The Santa Maria Police Department’s mounted unit just got two more officers [8]
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
The Lost Bus is poignant [28]
As the Santa Maria Police Department’s mounted unit turned 2 years old, it doubled in size, adding two more officers and their trusty steeds. The officers own their horses and are responsible for their care, making it a quasi-voluntary role. While the mounted unit helps out with patrols and pursuits, it also aims to be a connection between the community and the Police Department. Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood speaks with the officers involved for this week’s story [8]
Also, read about fire prevention through prescribed burns [4]; a Santa Barbara artist’s mixed media universe at Hancock [26]; and Whiskey ’N Rye’s smoke, fire, and ice [29]
• On Oct. 7, U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-California) and Alex Padilla (D-California) partnered with state representatives from Oregon and Illinois on a joint statement that addresses National Guard deployment concerns related to each officials’ respective state. “Whether in Los Angeles, Chicago, or Portland, the Trump administration continues fabricating claims of chaos and crime on American streets to justify his false assertions that there is a ‘need’ to deploy troops into our cities—all while literally defunding our police by cutting funding that helps local law enforcement make our cities safer,” the statement reads. “None of our states asked for this. None of our states need this. And none of our National Guard troops—who are our friends and neighbors—signed up to intimidate their fellow Americans in their own communities or to be used as political pawns by a vindictive president. Donald Trump should immediately reverse course and end these un-American deployments.” In September, Schiff and Padilla sent a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Defense to demand information about the deployment of California National Guard personnel in Los Angeles in June. Among the details requested was the total cost to taxpayers, including the sources of any funding that was reprogrammed for the activation and how many military and civilian personnel have been assigned to missions in and around Los Angeles.
• On Oct. 8, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 656, which requires social media companies to make canceling an account straightforward and clear for users, while ensuring that a cancellation triggers a full deletion of the user’s personal data on the respective app. “It shouldn’t be hard to delete social media accounts, and it shouldn’t be even harder to take back control of personal data. With these bills, social media users can be assured that when they delete their accounts, they do not leave their data behind,” Newsom said in a statement. Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita), who introduced AB 656, stated that social media users deserve “to have the confidence that they can easily delete their account and when they do that their personal information is deleted too.” According to Newsom’s office, AB 656 builds on the governor’s prior work related to consumer privacy protections, such as last year’s Click to Cancel bill (AB 2863), which requires companies that offer automatic renewals and continuous services to provide consumers with a user-friendly option to unsubscribe from services they no longer want, without being trapped by hidden fees or protocols.
• U.S. Reps Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and Trent Kelly (R-Mississippi) recently reintroduced the Community College Agriculture Advancement Act, a bipartisan bill that would fund community college workforce training, education, and research programs in agriculture. Carbajal described the bill as an aim to correct community college agricultural programs’ longtime exclusion from federal funding opportunities. The bill would amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to allow community colleges to access grant money for agriculture programs, while establishing a competitive U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant program for the nation’s nearly 1,100 community colleges to apply for to fund workforce training, education, research, and outreach programs in agriculture. “Agriculture is the leading industry on the Central Coast, yet the funding meant to sustain the next generation of farmers isn’t reaching our community colleges,” Carbajal stated in late September. “This bipartisan bill strengthens the resources available to the community and technical colleges that educate and train our country’s agricultural workforce.” m
Prescribed burn coming to Sedgwick Reserve to manage vegetation, reduce wildfire fuel
The county Fire Department will begin prescribed burns around the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos valleys with a nearly $1 million grant from Cal Fire.
“It’s one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to reduce fuel,” Santa Barbara County Fire Marshal Fred Tan told the Sun.
First, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department will focus on implementing a prescribed burn across roughly 1,800 acres in the Sedgwick Reserve. The process is set to start in November, Tan said, but only around 280 acres will burn this year.
Sedgwick has significant effects from last year’s Lake Fire, a wildfire that burned more than 38,000 acres.
“It burned pretty intensely in and around the Sedgwick,” Tan said. “Some areas are still recovering from the [fire], so we’re not going to burn in those areas.”
After a prescribed burn, vegetation often grows back smaller, and Tan said that if another fire were to ignite, it should spread slower.
Prescribed burns are “intended to also protect the community for 10 years because we’ve reduced fuel in that area,” Tan said.
The project is made possible by a Cal Fire wildfire prevention grant through cap-and-trade funds from California Climate Investments Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, according to the county. With the grant, Tan said the Fire Department will pay for environmental consulting, biological and archaeological surveys, and equipment maintenance for the prescribed burn.
“It’s still fire but being able to conduct fuel reduction activities through prescribed fire at lower intensities, we can have lower greenhouse gas emissions,” Tan said.
To organize a prescribed burn, the Fire Department maps out the region, reaches landowner agreements, and completes environmental review documentation, Tan explained. When the crews get to the scene, firefighters are briefed on the fire and then they set up fire lines and containment lines, ensuring engines can maneuver through the boundaries.
“We’ll also have the crews and construction with their heavy equipment also create contingency lines so that if a fire maybe escapes a little bit, … we can hold it at a contingency line,” Tan said. “There’s sometimes miles of lines that have to get placed.”
An entire project typically lasts between two to seven days, he added.
In addition to burning at the Sedgwick Reserve, Tan said the department plans to finalize landowner agreements next year to burn around 1,100 acres for the Ballard Vegetation Management Plan.
The grant will be used for smaller vegetation management projects like roadside mowing, too.
In California, fire is a reality, Tan said.
“I think we’d all rather have that fire happen on our terms, though,” Tan said, “when we’re prepared and we have crews there and ready to reduce fuel on our terms.”
—Madison White
Solvang City Council upholds delay of ‘whimsical’ hotel development
During a routine inspection of a Solvang hotel in the building process, the city ordered its owner to halt construction after discovering inconsistencies between approved blueprints and the project as it now stands.
“We did issue a stop work order for the onsite work which went beyond the scope of the permit,” Solvang Community Development Director Rafael Castillo told the City Council at its Oct. 13 meeting.
Castillo said that local developer Ed St. George was aware of the inconsistencies about two months prior to the order, when city staff informed him that amendments to his entitlement were necessary to move forward with certain paint colors and half-timber facades—on nine cottage-style hotel suits meant to resemble a Danish village—that weren’t in his development plans, approved back in 2023.
When St. George’s requests for amendments were rejected by Solvang’s Planning Commission, he appealed the decision to the City Council.
“In my opinion, I have followed the process,” St. George told the council. “I disagree vehemently with the stop work order.”
One of St. George’s deviations from his original plans was adding pinstripe red and white designs to some of the cottages’ roofs. He described the choice as a tribute to Denmark’s flag, but Castillo told the council that the combination of colors wasn’t “characteristically found in Old World Denmark [architecture].”
“Those do not emulate the authentic appearance and patterns of historic Danish buildings,” Castillo said. “A solid color should be utilized to emulate the Old World Danish style consistent with the
previous [Solvang Design Review Committee] and Planning Commission approvals.”
Public comment at the meeting was split between attendees in favor of approving St. George’s appeal and others that asked the council to uphold its design policies, partly to prevent setting a precedent for future developments.
Councilmember Mark Infanti sided with the latter view, despite his appreciation for the project, he explained.
“The subject matter here is not about whether we like it or not. It’s a policy statement,” Infanti said. “I frankly like the buildings. I like what’s going on—the colors, the half-timbers. Whether I like that or not, I don’t think it’s important.”
“Your taste and my taste are probably pretty close,” Infanti told St. George.
The whimsical nature of the cottage-style hotel came up during public comment, which some speakers described as feeling closer to a fairy-tale village than real-world Danish architecture.
“I think Hans would approve this project,” public speaker Jean Seamount said, referring to Hans Christian Andersen.
Seamount humorously described the development as “a sanctuary for the people from the giant troll down the street,” referring to the California Nature Art Museum’s indoor troll installation.
Mayor David Brown was the sole council member to express support for the appeal.
“Even though it may not be authentic, it’s fun,” Brown said about St. George’s red and white paint color deviations. “It makes it attractive.”
Brown’s motion to approve the appeal did not receive a second, while Infanti’s motion to deny it passed 4-1. Brown dissented.
—Caleb Wiseblood
County Planning Commission approves 99-unit affordable apartment complex in Orcutt
Described as a win-win project by some local officials, an affordable housing development set for East Foster Road in Orcutt will cause the surrounding area to lose its “overall character,” in the eyes of one homeowners association.
“We absolutely understand the need for more affordable housing. Our concern isn’t about who will live there,” Edgewood Homeowners Association board member Rosie Rojo recently told the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission.
The “increased activity” tied to the 99-unit Orchard Terrace complex—proposed as 100 percent affordable housing—and new residents it’ll bring to the area “will alter the quiet, liveable character of our neighborhood,” Rojo argued, while citing traffic safety and parking congestion as the homeowner association’s top concerns.
“Cars regularly fly by, and we’ve seen several accidents over recent years. … Adding hundreds of new daily trips will only increase those risks, putting our children, pedestrians, and cyclists in real danger,” Rojo said at the Planning Commission’s Oct. 8 meeting.
“Parking is another serious issue,” Rojo
RISK MITIGATION: Prescribed burns, including this one near Midland School in Los Olivos two years ago, typically protect a region from wildfire for 10 years, County Fire Marshal Fred Tan said.
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continued. “The proposed development simply doesn’t provide enough space for residents and guests, which means overflow parking will spill into our neighborhood streets.”
Rojo was the sole speaker during public comment, which 4th District Planning Commissioner Roy Reed described as a sign that the project—heavily revised over the past two years—was heading in the right direction compared to previous hearings centered on Orchard Terrace.
Between 2023 and 2024, AMG Land Development took part in discussions with the county Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to draft a development agreement that aimed to improve the project’s “neighborhood compatibility,” according to the staff report.
The developer originally pitched a three-story building with 61 affordable units for the 4-acre project site.
“Everyone complained that it looked like a hotel,” 3rd District Planning Commissioner John Parke said.
Feedback from Parke and other county officials helped shape an alternative plan for four separate buildings—two two-story buildings, and two three-story buildings—each with increased setbacks from existing residential developments nearby.
The new layout came with a unit increase as well, from 61 to 99, as the redesign allowed the developer to “take advantage of the entire site,” the staff report noted, rather than “clustering it in a single three-story structure on the south half of the property.”
altered development agreement and deemed the project consistent with the Orcutt Community Plan.
The agreement also entailed constructing a 135-space parking lot as part of the project. The developer pitched a “soft promise” of increasing the lot to 150 spaces ahead of the project’s Oct. 10 Planning Commission review.
“This project is just radically better than what we first saw,” Parke said at the meeting. “We have to look at this as comparing it to what the original project was and how we’ve just mitigated almost all those concerns with this.”
In response to Orcutt resident Rojo’s concerns about daily trips and traffic impacts, Planning Commissioner Reed said that’s “certainly something that the Board of Supervisors can look at in terms of instituting … mechanisms of controlling vehicle speed in the immediate area.”
Parke also addressed Rojo’s comments before seconding Reed’s motion to approve Orchard Terrace’s development plan.
“I think they’re good points, but … our Board of Supervisors has already been very much involved, and that makes me feel that there’s less need for the Planning Commission to dot every i and cross every t on all the different facets of it,” Parke said. “It’s undergone all of that examination already and it’s the best that people could come up with.”
Reed’s motion passed 4-0 (5th District Planning Commissioner Vincent Martinez was absent).
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In March 2024, the county Board of Supervisors approved the
“No change is going to be completely free of opposition from neighboring residents,” said Reed, who described Orchard Terrace as “a significant step toward accommodating the housing requirements— particularly affordable housing requirements—so badly needed in the county as a whole.” m
—Caleb Wiseblood
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Pony up
The stakes are personal for a team of four behind Santa Maria Police Department’s mounted patrol
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
One of Santa Maria’s Town Center East shopping plazas felt like the Old West to two police officers who chased down a suspected shoplifter outside of Big 5 Sporting Goods last summer.
“We were actually in a hoof pursuit,” Santa Maria Police Department officer Jessica Rubio recalled, while sitting on her patrol horse named Buddy.
Rubio and fellow officer Jesus Caro—the two founding members of the department’s Mounted Enforcement Unit—were trotting along some parking lots as part of their beat one day when a manager of Santa Maria’s Big 5 flagged them down to report a theft that had just taken place.
“We went to investigate, and sure enough we saw [someone] around the corner stuffing items in a backpack that he just stole,” Rubio said. “We confronted him, and he took off running from us.”
The multi-block pursuit ended with the suspect’s arrest in a residential neighborhood nearby.
“We can trot behind a suspect for blocks and blocks at a time,” said Caro, whose horse’s name is Zeus. “Our primary focus on that one was to just keep an eye on the suspect while the guys in the police cars come in and take custody.”
While incidents like the Big 5 collar demonstrate the mounted unit’s prowess in patrol and enforcement tactics, the division’s biggest strength is a horse of a different color, Rubio explained.
“This gives people a reason to come up and talk to us,” said Rubio, who described the unit’s main goal as encouraging public engagement.
full-time role as a detective in the department’s special victims unit, Ochoa can dedicate some of his work hours to horseback patrol.
What do you think of the Santa Maria Police Department’s mounted unit?
m It’s a great connection for the community.
m I hope I never have to outrun a police horse!
m It seems unnecessary—motor vehicles are enough.
m Will we start seeing more robbers on horseback?
“When we’re walking down the street, people actually run out of their houses. In a patrol car, we wouldn’t get that,” she said. “People don’t want to come up to a patrol car.”
Formed as a two-member team in 2023, the mounted unit’s size recently doubled with the addition of two more officers, Neil Medrano and Kevin Ochoa, and their two steeds, Duke and Crow, respectively.
All four officers bought their own horses out of pocket and are personally responsible for feeding, housing, and shoeing them.
“If you want to be part of it, you have to show that you’re committed and willing to put forth the effort,” said Rubio, who was part of the Stockton Police Department’s mounted unit before joining the Santa Maria Police Department about three years ago.
“It’s a good icebreaker,” said Ochoa, who appreciates the conversations he’s had so far with Santa Maria residents—especially parents and their kids—who approach him to pet or ask about his horse, Crow, or casually voice what’s on their minds.
“If people see us out there, we want to talk to them,” he said, “to hear about people’s problems in their neighborhoods or businesses.”
Like Ochoa, Medrano’s horse-riding experience was limited to a couple of recreational trail riding outings before he showed interest in joining the mounted unit about a year ago—unlike both of the unit’s founding members who grew up with horses.
“I rode horses when I was little, and this literally gave me the opportunity to bring a passionate hobby into work,” Rubio said.
new endowment but didn’t receive a response before press time.
One of the council’s biggest contributions to the mounted unit is the truck and trailer that the Police Department uses to transport the horses, most frequently from their stables in Nipomo to the police station.
The truck and trailer also come in handy when the unit travels for periodic workshops— with admission fees partly covered by the Police Council—centered on training exercises designed for mounted patrol agencies in different parts of California. In September, the unit roadtripped to Norco for a weeklong training camp hosted by the Western States Mounted Officers Association.
While the unit’s two new officers gained needed certifications at the camp, Rubio and Caro attended to advance their skills, specifically in exercises to maintain control of their horses during challenging scenarios.
While pitching the idea to the Santa Maria department, she used Stockton’s unit and similar mounted patrols across the state as examples of agencies with budget constraints that require officers to purchase their own horses privately.
“I know some agencies buy their horses, … but we’re just not there yet,” Rubio said. “We’re hoping that in the future the department will buy the horses, that they’ll buy the food, that they’ll buy the supplies.”
Rubio said the annual cost of feed per horse is about $7,000, while boarding is around $350 monthly at the stables in Nipomo where each of the four officers house their horses.
A role in the mounted unit takes a time commitment as well, said Ochoa, whose first day of deployment with the mounted unit was Oct. 9. Like his three peers, Ochoa has an assigned role with the Police Department that’s separate from his work with the mounted unit, which is considered a part-time collateral assignment.
When there’s time to break away from his
One of the mounted unit’s long-term goals is to form a nonprofit to help offset some monetary costs tied to running it, Rubio said.
In the meantime, the Santa Maria Police Council remains a consistent source of financial support and donations, Caro explained.
“Since the establishment of the unit, the Santa Maria Police Council has helped out tremendously,” said Caro, who listed saddles, horse tack, and deployment gear as items the council either donated or covered the costs of.
The council recently announced “an account where they put money aside for us, aimed at growing the unit,” Caro added.
During its latest fundraiser event in June, the council unveiled the Jim Glines Memorial Endowment to benefit the Police Department’s mounted unit in honor of Glines (1942-2025), a longtime Police Council member “who wouldn’t hesitate to vote yes” on funding opportunities for the unit, Caro said.
The Sun reached out to Police Council Executive Director Mike Gibson for info on the
The camp ended with a competitive obstacle course, which Caro’s horse, Zeus, won first place in.
“It’s about 23 different obstacles, and it’s timed. It’s about precision and speed,” Caro said. The course was surrounded by traffic cones, each topped with a tennis ball, Caro explained. Points were deducted from competing horses’ scores depending on how many cones or tennis balls fell while they maneuvered through the track.
Throughout the challenge, there were sensory obstacles as well, such as smoke, sirens, fireworks, the firing of blanks, and a helicopter that would swoop in at low altitudes to try to distract the horses.
“You come into a really tight area, and your horse makes some really tight turns. … You have to be fast and precise. You have to find the right combination,” Caro said. “Zeus was solid.” m
Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
CUE ZEUS: Santa Maria Police Department officer Jesus Caro is one of the two founding members of the department’s Mounted Enforcement Unit, which formed in 2023. While on duty, Caro and his horse, Zeus, patrol various neighborhoods, parks, shopping centers, and parking lots.
The
Santa Maria Joint Union
High School District
Special Education - Child Find
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate high school age students suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes students that are highly mobile, migrant, experiencing homelessness, students that are wards of the state, and students attending private schools located within SMJUHSD boundaries. If you suspect your child has a disability, contact the school special education department or district office Special Education Department.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
El Distrito Escolar de las Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria
Educación Especial - Búsqueda de Estudiantes
El Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria (SMJUHSD) busca identificar, localizar y evaluar a los estudiantes en edad de escuela preparatoria sospechosos de tener una discapacidad que puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades educativas sin costo alguno para las familias. Esto incluye a los estudiantes que son altamente móviles, migrantes, sin hogar, estudiantes que están bajo la tutela del estado, y los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas privadas ubicadas dentro los limites de SMJUHSD. Si sospecha que su hijo tiene una discapacidad, comuníquese con el departamento de educación especial de la escuela u oficina de Educación Especial del distrito SMJUHSD.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
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Playing to learn
New children’s computers with educational games are available at the Santa Maria library
BY MADISON WHITE
Connecting the dots, learning colors, and solving jigsaw puzzles are some of the activities kids now have access to on bilingual learning computers at the Santa Maria Public Library. The computers provide safe, engaging educational content for ages 2 to 12.
Set up in the children’s area on the first level of the library at 421 S. McClelland St. in Santa Maria, visitors are already using the two preschool-level computers, which were donated by Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library. The library ordered two more computers for kindergarten to eighth grade students. The devices are equipped with learning games in subjects like English, math, geography, and science.
Kathleen Gabel, the nonprofit’s president, started volunteering in 2021 after she saw the storefront in the mall reopen after the pandemic.
“I turned around and there’s this used bookstore, and it was titled Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library,” Gabel said. “And I said, ‘Oh, I could do that.’”
In addition to selling used books, the organization raises money to provide materials and programs from the library’s wish list. Its goal is to encourage reading in the community and the growth of the public library.
“I really enjoy serving our Santa Maria community,” Gabel said.
However, in recent years, the shop was struggling to stay afloat. Volunteers were limited, hours were inconsistent, and the bookstore was losing money. Gabel wanted to change that. She asked the board to open the library shop on Sundays to cater to people who work during the week. With the help of local farms’ donations and new high school volunteers, it was successful.
“The farms are supporting my objective to be open for their employees on Sundays,” Gabel said. “I know when I worked full
time that was when we shopped for fun.”
Promoting reading is important for the community because “children that read become adults that think,” Gabel said. She remembers visiting her local library with her siblings to do homework when she was a kid.
“It was such a great resource for our large family,” she said, “and so I love providing the resources to our community.”
The Friends has raised money and received grants totaling more than $32,000 for the Santa Maria library in 2025, Gabel said. To supply the computers, the nonprofit received a $9,600 grant from the Edwin and Jeanne Woods Family Foundation. Friends also contributed $7,000 of its own funds toward the project.
Fundraisers and book sale events are part of the organization’s activity in the community, too. Earlier this year the nonprofit hosted a barbecue event, a painted chair raffle, and a mah-jongg fundraiser, Gabel said. Coming up in December is a book sale that’ll take place in the Santa Maria Library.
“We’ll schlep all our books over there,” Gabel said with a laugh. “We haven’t had that large of [a sale] in four years.”
Memberships are also available for Friends’ bookstore.
Individuals pay $10 per year and families pay $15 for a free book every month worth up to $3.
Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library is located on the second floor of the Santa Maria Town Center East mall. The bookstore is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Call (805) 925-7116 with questions, and visit fsmpl.org for membership details.
Highlights
• The men’s basketball program at Allan Hancock College is hosting Frightmare Forest, a haunted maze, to fundraise for the team. The 3-acre maze runs through the college’s basketball and softball complex next to the vineyard at 800 S. College Drive in Santa Maria. Take part in the scares from 7 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 24 to 26 and on Halloween night. Tickets cost $15 per person and are available on-site or at ahcbulldogs.com/ticketing.
• Join in on family-friendly fun full of trick-or-treating, spooky experiments, and festive games at the Children’s Resource and Referral Discovery Museum’s Boo-seum Bash. Admission is free to the event, which will last from 2 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31. The museum is located at 705 S. McClelland St. in Santa Maria. m Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.
LEARNING TOOLS: Two new educational computers for preschool-level students are available at the Santa Maria Public Library. Two more devices for elementary school students are coming soon.
Government shutdowns
67% Connect the people living there with shelter and services.
33% Throw them all in jail.
0% Leave them alone.
0% Just add water. 12 Votes
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Will Congress ever be held accountable for producing a budget on time?
BY RON FINK
Government “shutdowns” have occurred numerous times over the last few decades due to a lack of an approved budget, but the politicians we elect to provide funding have never been held accountable. It’s time for a change, but how?
Based on an email recently sent by Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), it appears that the essential functions of government, those that almost 100 percent of American citizens who pay taxes count on, haven’t been “shut down” after all.
The government provides services that are not available from commercial sources such as the U.S. military, air traffic control, federal law enforcement, and services we pay extra for like mail delivery, Social Security, and Medicare.
And even though press reports and elected officials’ comments seem to imply that workers won’t be paid, just like all previous shutdowns government employees will be receive back pay when it’s over as required by the “Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.”
While essential employees like air traffic controllers, federal law enforcement, and the
Get ready to vote in the upcoming special election
The League of Women Voters urges all eligible voters to get ready to vote in the upcoming special election on Nov. 4 by registering to vote, studying fact-based information on Proposition 50, and casting an informed vote.
Vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be sent to all active registered voters in early October, and the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 20. Now is the time to make sure your
military will continue working (unless they stage a sick-out), they also will be paid after the fact. Many others in nonessential roles will simply be paid for not working, basically a free vacation, after the politicians can figure out what to do.
Meanwhile, legislators have guaranteed that their pay will not be interrupted during the shutdown, even though they have failed to fund the government.
A point that’s always overlooked by the political class, but not by many of their constituents, is that if we can survive by only providing essential services, why can’t we function that way all the time and save American citizens a lot of tax money each year? All that extra stuff just seems to serve special interests.
For example, government funding for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) was recently suspended. What happened? Private donors stepped in, and PBS remained “on the air.”
What really needs to happen, but probably never will, is that elected officials who can’t seem to produce a budget on time need to be held accountable. Relying on the ballot box for something like that has never worked in the past, so another solution needs to be developed.
If Congress really wanted to complete the budget on time, some of the more responsible members should introduce legislation that will stop all elected politicians from getting paid if the budget isn’t settled by Sept. 30. There would be no retroactive pay for elected officials while they work out a final funding bill, just for the
voter registration is up to date. To change your registration information, or to register to vote if you are new to the county, go to cavotes.org. There will be a single question on the ballot. Voters are asked to vote yes or no on Proposition 50, which authorizes temporary changes to California’s Congressional District maps. The temporary maps will be used through 2030, and the Citizens Redistricting Commission will resume enacting district maps in 2031. If approved, the measure will also establish state policy to encourage the use of independent commissions to draw voting maps nationwide.
boots on the ground that either had to remain on duty or were sent home because the political class didn’t complete the most important job they were elected to do.
This current shutdown could have been averted if a super majority of the Senate would have approved a seven-week continuing resolution to continue funding government operations until Congress can finish the budget process.
This time it’s Democrats that are refusing to approve the resolution until more than a trillion dollars is added; in some earlier cases it was Republicans that held the process up.
But the overall budget isn’t the only funding measure that Congress has failed to deliver. It’s also failed the 2018 Farm Bill, which was originally intended to assist farmers but has since morphed into a catchall funding mechanism for many “policies that individually might not have a majority of support in the legislative process,” according to congress.gov.
The Farm Bill is supposed to be reauthorized every five years, but the 2018 bill, which expired two years ago, is nowhere near the finish line as special interests continue to try and add more non-farm items.
I think that American citizens who pay for government services deserve far better service from Congress. Will we get it? It’s unlikely that any legislator will propose or support a plan that holds them accountable for doing their primary job. m
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send comments for publication to letters@ newtimesslo.com.
For more information on the Nov. 4 election and for unbiased information on Proposition 50, see the League of Women Voters Easy Voter Guide available at cavotes.org. To see how Proposition 50 will change electoral district maps, go to the state database at statewidedatabase.org.
As with every election, your vote is your voice. Make your voice heard: Register to vote and cast your ballot.
Janice Langley
Joanne Schultz
Wendy Brown
Jacquie Canfield League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County
Mail-in ballots are at risk of
being hijacked
We have an upcoming election aimed at combating rigged elections. Our ballots and envelopes are mailed to everyone, unsecured, and are returned to unmanned ballot boxes. The instructions advise, “It’s OK to re-seal (the envelope) with tape.” The ballot instructions for voting advise, “If you make a mistake, mark an X over the oval filled in error ... and mark the oval of your choice.”
I must be drunk on stupid to think these completed and signed ballot envelopes aren’t at risk of being hijacked (harvesters come to mind), opened, re-marked, re-sealed with tape, and sent on. That’s a rigging opportunity that leaves our votes, our democracy here unnecessarily at risk for cheating. Armed with these facts, do you trust the outcome?
Dan Smith Arroyo Grande
Afairy-tale Danish “village” has Solvang’s policy preferences all twisted up.
The history of local aviation wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the significance of the P-38 Lightning. Imagine taking a walk through town when suddenly, a squadron of fighter pilots pass overhead. In 1943, a P-38 over the skies of Santa Maria was fairly common. We were home to the Santa Maria Army Air Base, one of the largest training bases on the west coast.
The P-38 was designed to fly as high as bombers with the same range. Used in both WWII theaters, many a bomber pilot saw his chances of returning to base increased when escorted by a P-38. And many of those pilots were trained right here in Santa Maria.
Cross during WWII.
Nine cottage-style hotel units went a little off-script during the construction process, and Solvang put a stop to developer Ed St. George’s dreams. Apparently, he got a little too slap-happy with the half-timbers for the city’s liking. Too much wood!
St. George didn’t take things lying down. He leaned into his little tiff with city staff, going so far as to hang a sign attacking Solvang planning commissioners and design committee members for the city’s decision to stop work on his project.
But half-timbers weren’t the developer’s only crime. He also decided to put red and white pinstripes on the roof of at least one of the buildings, a choice St. George explained as an ode to Denmark’s flag. City Community Development Director Rafael Castillo told the City Council that the color combo wasn’t “characteristically found in Old World Denmark.”
“Those do not emulate the authentic appearance and patterns of historic Danish buildings,” Castillo said at the Oct. 13 meeting. “A solid color should be utilized to emulate the Old World Danish style.”
Who knew you could be considered a deviant for too much whimsy?
St. George believes in his process and his whimsical fantasy of an old style Danish village. And while he definitely has detractors—including Castillo—he also had supporters, with one resident going so far as to say that Hans Christian Andersen would approve the project! Really?
The speaker, Jean Seamount, also joked that the development could be a sanctuary from the giant troll installed at the California Nature Art Museum, aka Lulu, who would definitely need a door taller than 5-foot-9 to get in. Councilmember Mark Infanti liked St. George’s whimsical cottages, saying it was more about the principle of the matter than it was anything else. As in, the project deviated from its original plans and no longer complies with the city’s design code.
“I frankly like the buildings. I like what’s going on—the colors, the half-timbers,” Infanti said. “Your taste and my taste are probably pretty close.”
I call that taste tacky. Oof. I’m not very nice. Sorry! Not sorry.
I guess the biggest problem Solvang has with the cottages is that they lack “authenticity.” Get in line with the right thatching on your roofs, the right number of half-timbers on your walls, and the right colors—and it better be Old World Danish, or else! Nothing modern. Nothing too fanciful. Nothing too colorful.
Thank goodness Santa Barbara County doesn’t have such a complicated relationship with design, or the 99-unit affordable housing development the county Planning Commission just approved would be kaput! Half-timbers didn’t even make the design plans! Can you believe it?
The biggest issue with the project planned for Orcutt was that it was initially a three-story building. What a skyscraper!
Now it’s half two-story and half three-story. Much better. Oh, the things we’ll do for affordable housing. And the county planning commissioners liked the recent iteration of the project because it was so much better than the first design. St. George probably could learn a little from that one, amirite? m
Lieutenant James K. Kunkle went through P-38 training in Santa Maria and was later awarded the Distinguished Service
Janet Silveria, President/CEO
OUR MISSION:
TO PROVIDE ALL CHILDREN IN THE ORCUTT UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS BY BRINGING TOGETHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Hot Stuff
PRINTING FISH
A Gyotaku Printmaking Art Workshop will be held on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Hans Christian Andersen Park in Solvang. Gyotaku artist Jason Bero will guide participants in applying ink to seashells, seaweed, and other coastal artifacts to create unique prints on rice paper in the traditional Japanese art form of gyotaku. The option to use freshly caught fish to create interesting designs will also be available. Find more details at calnatureartmuseum.org. —Angie Stevens
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.
DANCE CLASSES There are weekly dance classes, from ages 2 to adult, at KleinDance Arts Mondays-Saturdays, 4-8 p.m. (805) 268-2530. kleindancearts.com. KleinDance Arts, 1954 S Broadway, Suite J, Santa Maria.
DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN
DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, (805) 937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/. EVERY BRILLIANT THING See Every Brilliant Thing at the PCPA, by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe. Based on true and fictional stories, MacMillan’s play celebrates the power of resilience, the intricacy of mental health, and the extraordinary impact of ordinary joys. Through Oct. 26 $25. (805) 922-8313. pcpa. org. Severson Theatre, 800 S. College Dr., Santa Maria.
THE HUMANS Watch this production at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre. Get tickets and more details regarding showtimes at the link. Through Oct. 26 $17.91-$23.27. my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. 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
“A PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW” THREE FRIENDS THREE STYLES ONE COLORFUL SHOW AT GALLERY LOS OLIVOS See A Personal Point of View — Gallery Los Olivos features watercolorist Karen McGaw, pastel artist Carrie Givens, and oil painter Renée Kelleher. MondaysSundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 31 (805) 688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.
GYOTAKU PRINTMAKING: SEASHELLS & SEAWEED Learn to apply ink to seashells, seaweed, and other coastal artifacts for printing onto rice paper in the traditional Japanese art form of Gyotaku. Oct. 26, 1-3 p.m. $55-$70. calnatureartmuseum.org. Hans Christian Andersen Park, 633 Chalk Hill Rd., Solvang. PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD AT BUTTONWOOD FARM & VINEYARD Head to the picturesque Buttonwood Farm and Vineyard for an afternoon of painting and wine. Visit site for tickets and more information. Oct. 25 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $89. (805) 325-8092. artspotonwheels.com. Buttonwood Farm & Vineyard, 1500 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, California, 93463, United States, Solvang.
WILD IN CALIFORNIA SOLO EXHIBITION
See the exhibition Wild in California, a solo exhibition by Museum Founder, conservation advocate, and artist Patti Jacquemain. A array of woodcut prints and mosaics will be showcased, highlighting the bioregions and species that make up California’s rich biodiversity. Through Feb. 23, 2026 calnatureartmuseum.org/news/ wild-in-california-2025. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
6TH ANNUAL LOMPOC CHALKS Don’t miss these three fun-filled days, devoted to colorful chalk art, live entertainment, youth activities, food trucks, and local vendors. Oct. 17 5-8 p.m., Oct. 18 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Oct. 19 10 a.m.-4 p.m. lompoctheatre.org/chalks. Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building, 100 E Locust Ave #102, Lompoc.
JOHN WATERS - THE NAKED TRUTH
HALLOWEEN SHOW Numbskull presents John Waters - The Naked Truth Halloween Show. Oct. 19 8-10 p.m. $57 - $72. (805) 963-0761. lobero.org/. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido, Santa Barbara.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
MURDER MYSTERY MYSTERY MURDER
- A PLAY BY BEN ABBOTT AGHS Theatre
Company Presents: Murder Mystery Mystery Murder a play by Ben Abbott. Oct. 16 7-9 p.m., Oct. 17 7-9 p.m. and Oct. 18 7-9 p.m. $17. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
EMBROIDERER’S GUILD OF AMERICA
The Bishop’s Peak Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America invites you to attend its monthly meeting. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 15 Free. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
EVERYDAY IMPROV: SKILLS FOR LIFE
These interactive, welcoming workshops use the tools of improvisational theater— like play, spontaneity, and “yes, and”—to build real-life skills for communication, confidence, and connection. Every other Sunday, 6-7:30 p.m. through Nov. 16 $15 each or $75 all. theagilemind.co/. Women’s Club of Arroyo Grande,
211 Vernon St., Arroyo Grande, (805) 270-5523.
FREE MOVIE NIGHT IN THE SECRET GARDEN: GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) Gather for a night of ghostly fun and supernatural laughs. Join the team, feel the chills, and experience Ghostbusters in The Secret Garden. Oct. 24 6:30 p.m. Free. my805tix. com. The Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach, (805) 595-7302.
HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION Central Coast Theatre Company presents Hadestown: Teen Edition. Oct. 17, 7-9 p.m. and Oct. 18 , 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. $23.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
MAKE YOUR OWN FERN KOKEDAMA
In this workshop, you will make your own Rabbit’s Foot Fern kokedama in a fun classroom setting. All materials and instruction will be provided. Oct. 18 2-3 p.m. $45. (805) 270-4083. theplantedparlour.com. The Planted Parlour, 592 W Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP WITH ANN SMIGA GREENE Central Coast Watercolor
Society hosts Ann Smiga Greene: 3-day workshop in Nipomo, “Expressive Painting, Watercolor, Gouache & Marks.” Details and registration information are available at the link. Oct. 20-22 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $390. ccwsart.com/ann-greene-workshop. Nipomo Community Presbyterian Church, 1235 N Thompson Rd., Arroyo Grande, (805) 219-0133.
WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA
Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
6TH ANNUAL STORIES MATTER Enjoy an evening of true, personal stories around the theme of Kinship with community storytellers plus special guest Don Reed. Doors open at 6 p.m. Oct. 18 7-9 p.m. $12. (415) 264-8641. flipcause.com. Kreuzberg Coffee Company, 685 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo.
CHICANOS AT CAL POLY: WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE SHOW UP This exhibition honors the history of Chicane students at Cal Poly, focusing on their expressions of cultural identity while recognizing the challenges of placemaking. MondaysFridays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. through Dec. 12 Free. (805) 756-2305. library.calpoly.edu/events/ chicanos-cal-poly. Cal Poly, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
CREATIVITY DAYS WITH THE SILK ARTISTS OF CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST An opportunity to work on your own projects and materials while picking up new skills among friends. Note: this event is held mostly every third Monday (attendees are asked to call or email to confirm ahead of time). Third Monday of every month $5; first session free. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 747-4200.
CUESTA DRAMA PRESENTS: JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH Join us in the Experimental Theater for this stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s famous children’s novel. Oct. 16 7:30 p.m., Oct. 17
7:30 p.m., Oct. 18 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 19
2 p.m. $25 General, $20 Student w/ID. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
GILBERT & SYDNA REED MEMORIAL FESTIVAL From stages around the world to their final home in San Luis Obispo, Gilbert and Sydna Reed built a career that touched both the global ballet community and our local community. As founders of the Gilbert Reed Ballet, they brought world-class artistry to the Central Coast while training and inspiring generations of dancers. Each day of the festival brings a different program of original ballets created by Gilbert Reed Ballet. Get tickets at the link. Oct. 18-19 $25. my805tix.com. BT-SLO BlackBox Theatre, 3566 S. Higuera, Suite 207, San Luis Obispo, (805) 440-1439.
IMPRESSIONISTIC REALISM OIL PAINTING WITH FRANK EBER Learn how to paint lively, expressive paintings with a focus on color accuracy, mark making, and the interconnection of each element. Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. through Oct. 28 $295 for 6 classes. (805) 747-4200. i0.wp.com/artcentralslo.com/ wp-content/uploads/2025/08/FrankEber-Advanced-Oil-Sept-Oct25.jpg Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
KCPR: THE MAGIC OF COLLEGE RADIO This exhibition narrates a history of KCPR, Cal Poly’s home-grown radio station, focusing on the impact students have had building and sustaining the station. Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Free. (805) 756-2305. library.calpoly.edu/events/ magic-college-radio. Cal Poly, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
NARRATIVE ECHOES: RECENT ACQUISITIONS TO THE PRINT COLLECTION Highlighting newly acquired prints in conversation with artist books, this exhibition reflects stories that reverberate within our Cal Poly and SLO community. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. library.calpoly.edu/ events/narrative-echoes. Cal Poly Special Collections and Archives, Robert E. Kennedy Library, 1 Grand Ave., Building 35, Room 409, San Luis Obispo, (805) 756-2305.
OBJECT LESSONS IN OBSOLESCENCE (2005–2025) An installation of film and video works spanning two decades by collaborating artists Gibson + Recoder will be on display. Through Oct. 24 gibsonrecoder.com/2018/9/3/ r614ugvkhod6xtur8xi88dg7xbg0b6. Cal Poly University Art Gallery, Cal Poly Art & Design, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, 93407-0321, San Luis Obispo, (805) 756-1571. OIL PAINTING: EXPRESSIONISTIC REALISM WITH FRANK EBER Learn how to paint lively, expressive paintings with a focus on color accuracy, mark-making, and the interconnection of each element. This class is for intermediate and advanced painters. Tuesdays, 1:30-4:30 p.m. through Oct. 28 $295. (805) 747-4200.
Beach Hippie Reunion: Peace, Love & Murder
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19 SLO County
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 Oasis Senior Center, Orcutt The Doers & Dreamers Afternoon Retreat
Re-Animator: 40th Anniversay Celebration
MONDAY,
i0.wp.com/artcentralslo.com/wp-content/ uploads/2025/08/Frank-Eber-AdvancedOil-Sept-Oct25-1.jpg Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
SLO COUNTY ARTS OPEN STUDIOS
TOURS 2025 Join in on the fun of the 27th year of the Open Studios Art Tour in San Luis Obispo County. The free tour is open to the public, and to plan your route and find studios and artists that excite you, refer to maps via the link. Oct. 18 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Oct. 19 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. slocountyarts.org/osat. SLO County, Locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
SPLISH SPLASH! A WATERCOLOR
EXHIBIT Central Coast Watercolor
Society & Art Central presents “Splish Splash!” celebrating excellence in watermedia painting. Mondays-Sundays, 12-6 p.m. through Nov. 3 (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/gallery/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR Over 60 vendors from all over the county will be in attendance, and a variety of food will be available for purchase. Don’t miss the music and mini pumpkin patch. Oct. 18 , 11 a.m.-4 p.m. cambrianeighbors.org.
DURING 2025’S OPEN STUDIOS ART TOUR. Rod Baker will share his glass art, including jewelry, dishware, home, and garden decor during the SLO County Arts’ Open Studios Art Tour, Artist #74. Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 19 Free. (805) 551-6836. facebook. com/events/s/see-rod-bakers-glass-atopen-s/1508128503709264/. Central Coast Glass Blowing and Fusing, 1279 2nd Street, Los Osos.
OIL PAINTING WITH ANITA HAMPTON
Students will paint still life set-ups while learning color theory, value, perspective, lighting, design, composition, and more with well-respected teacher Anita Hampton. Thursdays, 6-8:30 p.m. through Nov. 20 (805) 772-2504. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay, artcentermorrobay.org.
RE-ANIMATOR 40TH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION (CENTRAL COAST FILM
SOCIETY FUNDRAISER) Stuart Gordon’s horror classic Re-Animator will be presented as a brand-new 4K UHD-HDR restoration to mark its 40th Anniversary. Oct. 20 5:30 p.m. $23.27. my805tix.com. Bay Theatre, 464 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.
SEE MICHAEL COSTA’S PHOTOGRAPHY
DURING 2025’S OPEN STUDIOS ART TOUR. Discover Michael Costa’s powerful abstract and travel photography during SLO County Arts’ free annual Open Studios Art Tour. He is Artist #86 in this countywide event. Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 19 Free. (559) 799-9632. facebook. com/events/s/see-michael-j-costasphotograp/598270456613423/. Karin Gray Artist Studio, 1547 4th St., Los Osos.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS BINGO BOONANZA Join this benefit for the Kiwanis of Santa Maria Valley Foundation Charities. The event includes a lunch for two, along with four bingo cards, three games, 15 prizes, a silent auction, and a $500 grand prize! Oct. 26, 12-3 p.m. $100 for 2 tickets. (805) 886-8355. santamariaeveningkiwanis.org/. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.
C.A.R.E. 4PAWS & POURS Join at the Gatehouse at Bien Nacido in Santa Maria for a pawsitively inspiring gathering! Enjoy wonderful wine, light hors d’oeuvres, and live music. Oct. 25 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 968-2273. care4paws.org/pours/. The Gatehouse at Bein Nacido, 3503 Rancho Tepusquet Road, Santa Maria. FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt.
maria.square.site/. Growing Grounds Farm, 820 W. Foster Rd., Santa Maria. JUNK JOURNAL BOOK CLUB The book for October is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. To register, call the reference desk at the number provided. Oct. 18 3-4:30 p.m. Free. (805) 9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA MARIA TOASTMASTERS Develop your public speaking skills at this club meeting. Third Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. (805) 570-0620. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
GOING BATTY AT THE NEAL TAYLOR NATURE CENTER Going Batty consists of a weekly talk and observation of local bats. Program times vary by week depending on the time of sunset. Fridays, Saturdays, 6-7 p.m. through Oct. 27 (805) 693-0691. clnaturecenter.org/going-batty/. Neal Taylor Nature Center, 2265 Highway 154, Santa Barbara.
POTION OF INTENTIONS: A
BEWITCHING PERFUME-MAKING
EXPERIENCE Blend rare botanicals, whisper your desire, and craft a bewitching perfume in a genie pendant — a spellbinding Halloween experience in Solvang. Oct. 19 12-3 p.m. $145. (805) 8865538. solaromatics.com. Final Girl Wines, 485 Alisal Road, unit 152, Solvang.
SANTA BARBARA VINTNERS FESTIVAL
FLIRTY FICTION BOOK CLUB Join us for Flirty Fiction Book Club! The book for October is Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison. This event is for ages 18 and older. Registration is required. Oct. 20, 5:15-6:15 p.m. Free. (805) 9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. FREE PARENT EDUCATION NIGHTSYOUTHWELL These virtual education nights are designed to help parents and caregivers navigate the everyday challenges of raising children from K-12th. Each session explores a topic and offers practical tools. Oct. 21, 8-8:15 p.m. youthwell.org/workshops/. Online Webinar,, Compliance Key,364 E Main Street, Suite 1009, Middletown, (717) 208-8666.
FREE YOUTHWELL PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS: GRUPO DE PADRES Para padres de jóvenes de 10 a 18 años. Every other Tuesday, 6-7:30 p.m. through Oct. 22 Free. (805) 770-1930. youthwell.org/groups/. 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.
GROW NATIVE PLANTS SALE! Fall is the best time of the year to grow native plants! Join us in celebrating the beauty of native plants. Mondays-Wednesdays, Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursdays, 12-3 p.m. and Saturdays, 12-1 p.m. through Oct. 31. (805) 934-2182. growing-grounds-farm-santa-
In its 41st year, the Santa Barbara Vintners Festival is truly the Original Santa Barbara Wine Festival. Experience it for yourself! Oct. 18 1-4 p.m. $95-$175. (805) 688-0881. sbvintnersweekend.com/. Vega Vineyard and Farm, 9496 Santa Rosa Road, Buellton.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY SCARECROW
FEST Head to the 16th annual Solvang Scarecrow Fest, part of the larger SYV Scarecrow Fest, running through Oct. 31. Solvang businesses and organizations will participate in the contest by featuring a scarecrow of their own creation posted at their location, upon which locals, tourists, and area merchants may vote. Through Oct. 31 Free. (805) 688-0701. syvscarecrows.com/. Solvang Chamber of Commerce, 485 Alisal Rd #245, Solvang. SQUARE DANCE AT THE GRANGE HALL
An all-ages square dance, called by local Vic Ceders. Beginners are welcome! Oct. 21 , 6-8 p.m. $10 adults, $5 children/teens. santaynezvalleygrange.org/calendar/. Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall, 2374 Alamo Pintado, Los Olivos.
THE SOLVANG FARMER PUMPKIN
PATCH The Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch will reopen for the 2025 season beginning on Sept. 26, growing more than 50 different varieties of pumpkins ranging in size from Wee-B-Littles up to several hundred pounds. The pumpkin patch also features a corn maze with a scavenger hunt for hidden symbols throughout, as well as freshly-grown, freshly-popped popcorn and kettle corn. Through Nov. 2 Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch, 1035 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang.
Solvang businesses and organizations will participate in the contest by featuring a scarecrow of their own creation posted at their location, upon which locals, tourists, and area merchants may vote. Through Oct. 31 Free. (805) 688-0701. syvscarecrows.com/. Solvang Chamber of Commerce, 485 Alisal Rd #245, Solvang.
SQUARE DANCE AT THE GRANGE HALL
An all-ages square dance, called by local Vic Ceders. Beginners are welcome! Oct. 21 6-8 p.m. $10 adults, $5 children/teens. santaynezvalleygrange.org/calendar/. Santa Ynez Valley Grange Hall, 2374 Alamo Pintado, Los Olivos.
THE SOLVANG FARMER PUMPKIN
PATCH The Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch will reopen for the 2025 season beginning on Sept. 26, growing more than 50 different varieties of pumpkins ranging in size from Wee-B-Littles up to several hundred pounds. The pumpkin patch also features a corn maze with a scavenger hunt for hidden symbols throughout, as well as freshly-grown, freshly-popped popcorn and kettle corn. Through Nov. 2 Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch, 1035 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BLACK LAKE ECOLOGICAL AREA SEED
COLLECTION VOLUNTEER DAY WITH THE LAND CONSERVANCY OF SLO
COUNTY Enjoy a day of native seed collection at Black Lake Ecological Area –– property not typically open to the public. See the efforts that LCSLO has made over the years to restore this unique freshwater lake and the surrounding dunes. Seeds from lupine, poppies, and other dune natives will be collected with your help, and used for continued restoration projects around the site. Oct. 18-19 , 10 a.m. my805tix.com. Black Lake Ecological Area, 1158 Cabrillo Way, 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.
FREE YOUTHWELL PARENT SUPPORT
GROUPS: PARENT CONNECT This is geared towards parents and caregivers
of youth, ages 12 to 25, struggling with a mental health challenge. Learn skills to effectively and compassionately support your child struggling with any type of mental health challenge while also setting boundaries, supporting siblings, and managing your own self-care. This is a hybrid drop-in group that meets weekly. Mondays, 12-1:30 p.m. through Oct. 28 Free. (805) 770-1930. youthwell.org/ groups/. YouthWell, 1528 Chapala St, Santa Barbara.
HRCC ANNUAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Join the HRCC for the 2025 Annual Leadership Conference: The Future of Work is Human - Inspiring Minds, Motivating Generations and Building Resilient Workplaces. Oct. 24 8 a.m.-2 p.m. $90. hrcentralcoast.org/meetings. php. South County Regional Center, 800 W. Branch, Arroyo Grande, (805) 489-1488.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
BOO BASH Put on your best costumes for this year’s Boo Bash! Bring the family for games, food trucks, a movie, and a haunted house. Oct. 24 4-8:30 p.m. Free. (805) 781-7305. slorecactivities.org. Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St., San Luis Obispo.
CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA
Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
CALIFORNIA MAIN STREET 2025
CONFERENCE: SAN LUIS OBISPO
Enjoy three days of content, conversation, and connection. There will be passionate Main Street professionals sharing their best practices, along with Information-rich sessions with local and national experts, a sunset happy hour, and interactive walking tour. Through Oct. 17 $325-$525. my805tix.com. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.
PICTURESQUE PAINTING
Join Art Spot on Wheels for Painting in the Vineyard on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Buttonwood Farm & Vineyard in Solvang. Enjoy an afternoon of painting and wine, drawing creative inspiration from the landscape’s autumnal colors and rolling hills. For additional information, visit artspotonwheels.com.
—A.S.
CARE CREW Calling all crafty, caring, pet-loving kids! Care Crew members will join us in filling Kongs for our canines, crafting pet toys, and creating art. Oct. 19 2-3:30 p.m. $5. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/ youth-programs/. Calling all crafty, caring, pet-loving kids!
Care Crew members will join us in filling Kongs for our canines, crafting pet toys, and creating art. Sundays, 2-3:30 p.m. $5. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/ youth-programs. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
CELEBRATING A
MULTICULTURAL NIGHT AT EBONY SLO Don’t miss the Multicultural Night, featuring Cal Poly Arab Ensemble and Renowned DJ. A ticket includes one drink and vegan treat. Sosi will be leading a Coffee Ceremony. Oct. 21 7-9 p.m. $40. ebony-slo.com. Ebony Slo, 778 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 439-1337.
CEMETERY TOUR OF OLD
MISSION CEMETERY Dr.
Dan Krieger will conduct this cemetery tour, which is a fundraiser for SLO Co. Genealogical Society. Oct. 25, 2-4 p.m. $5 donation nonmembers. (805) 478-1951. Vicki Book, 4332 White Chapel Ct, Santa Maria, slocgs.org.
FRESH FACES & FULL GLASSES This fall, the SLO Climate Coalition invites the community to raise a glass to climate action, celebrate new beginnings, and connect with fellow change-makers at Fresh Faces & Full Glasses. Oct. 17 6 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. Dallidet Adobe and Gardens, 1185 Pacific St., San Luis Obispo.
GALA PRIDE AND
DIVERSITY CENTER BOARD MEETING (VIA ZOOM) Monthly meeting of the Gala Pride and Diversity Center Board of Directors. Meets virtually via Zoom and is open to members of the public. Visit galacc.org/events to fill out the form to request meeting access. Third Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. No admission fee. galacc.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo. LOS GHOSTOS Celebrate “Los Ghostos” at Wild As Heck and enjoy the outdoor Halloween movie, along with a flash tattoo artist and free gifts. Oct. 18 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Free. wildasheckbaywood.com. Wild As Heck, 1208 2nd Street, Los Osos, (626) 390-4229.
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.
PLUG-IN TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION Get inspired by local action, connect with others, and discover more ways to get involved with the SLO Climate Coalition. Attend virtually or in-person. Sustainable snacks and childcare will be provided. Third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. sloclimatecoalition.org/events/. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.
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, San Luis Obispo.
SLO LEZ B FRIENDS (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A good core group of friends who gather to discuss topics we love/ care about from movies, outings, music, or being new to the area. We come from all walks of life and most importantly support each other. Transgender and Nonbinary folks welcome. Third Friday of every month, 6:30-9 p.m. Free. sloqueer.groups.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 24
SEPTEMBER 26 - NOVEMBER 8
Bonnie and Clyde, the charming troublemakers, and Dr. Jekyll, who might transform into the sinister Mr. Hyde, ponder a showdown: in the battle of good versus evil within every soul, who would win?
io/g/lezbfriends. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
SLO PHILATELIC SOCIETY meets at the SLO Senior Center on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Visitors are welcome. Third Tuesday of every month, 1-3 p.m. SLO Senior Center, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 540-9484, slocity.org/seniors.
STATE OF THE SLO WATERSHED Creek Lands Conservation invites you to celebrate the restoration efforts underway on your local San Luis Obispo Creek! Hear key findings, current work in the watershed, and next steps toward a resilient and thriving SLO Creek. Oct. 23 4:30-8 p.m. $25. my805tix.com. Octagon Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-9096.
STAY YOUNG WITH QI GONG Qi Gong boosts energy and vitality, reduces stress, improves balance and flexibility, and, best of all, is fun. Join instructor Devin Wallace for this outdoor class which is held in a beautiful setting. Call or email before attending. Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m. $12. Crows End Retreat, 6430 Squire Ct., San Luis Obispo.
SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+
AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)
Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
TOUR THE HISTORIC OCTAGON BARN
CENTER The Octagon Barn, built in 1906, has a rich history that The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County looks forward to sharing with visitors. Please RSVP. Fourth Sunday of every month, 2-2:45 & 3-3:45 p.m. Tours are free; donations are appreciated. Octagon Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-9096, octagonbarn.org.
TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-4252.
WEEKLY BRIDGE GAMES Join Bridge games every Monday and Thursday for great competition and lots of fun. Mondays, Fridays, 12-4 p.m. through Dec. 12
$8. (408) 205-2364. slobridge. com.
SLO Senior Center, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo.
WIGGLE WAGGLE FALL
FESTIVAL Join us for the 5th Annual Wiggle Waggle Fall Festival! Bring the whole family, including leashed and dog-friendly dogs, to Woods SLO. Oct. 25, 12-3 p.m. Free. (805) 543-9316. woodshumanesociety.org/ fallfestival/. Woods Humane Society, 875 Oklahoma Ave., San Luis Obispo.
ZOMBIE INVASION RUN
The Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center is hosting a family-friendly, untimed 1 mile and 5K “Zombie Invasion Run”. Oct. 18 , 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $23.18. sloautism.org/events/zombieinvasion-2024/. Camp San Luis Obispo, Camp SLO, San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY 2025 CAYUCOS CAR SHOW
Join the 34th annual Cayucos car show to enjoy a day of classic cars, food and drink, and live music. Visit site to register your car and get more info. Oct. 25, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. my805tix.com. N. Ocean Ave, N. Ocean Ave., Cayucos.
ARACHNOPHOBIA 35TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING - SPECIAL EVENT Watch
INSIDER LOOK
Printmakers Rosey and Barbara Rosenthal will open their studio as part of the 27th annual SLO County Arts Open Studio Tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Oct. 19. Artists across the county are giving the community a chance to get an inside look into the individuals who color SLO County’s creative spirit. Explore studios and chat with artists to get to know their processes and preferred media. Head to slocountyarts.org to access a virtual map of all participating artists and plan your personalized route.
Arachnophobia on the big screen, starring Jeff Daniels, Julian Sands, and John Goodman, presented by the Cambria Film Festival. Oct. 18 , 5:30 p.m. $23.27. my805tix.com. Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre, 1350 Main St., Cambria.
CAYUCOS ANTIQUE STREET FAIRE Join at the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce’s upcoming Antique Street Faire in downtown Cayucos. Oct. 19, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. (805) 751-3737. cayucoschamber. com/antique-faire. Cayucos Antique Street Faire, 10 N. Ocean Ave, Cayucos.
CREATIVE QUILLS POETRY COLLECTIVE Creatives Quills fosters a supportive and inclusive platform for local poets to share their creative works. To sign up, email creativequillsmb@gmail. com.
Third Sunday of every month, 2-4 p.m. through Dec. 21. Top Dog Cafe Bar, 857 Main Street, Morro Bay, (805) 725-1024. FALL GATHERING WITH PIZZA + CRAFTS, GIVING STARS HOLLOW VIBES Join for pizza, vision board crafting, sage bundle making, and other fall treats. It’s giving Stars Hollow and Gilmore Girls vibes. Oct. 19 1-3 p.m. $20. (805) 9359046. sea-n-green.com. Sea + Green, 2380
Main St., unit F, Cambria. PUMPKIN PATCH Our Pumpkin Patch is officially open for the season! All of our pumpkins are thoughtfully grown by 46 Ranch and come in various sizes. Mondays-Sundays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 927-4747. cambrianursery.com/ events/. Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.
WHIMSICAL WINTER WONDERLAND Step into the Whimsical Winter Wonderland at Cambria Nursery—where the magic of the season comes to life through light, design, and imagination. Through Jan. 15, 2026 (805) 927-4747. cambrianursery.com/events/. Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.
FOOD & DRINK
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS BAR TAKEOVER THURSDAYS Join us Thursdays to meet and chat with the
winemaker of the flight we’re featuring that week. Thursdays, 4-7:30 p.m. $15-$30. (805) 623-5129. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, stellerscellar.com.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY Head to Food Truck Friday, with wine bottle specials and local food trucks every Friday at the Wine Stone Inn. Fridays, 4-9 p.m. through April 24 Free. (805) 332-3532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE ORO Featured vendors in the series include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays (805) 922-1468. costadeorowines.com. Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty. With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song. Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the complete list of classes, for various ages. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt. WINE BINGO WEDNESDAYS Join Wine Bingo Wednesday at the Wine Stone Inn –– the original bingo night in Old Orcutt. The event will occur weekly with the purchase of an adult beverage. Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. through April 29 (805) 332-3532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head
Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. (805) 819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc.
MUSIC
Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
PRESQU’ILE WINERY: WINE CLUB Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com.
Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.
TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
TAP THURSDAY Head to Tap Thursdays at the Wine Stone Inn every week, featuring $5 draft beers and $5 Cava’s. Thursdays, 3-9 p.m. through April 16 Free. (805) 3323532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.
THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER Call venue or visit website to find out
How it Works:
On-Demand wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) brought to you by Care Connection Transport Services powered by Santa Barbara County
Service Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Sat-Sun: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Service Details:
Scan the QR code to download the app or book online $2.00 per mile
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS BRASS MASH AT STOCKYARD IN ORCUTT Get ready for an unforgettable evening of high-energy music as Brass Mash brings their signature sound to Orcutt! Known for their electrifying brass-powered mashups of pop, rock, and hip-hop hits, this unique band will have you dancing and singing along from start to finish. Oct. 18 4-8 p.m. $21.93. my805tix.com. Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S. Broadway St., Orcutt, (805) 934-3777.
HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
LIVE JAZZ SATURDAYS Crumbles Cafe & Bake Shop presents live jazz every Saturday. Hear Andrew Sedley on keys. Oct. 18 , 2-4 p.m. Free. (805) 925-0860. instagram.com/ Crumblescafeandbakeshop. Crumbles Cafe & Bake Shop, 1635 S. Broadway, Santa Maria. LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD BY LOBO BUTCHER SHOP Check out live music
every Friday night from a variety of artists at Steller’s Cellar in Old Orcutt. Dinner served by Lobo Butcher Shop between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Varies according to food options. (805) 623-5129. stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 623-5129, stellerscellar.com.
MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. (805) 925-0464. coelhomusic.com/Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria. OLD TIME GOSPEL SING-ALONG All are welcome. Call for more details. Last Saturday of every month, 5-6 p.m. (805) 478-6198. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria. SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
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
FLEETWOOD MASK Honor the legacy of Fleetwood Mac’s 50year history with Fleetwood Mask on Friday, Oct. 17, at Lobero Theatre. Oct. 17, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $42 - $62. (805) 963-0761. lobero. org/. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido, Santa Barbara.
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
THE LONG RUN EXPERIENCE THE EAGLES MUSIC The Long Run delivers spot-on Eagles hits with lush harmonies, stellar musicianship, and national acclaim—an unforgettable tribute to one of rock’s most iconic bands. Hear them live at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts. Oct. 23 7:30-9:30 p.m. $44.50$55. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
MUSIC WITH A VIEW - OPEN GATES AT THE CHAPMAN
ESTATE GARDEN Enjoy Open Gates at the seaside Chapman Estate in Shell Beach. Bring a picnic dinner and music, tables, chairs, and views will be supplied. Docent-led garden tours are available. Fridays, 5-7:30 p.m. through Oct. 24 $5/person + $5 for Docent tours (optional). chapmanestatefoundation.org/. Chapman Estate, Private residence, Shell Beach.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
CENTRAL COAST SCHOOLS BIG BAND SOUND OFF This collaboration concert brings some of the best local big bands together for an exciting show and glimpse of the jazz musicians of tomorrow. Oct. 19, 1 p.m. $5. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
THE GILDED Hear Bill Wingfield on bass, Marty Townsend on guitar, Ron McCarley on sax, and Darrell Voss on drums. Their smooth jazz notes makes this evening a perfect night to meet friends. Oct. 17 7-9 p.m. $15.81. my805tix.com. CongregationHouse, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.
SHOW YOUR INNER SHOWGIRL: SPOOKY EDITION Unleash your inner showgirl in this fun Halloween-inspired burlesque workshop with Miss Belle Voilé! Learn struts, shimmies, glove peels, and a spooky routine. Oct. 18 2-4 p.m. $40. nexusslo.com. Nexus SLO, 3845 S Higuera St. (Lower Level), San Luis Obispo, (805) 904-7428.
THE SPICY SINGER The Spicy Singer is a game show where contestants must beat the heat by singing through it. Watch artists sing their heart out for a cash prize and a chance to be this episodes “Spicy Singer”. Oct. 18 8-10 p.m. $9.34. libertinebrewing.com/. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337. m
WELCOME TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF FREEDOM
JEFFERSON STARSHIP
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $29
VOZ DE MANDO AND LOS NUEVOS REBELDES
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $49
DSB WORLDS GREATEST JOURNEY TRIBUTE BAND
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $25
COLBIE CAILLAT AND GAVIN DEGRAW
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 / 8PM TICKETS START AT $59
SpookTacCular Job Grooming Department Bella, Colette, Z, Cody, Maddie & Janae. Front Desk reception Linda, Addy, Analisa & MaryJane. To the Best Clients & Fur Babies Thank you!
Santa Maria hosts Día de los Muertos community festival
Celebrate the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead with cultural activities and crafts at Santa Maria’s 15th annual Día de los Muertos Festival.
The Fine Arts Complex at Allan Hancock College will be transformed into a vibrant festival for Día de los Muertos on Oct. 26. Hosted by the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, the free festival is set to last from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. With marigolds, sugar skulls, and other traditions, “this festival honors the memories of loved ones who have passed while celebrating the positive impact they had on our lives,” according to the city.
Attendees are invited to contribute to the community altar, which will be adorned with photos, food, and keepsakes in remembrance of community members who have passed. The event also features live music and dance performances, food and artisan vendors, and the traditional Tree of Life. Catch the ceremonial procession when the festival starts at 10 a.m.
Contact rpinfo@cityofsantamaria.org or call (805) 9250951, Ext. 2260, with questions.
Find a vintage wonderland at Flying Miz Daisy’s market in Solvang
The Flying Miz Daisy vintage market returns to Solvang on Oct. 25 at Mission Santa Inés. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission and parking are free. Visitors can shop from more than 60 vendors for vintage goods, architectural salvages, garden décor, clothing, jewelry, and more. There’ll also be music and local food trucks to make for a lively atmosphere.
“It’s a chance to find unique pieces, meet passionate vendors, and spend a day soaking in the charm of Solvang and the historic Mission Santa Inés,” event organizer Char Goetz said in press materials.
Flying Miz Daisy is a family-run vintage market that, according to its website, celebrates individuality amid a world overwhelmed by mass production. The business also offers event planning through its vintage rental program.
Follow the market on Instagram @flyingmizdaisy to stay updated on future events. To become a vendor at the vintage market, visit flyingmizdaisy.com/vendor-portal. Email flyingmizdaisy@gmail.com for more information. m
Staff Writer Madison White compiles Arts Briefs.
Sculpted, fired, glazed
BY MADISON WHITE
In Paulo Lima’s mind, a rusty piece of wire in the middle of the street was a great topper for one of his sculptures. Even though he thought the metal had been run over by a car, it didn’t matter.
“I picked it up in the middle of the street, like, ‘Oh my God. This is a beautiful hat,’” Lima recalled. He saved it for months, like he does with many of the materials he collects, until he found a place for it on one of his figures.
“That’s exactly how I envisioned it,” Lima said. Another time he gathered seed pods that fell from a tree in a Santa Barbara park. By making
holes in the hollow pods and stringing them together, Lima created a skirt for a sculpture.
“Sometimes it’s just random stuff like bottle caps or buttons or metal pieces,” he said. “I think it’s interesting because it has an interesting design or an interesting texture. I pick it up and I take it to my studio.”
For most of his career, Lima repurposed materials into his own art, searching in places like the thrift store, the ground outside, and even other countries. Usually, it’s easy for him to look at his materials and find pieces that complement each other.
“There is this beauty, I think, in discarded materials and recycled materials that can be transformed,” he said.
Lima does more than sculpt figures and design their outfits. He also creates using clay, paint, and a camera. The four forms—sculpture, ceramics, photography, and painting—are featured in his show, Dreams and Revelations, at Allan Hancock College’s Ann Foxworthy Gallery until Dec. 4.
Born in Brazil, Lima’s journey as an artist has led him across the world. He started by studying acting in São Paulo, later moving to the U.S. for a master’s degree in costume design. Then Lima pursued a doctorate, taking his own photos in Brazil for a dissertation on theater and performance focusing on Brazilian religious expression. Some of those photos are part of Dreams and Revelations.
“It’s about culture. It’s learning about how people see the world around them,” Lima said. “All the things inform my work, and traveling expands your vision.”
During his education, Lima discovered figures inspired by Brazilian Baroque art called santos, which are saints displayed in Catholic churches in Latin America and other countries.
Through trial and error at first, Lima started structuring cloth dolls and hardening the outside with paper mâché. His passion for fashion design and drawing translated to dressing the figures.
Now he uses clay for ceramic santos, ranging between 27 and 47 inches tall. After he sculpts one,
it dries for a week and then is fired twice and glazed. The whole process can take more than a month, and then he starts to dress it.
Lima’s Santa Barbara studio is a “sacred place,” where he keeps himself busy. The materials he stores there often inform what projects he’ll take on next.
“There is never a dull moment,” he said. “I’m constantly making something.”
Lima uses mixed media outside of his sculptures, too. His paintings often feature a three-dimensional element, like wood or fabric on top of the canvas.
“I’m always looking at shapes and colors and textures,” Lima said. “Those are things that attract me when I make my work.”
Lima is also a professor at Cal Poly Pomona and Loyola Marymount University. He’s still learning, too, taking a ceramics class at Santa Barbara City College. Four koi that Lima made in class will be displayed in Dreams and Revelations, along with a horse and a female torso.
To accommodate his careers as a teacher and an artist, he splits his time between LA and Santa Barbara. He’s happy to have the opportunity to share his art in Santa Maria.
“It’s important to have kind of a connection between North County and the southern part,” Lima said, “to share the love.” m
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAR GOETZ
SEASIDE TRADITION: Paulo Lima took the photo Circle of Life while conducting research for his Ph.D. in Brazil, where he’s from. The ceremony paid homage to the goddess of the sea in the early hours of the morning.
SCULPTED AND DRESSED: Materials in Earth Flower ’s headdress and skirt are from an art market in an indigenous village in northeastern Brazil. The piece is on display at Paulo Lima’s exhibit, Dreams and Revelations, at the Foxworthy Gallery.
3D: Forró do Fuxico is inspired by a Brazilian dance. Artist Paulo Lima described the dancer as floating in the air with a big skirt. One by one, he sewed the small rosettes of her headpiece.
White-knuckle ride
Co-writer Paul Greengrass (United 93, Green Zone, Captain Phillips, News of the World, and three of the Jason Bourne franchise films) directs this screenplay he wrote with Brad Ingelsby (Out of the Furnace, Run All Night, Mare of Easttown) based on a segment of San Francisco Chronicle journalist Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 nonfiction book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire about the 2018 Camp Fire. The Lost Bus focuses on Kevin McKay (Mathew McConaughey), a school bus driver who answers an emergency call and rescues 22 school children and their teacher, Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera), but must navigate the raging wildfire to drive them to safety. (129 min.)
Glen: What an incredible true story of survival and courage. McKay got the call that the kids and their two teachers (one didn’t want to be named so she was excluded from the story) were trapped at Ponderosa Elementary and needed evacuation. Over the next five hours, he drove the group 30 miles through gridlocked traffic and choking smoke and flames. The Camp Fire remains one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history, with 18,000 structures lost and 85 fatalities. PG&E was found responsible for the fire due to a poorly maintained transmission line. The whole thing was a tragedy, and this gripping drama captures the
PLAY DIRTY
What’s it rated? R When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Prime
Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang , The Nice Guys) co-writes and directs this heist flick based on the Parker book series by Richard Stark (aka Donald E. Westlake). In this go-around, we’re dropped into the middle of the story as professional thieves Parker (Mark Wahlberg) and Philly (Thomas Jane) lead a heist at a racetrack count room that’s interrupted by one of the track’s employees.
The kinetic and violent opening is merely the setup for the larger story about a heist involving the Outfit and its plans to steal $1 billion in shipwreck treasure on display at the U.N.
The whole affair is overly complicated and runs too long, and while I like Wahlberg in many of his films, here he doesn’t really muster the gravitas of the Parker character, who was much better handled in Point Blank (1967) by Lee Marvin and in Payback (1999) by Mel Gibson. Parker is ruthless and murders without compunction when called for, but he has a moral code.
desperation. It feels gritty and real, and you can almost smell the acrid smoke. Greengrass knows how to chronicle a disaster.
Anna: Disaster films are always intense, but when you know it’s chronicling a real-life tragedy and following the lives of real people, it adds even more depth to the intensity. McKay is back in his hometown following the death of his father and is trying to care for his aging and ailing mother as well as his teen son.
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full
McConaughey’s portrayal gives us a snapshot of a man unsettled in his reality. He feels put upon by his life, and he can’t seem to catch a break. His boss at the bus depot, Ruby (Ashlie Atkinson), is riding him to get the bus he’s on to maintenance ASAP, but with the looming walls of smoke closing in around him, all McKay can think about is getting home. When the school that Mary teaches at has to evacuate, even his plans to get home get derailed. Soon McKay has to use gut instinct and sheer force of will to save himself and the many children on his bus. It is a harrowing and claustrophobic experience as the group runs into one wall of fire after another.
Glen: This film is something of a family affair. McConaughey’s son, Levi, stars as McKay’s son, Shaun, and his mother, Kay McCabe McConaughey, stars as Sherry, McKay’s disabled mother. These side stories allow us a reprieve from the claustrophobia of the bus and help humanize the characters. They feel like
Considering the source material and the cowriter’s and director’s bona fides, Play Dirty should have been better. But hey, if you’ve got Prime and like action and heist films, it’s fun enough. (125 min.) —Glen
real people with lives to get back to. Mary’s side story is that she’s only traveled from the town of Paradise once. It’s a regret we want her to live to put behind her. I have no idea if these side stories are real or fiction to add to the emotion, but even if it’s creative license, it doesn’t distract from the truth. Though deeply frightened, McKay and Mary kept 22 kids safe through a death-defying event. Ferrera and McConaughey both turned in intense performances. Anna: Films like this can be tricky to keep engaging since we spend a lot of time in
STEVE
What’s it rated? R
When? 2025
Where’s it showing? Netflix
To say that Steve (Cillian Murphy) has a difficult job is an understatement. The young men in his care are difficult at best. They’ve been institutionalized young and all carry their own unique baggage. Steve himself battles his own demons after an accident left him with a hidden addiction.
The film follows one chaotic day, the day that Steve and the rest of the staff learn that Stanton Wood, the reform school, will be closing. That day happens to be the same day that a film crew is on-site to do a piece on the school, and their footage is used as a device to let us see intimate interviews with the boys. One of the boys, Shy (Jay Lycurgo), is in a particularly rough headspace after his mother rejects him. This film is a hard watch. Between the chaos of the school and Steve’s opioid addiction, there’s not a scrap of hope or light to be found. Based
one setting—in this case on the bus and surrounded by fire. The side drama helps. I hope everyone who went through this experience is thriving today. From the coda, it seems that both Kevin and Mary went on to have fulfilling lives. This film does its best to convey the truly terrifying event that these people lived through. m
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
on
PARADISE LOST: School bus driver Kevin McKay (Mathew McConaughey) and teacher Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera) work to rescue 22 children from the 2018 Camp Fire, in The Lost Bus, streaming on Apple TV+.
a novella by Max Porter named Shy, this drama highlights Murphy as the titular character in another truly impressive role. You’ll want to be in the right frame of mind for this one. It isn’t easy, but it’s profound and beautifully acted. (93 min.) m —Anna
PHOTO COURTESY OF
TO CATCH A THIEF: Mark Wahlberg stars as Parker, a professional thief whose botched heist leads to an even bigger score, in Play Dirty, streaming on Prime.
DOGGED DETERMINATION: Teacher Amanda (Tracey Ullman) and head teacher Steve (Cillian Murphy) face the closure of their school for troubled boys, in Steve, streaming on Netflix.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Eats
Smokin’ hot
With a reputation for barbecue and whiskey, a Solvang eatery is set to debut a new restaurant
BY MADISON WHITE
On its face, Whiskey ’N Rye
Smokehouse is a classic barbecue joint. However, Don Conner opened the restaurant with the idea to serve a lot more than ribs and brisket.
“Our primary focus is smoking and grilling more so than just meats,” Conner said. “We try to incorporate a little flare of barbecue into all of our menu items, even items that aren’t necessarily traditionally grilled or smoked.”
That philosophy contributed to a diverse menu, catering to guests who follow vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free diets—or simply those who aren’t in the mood for barbecue. Conner said he wants the restaurant to have enough options to capture a large audience.
Part of the diversity comes in the form of sides. Instead of preset choices, guests pick their own from a list of 10 options, including garlic
smashed potatoes, roasted chipotle vegetables, and made-to-order coleslaw. One highlight is bourbon baked beans, Conner mentioned, made with 14 different ingredients.
“It creates quite a variety,” Conner said. “We take great pride in not phoning it in for the side dishes.”
Whiskey ’N Rye opened in Solvang three years ago. Conner and chef Bryan Aceves are taking the fundamentals of their restaurant to the Santa Barbara Public Market.
Que, the flagship’s “little brother,” is set to open at the market in November, Conner said. The fastcasual menu will predominantly feature barbecue, but it’ll also serve as a test site for new menu options that may make their way to Whiskey ’N Rye.
The opening of Que is a full-circle moment for Aceves, a Goleta native who joined the team in June. He met Conner at a high school culinary
competition when Aceves was judging and Conner was coaching one of the teams.
“I started my career at a restaurant across the street from the Public Market,” Aceves said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”
The overarching theme of Que is “cooked slow but served fast,” Conner said, but the counter-service business model won’t take away from the quality of the experience.
“It’s going to be the same guestfocused orientation on the consumer,” Conner said.
At Whiskey ’N Rye, the staff is focused on delivering “very close to an upscale experience” for a reasonable cost. Conner calls that the “secret sauce” of the restaurant because relative to the market, the large portions of food aren’t
expensive. He notices most people take leftovers home.
“People eat with their eyes,” Aceves said, so the kitchen’s “whole job is to make sure that food looks perfect before it hits the table.”
Whiskey, the namesake of the flagship restaurant, also plays a big role in the dining experience.
While there is a full bar, most of the attention falls on the more than 200 whiskeys on the list. From bourbons, ryes, and scotches to Irish and Japanese whiskeys, the restaurant runs the gamut from simple to highend spirits.
BOURBON, SCOTCH, AND MORE: Whiskey ’N Rye is located in the heart of Solvang specializing in mixing craft cocktails and a range of smoked and grilled food.
SLICE IT UP: Dinner is served from 3 p.m. until closing at Whiskey ’N Rye featuring menu items like burgers, brisket, ribs, and steaks.
ANOTHER ROUND: In addition to an extensive list of more than 200 whiskeys, craft cocktails like the Santa Ynez Punch and the Clover Club also earn spots on Whiskey ’N Rye’s menu.
One of the five versions of an old fashioned is an espresso variation.
“It’s bourbon, coffee liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, and walnut bitters,” Conner said. “It’s a delicious drink.”
The atmosphere at Whiskey ’N Rye is warm and welcoming, Aceves said. Dark accents complement wooden tables and chairs for a modern, all-American smokehouse vibe.
“You can wear shorts, any kind of attire, and it’s very welcoming,” Aceves said. “It’s not stuffy whatsoever.”
Conner also opened a food truck that does pop-ups in nearby towns. It’s like a moving billboard on the highway for Whiskey ’N Rye, he said.
“That really allows us to expand our footprint,” Conner said.
Looking forward, they also want to grow the catering side of the business. Guests can order food for a large party and pick it up in the restaurant. No matter the shape or form, Conner and Aceves are looking forward to offering more of the Whiskey ’N Rye spirit.
“For me, it’s just getting quality food consistently across the board everywhere we go,” Aceves said. “The standards we’ve always had at Whiskey ’N Rye translates to everything we do.” m
is craving an espresso old fashioned. Send cheers to mwhite@ santamariasun.com.
