NORTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY’S NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY > SEPTEMBER 13 - SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 > VOL. 19 NO. 28 > WWW.SANTAMARIASUN.COM AT THE MOVIES 1 Peppermint: Leaves a bad taste [28] DEVELOPING VALLEY BY SUN STAFF The Enos Ranch development brings Santa Maria revenue, increased traffic, and a new face [8] Panelists debate Santa Santa Ynez Valley gets Artists explore NEWS Maria tax increase [7] MUSIC new music festival [23] ARTS acrylic pour [26] 3/30/18Every Friday to 9/28/18 SEPTEMBER 13 - SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 VOL. 19 NO. 28 anta Maria’s skyline changed forever in 2017 when the Enos Ranch development broke ground, transforming through 9/28/18 longtime farm fields to a major retail shopping center. S The city of Santa Maria has touted the increased sales tax revenue and economic boon to the city, while some vocal critics question some of the perceived benefits of the development and BUILDING UP BETTERAVIA: The first what it means for the valley’s character. For this week’s cover story, 2 commercial phase in Santa Maria’s Enos the Sun staff spoke with city officials and community activists on Ranch development is wrapping up, but what the large-scale project means for Santa Maria [8]. there’s still much more to come. Also this week, panelists debate Santa Maria’s Measure U sales tax increase [7], a new music festival comes to the Santa Ynez Valley [23], local artists explore a specific acrylic technique [26], a painter depicts nature with a classical flair [27], and a competitive eater will snarf lots of food in Santa Ynez and Lompoc [30]. Joe Payne, managing editor Friday’s 5:30PM to 8:30PM Photo by Jayson Mellom > Cover Design by Alex Zuniga NEWS MUSIC News Briefs ........................................................4 Music listings .................................................. 23 Political Watch ...................................................4 We Weather ..............................................................4 Spotlight ...........................................................10 ARTS Have School Scene ....................................................13 Arts Briefs ........................................................26 Athlete of the Week ...........................................13 Everything MOVIES Under OPINION Reviews & Locations ........................................28 Web Poll ...........................................................14 The Letters ..............................................................14 This Modern World ............................................14 Sun! Canary ..............................................................15 EATS Introducing Your Locally Owned Food .................................................................30 JDX PHARMACY Caring for you and about you EVENTS CALENDAR CLASSIFIEDS, HOME, AND Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always here Hot Stuff ..........................................................16 Hrs: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm | Sat 9am-1pm to assist your medical supply needs. REAL ESTATE .................................. 33 1504 S. Broadway, Santa Maria • (805)922-1747 • www.healthmart.com PLEASE WELCOME We are proud to introduce Jerry Leyva to the Hodges Automotive Family! Hodges Automotive 805-736-9696 There’s No Substitute for Quality! 807 E. Chestnut Ave Lompoc SANTA MARIA - NOW OPEN! LOMPOC 985 E. Betteravia 1413 North H Street BUELLTON GOLETA (THE ORIGINAL) We know you’ve got an opinion. What’s Your Take? Everybody’s got one! 205 East Hwy 246 5735 Hollister MILPAS DOWNTOWN SB This week’s What do you think of the Enos Ranch development? Enter your choice online poll m Love it! online at: 216 South Milpas 628 State Street SantaMariaSun.com 9/13 – 9/20 m Hate it. LA CUMBRE PLAZA ISLA VISTA m Will judge when it’s finished. 3890 La Cumbre Lane Norte 888 Embarcadero Del m Welcome to Little Oxnard, USA. 2 • Sun • September 13 - September 20, 2018 • www.santamariasun.com Together We Succeed 3 DIGITAL ARTS & COMPUTER ANIMATION Santa Maria Apply Today! BUSINESS SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT 325 E. Betteravia Road, B-8 IT & NETWORK SYSTEMS Santa Maria, CA 93454 (805) 633-4935 Located in the Target Shopping Center LaurusCollege.Edu/smsun WEB DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT New Classes Start Oct. 15 Campus & Online Options Available Accredited by the Accrediing Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) www.santamariasun.com • September 13 - September 20, 2018 • Sun • 3 BIZ SPOTLIGHT 10 | SCHOOL SCENE 1 3 BRIEFS FILE PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM Santa Barbara County declares Political Watch ‘shelter crisis’ • The Santa Maria Valley League of Women Voters Millions of dollars in state funding will be has one more local candidates forum remaining before injected into Santa Barbara County over the the November Election. The Oct. 11 event will be held at next two years to combat homelessness. 4 the Santa Barbara County Government Center at 511 E. The county will receive nearly $10 million Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria. The forum will feature from the state following a unanimous decision Santa Maria City Council candidates from Santa Maria’s by the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 11 to third and fourth districts. declare a “shelter crisis.” The Homeless Emergency Aid Program will • Candidates for national, state, and local offi ces shared bring $9.4 million in one-time block grant their platforms, some barbed language for their opponents, funding beginning in January 2019 and ending and bowls of vanilla ice cream at a Sept. 10 political forum in June 2021. Money from the program will be and ice cream social event in Santa Maria. The North Santa used to prevent homelessness, as well as provide Barbara County Manufactured Homeowners Team and housing and rental assistance, interventions, and the Casa Grande Mobile Estates HOA hosted the event at emergency aid. their general meeting at the Casa Grande Mobile Estates At least 5 percent of funds ($469,259) must be clubhouse at 1:30 p.m. Candidates who spoke included used for homeless youth. current 24 District Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), In order for the county to receive the funding, challenger and Santa Barbara businessman Justin Fareed supervisors had to declare a “shelter crisis” (R), 35th District State Assembly candidate Bill Ostrander to be eligible. The move allows the region’s (D), current Santa Maria City Council member and District 3 Continuums of Care (CoC), which the county’s candidate Dr. , District 3 challenger Michael Moats Gloria Housing and Community Development (HCD) ADDRESSING A CRISIS: The state of the Santa Ynez riverbed and its homeless population was a key driver in Santa Barbara Soto, and District 4 candidate and current Councilmember department administers, to allocate funds to County pushing for state funding to help address the issue. Etta Waterfi eld. Current 35th District Assemblymember unincorporated areas to combat homelessness. Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) and Santa Maria Cities within the county will have to Maria-Bonita School District streamlined District 3 candidate Raymond Acosta were unable to separately declare a crisis to access the monies. its volunteer screening process for parents Jackson, Limón oppose attend. Santa Maria City Council District 4 candidate and Even so, the CoC can still provide aid in those about three years ago, GenSpan started seeing attorney Rafael “Rafa” Gutierrez arrived just as the ice communities. fracking and oil drilling in signifi cantly fewer volunteers. cream social began to speak with voters and answer their Kimberlee Albers, the homeless assistance questions, explaining he was was held up in court. programs manager at HCD, told the supervisors GenSpan used to provide all fi ngerprinting letter to BLM that service-specifi c funding could be allocated and tuberculosis testing services for community A pair of Central Coast state legislators took • Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) visited Santa to residents within the cities. However, until members hoping to volunteer in schools, aim at the fossil fuels industry and the Trump Barbara on Sept. 9 as a guest at the 48th annual Democratic a city declares its own crisis, it can’t access according to Maggie White, public information administration by voicing their opposition to a Women of Santa Barbara County luncheon, where Rep. any funds for rental assistance to prevent offi cer for the Santa Maria-Bonita School plan that would open California federal lands to Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) interviewed her on her homelessness or transition a homeless person District. But in an effort to make volunteering oil drilling and fracking. accomplishments in the Senate and her bid for re-election. to housing. Cities also can’t use the money for easier for parents, the district stopped requiring On Sept. 7, Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson According to the Santa Barbara Independent, Feinstein spoke capital projects until they’ve declared a crisis. those tests for parent volunteers who would be (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember about President Donald Trump and his U.S. Supreme Court County staff said they were looking into working entirely under direct supervision of Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) sent a nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, saying Kavanaugh could exploring housing options for the roughly 900 educators or administrators. letter to the Bureau of Land Management’s protect Trump from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s unsheltered residents currently living in the area. Since those changes were made, GenSpan (BLM) fi eld offi ce manager, Gabriel Garcia, in investigation into Russian