. $300. (805) 686-1789. solvangtheaterfest.org/showlisting. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang. 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.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY AN EVENING WITH JIM MESSINA An undisputed expert in the fine art of making hit music, Jim Messina’s legacy of musical genius spans five decades a three supergroups. May 7 7:30 p.m. $49-$79. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande. KARAOKE EVERY WEDNESDAY A weekly event with barbecue offerings and more. Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Rancho Nipomo BBQ, 108 Cuyama Ln., Nipomo, (805) 925-3500. THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale after-hours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21 and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo.
MOTHER’S DAY MARIACHI FESTIVAL: LEYENDAS DEL MARIACHI Celebrating all mothers on their special weekend with a spectacular Saturday night concert featuring the masters of mariachi music Leyendas del Mariachi. May 9 7:30-9:30 p.m. $50-$98. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
CUESTA CHOIRS CONCERT: “THE ROAD HOME” Join for an unforgettable evening as the Cuesta Chamber Singers and Voce explore the powerful connection between music, memory, and the places we belong. May 1 , 7:30 p.m. $10-$18. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
SLO SYMPHONY PRESENTS MYSTIQUE & WONDER Pianist Ilya Yakushev returns with Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, along with Rimsky Korsakov Scheherazade and Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture. May 2 , 3 p.m. $12-$92. (805) 543-3533. slosymphony.org/calendar-2025-2026. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY BLUES AGENDA JAM AND SHOWCASE A rockin’ blues dance party at Niffy’s Merrimaker every first, third, and now fifth Wednesdays. The Blues Asylum house band welcomes local, visiting, and newcomers to the blues groove. Spirits, beer, and wine, with outside food welcome. Every other Wednesday, 7-10 p.m. Free. (805) 235-5223. The Merrimaker Tavern, 1301 2nd Street, Los Osos.
MAY 2 & 3, 2026 •
ARTS BRIEFS
The Old Orcutt Yarnery is accepting sign-ups for classes and a weekend retreat
Whether you’ve never held a knitting needle or you’ve fashioned plenty of garments, the Old Orcutt Yarnery has a spot for you. Seats go quickly for trainings, but the shop released a docket filled with opportunities through the fall.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the help desk is open. Owner Lisa Long and her team are available to assist with starting a project, reading patterns, amending mistakes, and everything in between. Pay $20 and drop in between 1 and 2:30 p.m. for a casual work session.
Wool gatherings are held on Fridays starting at 10 a.m. and noon on Sundays. The informal meetup doesn’t provide any instruction but offers a comfy place to work on a project with other knitters and crocheters.
June is the month of socks. Intermediate knitters will learn the magic loop method to make a pair of cuff-down socks. The $90 series includes lessons from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on June 6, 13, and 20.
Registration is open for the yarn shop’s weekend retreat from Sept. 18 to 20. The trip includes meals, snacks, workshops, a winery excursion, and all knitting materials. Lodging isn’t provided. A $200 deposit is refundable until July 1.
To sign up for classes and learn more about The Old Orcutt Yarnery, visit oldorcuttyarnery.com. The shop is located at 350 E. Clark Ave. in Orcutt. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
Cypress Gallery hosts an artist reception for its duo exhibit
The latest show at the Cypress Gallery, titled Evolving, is made possible by the work of C. Wood and Chuck Klein. They’ll meet with the public on May 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. for a reception at the gallery.
Wood’s work is nonrepresentational. Life is short, so she wants to keep trying new styles.
The Los Alamos painter’s philosophy fits well into the show’s theme of evolution, and the pieces will speak for themselves, Wood told the Sun. Her previous portraits of cows and horses are a lot different than what appears on her recent canvases. An interest in Asian textiles is one of her newer influences.
She met Klein through the local art world, and they decided to do a show together. Klein is a wood craftsman who imparts his imagination onto practical pieces, making timeless pieces out of local aged wood.
Klein also has “a great deal of respect for staying flexible because the piece will express where it wants to go on its own,” Klein wrote in an email to the Sun. “To be able to identify the beauty within the piece takes some patience and willingness to let it speak its truth.”
Open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Cypress Gallery is located at 119 E. Cypress Ave. in Lompoc. Evolving will be on display until May 24. Call (805) 737-1129 for more information. m
Build your character
An up-and-coming Lompoc artist wields magic with a 3D pen
BY MADISON WHITE
Facing his fear of failure, Joe Cerny said he’s “so over” being scared of trying new things that might turn out to be embarrassing.
Last year, a spinal injury kept him bedridden for 10 months, but after surgery he found a brighter perspective.
“I guess it’s one of those new-lease-on-life situations where before I hurt my back, I was just going through the motions. … I just felt like I was in a rut,” Cerny told the Sun. “When I hurt my back and got better from that, I kind of had that new passion to be creative again and wanted to start exploring.”
He’d kept seeing videos on Instagram and TikTok from a Russian artist who makes masks with a 3D pen, basically drawing them instead of sculpting. The device is like a condensed version of a 3D printer, but plastic filament is heated and pressed out through a pen tip, drying quickly after its application. On his way to a surgery checkup last year, Cerny decided to buy one.
Since February he’s been using it to create masks of his own. The artist’s first public showing was at the Lompoc Art Walk on April 2. The community-led event matches local artists with small business owners to foster an open-house, interactive art museum across town on the first Thursday of every month.
Cerny was born and raised in Lompoc but is new to the Art Walk. He said he “absolutely fell in love” with the fact that community members are pulling something together out of nothing.
A “mind reader type,” he set up inside The Wicked Shamrock bar at the April event, trying to read everyone’s facial expressions as they walked by. The artisan sold two pieces.
“It feels super validating to be able to take something from my mind and put it into physical space and have people think it’s cool,” he said.
A mask for you, a mask for me
Catch Joe Cerny showing his masks for sale at upcoming Lompoc Art Walks. Follow him on Instagram @jozo_masks to see his new projects.
Designs begin with figments of his imagination. Cerny explores themes of beauty in death and suffering. In a word, he’d describe his style as esoteric. Take one look at his pieces—you’ll definitely have a reaction. Picture clowns, exposed skulls, and long, extended jaws with stringy teeth.
Cerny’s fascination with gory, monstrous themes is obvious. During some self-reflection, he realized even the tattoos on his body are all personified characters and animals.
“Right now, I’m starting off with a lot more creepy designs just because of the roughness of the medium and my kind of beginner knowledge in it lends itself to that creepy aesthetic,” Cerny said. “Sometimes I’ll purposely turn up the temperature of my gun, so I get a really creepy looking bubbly plastic feel.”
The first step is buying a generic paper mask off Amazon or making a cardboard configuration. Cerny makes cuts, shaping the structure to fit his vision. Then the surface is ready for hot plastic filament.
Some masks get a coat of paint, some don’t. He’s learned how to move quicker mid-design when swapping out the colored filaments in his 3D pen.
When all is said and done, the masks are wearable, complete with a strap and buckles that Cerny fashions onto the backs. His early prototypes were heavy, but they’re getting lighter as he practices.
Wearability was an important quality for Cerny. As an anxious person, he relates to the concept of putting a mask on in social settings.
“When you’re putting on the mask, you can kind of just embody this different character, and it lets me be free from a lot of insecurities and different social inhibitions,” Cerny said.
It’s also an honor to know that he created a character that someone else accepts. When others appreciate his work, it’s empowering because some of his insecurities go out the window.
His good friend Monique Ernberg wasn’t surprised to learn Cerny started crafting masks.
They’ve known each other since high school and she’s always viewed him as a creative person.
At first glance, the masks captured her attention. Long drawn to the “spookier” aspects of life, Ernberg was intrigued.
“Just his talent with these details and the textures. I know it had taken him some time. You can just tell by looking at them, so I’m like, ‘OK. He’s dedicated,’” Ernberg said. “I knew he was fully absorbed in this.”
In March, Cerny asked Ernberg to break out her camera and snap some shots of his work. Ernberg’s passion for photography dates back to high school, and she felt honored to take on the project.
There was quite a bit of teamwork involved, with the friends giving each other ideas. They made a lightbox and messed around with colors, lighting, and backgrounds.
Cerny envisions himself selling masks online, maybe at an Etsy shop, but for now he’s content getting his foot in the Lompoc art world. Ernberg said she could see Cerny successfully selling out of town when the time is right.
Ernberg believes people—including herself— relate to the way he uses creativity to face fears. “He’s like a well of endless inspiration,” Ernberg said. “It just makes me feel really excited to see what he will come up with next.” m
Reach Staff Writer Madison White, a 3D pen rookie, at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
MR. JOZO: A Lompoc native, Joe Cerny recently broke into the local art scene. He uses a 3D pen filled with plastic filaments to create masks in creepy, monstrous designs.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE CERNY
COURTESY IMAGE BY CHUCK KLEIN
WANT TO WEAR ONE? Some of Joe Cerny’s early masks were on the heavier side, requiring extra straps to make them wearable. He’s learned how to make texture without adding so many layers, so today’s masks are much lighter.
COURTESY PHOTO BY MONIQUE ERNBERG
TOPPED WITH A YELLOW HAT: This is the Jozo clown, Joe Cerny’s namesake mask that’s currently his Instagram profile picture. The artist loves the brand logo because there’s something “so striking and super fun” about it.
This four-part documentary series directed by Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?) and written by Sara Enright (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes) follows media mogul Rupert Murdoch as his children compete to see who will inherit his multibillion-dollar media empire. (four 47- to 56-min. episodes)
Glen: The Murdock clan really knows how to put the “nasty” in “dynasty.” What a nest of vipers. Through interviews with journalists and private communications between the feuding family members, we get a picture of the cutthroat battle that fractured a family. I have to say, Rupert’s personality and ruthlessness was clearly passed on to his children, especially Lachlan, Elisabeth, and James. Rupert’s eldest daughter, Prudence MacLeod, from his first marriage, wisely chose to sit out the battle. As journalist Jim Rutenberg noted in the docuseries, “[Rupert] wasn’t raising children, he was raising possible successors.” Maybe it’s nice to be that rich, or maybe that kind of wealth and power is soul destroying.
he surrounds himself with gross people and has taught his children that grossness equals success. The media mogul built an empire that boasts abhorrent conservative “values,” abuses and degrades women, and places profit over people with each and every boardroom decision. While this series is a great deep dive into the family and the true-life story that inspired Succession, this family is unpleasant to watch. How things unfolded is absolutely bonkers, but I walked away from it even more disgusted with the amount of power this man has managed to hold for decades. He’s a straight-up Batman villain come to life.
DYNASTY: THE MURDOCHS
Anna: Honestly, you couldn’t pay me
$1.1 billion or whatever the Murdoch kids wound up with in the settlement to have a toxic family dynamic like this. Rupert Murdoch is gross, and
DTF ST. LOUIS
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2026
Where’s it showing? HBO Max
I heard Jason Bateman talking about this series on his podcast Smartless as it was being made, so when DTF St. Louis hit HBO streaming, I thought I was ready for what was to come. I’d seen the trailer, I knew the premise, but hats off to creator Steve Conrad for a truly inventive, soulful, and ultimately heartrending series.
When weatherman Clark Forrest (Jason Bateman) meets ASL interpreter Floyd Smernitch (David Harbour) during a tornado, there’s an undeniable connection. The two just seem to “get” each other, and when Clark meets Floyd’s wife, Carol (Linda Cardellini), they also find their own spark. I don’t want to ruin the series and the twists and turns for you, and my words will never be as compelling as an actual watch in this case. What we’re offered is a wonderful exploration of friendships, relationships, and family dynamics. Something drastic and dramatic happens to one of our main characters at the start of the series, and the rest is a slow puzzle that helps it all make sense and manages to make the audience love these characters, even in their loneliest and most desperate moments. This is the most engaging series I’ve seen in a while. (seven 47- and 58-min. episodes)
—Anna
Glen: It’s still hard to believe Rupert managed to escape the 2011 Milly Dowler phone hacking scandal when it was discovered his News of the World publication had hacked into a murdered girl’s phone for information. Apparently, his reporters had been hacking the Royals for years. He just slimed out from under it by pretending to be ignorant and a doddering old man. No way! This guy is savvy and calculating and devoid of empathy. He even throws his son James under the bus. Who pits his children against each other? We also meet three of his five wives. Turns out, money can buy you love, but not lasting love. All that money, and these people have wallowed in misery. I almost—almost—feel sorry for them.
THREE’S A CROWD: Clark Forrest (Jason Bateman), Carol Love-Smernitch (Linda Cardellini), and Floyd Smernitch (David Harbour) become sexually entwined, in DTF St. Louis, streaming on HBO Max and Hulu.
Anna: Unfortunately, it’s easier to believe than it should be. Look at where we are with the Epstein files, the hard evidence against many in power, and the complete lack of action. Wealth is perhaps the ugliest of human inventions, and the Murdochs embody that. It’s hard to not feel sorry for his children in many ways, and his wives, because it seems that ultimately everyone in Rupert’s life is simply a game piece on his chessboard. He turns on them left and right and treats his status and his company as some sort of reward. Talk about trading your soul—his world solely revolves around himself, and his
BREAKDOWN: 1975
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
Morgan Neville ( Lorne , Man on the Run) directs this documentary he co-wrote with Alan Lowe ( Mr. November, Lorne) that examines the year 1975 through the lens of the risk-taking movies released that year: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , Dog Day Afternoon , Jaws , Shampoo , Three Days of the Condor and more. There are some factual missteps: The doc brings up Chinatown Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore , and The Conversation —all fantastic films from 1974—and Taxi Driver All the President’s Men and Network —also fantastic films but released in 1976. Maybe it should be renamed Breakdown: Mid-1970s
legacy unfortunately continues as Fox News continues to spew hatred and lies. The four-part series doesn’t shy away from letting his children also show us who they are and how little sympathy they truly deserve. None of them are particularly kind to each other, and that speaks to the cutthroat dynamic their household held growing up. This series made me very grateful to be wealthy in the ways that count. m
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
That said, it was an admittedly pivotal year culturally between the Watergate scandal and the upcoming Bicentennial, with many stellar films. However, at just 92 minutes, it doesn’t get very deep into the history of cinema, and its thesis that 1975 was the most important year in the fertile 1970s is obviously subjective, but if you want a reminder of a lot of the great films from that year-ish as well as nostalgic archival footage, historical context, and interviews with folks
PLAY NASTY: Dynasty: The Murdochs chronicles the fight over Rupert Murdoch’s media empire between three of his children, streaming on Netflix.
like Patton Oswalt, Josh Brolin, Martin Scorsese, Seth Rogen, Oliver Stone, and others, it’s a fun look back. Narration is by Taxi Driver star Jodie Foster. (92 min.) m —Glen
THE YEAR THAT WAS: Without a doubt, 1975 was a great year for cinema, and Breakdown: 1975 , streaming on Netflix, offers a brief documentary look at that moment in time.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
For here or to go?
From fine dining to deli delights, Tony Minniti knows how to please a crowd
BY MADISON WHITE
Before discovering Tony’s on Palisade, Craig Diamantopoulos was indifferent about driving with his wife to her doctor’s appointments. She commutes from their home in Lompoc to the Marian Regional Medical Center campus in Santa Maria. But for months now, Diamantopoulos has insisted on making the trek with his wife so he can grab a bite.
In the unlikely spot of the Marian Hancock Medical Building lobby, a 10-month-old delicatessen offers breakfast, lunch, sweets, and beverages made with local, organic ingredients. Diamantopoulos thinks Tony’s has become a destination for the medical center.
Diamantopoulos’ favorite menu item is the bacon breakfast burrito, which comes stuffed with hash browns, scrambled eggs, and cheddar cheese. Staff make sure to drizzle salsa inside the burrito for Diamantopoulos, just the way he likes it.
“I have to say, this is the best burrito I’ve had, and I’ve lived on the Central Coast since ’08,” Diamantopoulos told the Sun Tony’s also makes an incredible macchiato and half-pound cookies fresh from the skillet, he added. The regular customer appreciates that staff make everything from scratch, rather than unwrapping Costco muffins for their display cases like some cafes.
From the outside, deli food might seem simple, but Diamantopoulos believes owner Tony Minniti approaches
For the love of sandwiches
Tony’s on Palisade is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The deli is located at 116 S. Palisade Drive in Santa Maria. Order on DoorDash or online at foodincsb.com. Follow on Instagram @tonysonpalisade.
everything with balance and great care.
“He’s an artisan,” Diamantopoulos said. “He really has a craftsman-like approach to it.”
Minniti is a trained chef hailing from fine dining. In previous roles, he headed culinary teams at Fess Parker Winery and The Willows at the Chumash Casino Resort.
More recently he helped make 2,000 sandwiches every week for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. When that gig ended, he kept riding the sandwich train. The chef’s philosophy is that if he’s going to do anything, including at the deli level, he’s going to strive to be the best. It comes from a place of passion and heart.
“I’ve always loved a great deli sandwich,” Minniti said.
Minniti takes his time with every ingredient and takes immense pride in his sandwiches. The chef prepares turkey breast and beef in the good ol’ Santa Maria barbecue-style way, over an open flame.
Then, he sous-vides the turkey to finish it off. Try it on Tony’s Roasted Turkey sandwich with tomatoes, basil pesto mayo, fire roasted peppers, mozzarella, and lettuce. Produce comes from Sunrise Organic Farm in Buellton when available.
Minniti’s favorite is The Italian, with four kinds of meat imported from Italy, sharp provolone, pepperoncini, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, mustard, and a homemade vinaigrette. Order it cold or baked.
one bite you could get toffee, bittersweet and dark chocolate, and cranberries. If a customer calls ahead or has 30 minutes to spare, Minniti will bake cookies to order.
“It’s got to be a good 30-minute window because they have to cool a little bit,” Minniti said. “My favorite is the chocolate chip. I think the oatmeal kills them all.”
Feeding the community is one thing Minniti loves about his job. His current post at the Marian Regional Medical Center campus welcomes a broad representation of the Central Coast community. Most are patients coming in for appointments or medical staff. Minniti said it feels gratifying to serve them.
‘I have to say, this is the best burrito I’ve had, and I’ve lived on the Central Coast since ’08.’
—Craig Diamantopoulos, regular customer
“Believe it or not, they’re two distinct things,” the chef said. Wash a bite down with one of Minniti’s special drinks. He jazzes up iced tea with muddled fruit, citrus juice, and flavored syrup. He adds a similar twist to Red Bull or lemonade.
For customers looking for an ooey-gooey sweet treat, the deli’s half-pound cookies are something to write home about. Minniti said he likes turning people on to new things, like his non-traditional oatmeal cookie.
Though you’ll never go wrong with chocolate chip, the oatmeal confection is a showstopper. In
“Knowing that I can make somebody happy through their stomach, feed them and nourish somebody—and that they enjoy it—it’s always made me happy,” Minniti said. “That kind of drives me.”
The other bunch of his customers likely came across the deli after a doctor’s appointment but now make an effort to return, like Diamantopoulos and his wife. Minniti and his team don’t take anything for granted. They pay attention to all of their customers.
The chef has big dreams for the deli’s future. For now, he’s starting small, building up a following, and showing the community that Tony’s on Palisade makes a damn good sandwich. m
way at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.
Staff Writer Madison White will be returning to try Tony’s breakfast burrito. Send salsa and eggs her
T.O.P. DOG: Owner Tony Minniti runs a deli called Tony’s on Palisade in Santa Maria boasting professionally crafted breakfast and lunch. He brings a little bit of his East Coast rough and tumble to the chill vibes of the Central Coast.
FOR DISPLAY ONLY: Bagels at Tony’s on Palisade are sourced from Shell Beach Micro Bakery just up the 101, but the muffins, croissants, and Danishes are freshly baked by Tony Minniti and his team.
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED: Next time you’re near the Marian Hancock Medical Building, pop into the lobby for a bite or drink from Tony’s on Palisade. The hidden gem attracts customers from up and down the Central Coast.
TOASTED? Stacked with Italian meats and cheeses, The Italian sandwich at Tony’s on Palisade is a crowd favorite. Try it baked and you’ll get a whole different sandwich, chef Tony Minniti said.
