Santa Ynez Valley Star April 2016 by Santa Ynez Valley Star

April 2016 • Volume 1, Number 3

Every Issue Complimentary Every Time

www.santaynezvalleystar.com

WILDFLOWERS SPRING INTO THE VALLEY

aInside… Developers switch lanes on center

Bowling alley going to new location despite approvals

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A grocery cart full of memories

El Rancho Market family celebrates 50 years

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Standing Sun has the ‘Wright’ mixture Buellton business combines wine with art and music

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Students set to perform ‘cranky’ ‘The Night Witches’ will unfurl on April 21

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Photo by Debra Deyette El Niño may have been less spectacular than was predicted but the rains did set Grass Mountain on fire with an explosion of California poppies.

Blooming hillside beauty makes up for disappointing winter rains

ith a few inches of rain and warm spring days recently in the Santa Ynez Valley, the wildflowers have found their happy spot and are blooming all around. Anyone can enjoy the beauty nature has to offer, whether driving into the Valley from the highway in Gaviota with Shooting Stars, Sticky Monkey Flower and Indian Paintbrush along the side of the road; to the peak of Grass Mountain up Figueroa Mountain Road where the California poppies and brush lupin have exploded, and the (non-

native) mustard is breathtaking. We asked our readers to get outside and take pictures, and here’s a collage of the best photos we have received. Thank you for contributing to make this month’s issue almost as beautiful as our valley. If you have a wildflower photo you would like included in our online gallery, email it to news@santaynezvalleystar.com. Photo by Toby Giorgi A stem of Shooting Stars shines along the roadway.

2 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

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star news

Buellton bowling center developers change course Despite city approval, Petersons choose new location and will have to start from scratch by Raiza Giorgi

news@santaynezvalleystar.com In a major change of direction, Live Oak Lanes owner Carol Lesher Peterson and her family have decided to move their project to another part of Buellton, even though their proposed bowling alley and family entertainment center on Industrial Way recently won unanimous approval from the Buellton City Council after years of effort. The change in location means the project will have to start all over again to get approved through the city’s planning process. “We found a much better location that became available and timing was perfect, what with all the hassle, so we felt this is much better for our needs,” Lesher Peterson said. The new location will be south of Antonio’s Pizza and Pasta and Steve’s Wheel and Tire, next to Santa Ynez Self Storage. The project is designed as a 16-lane bowling alley, arcade, bar, party rooms and bocce ball courts. After getting final city approval in January, Peterson had hoped to begin construction within a year. The former location will most likely be sold, she said. Tensions between the Petersons and the neighbors of the original site have escalated in the last three years as one neighbor, Terravant Winery, has voiced concerns over environmental issues and property rights. Lew Eisaguirre, president of Terravant, said he would support the bowling and entertainment center if his objections were met. An appeal was also filed by Matt Stoecker, whose family owns a parcel south of the project. Eisaguirre has had contentions with an 18foot easement that he believes belongs to Ter-

Contributed After years of battle over their original site on Industrial Way, the developers of Live Oak Lanes have chosen a new location next to Santa Ynez Self Storage, south of Steve’s Wheel and Tire and Antonio’s Pizza and Pasta.

ravant, but no lot-line adjustment was made when the parcel was split and part of it sold to the Petersons, according to their attorney. City staff members said that resolution of that matter is between the property owners. Representatives of Live Oak Lanes said they have been working with Terravant and have undergone multiple revisions to mitigate the winery’s concerns. However, they said, nothing has been resolved and the delays have cost thousands of dollars. “We even tried to sell the 18-foot parcel at market price to Terravant, and they declined,” Lesher Peterson said. After the appeal was denied in January, Terravant filed a lawsuit against the city of Buellton. City Manager Marc Bierdzinski said city officials cannot comment on the lawsuit other than to say that the city attorney is looking over the documents and will respond appropriately. The move also means the bowling alley and entertainment center will have to start over, submitting plans to the Buellton Planning Commission again, Bierdzinski said. “If the project decides to move to another spot in Buellton, that is fine with us and we will help support them through the process since they will have to start over,” he added. For updates on the project, see wwwsanta ynezvalleystar.com or visit the bowling center’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ LOLbowl.

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STAFF

Raiza Giorgi ~ Publisher & Editor news@santaynezvalleystar.com

Santa Ynez Valley Star LLC P.O. Box 1594 Solvang, CA 93464

Shana DeLeon ~ Director of Advertising ads@santaynezvalleystar.com

805-350-8786

Dave Bemis ~ Copy Editor Aimée Reinhart Avery ~ Graphic Design/Pagination http://www.santaynezvalleystar.com

NEWS ROUNDUP

Hospital Foundation announces officers The Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation’s officers for 2016 are President Charles “C. J.” Jackson, Vice President Sid Goldstien, Secretary Lana Clark, and Treasurer Kathleen Campbell. Returning directors are Barbara Anderson, The Rev. Dr. Randall Day, Kate Firestone, Dr. William Heringer, Rich Nagler, Sandy Power, Tresha Sell and Ernie Zomalt. The foundation is a registered nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop, manage and channel the community’s financial support on behalf of Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, thereby not only protecting but also enhancing the hospital as a valuable community asset. For more information, call 805-688-6431 or visit www.cottagehealth.org/syvch

June 25, to benefit People Helping People. This year, VIP, Patron, Club, and general admission tickets can be purchased with bus transportation from stops within the Santa Ynez Valley, Westlake and Santa Barbara. Prices for transportation are posted on the ticketing website and vary by point of embarking. Piocho Ranch at Happy Canyon Vineyard in Santa Ynez will host the 2016 Polo Classic, which will include two matches and four teams that feature several of the highest-rated players in the world as well as local Santa Ynez Valley polo celebrities. Tickets, volunteer opportunities, and more information are available on the website or by calling Erica at 686-0295. People Helping People is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of men, women and children in the Santa Ynez Valley, Los Alamos and surrounding areas by addressing emergency and basic needs and furnishing comprehensive integrated family and individual support services.

DAR chapter to meet first Thursday of month The Refugio del Cielo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott in Buellton for its monthly business meeting, program and lunch. Lunch is $16 per person. For reservations, email Pat Fallin, patfallin@msn.com.

Earth Day registration due by April 15 The Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden is again preparing to host Earth Day, a popular family event, from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at River View Park in Buellton. The event is sponsored by the Santa Ynez Valley Botanical Garden, city of Buellton, Buellton Green Team, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Everyone attending the event will be exposed to an environmentally friendly message of using green products, art, crafts, drought-tolerant landscape products, alternative energy, recycling, composting, wildlife, family activities, petting zoos, entertainment, food and drinks. Anyone interested in operating a booth should submit an application along with one to five photos and a tax-deductible check for $50, made payable to Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden Foundation, tax ID: 26-1197733, by April 15. For more information, email Eva Powers, ewpowers@yahoo.com.

Photo courtesy of SYVRotary Pictured left to right are Richard Barca, Membership Chair Greg Pensa, and Gary Schoen, Barca’s sponsor.

SYV Rotary inducts new member Richard Barca, of Barca and Barca Financial Network, was inducted into the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club on February 24. Noting Barca’s volunteer efforts throughout the valley, Membership Chairman Greg Pensa said the club is proud to have him as a new member.

Solvang CVB honored for website design

The Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau has been honored with a 2015 Silver Adrian Award for Digital Marketing-Best Website Design by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). “On behalf of the board of directors of the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau and the city of Solvang, we are so proud to receive an HSMAI Silver Adrian Award for the very first time. We share this incredible honor with my staff and the digital designers at Tempest Interactive Media who helped create this Tickets are now on sale at www.syvphp.org/ award-winning website, SolvangUSA.com. events/poloclassic for the fifth annual Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic on Saturday, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Tickets now on sale for PHP Polo Classic

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Presbyterians to install permanent pastor by SYV Star Staff

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

major milestone in congregational life will celebrated on Sunday, April 3, in the sanctuary of the Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church when The Rev. Richard “Rick” Murray is officially installed as the church’s senior pastor and head of staff. The installation will be conducted as part of a unified worship service at 10 a.m., with the Praise Band, the Blue Angels The Rev. Richard Murray Choir, and several of Murray’s personal friends and associates participating. Taking part will be The Rev. Mark Patterson of Ventura Community Church; The Rev. Catherine Burkholder of Community Presbyterian Church in Danville, Calif.; The Rev. Tracy Vining of Trinity Presbyterian in Camarillo; and the Rev. Glenn Beede, associate pastor of SYV Presbyterian Church. Murray began his call at SYVPC in May 2011 as the transitional pastor and after four years of service he was elected by the congregation on Nov. 8, 2015, to become the permanent pastor and head of staff.

After earning his Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Seminary in 1981, Murray served in a series of seven churches as associate or senior pastor, including 13 years as head of staff for the 1,400-member First Presbyterian Church of Yakima, Wash. His most recent pastorate, prior to coming to the Santa Ynez Valley, was with Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. During his tenure as transitional Pastor, Murray led the Santa Ynez congregation through a period of restructure and renewal, culminating with the congregation’s departure from the Presbyterian Church in the USA (PCUSA) to join a young and growing denomination, the Covenant of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO). The church is now one of 32 congregations comprising the ECO Southern California Presbytery. Murray and his wife Kathy look forward to greeting members and friends of the congregation at a luncheon reception to be held after the service in the church Welcome Center.

Y Check it out!

Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church 1825 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, CA 93463 805-688-6323

www.syvpc.org

Please join us Wednesday, April 13, 2016 6 to 8 pm at the

Buellton Medical Center (Conference Room)

Healthy Living Solutions

Michelle Alexander (805) 693-1134 www.m-alexander.myshaklee.com

Fertility Massage and Self-Care Coaching Barbara Hannelore www.WomensWay MoonCycles.com (805) 961-4693

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Margee Lennard, Stylist/Director www.rubyribbon.com /margeelennard (805) 688-9571

Wild Wood Door Factory, Inc.

Turning your house into a home. Linda Houston (805) 693-1339

Deep Tissue Diva Co. Mobile Massage & Reiki Courtney Koprowicz (805) 232-8168

Amway

Honey Jaramillo (805) 698-1911 jhj.jaramillo@gmail.com

Ascend Acupuncture Dawn Wafer L.Ac. www.acudawn.com (805) 895-1164

Rodan & Fields Jill Lucas Jill@llwine.com (805) 331-9929

Buellton Medical Center {Healthcare for Everyone} Myra Howard, NP (805) 686-8555

Wellness Support Services

Sharon A. Williamson RN Holistic Wellness Coach (805) 245-8906

Tutor: International Baccalaureate/ Advanced Placement English, Social Studies, ESL Amy Wolfslau, J.D., M.Ed. (805) 403-9918

Meridian Senior Living of Lompoc Assisted Living/ Memory Care/Respite Catherine Dalton (805) 736-1234

Liz Marks-Dental Hygienist Johnson Family Dental Joe Holbrook, DDS (805) 688-9999

6 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

Jones joins 3rd District supervisor race by SYV Star Staff

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

ongtime Santa Ynez Valley resident Karen Jones joined the crowded field for 3rd District Supervisor by filing her paperwork on March 16. Other announced candidates are Bruce Porter, a businessman and school board trustee; Joan Hartmann, a teacher and planning commissioner; Jay Freeman, a software developer and teacher; and Bob Field, a retired executive. Jones moved to the valley with her husband, Buellton native Robert Jones, in 1995 to raise her family. A mother of three adult children and two grandchildren who live in the area, Jones is a familiar face around the valley, known for her direct and sometimes humorous remarks during the public comment portion of various community meetings. Jones pledges to “keep it local and keep it real” as she self-funds her “walking and talking” campaign. Jones said she decided to get into the race on the last day she was eligible to qualify for the ballot after she realized she was not comfortable voting for any of the other candidates.

She said the Chumash Casino expansion and opposition to the tribe’s Camp 4 fee-to-trust application are the biggest challenges facing the residents of the 3rd District, but she noted that there are other pending issues to be decided by the county Board of Supervisors. For example, Jones said, the Los Olivos Water Reclamation Steering Committee should be allowed to develop and evaluate community-based solutions to the regulatory issues facing Los Olivos. She agrees with Los Olivos residents and business owners that a recently submitted Santa Ynez Community Services District application to provide sewer service to Los Olivos should be withdrawn until the Los Olivos community has enough information to make an informed decision. Jones also said she is the candidate uniquely poised to stop further casino expansion. “The Armenta family was living on the reservation when we first moved to the valley. Vincent Armenta had a welding shop down the street from our house and he was one of the first people to treat me in a friendly manner upon our arrival,” Jones said. The primary election will be held June 7. For more information, log onto www.sbcvote.com.

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Birth Announcements jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

Vivienna Sheridan Lamore

Penelope Grace Birkholm Penelope Grace Birkholm was born at 8:19 a.m. Feb. 3, 2016, to Thomas Birkholm and Shinae Brumfield of Solvang. Penelope was 8 pounds, 9 ounces and 19 inches long. The maternal grandparents are Paul and Jennifer Brumfield of Provo, Utah, and paternal grandparents are Carl and Beth Birkholm of Solvang.

Benjamin Oliver White

Ryder Matthews Forner Brandi Kulikov, M.A.

• Certified Labor Doula • Certified Postpartum Doula • Trained Childbirth Educator • Newborn/Infant Care Specialist • CA Massage Practitioner • Maternity and Baby Consultant • HUG Your Baby Parent Instructor (805) 478-7543 • cuddlebug.biz • cuddlebugbaby@hotmail.com

Ryder Matthews Forner was born Oct. 1, 2015, to Joey and Aja Forner. Weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces and measuring 21 inches long, he was delivered naturally at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Ryder is the second child for Aja and Joey; his parents say big sister Haven is over the moon in love with her brother and is a huge help. The Forners grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley and now reside in Carpinteria. This is the fifth grandchild for maternal grandparents Rod and Richeon Herman of Carpinteria and the second grandchild for paternal grandparents John and Kathy Forner of Solvang.

This 3,015 sq. ft. hacienda-style home in Buellton has 3 bedrooms, 3-car garage and 10 ft. high ceilings Zaca Creek Estates is the Santa Ynez Valley’s newest one-acre new home neighborhood. Located in Buellton near Jonata Springs Ranches north of town, this 3,015-square-foot Spanish hacienda-style home has 3 bedrooms plus a study, media room/optional den/dining room, 3-car garage, 10 foot high ceilings, granite counter tops, energy saving green features, and lots of options and upgrades. A total of eight new homes will be built. One other home also available. Completion estimated by the end of July 2016. Now is the time to buy this beautiful home so that you can make your selections and upgrades. There are small HOA fees, and private water company. Hurry for this great value home built by Halsell Builders.

805.688.5717

santaynezvalley.com • mail@santaynezvalley.com

Benjamin Oliver White was born at 5:28 a.m. Feb. 1, 2016, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital to Josh and Amanda (Parker) White of Los Olivos. He weighed 10.4 pounds and measured 20.5 inches. His maternal grandparents are Eli Parker of Santa Barbara and Kathryn Parker Burton of Los Olivos, and his paternal grandparents are Gregory and Tina White of Lompoc.

together at no cost to support one another in their business and life ventures. The meetings are free, but those attendIt’s a team effort and this international award ing are encouraged to bring an entree, side acknowledges our effort as a strategic-desdish or dessert to share. Door prizes are also tination marketing organization,” Executive awarded. Director Tracy Farhad said. Meetings are the second Wednesday of The Solvang Conference and Visitors each month, but the gathering place changBureau is a nonprofit organization formed in es depending on who is hosting. The group 1986 to promote the Solvang, its Northern Eugenerally meets in Santa Ynez, Solvang or ropean culture, cuisine, arts and attractions. Buellton. Sometimes the gatherings are at a business and sometimes they are in a living room. Organizers say relationships and loyalty to one another have been created, and the support of one another is truly amazing. For more information contact Michelle The SYV Women’s Network was started Alexander, syvwomensnetwork@gmail.com. in January 2014 as a way for women to get

STAR NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 0 ,00

Vivienna Sheridan Lamore was born Jan. 11, 2016, in Scottsdale, Ariz., to Robert and Melissa Lamore, originally from the Santa Ynez Valley. Vivienna was 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 19 inches long. The parents live in Scottsdale, where Rob is CEO of Premier Solar and Melissa is a housewife and personal trainer at Fit4Mom. The maternal grandparents are Dennis and Cheryl Dent and Pete and Marsha Jacobi, and the paternal grandparents are Pat and Sue Lamore.

Women’s Network meets monthly

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Sold-out concert supports Solvang Rotary efforts

DONATE LIFE MONTH

by SYV Star Staff

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

L Contributed Suzanne Green, left, donated one of her kidneys in 2012 to her mother, Mary Puryear, a nurse at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital. They were asked to celebrate the donation by placing a rose on the One Legacy/Donate Life float for the Rose Parade in 2014 and 2015.

Daughter and mother share the gift of life

time on the national transplant waiting list. OPTN estimates that nearly 30,000 patients Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital began new lives in 2015 thanks to organ transplants (the organs came from 8,500 deceased and 6,000 living donors). Yet, sadly, pril is National Donate Life Month, and it is very personal for me and my 8,000 people die each year, an average of 22 people each day, because the organs they need family. My daughter, Suzanne Green, who lives in are not donated in time. Since this is Donate Life Month, I really Orcutt, successfully donated her left kidney to want to encourage you, your family members me on Nov. 6, 2012. and friends to register as organ, eye and tissue As a nurse, accepting a donated kidney donors as well as celebrate those that have from my daughter was a very, very difficult saved lives through the gift of donation. decision for me. I actually declined her offer For the first time in December 2014 and several times, thinking I would wait for a then again in December 2015, Suzanne and I non-living donor. The thought of purposely causing my daughter any pain at all was more were asked to participate in the One Legacy/ Donate Life ceremony that took place in Pasathan I could accept. But I was finally convinced by many people dena before the Rose Parade. When I was asked to represent Cottage — especially a very strong-minded, stubborn Health by placing a rose on the One Legacy daughter — to accept her gift of life. Donate Life float, I felt so honored, grateDonate Life Month was created in 2003 by ful, blessed and a bit anxious. I wanted to Donate Life America. According to the Organ shout out to everyone how proud I am of my Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the average waiting time for a kidney daughter Suzy. She wants everyone to know how happy she is that I am healthy. We both from a deceased donor is three to five years. want to tell everyone how very important and A kidney from a living donor, such as my precious organ donation really is. It’s the gift daughter Suzanne offered to me, provides an of life! incredible alternative to years of dialysis and

by Mary Puryear

We believe life is all about your vision.

ocal resident Seth Shomes played to a sold-out crowd March 12 at a concert that raised more than $55,000 for Solvang Rotary’s philanthropic work in the Santa Ynez Valley. “Members of our club volunteer countless hours to bring services and assistance in our valley. Money raised from this event allow us to make the greatest impact and we could not do it without the generosity of those who supported and participated in events like this,” said Rotarian Scott Martin. The audience at the Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall clapped and sang along to popular songs from Elvis Presley to the Eagles. The proceeds from the event will benefit the Solvang Rotary’s scholarship fund for students at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and Hancock College, as well as the Solvang Senior Center and local low-income families. “Everyone was thrilled with Seth’s performance and we have gotten overwhelmingly positive feedback that we want to make next year’s concert that much bigger and better,” Martin said. Local guitarists Mark Sanches and Bob Schelly performed during dinner and Shomes took the stage at 8 p.m. and Seth Shomes brought his unique perfor-med sound, a blend of Billy Joel popular songs and Jerry lee Lewis, when he of the past few performed popular songs from decades. His the past few decades during the sound was a Solvang Rotary’s fundraising concert. blend of Billy

Star Staff photos Father Matt Elshoff of Mission Santa Ines serves a dinner of pork sliders prior to the Seth Shomes concert for Solvang Rotary.

Joel and Jerry lee Lewis. Shomes, a resident of the Santa Ynez Valley, is one of the world’s premier independent music agents and marketing executives. He is the president of David Clark Cause, a global leader in creating cause-supporting initiatives, and is also the acting COO of Smokey Robinson’s Smoke Alarm nonprofit organization, which he co-founded. For more information about Solvang Rotary log onto www.solvangrotary.com.

CATHERINE STREEGAN, DMD Shaping Smiles With A Gentle Touch

DENNIS R. BALES, O.D.

Please visit us for a complimentary exam. 2040 Viborg, Suite 240 Solvang, CA 93463 www.visionsource-dennisrbalesod.com Office Hours by Appointment

(805) 688-0707 (805) 693-9839 Fax

“It is more noble to give yourself completely to one individual than to labor diligently for the salvation of the masses. ~ Dag Hammarskjold 2027 Village Ln, Ste. 201 • Solvang, CA 93463 • 805-686-2492 • Fax 805-686-2495 • www.DrCathy-Dentist.com

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The secret to life is to ‘keep moving’ I ’ll never forget the story I heard of a successful woman in her 50s. She ran into her college professor at an event and told him her success in life was because of what he said to her on graduation day as she crossed the stage. Curious, the professor asked, “What did I say?” She replied, “You shook my hand and said, ‘Keep moving … keep moving!’ ” As we age, the capacity to become stagnant can increase. Children leaving home, retirement, and health issues can stop us in our tracks. Discouragement, despair or loneliness frequently sets in. We might give in, throw in the towel, or isolate ourselves. Because of the great amount of loss I have endured over the past several years, I have

By Pamela Blossom often wanted to crawl under a rock and stay there. But I keep moving. I know that, without a doubt, many are suffering. At times I have felt physically awful, depressed about circumstances, or anxiety about the future. Deep down we want what is

good. We want to be happy and healthy, with that spring in our step. We want to do something significant with our lives. I do not know where you are as you read this, but I will say this: You are not alone. You can make things happen in your life — and it starts with movement. When we move our bodies, different things begin to happen. We breathe more deeply and deliver oxygen to our hearts, muscles and brain. Those deep breaths calm the mind. Movement allows our organs to function better, and we clear out the sludge that makes us ill. The sunshine provides vitamins, energy and mood-elevating nutrients. The challenge is to take that first step toward center stage.

The Santa Ynez Valley has several places with exercise classes for older adults that may appeal to you:

n The Buellton Rec Center (www.buellton rec.com), 805-688-1086 n The Buellton Senior Center offers free exercise classes by Barbara Knecht, 805688-4571 n Performance Fitness, 320 Alisal Road in Solvang, Kay Richmond, 805-686-2900 n YMCA, 900 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez, 805-686-2037 n Or join me for a light group fitness program. Whatever method you choose, just get up, and keep moving!

CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Overcoming ‘sitting problems’ requires effort by Dr. Noah Swanson

Solvang Chiropractic Center

any people have heard that sitting is unhealthy, so let me explain why. “Healthy stress” increases bone density. Walking, running, sports and other physical activities are examples of healthy stress. Now, what happens to our bone density when we sit for eight hours a day and stay out of the sun?

Back and neck pain comes from the spine, where your nerve roots are located. Prolonged sitting with forward flexion and slouching, known as anterior head carriage, causes disc compression. If your spine isn’t stacked one vertebra on top of the other, it has no support and your discs are prone to injury and later to arthritis. Tight hips are another result of “over sitting.” Sitting keeps your hip muscles in a short position, building up pressure in your hip socket and creating pain. Sitting also decreases cellular activity, slow-

ing blood circulation. It also creates a pooling effect in the legs, causing the veins to push to the surface of the skin and becoming visible. We know this condition as varicose veins. Many of our jobs require working at a desk, so what can we do about it? n Buy a “sit to stand” desk. They range from $100 and up, but they provide alternative siting and standing throughout the day. n Get a ball chair, which cost around $70. Sitting on a wobbly surface causes your core muscles to be unconsciously engaged throughout the day.

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n Perform hip flexor stretches several times a day. n Get your heart rate up every day for a minimum of 30 minutes. God gave you only one body, so treat it well. Educate yourself and talk to someone knowledgeable in health and wellness. It takes effort, money and time to be healthy. Remember the saying, “a body in motion stays in motion.” Dr. Noah Swanson and his wife Jennifer own Solvang Chiropractic Center.

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April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 9

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Be angry, but be informed

Dear Editor, In these turbulent times, there’s a succinct but meaningful message that has broad applicability. That message is “Be angry; but be informed!” It’s clear there’s plenty to be angry about, starting with the damage the current administration has wreaked on our country, both domestically and internationally. That’s why this year’s election is so critical. “Obama 3” would be devastating. So the imperative is that voters, most assuredly including Trump supporters, must not be blindly angry, but must also be informed, and understand the crucial matter of electability in the selection of a candidate. Benjamin Franklin, upon emerging from the Constitutional Convention of 1787, was asked, “Well, doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Ben’s answer: “A republic, if you can keep it.” Our republic

cannot afford the luxury of blind anger. Speaking further of blind anger, we’re told that “millennials” (those of voting age up to about 35 years old) are angry about the dearth of jobs and their perceived financial prospects, and harbor an affinity toward socialism and big government (“feeling the Bern”). But how would this, a cohort of enormous importance in the coming election, feel about big government (and socialism) if they understood the financial crisis of 2008 was primarily caused by the federal government’s decades-long “affordable housing” policies? This reality stands in stark contrast to the conventional narrative that the proximate cause was the failure of risk management among the world’s largest financial institutions, the remedy for which was more robust regulation. According to this narrative, the government played only a marginal role. Dire consequences have resulted from the

TIME ‘FALLS’ BACK TO A SIMPLER ERA

failure of Congress and the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC) to identify why in 2007, of a total of about 55 million mortgages, there were more than 27 million subprime and other risky nontraditional loans, of which more than 70 percent were owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other government entities. Such consequences include passage of the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010, with its ultra-powerful and largely unaccountable Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and many other provisions which have contributed to a stagnant economy, stagnant job growth and other aspects of “falling behind financially.” These consequences pretty much reflect what the millennials are angry about! As Investor’s Business Daily noted on March 1, “Millennials aren’t victims of capitalism, but rather a false narrative about big Wall Street banks causing the financial crisis

Letters to the editor should be no more than 300 words in length. Send letters to: Raiza Giorgi PO Box 1594, Solvang, CA 93464 or email to: news@santaynezvalleystar.com Please include your name and address and phone number. and furloughing their post-graduate dreams.” To become better informed, I recommend the extensively documented 2015 book by Peter J. Wallison, one of the four Republican (and largely ignored) members of the 10-member FCIC. The title is “Hidden in Plain Sight; What Really Caused The World’s Worst Financial Crisis And Why It Could Happen Again.” Finally, a reminder from Ronald Reagan is apt: “Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.” Yes, be angry; but be informed. Larry Edwards Santa Ynez

b Did you know... Sophus Olsen opened Solvang’s first general merchandise store at the corner of present day Alisal Road and Copenhagen Drive, in 1911?

~ Source Solvangdanishdays.org

Get your garden ready! KELLOGG SOIL AMENDMENT SALE Photo courtesy of Elverhoj Museum of Art and History Early Solvang settlers appreciated the recreational opportunities offered by the Santa Ynez Valley, and a favorite spot was Nojoqui Falls. Many took the long walk to the falls after Sunday church services and were often still dressed in their best clothes. This photo shows most of the city’s residents gathered at the falls for a picnic in 1912. Nojoqui Falls Park was opened to the public on April 3, 1927.

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10 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

Public invited to ‘An Afternoon With Authors’ accomplishments, cultures and histories of Native American people. Contributing Writer In the past 10 years he’s written and published 12 books, including two illustrated he public is invited to hear a panel dis- children’s books, two nonfiction histories on cussion by four Santa Barbara County American Indian service in the U.S. military, authors from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, seven short teen novels and one mystery novel. April 16, in Stacy Hall at Saint Mark’s in-theHis most recent creations are an elemenValley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos. tary-level historical novel about the Native Appetizers and wine will be served. AdmisAmerican experience within the Spanish sion is $10 at the door, which will benefit the mission system and an illustrated children’s library programs provided by the nonprofit book titled “We Are All Related.” Both are Friends of the Library of the Santa Ynez Valley. scheduled for publication this year. The authors participating are Lee Wardlaw, Hughes’ most recent fiction book, “Cups of Gary Robinson, Lenore Hughes and Brooks Fortune,” endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Firestone. Tutu, is about an Armenian-American girl “This illuminating event promises the audi- growing up in 1950s Los Angeles. She learns ence insight into what, how, why, and where much from her immigrant grandmother who the authors write,” said Barbara Davidge, foretells the future by reading the grounds president of the Friends board. from cups of Armenian coffee. Wardlaw has published 30 award-winning She is now working on a cookbook that books for children and young adults, which have will contain “bite-size stories,” her art, new sold more than a million copies worldwide. recipes and photographs. Her newest book is “Won Ton – A Cat Firestone has written “Evensong,” a book Tale,” told in Haiku. She has also written about how choral singing has influenced him. “Red, White and Boom!” and “101 Ways to Firestone also has written articles, speechBug Your Friends and Enemies.” She also has es, editorial commentaries and journals. In more than 30 years of experience presenting recent years, he has written two other books: lively and interactive writing programs for a polo journal and a collection of Santa Ynez children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Valley animal stories. Robinson is an author, scriptwriter, He is retired from what he calls “a career of filmmaker and digital photographic artist of family, wine, politics and tires.” Choctaw and Cherokee Indian descent whose For more information on the event, call Cawork focuses primarily on the struggles, sey Bemis of the Friends board at 688-4565.

by Casey Bemis

S O LVA N G R O TA RY PRESENTS

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ry Solvang Rota s who made our event an e ee d at pation from th en att e of th edible partici ging along to cr in h it w et sin show was m ne clapping, The sold-out es had everyo s laughing too. Attendees m o Sh th Se BLUE & GOLD Seth had u audience as s and dancing. PMS 286 t. their favorite h ig 871 uding emorable nPMS cal causes incl al lo g n rti o made this a m p p will go to su ucational and vocation m this event Proceeds fro High School students, ed r centers to name a few. for nio scholarships -risk youth and valley se Dinner & urs to bring at r fo s am countless ho is event gr ro er p te n lu vo b ry Clu om th Performance Solvang Rota nies raised fr it witho$60 ut Members of sistance in our valley. Mo o d t o n ld as e cou services and e the greatest impact. W participate in events like d ak allow us to m of those who suppoort an Ticket information ty !” si o es er m n o ge Sh the nts Seth se re P ry ta o “Solvang R call (805) 691-9175 t year! to n&ex ard BLUE YELLOW We look forw PMSo286 n, t appreciati PMS 129 With deepes ry Club Solvang Rota Members of y Things” g Extraordinar in o D le p o Pe “Ordinary

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access through our local farms. n Use High-quality Fats: Omega-3 fatty Contributing Writer acids found in wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, walnuts, and extra virgin olive oil are y now, you’ve probably heard that anti-inflammatory. chronic inflammation can both n Add Herbs and Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, lead to and aggravate a number of garlic, turmeric, rosemary, basil, oregano, health conditions such as heart disease, type and thyme have strong anti-inflammatory 2 diabetes, and even cancer. Inflammation properties and can be added in creative ways happens when our bodies are “under attack.” to most meals. This can take the form of anything from n Drink Green Tea: Green tea helps reduce physical trauma to infection to our normal inflammation due to its high polyphenol and stress response. antioxidant content. To prevent the maladies that often follow n Get your Probiotics: Fermented foods inflammation, it is important to be able to such as kombucha, sauerkraut, and yogurt are ensure your body is having an appropriate excellent sources of “good” bacteria that help inflammatory response. Constant, unchecked keep the digestive tract healthy and inflammainflammation will lead to the degradation tion low. of body tissues and can even influence the n Avoid Chemicals: Many common indusproduction of cancer cells. trial chemicals and pesticides can irritate the One major cause of chronic inflammaimmune system. Choose organic foods and tion today is our standard American diet, or “green” personal care and cleaning products. “SAD.” As a licensed naturopathic doctor, I n Minimize Alcohol Intake: While modest recommend simple dietary and lifestyle modi- intake of red wine has anti-inflammatory fications as “medicine” to prevent and manage effects, excessive alcohol intake will increase inflammation. inflammation. Here are 10 things I do every day to den Practice Stress Reduction: Psychological crease inflammation: stress increases our inflammatory response. n Eat a Diet Low in Starches and Sugars: Physical activity, laughter, and meditation are Flour-based foods and sugar are proven to great ways to reduce stress. increase inflammation. n Eliminate Food Allergies: Food allergies n Include Organic Fruits and Vegetables cause inflammatory symptoms in the body such Daily: Colorful fruits and vegetables contain as joint pain, headaches, fatigue, and weight tons of phytochemicals that are anti-inflamgain. Work with a licensed naturopathic doctor matory. Here in the SYV we have unlimited to identify and eliminate your food triggers.

by Dr. Jessie Carroll

April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 11

business

CVB travels afar to bring travelers here by Tracy Farhad

Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau

ou’ve probably seen the tour buses parked in the lot behind the windmill on Alisal Road. Their passengers disembark, eager to explore Solvang, take selfies, shop, eat and drink in our Danish hospitality. Someone once told me, “It looks like a United Nations assembly in that parking lot with so many people from around the world visiting Solvang.” Yes, that’s actually quite true. Our Visitor Profile & Economic Impacts of Solvang Tourism Study calculated that our visitors are 68.6 percent California residents, 16.4 percent from other U.S. states and 15 percent international. As the city’s destination marketing organization, the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau is actively engaged in bringing visitors here, especially those who stay overnight (thereby spending more dollars on lodging, food and beverages) from Sunday-Thursday as well as seasonal, quieter times. Overnight visitors spend an estimated $116 per day in Solvang, and day trippers spend an average of $34 per day here. Overnight guests account for more than 51 percent of $98 million spent in Solvang annually. This generates important revenue for hotels, restaurants and

Photo by CrackerClips Tourists enjoy a ride in a honen along Danish-inspired streets of Solvang.

retail shops that “trickles down” to other small business and entrepreneurs — increasing the overall economic vitality of Solvang. One of the strategies my staff and I employ is attendance at travel industry trade shows, including some that specifically attract tour bus groups and travel operators. For example, in January, Sales Manager Greg Corso and I traveled to Atlanta to participate in the National Tour Association (NTA) Annual Marketplace (www.ntaonline.com). As a group, NTA members did more than $8.8

At PHP, what’s old is new by Dean Palius Contributing Writer

eople Helping People (PHP) is fast approaching its 25th anniversary since being founded in 1992, with a mission of service to the community, and I am advancing toward 22 years at the helm. I wish, after all of these years of time and resources invested, I could report to you that poverty has been eradicated and none of our neighbors has had a financial crisis. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Our local valley residents are dependent on low-wage workers to fuel the agricultural and hospitality industries that are our economic engines. Further, we have a rapidly aging population that relies on small fixed incomes to get by in a high-cost environment. These populations live on a razor-thin margin, if any, and are vulnerable to financial crisis even with slight changes in their income or circumstances. People continue to face health emergencies, disabilities, divorces, or the death of a breadwinner in the family, and they continue to age and therefore must stop working. So, to some degree for PHP, what is old is new. We continue to work hard on the fundamentals. PHP furnishes tons of food each year to help to reduce people’s food insecurity (which means not knowing at some point each month where the next meal will come from); we provide rent

assistance to prevent evictions and homelessness; we help folks to access medical and dental care and their prescriptions; we make sure that children are safe from abuse and neglect; and we assist relationship partners to be free from domestic violence. While the above work is not sexy and we are not curing life-threatening diseases, we change lives for the better every day. We work quietly and confidentially, respecting privacy, and our clients let us know that our work positively impacts their quality of life — which also positively impacts the quality of life of the entire community. PHP’s visionary founding directors saw the great value in housing an array of social services under a single agency umbrella in order to ease access to services and keep costs down. We continue to adhere to that vision and are able to provide services beyond those fundamentals described above to help individuals and families achieve stability and, beyond that, self-sufficiency. And all of this is done with less than 10 percent overhead costs. Dean Palius earned a master’s degree from UCSB, operated a management consulting firm for 17 years, and for the past 21 years has served as the CEO of People Helping People. He has three daughters and a son and resides in Buellton with his wife, Kim Morrison. Contact him at Dean@syvphp.org

billion in sales in 2015. The National Tour Association is the leading association for professionals serving travelers to, from and within North America. During the trade show, we met with 28 tour operators from throughout North America during one-on-one business appointments and generated many requests for those who want to visit Solvang. In February, I traveled to Anchorage to attend this year’s annual GoWest Summit (www. gowestsummit.com), where I personally met with 55 travel agents and tour operators from

around the world to encourage them to bring their groups to Solvang. In June, Solvang CVB staff will travel with staff from the Buellton Visitors Bureau and Visit The Santa Ynez Valley destination marketing organizations to the IPW International Trade Show (www.ipw.com/) being held in New Orleans this year. IPW attracts more than 1,300 international travel and domestic buyers from more than 70 countries that conduct business negotiations that result in more than $4.7 billion in future travel. At IPW, Solvang CVB is able to conduct business that otherwise could be generated only through an exhaustive number of calls, emails and trips around the world. Your Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau staff does travel afar, effectively and efficiently, to bring groups of visitors back to Solvang all year-round. Be sure you say hello to those visitors and encourage them to return as they enjoy our Danish hospitality along with you and yours. You might be in their hometown next year. Tracy Farhad is the Executive Director of the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau, the non-profit agency promoting Solvang’s culture, cuisine, shopping, arts and attractions. For more information, stop by the Solvang Visitors Center at 1639 Copenhagen Drive, or call 805688-6144 or visit www.SolvangUSA.com

12 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

A CART FULL OF GOLDEN GROCERY MEMORIES

Above left, when the Holzheus first leased the abandoned store, it faced Highway 246. They expanded in 1975 into the store that still operates today. The Holzheus’ son Alfred, top center, is pictured working in the meat department of the store. Top right, Doris Holzheu loved arranging all the store displays, since her background was in decorating and textiles.

Photos contributed

Bottom left, Helmut and Doris Holzheu now enjoy a peaceful retirement. Alfred Holzheu, center, is the president of El Rancho and has operated the store since his parents’ retirement. Right, the Holzheu family has made a significant impact on the Valley community with their fresh, local produce and their spirit of giving to many organizations.

‘El Rancho family’ celebrates 50 years everything they knew to start a new life in a foreign country. news@santaynezvalleystar.com “We married in in February of 1954 and moved to America in November the same Helmut and Doris Holzheu were newlyyear. I was pregnant with our first child and weds with very little money when they acwe barely knew any English,” Doris said in cepted an invitation to move to Santa Barbara her German accent. from Germany in 1954. She paused to explain various different Now the couple is best known in the Santa vowel sounds and give a quick lesson in GerYnez Valley for their store, El Rancho Market, man pronunciation. which just celebrated its 50th anniversary in “I got a job at Safeway and worked as the March, but what they love the most is volunmeat manager for 10 years,” Helmut added. teering for many community groups. At that time they moved from Santa Bar“When President Kennedy said his motto bara to Shell Beach, where Helmut worked of ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, in the San Luis Obispo Safeway and they had but what you can do for your country,’ we re- their second child, Barbara, who is an artist ally took that to heart. I give everything I can and lives in Santa Barbara. to help our community and show my gratiThe couple took an outing in 1966 for their tude,” Doris Holzheu said during an interview anniversary and it would forever change their in her home. lives. Helmut Holzheu was an apprentice at a “We drove to the valley and it reminded us butcher shop when he moved back to his of Germany with the green fields and snowhometown and reconnected with a family he capped mountains nearby. We drove by a had known before WWII. The couple, both 86 closed store and saw the ‘For Lease’ sign, and years old now, have known each other since two weeks later we signed a lease — and 50 they were 3 years old. As newlyweds, they left years later, here we are,” Doris laughed.

by Raiza Giorgi

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“We drove to the valley and it reminded us of Germany with the green fields and snow-capped mountains nearby. We drove by a closed store and saw the ‘For Lease’ sign, and two weeks later we signed a lease — and 50 years later, here we are,” Doris laughed. The store, called “Buy Wise,” and had gone bankrupt some years before. The original building faced Highway 246 but in 1975 went through an expansion to the store that is in operation today. The store, called “Buy Wise,” and had gone bankrupt some years before. The original building faced Highway 246 but in 1975 went through an expansion to the store that is in operation today. “It happened so fast, but that happens when something is meant to be,” Doris said. “We worked really hard and got involved in

Stop in and be Inspired!

the community because we were so grateful people accepted us,” Helmut added. They prided themselves on having products that were fresh from local farmers, meat producers and other producers. “I have been in the valley for 10 years and shop at El Rancho because I know it’s fresh and they have locally sourced products,” said customer Collette Kaplan. Between the two of them, the Holzheus have been involved in the Santa Ynez Elks Lodge, the Lions Club and Viking Charities. They made and cooked sausage at Danish Days for many years, and they cooked the corned beef and cabbage for Mission Santa Ines’ St. Patrick’s Day celebrations for 30 years. Helmut has been chairman of the Mission Fiesta, and Doris delivered Meals on Wheels for many years. She is a member of the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Auxiliary and the choir at Mission Santa Ines. Throughout the years they have also been board members of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society, Solvang Friendship House,

o CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 13

Tips to keep your accountant happy

CHARMING CLASSICS

Local artist finds big attraction in tiny books

by SYV Star Staff

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

ometimes people come into the world knowing just what they want to do in life. Since childhood, local artist Devyn Samara has had two loves in her life: art and miniatures. Growing up she became fascinated by “all things tiny” and began to create fairy houses and miniature fairy tale communities. “When I was seven, I had made a replica of Disneyland’s Storybook Land canal boats – minus the water – in our family room. I’m not sure how much my parents loved that, but I thought it was great!” Samara said. As an adult she became a fine artist specializing in commissioned portraiture Devyn Samara and landscapes, but in her free time she still found a love of painting small and miniature oil paintings, some of which have been displayed at C Gallery in Los Alamos. “My friends know that I collect vintage clothing and jewelry, and my best friend gifted me with a 1930s book charm,” Samara said. “Loving all things tiny, as I do, I adored it and tried unsuccessfully to find more of them.” Samara has a bit of an industrious side, so she thought she could make her own. “There were a few issues with the original charm that I wasn’t happy with and I thought I could improve on the overall concept,” she said. “I tried different materials and in about a week’s time came up with the prototype. Making them appealed to my love of art and antiques in researching these beautiful old bindings and illustrations and creating them in miniature,” she said. Each charm, measuring about an inch wide, is created from sturdy brass and then cut, bent and fastened by hand into a book with pages.

Photo contributed Devyn Samara creates miniature book charms. Each charm, like this Pride and Prejudice book, measures about an inch wide, and is created from sturdy brass. The charms are cut, bent and fastened by hand into a book with pages.

The exterior features a first-edition binding, reproduced on a canvas material to simulate the texture of old bindings. The interior consists of two “pages”, one containing a quote from the book and the other displaying an original illustration from that edition. “They’re laborious, but a bit like sculpture. That and pairing the elements to make a beautiful overall design is where the art comes into it for me,” Samara said. She felt like other people would love them as much as she did so she decided to open up a store, Charmed Books, on the Etsy website. “I didn’t expect how popular they would be and was quickly inundated with orders. People seem to resonate with them, finding joy in a beloved story or inspiration in a quote,” she said. Since then, Charmed Books is not only on Etsy but also on Handmade at Amazon, in various boutiques in California, and in book

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o CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

eep in the throes of tax season as the April 15 deadline looms this month, local Certified Public Accountant Ken Sorenson, of Sorenson and Associates CPAs, gives the Santa Ynez Valley Star and its readers some tips on keeping an accountant happy. Don’t bring in bags of receipts “I know it’s going to be a long day when I see my client bring me a grocery bag of receipts that aren’t organized or entered in on a spreadsheet,” Sorenson said. The best way to get a handle on receipts is to enter them weekly on a spreadsheet. Fill out the organizer “Most accountants give their clients organizers that they can fill out during the year to remind them of important dates or to talk to their bank institution to get interest reports,” Sorenson said. Visiting the tax accountant shouldn’t be scary “We aren’t dentists. A lot of people wait until the last minute to visit us, but in all honesty it’s better to come see your accountant sooner rather than later,” he said. Bring whatever makes your accountant happy “Some of my clients have wineries and bring us wine and it’s pretty fun to visit with them, have a glass of wine and do their taxes. Everyone wins,” Sorenson said. Write down mileage “The number one thing people get audited for is business mileage. It’s so easy to keep a log book in your car. I ask if mileage is written on my ceiling because every time I go over that question, people look up at my ceiling to guesstimate,” Sorenson laughed. Sorenson and Associates CPAs is at 2027 Village Lane, Suite 203, in Solvang.

14 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

What is a real estate appraisal? by Donald E. Bratt Contributing Writer

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areal estate appraisal is a professional appraiser’s opinion of value. The preparation of an appraisal involves research into appropriate market areas; the assembly and analysis of information pertinent to a property; and the knowledge, experience, and professional judgment of the appraiser. Appraisals may be required for any type of property, including single-family homes, apartment buildings and condominiums, office buildings, shopping centers, industrial sites, and farms. The reasons for performing a real property appraisal are just as varied. They are usually required whenever real property is sold, mortgaged, taxed, insured, or developed. For example, appraisals are prepared for:

n Mortgage lending purposes

n Tax assessments and assessment appeals n Negotiation between buyers and sellers n Government acquisition of private property for public use n Business mergers or dissolutions n Lease negotiations The role of the appraiser is to provide ojective, impartial, and unbiased opinions about the value of real property. All states require appraisers to be state licensed or certified to provide appraisals to federally regulated lenders. Some states require appraisers to be licensed or certi-fied to provide appraisals for other parties as well. To become licensed or certified, you must pass an examination that is administered by your state’s appraisal board. Some appraisers who become designated members of professional organizations such as The Appraisal Institute, The American Society of Real Estate Appraisers, and International Association of Right of Way

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appy Spring, Santa Ynez Valley! The birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and Arts Outreach is in full-on performing arts mode. There are numerous events coming up at Arts Outreach, including an adult workshop and auditions for two of our most exciting yearly events, so whether you’re a parent or a member of the community looking to enhance your life with the arts, read on. There’s something in here for everyone. First up, auditions for our Summer Youth Community Theater Program are right around the corner. This year’s production will be the ever-popular “Mary Poppins.” Auditions will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 23 at the Los Olivos School Gym, and call-back auditions will be held there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 30. All children who will be in grades 5-12 in fall 2016 are eligible to audition for this whirlwind four-week acting workshop. Don’t know what the Summer Youth Community Theater Program is? This special program happens every summer and culminates in four performances, which are open to the public. Summer Youth Community Theater gives young local thespians the opportunity to work with professional dramatic, vocal, musical, and dance directors. Students are exposed to all the facets of a theatrical production, from live auditions to professional performances. This program is the highlight of the summer for our participants, and for most it becomes an annual activity. Many of the alumni (myself included) come back to help with the production, while others have gone on to pursue their theatrical passions in college. If you have little drama kings or queens at home, send them our way on April 23. And don’t worry, community members, we’ll have more information about show dates and times when it gets closer. All you have to do is keep reading the Santa Ynez Valley Star and follow us on social media.

by Sandie Mullin, Executive Director Also, here is a reminder for young performers that auditions for the performing arts portion of APPLAUSE are from noon to 3 p.m. April 9 at Song in My Heart Studio in Solvang. Finally, we are happy to offer something creative for the adults. A few weeks ago we asked, “Hey, why should kids get to have all the fun?” and you answered, “We don’t know why, that’s totally unfair,” and proceeded to sign up for our popular Adult Ceramics class. We decided to keep the post-childhood fun going and are happy to announce a unique workshop with Gerald DiPego, well-known local author of six novels, two plays, a dozen stories and more than 30 produced films, including “Phenomenon,” “Message in a Bottle,” “The Forgotten,” “and Words & Pictures.” “WRITE! A one-day seminar on Creative Writing” will take place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 22 at Stacy Hall at St. Mark’s-inthe-Valley Church. Complimentary wine and cheese are included in the $75 fee. What’s not to love? Register online at artsoutreach.com That’s all for now, folks. As always, more information about everything mentioned here can be found by going online at artsoutreach. com, by emailing info@artsoutreach.com, or by calling (805) 688-9533. Sandy Mullin is the executive director of Arts Outreach.

Agents have gone beyond typical state requirements. They have fulfilled rigorous education, including a four-year college degree, have met experience requirements and must adhere to strict standards and a code of professional ethics. One of the main requirements of anyone completing real estate appraisals is geographic competency. Your appraiser should be, at a minimum, either licensed or certified with the state of California, be a member of the local Multiple Listing Service and knowledgeable in the local market. When you have an appraisal completed, do not be shy about asking the appraiser’s qualifications. If your appraiser is upset at the question, it is likely that he or she does not have the qualifications.

Donald E. Bratt is a real estate appraiser in the Santa Ynez Valley. He has been apprais- a ing properties on the Central Coast since e t 1977. s

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t F t “ i

i N c Contributed a Doris and Helmut Holzheu cut a cake celebrating the f h 50th anniversary of El Rancho Market. m g and San Lorenzo Seminary. a Looking ahead, the Holzheus bought land near their store in case they needed to b relocate, but instead they donated that land t as the site for the Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA in Santa Ynez. They also helped m f raise the funds to build it. “We have always felt privileged to live i here and wanted to do everything in our w power to help others,” Doris said. When they retired from El Rancho 25 t t years ago and their son Alfred took the reins to operate the store, they were still e heavily involved in volunteering. They still s enjoy going for hikes, taking classes at the s f YMCA and traveling. “We loved to hike the Mills property in m the past before the family closed it to the i public, which is a shame on those that took a advantage of their generosity, but we still w get out and about,” Doris said. They often go to their store and get lunch m to take on picnics or meat to take home for b dinner. Helmut loves the Mississippi Caviar, w which has become a store staple. Their longtime employee Jennifer Caouette, who has been with them for 32 years, brought the recipe to their attention about 25 years ago and they tweaked it to make it their own. “I started in the deli and meat department, which were the same counter back then, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else. The Holzheu family has become my own. Alfred definitely taught me my sense for hard work,” Caouette said. El Rancho is now also connected with California Fresh and opened a second store in Pismo Beach in 2012.

April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 15

star lifestyle

Novelist writes gripping mysteries

INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK

by Pamela Dozois Santa Ynez Valley Star

Lawson Gamble writes suspense mystery novels that grab you and hold you until the final page. The Los Alamos resident writes novels that are exciting, gripping page-turners with just enough of the “what if?” supernatural element to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. The novels are part of his “Zack Tolliver” series, a unique set of murder mysteries that take place in locations ranging from Arizona to Palm Springs (in “The Other”), to San Francisco (“Mestaclocan”), and right here in the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valleys in “Zaca.” His fourth novel in the series, “Cat,” is due to be published later this spring. The protagonist of the series, Zack Tolliver, is an FBI agent assigned as liaison to the Navajo Indian Reservation, where he must come to terms with the spirits and legends that are part of the native culture. Here he meets friend and mentor Eagle Feather, a Navajo hunting guide, who assists him with his first murder case. They become the team you’re going to call when an investigator comes up against the impossible; they solve cases with a blend of native mythology and modern investigative techniques. Gamble began to write fiction after he moved to Los Alamos from Massachusetts following a teaching career at a private boarding school. “After leaving the teaching profession I was excited about writing fiction because that was something I was not able to do up to that point. I had mostly written about educational-related subject matter,” Gamble said. “I wanted to expand my writing ability, so I initially tried to write a short story but failed — as it turned into a long story. I found myself embarking on a novel. The characters in the story seemed to find a voice with me and I was surprised to find myself writing a whole series of books.” “My ideas came to me from exchanges with my students over the years and (from) those books I enjoyed reading most. My fascination with the West began long ago as an avid read-

BOOK CHARMS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

lovers catalogues. “Surprisingly, they have become popular with authors as a marketing tool, all of whom have their own published books custom-made into the charms. It’s amazing to see how creative people are with this concept, and I love working with my customers to make something new,” she said. She’s also made the pendants to commemorate births, weddings, anniversaries, and other special moments in life.

Tyler Rocheleau and Maki Ling Preserving dark skies, such as this view on Figueroa Mountain, requires everyone to participate in wise use of exterior lighting.

Contributed photo R. Lawson “Rich” Gamble signs copies of his last book at a previous launch party.

er of the novels of Zane Grey, Louis L’Amour, Owen Wister and more recently Tony Hillerman, Larry McMurtry, and Elmore Leonard,” Gamble continued. “But it was when I moved with my wife to Los Alamos, living at the foot of Drum Canyon where the notorious bandit Salomon Pico was said to hide away, that really stimulated my imagination.” In the latest story, Tolliver returns to Arizona to support his friend Eagle Feather, who almost loses a client when the mountain lion they are hunting turns on them. The Navajo blames himself. However, it soon becomes apparent that this cat may be more than it seems. Gamble has written another kind of book, the pictorial history “Los Alamos Valley,” published by Arcadia Press in July. He has also written a Middle Years novel, “Payu’s Journey,” which is looking for a publisher. The story takes place in Australia and features a unique group of native animal personalities. In addition, an audio book of “Zaca” recently became available. His e-books currently sell in the top one percent at Amazon. “Cat,” the latest in the Zack Tolliver series, is available now for pre-order at Amazon.com. A launch party and author signing are planned for the end of June. “As an artist, you want to spread your art around, but not everyone can afford to buy an oil painting. However, these little pieces of art are affordable and I have been able to share them with the world, as I have sold them to people in many different countries,” said Samara. “It’s been a privilege to be a part of people’s happy memories,” she added. For more information, visit www.etsy.com/ shop/VintageCharmedBooks or email art@ DevynSamara.com. For more information on Samara’s art, visit www.DevynSamara.com.

Keeping skies dark entails everyone’s help by WE Watch Contributed

Artificial light has been used for only about 130 years, but it has dramatically changed our nighttime environment. When it gets out of control, it can be harmful for both humans and animals. April 4 begins International Dark Sky Week, which isn’t just about enjoying a starry night sky. If we don’t eliminate outdoor light pollution, our exterior light: n Trespasses into neighbors’ homes, interrupting their sleep. n Wastes energy and money — $3 billion a year just in the United States n Prevents nocturnal wildlife and other animals from obtaining food, avoiding predators and reproducing. n Makes it impossible for astronomers to study the night sky. We need some outdoor lighting to move

around safely at night and to locate homes and businesses, but we “over-light” because we love light or worry about security. We think daylight at night is OK. We do not realize our light travels far and intensely, making problems for others. We think, “My few lights won’t make any difference.” So, we have light pollution everywhere — homes, apartments, businesses, industries, farms, government facilities, streets, highways, signs, billboards. The good news is that light pollution is one problem we can solve by working together. Here is how to do it. Begin by approaching your home or business at night with fresh eyes. Are any of your lights unfriendly to neighbors? Outdoor lighting has three major elements: Light fixture, light bulb, and light fixture placement. n Is the light fixture designed so the light source is not seen by a viewer? You need a

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Facebook for popup dates, times, and locations

going out and ab

16 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

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April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 17

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Spring Barbecue

Sunday, May 1, 2016 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.

FLAG IS UP FARMS

Join us at this amazing venue to enjoy delicious Valley wines, exciting raffle prizes, silent auction items, and a delicious barbecue dinner from Santa Ynez BBQ accompanied by the toe-tapping live music of the Cadillac Angels. For more information or to purchase your tickets, call 805-686-8315 or visit us at www.wildlingmuseum.org

18 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

Empty nesters enjoy hiking adventure by Catherine Streegan Contributing Writer

For the last two decades my husband, Chris, has hiked at Midland’s property off Figueroa Mountain. Regretfully, I never went because of my mommy and dental career priorities. However, those eased after the last of our three children went off to college. My husband climbed to the top of my priority list, and for the first time I accompanied him on a celebratory birthday hike March 22. Feeling complete with water bottles, camera phones, hiking sticks and our truly excited chocolate Labrador Denali, we headed to a special spot Chris named the Shaolin Temple. Through the years Chris made up landmark names with our son Mario, nephew Ryan, our dogs and friends. He told me stories as we walked through Melancholy Meadow, Dood Rock, 3 Dog Tree, Rye Eye, Raptor Crossing, Buddy Falls and Resting Meadow. His memories eased my fears of an unknown territory while making me want to venture some more. Our senses came alive with the sweet taste of water from rivers flowing, the fresh fragrant air from sage, trees or blooming flowers, and music coming from the wind and chirping birds. At the Shaolin Temple, Chris carved his age into a dead tree as he had done for 20 years while the cool rushing river baptized me with this new experience. I have no regrets for not coming all those years, but I envision new sites and tales that lie ahead for us.

#87

Photos by Catherine Streegan Above, the peak of the Lover’s Loop hike near Midland School in Los Olivos has great views of Grass Mountain, which is blooming with poppies. Right, Chris Streegan takes a moment to enjoy the view along the trail.

Eager to return, we hiked the Upper Lover’s Loop the following week. From the peak we saw a framed picture of Grass Mountain enveloped in fog that slowly melted after a gentle rain. The orange poppies opened up, and lupines, shooting stars, buttercups and every wild flower welcomed us back. We appreciate the Midland community for allowing us to explore this simply magical beauty.

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April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 19

Global Gardens is a dream come true first to plant olives to get pushed to the for olive oil in Santa pump. That was when Barbara county. the LO General Store We also have over was a gas station and 50 olive trees at our general store. I picked 3-acre farm stand, up “Ranchland” real from which we estate magazine, By Robbie Kaye produce our “Back idly flipped through heo Stephan, initially attracted to the Yard Extra Virgin while a friendly guy sunshine and topography, moved to Olive Oil,” and humungous Cerignola olives pumped my gas—“full service, ma’am.”— the Santa Ynez Valley from Dayton, packed in my Greek Spice Blend with our and found what would soon become my ranch Ohio. own EVOO and Fig Balsamic. We hand harfor 10 years in Los Alamos. The owner and creator of Global Gardens, vest every olive and a certified organic mobile LOV: How did you get into the olive she is not only one of the savviest businessolive mill comes directly to our harvest industry? women I know, she is also the wonderful locations so we have the freshest olive oil I have always loved olive oil, having been mother of two beautiful daughters, Anita and imaginable. I wish I could bottle the aroma on raised by Greek immigrant parents; we drank Sunita. harvest day. it and used it on our skin, our dad shaved with Global Gardens is a mecca for olive oil LOV: What’s your favorite thing about it, and there is/was nothing like a real Greek tasting and organic products and gifts. You doing a tasting at Global Gardens? salad—no vinegar, just pure Extra Virgin…so won’t want to leave the stand, as it is surHearing people “oooh, ahhh and mmmm” my many loves came together when I found rounded by olive trees, sage, flowers, organic when they taste my food products! Seriously, empty land that needed something—olive vegetables, a great outdoor table and a very I do love that; but I mostly love educating trees. large, beautiful kitty who will surprise you at people on how flavorfully and healthfully LOV: What is your favorite recipe from any moment. You will be well taken care of. “real” olive oil and sugarless meals can taste. I your book? Here are excerpts from our recent interview: also like sharing facts and dispelling the many Oh, it has to be either my Spanakopita or LOV: When did you decide to open a farm myths of olive oil—like, yes, you should cook “Not Your Mother’s Baklava.” Can I have stand? with olive oil. (Most olive oil at the grocery two, please? Ironically, they’re both Greek April 2014. I had a dream my business was stores is actually fake, that’s why it smokes so recipes I’ve converted to Caliterranean. at my “home,” called the county and found I early.) It’s fun to be the farmer and the knowLOV: What events or workshops are comwas zoned properly. It was perfect timing be- it-all, enlightening everyone who stops in. ing down the pike for Global Gardens? cause I’d signed a one-year lease on a “bucket LOV: What did you do before you got into We’re having a very exciting two-day list” project which was coming near an end… the olive industry? “Build Your Own Outdoor Oven” class the my “Caliterranean Café.” A helluva lot! I founded a graphic design weekend of April 30 and May 1. Then, we’ll LOV: Tell us a little bit about your olive firm in 1983, and acquired a dream account (I be having some cooking classes al fresco, groves. do a lot of dreaming.) with Universal Studios dates TBA. Now that my daughters are 20 Global Gardens planted 2,000 olive trees in 1993. On one trip to California, I rented a and 21, we have family business meetings, in Los Alamos in the mid ’90s and received convertible and drove up to SYV. I literally review financials, and we’ve laid out a fiveorganic certification in 1997. We were the ran out of gas pulling into Los Olivos and had year property and business goal plan together,

Theo Stephan’s love of olive oil inspires her groves and farm stand

which is very exciting for us and our community, as we intend to be a place where a lot more learning will happen in many different ways. (Her book, “Olive Oil And Vinegar For Life,” is coming out in paperback on June 7 and will be available at Global Gardens and Amazon.com.) LOV:What memberships are available for Global Gardens? We have three different olive oil clubs — Join The Olive Revolution. Hah! We had our own revolution way before Bernie Sanders suggested it. They’re very similar to wine clubs, but you don’t drink them all in one night. Plus, Clubbies get a 20 percent discount on everything, all the time, and free shipping perks when they want to send a gift to anybody in the country. LOV: If you had one sentence to inspire anyone who had a dream, what would it be? Listen and don’t be afraid. Go for it. You can always go back … but going forward into the unknown is the most exciting and youthful way to approach a true love and zest for life. For more information, go to www.global gardensonline.com or stop by the farm stand at 2450 Alamo Pintado Road from 10-4 Fridays thru Sundays (or by appointment for groups of six or more). Robbie Kaye is an international photographer as well as a designer and author. Visit her on Facebook at Robbie Kaye Photo, Twitter at @robbiekayearts, Instagram@ robbiekaye or at www.robbiekaye.com.

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20 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

VEGGIE TAILS

SYNC YOUR MIND AND BODY

Live in the here and now

Star staff Logan and Megan DeLeon of Buellton gleaned lettuce with Veggie Rescue on Saturday, March 21, at Roots Farm in Santa Ynez. Veggie Rescue is a local non-profit that gleans produce from local farms, ranches and orchards and delivers it to charitable organizations and school lunch programs in Santa Barbara County. Log onto veggierescue.org for more information.

DARK SKY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 fully shielded or a full cut-off light fixture, which further recesses the light bulb. The cut-off fixture is needed for walkways and street lights near buildings and for hillside sites

ost of us pass through our days caught up in thoughts about the past or anticipating what’s to come, which means we are not aware of the present moment. But our bodies live only in the present moment, so how do you bring the body and mind together so they are in sync? Try this: Settle into a relaxed meditative posture. Close your eyes and rest your attention within your breath. Scan your whole body, noticing the spectrum of sensations and feelings present in this moment. Notice how your attention is drawn toward those sensations that are either pleasant or unpleasant. Be aware of how you respond to these sensations—the way you delight in the pleasant and resist the unpleasant. Move your attention through your body, sensing the places where there is no sensation—the palms of your hands, your ears, and the place where your lips touch. Bring your attention to these areas and feel how your interest, sensitivity, and calmness bring them to life. Sense what it means to rest within the ordinary. Bring your attention to the spectrum of thoughts passing through your mind — planning, remembering, worrying — attend to them all equally with a calm, unbiased attentiveness that sees them arise and then pass.

where light sources may be visible from below. n Are light bulbs energy-efficient while controlling intensity (defined as output and effect on the eye)? Are they a warm color? Both intensity and blue-white color can be problems with fluorescent or LED lamps.

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Our doors are ALWAYS open

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Vineyard Yoga SYV What does it feel like to be a simple witness to your thoughts and not let any of them take hold? Expand your awareness to receive everything that is present in this moment — your body, your feelings, thoughts, and sounds. Sense the loveliness born of interest, connection, and ease. And notice the way your world is awakened by the attention you bring to it. What would it mean to bring these qualities into your life, to attend wholeheartedly to all that you neglect or dismiss? Cori Lassahn, the owner of Vineyard Yoga SYV, has been teaching yoga for 15 years. Visit www. vineyardyogasyv.com to learn more.

LED packaging provides information about watts, lumens and color. To control intensity, buy lamps with a lower watt replacement figure than your incandescent bulbs. Buy “soft white” LED light bulbs, which provide the outdoor color needed to protect wildlife. n On the site, are the fewest number of fixtures possible used and the pole height controlled? If this is not done, the site will be overlit, and light will trespass on others. n Are motion sensors and timers used so lights are on only when needed? Sensors protect you by alerting you and neighbors when a person or animal enters your garden. Timers prevent all-night lighting of entrances or landscapes. Next, you can retrofit the outdoor lighting at your home or business. Increasingly, local outdoor lighting ordinances require fully shielded lighting for new construction and

extensive remodeling. However, it is up to each of us to retrofit our outdoor lighting to prevent neighbor light trespass and protect animal health. The least expensive solutions are shields, which fit existing fixtures. Brand names include Parshield and Sky Cup. If these don’t correct your problems you may need to buy new fixtures. Architecturally attractive, darksky-friendly outdoor light fixtures in all price ranges are available in stores and online. Use “dark sky” in your search, but be alert for inclusion of unshielded fixtures. Wisely choosing outdoor lighting will protect all living things and the night sky while providing safety, security and energy efficiency. For help in your decision making, check out Focus/Save Our Stars on the WE Watch website, wewatch.org. Also visit the International Dark-Sky Association’s website, darksky.org.

20 acres with gated entry, manicured yards

This finely crafted property has 1½ miles of graded private horse trails, in addition to the 10½ miles of developed trails totally within the community. Home features hardwood floors, custom kitchen that opens to the family room and an outdoor covered flagstone patio. Large master suite comes with a Jacuzzi band tub in the master bath. The grounds have multiple levels of areas designed for entertaining your guests. If you are looking for a home that will surprise you at every turn from the casual country living to the Hi-tech Smart Network system than this just might be what you’re looking for. www.470BluebirdGlen.com $1,597,000

Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital’s emergency-trained physicians and staff provide easily accessible care. Learn more at cottagehealth.org/syvch

Deanna (DeeDee) Harwood | Realtor

(805) 325-1452

harwood.deanna@gmail.com • www.DeannaHarwood.com • CalBRE#: 00999839

April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 21

HORSING AROUND

4-H programs go way beyond ‘farm kids’ by Blake Economus

Lucky Clover 4-H Reporter

Photos contributed Above, Steph Toms leads her horse Peanut through an obstacle course. Below, Toms pets her Peanut.

Flag Is Up Farms to host children’s weekend

Learn how to ‘Join-Up’ with your horse by Pamela Dozois Santa Ynez Valley Star

There’s always something interesting happening at the Monty Roberts International Learning Center, located at Flag Is Up Farms, whether it is Join -Up classes for people who want to learn more about horses, Horse Sense & Healing free clinics for veterans, or a program called Willing Partners. This summer the Learning Center is offering an all-new, two-day class for children ages 8 to 15. In this introductory “Join-Up” course, children can learn about a horse’s natural behavior, learning to communicate with horses through horses’ language, which Roberts calls Equus. They can also learn to appreciate and become a horse’s best friend. Participants will learn how to move around horses softly and, most of all, safely. Pat Roberts explains that “Join-Up” is based on communication and trust. It is a silent language of gestures. Horses read body language and they decide whether people are worthy of their trust. This supervised version of Join-Up is the beginning of a partnership between your horse and you. “I believe it’s really necessary to teach children at a young age the importance of nonviolence to all animals,” Roberts said. “Being around horses, as well as other animals, you need to learn how to communicate with them in a way that’s natural.” “Horses think differently from people. We have to learn to adapt to the horse’s instinctual behavior in order to understand their motivation and reactions so we can have a relationship with them, learning what they expect from us and what we expect from them,”

said Denise Heinlein, head instructor of Monty Roberts International Learning Center. “There are numerous opportunities for children to learn how to ride but no other place to our knowledge that specifically teaches about the psychology of the horse,” said Roberts. “This weekend course makes it a really unique experience for children.” Willing Partner horses participate in these classes as well. Willing Partners is a program initiated by Pat and Monty Roberts in which they buy very young and untrained, registered quarter horses and paints, assessing their pedigrees for the proper traits, and then put them through a rigorous training program (sometimes up to 30 months) at the farm, using various methods to assess their good-naturedness and gentleness. The horses learn to trust people and in turn can be trusted before they are certified for the lengthy process. Courses will be held on the weekend of May 21-22 and June 4-5 at Flag is Up Farms, 901 East Highway 246, between Solvang and Buellton. This is an instructional class only - no riding is involved. Participants will be supervised. Parents are encouraged to be present to observe, at no extra charge. Classes are limited to the first 15 students. “This class is not only about bonding with horses, it is also about bonding with the family,” Roberts said. For prices and more information, call Heinlein at 688-6288 or visit info@join-up.org.

he past perception of 4-H has been that it is an organization of farm kids. Although its roots are based in agriculture, the scope of today’s 4-H clubs is much wider. It may surprise you to know what 4-H is all about and what it has to offer. The focus is youth. The programs are designed to help kids explore new ideas in a fun and safe environment. The slogan “Learn by Doing” is an excellent way to help youth reach their goals. Did you know that 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization, with more than 6 million members? Members can realize their dreams in so many ways, in a number of traditional areas and in many new modern programs. 4-H’ers choose from hundreds of projects including Science, Technology, Agriculture, Animal Science, Nutrition, Citizenship, Leadership, Public Speaking, and more. 4-H’ers then have many opportunities to participate in demonstrating, learning and realizing their goals at the local, state and national levels. 4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands and Health. This is represented by the four-leaf clover emblem, one of the most recognized in the world today. In our pledge, we use our Head for clear thinking, our Heart for greater loyalty, our Hands for larger service, and our Health for better living, for our club, community, country, and world. We use these “4-H’s” in our lives in and outside of our club. Studies show positive gains from membership. They have shown that 4-H’ers are four times more likely to make contributions to their communities; two times more likely to be critically active; two times more likely to make healthy choices; and two times more likely to participate in science, engineering, and computer technology during and after school.

Also, 4-H has many opportunities for making progress in leadership with All Star and Emerald Star projects. In the Emerald Star Project, 4-H’ers find a solution to a problem in their community, then they work to fix the problem. Emerald Star candidates are very special to their community because not only do they help out in their club, but they take it upon themselves to fix real problems in their community. Another bonus is all the life skills that members develop while doing their Record Books. For their projects, 4-H’ers keep a record of all the expenses, events, and other activities completed during the year. It really helps youth learn how to keep records and mark their progress, skills that they will take with them when they are older. 4-H’ers as adults will have better records of their taxes, expenses, bank accounts, and better general record keeping.

YCheck it out! Lucky Clover 4-H meets on the first Monday of the month from September to June at 7 p.m./Los Olivos Grange Hall Email Camene Haws at heehaws@comcast.net for more information

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22 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

Standing Sun owner blends more than wine

THE ‘WRIGHT’ MIXTURE

by Raiza Giorgi

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

he experience of blending raw material like crushed grapes, flavors and spices to create a product that people can enjoy is much like being an artist, says John Wright, owner and winemaker at Standing Sun Wines in Buellton. Wright, a former architect, also wanted to blend his wine with music and art to create a space that is like no other in the Santa Ynez Valley. In the last several years his vision has become a reality as Standing Sun has become one of the premiere places in the valley to see art and hear live Candia Flynn Photography music. John Wright is the owner/ “I grew up on winemaker at Standing Sun the East Coast near Wines in Buellton. Washington, D.C., and moved to New York to practice architecture. I worked in preservation of historic houses and farms that dated more than 200 years old,” Wright said. He and his family moved to Santa Monica about 10 years ago and then came to the Santa Ynez Valley to go wine tasting. “We ended up befriending a few winemakers like Joey Tensley, and found every excuse to come up and hang out to learn about wine,” Wright said. Tensley invited Wright to make his own wine and in 2007 he created 100 cases of syrah. “I was hooked, it just felt like I had found my passion,” he said. The next year he made 450 cases and figured he should get all the necessary documents to sell it. “I didn’t want to name my label after me. It was a day out in the vineyard with my young son LJ (Little John). He said to me, ‘Dad, I really enjoyed standing in the sun,’ and it came to me,” Wright said. The label has a sketch of their shadows as they “stand in the sun.” After his yearly harvest Wright would travel to different places such as Nashville, New York and Seattle to pour his wine. After a busy day talking wine, he would take himself to live music venues. He is also a longtime fan of the Counting Crows and followed them on social media. “The turning point was when Adam Duritz, the lead singer, said they were looking

Photos by Jeremy Fraser of LA Exposures Above, the Standing Sun is a space that is like no other in the Santa Ynez Valley. Owner John Wright wanted to create a complete atmosphere that combined not only his wine, but art and music, and is one of the premiere places in the Valley to see art and hear live music. At left, the Standing Sun’s stage showcases local music, but Wright’s goal is bringing in quality entertainment from other cultures and music styles.

music, but his goal is bringing in quality entertainment from other cultures and music is wine with music and art to create a space that is like no other in the Santa Ynez Valley. In the last several years his vision has become a reality as Standing Sun has become one of the premiere places in the valley to see art and hear live music.styles. The recently created “Song to Table” series at Standing Sun offers people a unique experience of dining with the artists before their performance in an intimate setting. for artists to come to their Outlaw Road months of live music lined up,” Wright “I got the idea from Carlene Carter, June Show in 2012. I don’t know what prompted said. Carter Cash’s daughter, when I heard her me, but I entered the winery as a band,” Wright added that a lot of the bands Wright laughed. specifically call him now asking to play and talk about how musicians used to come to their house and they would have to sing About a month before the show he wanting to stop and hang out. retweeted one of Duritz’s tweets asking “John has brought a new and unique way for their supper. I remember her saying she why he hadn’t been contacted, and a few to experience our local wines by embracing once opened the door to Elvis Presley and it minutes later his phone rang. the art of not only wine making, but also the just sparked,” Wright said. The pre-show dinner is usually com“Adam’s partner in the show called me art of music and physical art displayed in and asked me why I submitted the winery. I his gallery,” said Kathy Vreeland, executive posed of a style of food or a recipe from the artist’s home town or family so they feel told him wine is art and I wanted to somedirector of the Buellton Visitor’s Bureau at home. A big table for about 26 people is how collaborate,” Wright said. and Chamber of Commerce. set up in Wright’s art gallery where those He flew to Texas for the show, ended up The diversity in ways to experience giving each of the 30 bands playing a few Standing Sun makes it unique and a one-of- present can hear stories and ask questions of the artist. bottles, and had a blast meeting people from a-kind for Buellton, Vreeland added. “I usually feature a solo artist for these all around the country. “My intention is not to have a bar. I want dinners because there is such limited space. “One of the bands called me the next this to be a place where people pay attenThen everyone migrates to the main stage week saying they were playing a tour from tion to the music and where people of all where everyone can experience the music,” San Francisco to Los Angeles and asked ages can come and get some culture from if they could stop at the winery. I ended all over,” he said. up building a series around it and had two CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 Wright is a big supporter of local art and

April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 23

IT’S A WEINER!

Copenhagen Sausage Garden to open this month plates, and 10 breakfast choices. The sausage selections include a Danish-style Polser, a red news@santaynezvalleystar.com hot dog that has been very popular in Denmark since the early 1900s. The restaurant will also have 20 different kinds of mustard ark Mecham has spent his lifetime and a condiment bar. in the food industry, working for The sausages are made at the Mecham 29 years at Visconti’s, his family’s family’s meat-processing facility, Cured By restaurant in Leavenworth, Wash. Visconti. Their USDA-certified plant makes In Leavenworth, many of the buildings are everything from whole cured meats to dry modeled after a Bavarian village, much as Italian salami and sausages. Solvang follows the Danish tradition. “Even though we will be using my family’s “I felt at home when I came to Solvang for meat, we will use as much locally sourced the first time because it just feels like Leavproduce (as we can), as well as wine and beer enworth. I knew this would be a fantastic lofrom Santa Ynez Valley producers,” he said. cation to open my beer and sausage garden,” Mecham has lived in the valley for the last Mecham said. eight months while working with the city of Mecham and his business partner, AarSolvang and Santa Barbara County to get the on Running, plan to open the Copenhagen business up and running. His favorite pastime Sausage Garden this month (the date will be is wine tasting and meeting people. announced on our website, www.santaynezPhoto by Raiza Giorgi “It’s funny that an Italian guy is making valleystar.com), at the drive-through portion Mark Mecham, above, is bringing a lifetime of restaurant experience to the new Copenhagen Sausage Garden, which he and German-style sausage and serving it in a of the former Rabobank building on Copenha- his partner, Aaron Running, plan to open in Solvang this month. Danish town,” Mecham laughed. “We are so gen Drive between First and Second streets. The front of the building is now home to sit outside to enjoy their meal. enjoy live music and televised sports, as there excited to open and bring our Old-World style of sausage-making to Solvang and support the Copenhagen House, featuring Danish design “It’s amazing how well we did with our are plans for an outdoor stage and mounted merchandise including decor, gifts, accessosimilar business in Washington. People would televisions. For children, there will be a “kids locals.” To learn more about the Mecham family’s ries, furniture and more. line up around the block with five feet of corner” with activities. history and businesses, visit www.viscontis. On the west side of the building, where cus- snow around them to get a sausage and beer,” Copenhagen Sausage Garden’s menu tomers used to drive up to do their banking, Mecham said with a laugh. includes nearly a dozen styles of sausage and com. For more information about the Copenhagen Sausage Garden, visit csg-solvang.com they will now walk up to order food, and then Customers will also be able to sit and hot dogs as well as salads, cheese and salami

by Raiza Giorgi

WRIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 Wright said. The winery has an ideal spot at the end of Second Street in Buellton with an open parking lot where food trucks park and

patrons can sit outside to eat and listen to music. Kids also love coloring with sidewalk chalk or dancing to the music. “I have a couple getting married here that I met at a mud run a few years ago. It was their first date and they ended up coming to

• Look for the Ant on the Truck •

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the winery that night for a show. They ended up becoming a couple and now the same band they saw that night is coming back to play their wedding. These are the kind of connections I love,” Wright said. Standing Sun is at 92 Second Street off

the Avenue of Flags in Buellton. The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays. For more information on live music and the art gallery, log onto www.standingsunwines.com or call 904-8072.

24 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

Beer can be a great ingredient in cooking

ow often do you see a cook in a restaurant or at home pull out a bottle of beer that isn’t meant for sipping but instead used as an ingredient? Not often enough! Beer has the potential to bring a whole new profile of flavors to your meal, and if you haven’t brought food and beer together for a play date in your kitchen yet, you are totally missing out. Understanding the three main ingredients used to make beer — aside from the water, of course — is the first step to mastering how to use beer for cooking. Barley is the star of the beer show, and very often he brings along his friends, like wheat, rye, oats, rice and corn. Let’s talk about Mr. Barley himself. The reason beers come in a variety of shades and flavors is due to the malting process, which essentially toasts the germinated barley to colors from lightest lagers to darkest stouts. These shades are each good for different types of cookery and play in your kitchen. Hops are the flower of a hop plant. She brings another layer of flavors to beer. Zesty, bitter, citrusy, piney, danky and earthy are a few ways to describe the hundreds of hop varieties out there. Be cautious using beers that are highly hopped, because these beers can be very intense and off-putting when reduced. Like any other ingredient, you should taste your beer so you can learn how to use it best. Yeast is what’s used to make the “barley tea” or wort that brewers make into beer.

American ale yeast imparts clean flavors, while English ale yeast imparts malty, fruity flavors. Belgian beers have spicy, floral esters while wild yeast strains create funky sour flavors. Here is a short guide to beer types and how they can be used for by Coreen Padilla cooking. n Pilsners, Light Lagers, Blondes and Pale Ale — Great for beer battering and sauces for shellfish and fish. Using thecrispness that some of these beers have is a great way to cut through rich, fatty foods. A great beer to start playing with. n Ambers and Reds — Try them for braising pork and chicken or to deglaze a pan after sautéing or searing. n Porters — Braising beef, gravies and barbecue sauce n Stout — Cooking with lamb, in chocolate desserts and stews. n IPA — Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and fatty food complement its bittering. n Wild Ales and Sours — salad dressings, compotes and in berry desserts. So grab a 6-pack or a 22-ounce bottle and get started. I think you’ll be surprised with what beer can do for your next meal.

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SANTA BARBARA WINE AUCTION

Vintners’ Foundation raises $1 Million for Direct Relief by Katie Longoria Contributing Writer

ince its inception in 1982, the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association (SBCVA) has been well known in the Santa Ynez Valley for promoting the Santa Barbara County wine region through seminars, tastings and wine events. The lesser-known Santa Barbara Vintners’ Foundation works with the SBCVA to orchestrate its charitable work. Established in 1986, the foundation provides scholarships for local students and supports local charities such as People Helping People, Arts Outreach and The Food Bank of Santa Barbara. On Saturday, March 12, at the beautiful Bacara Resort, the foundation hosted its biennial Santa Barbara Wine Auction benefitting the international humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief International. This organization provides medical aid to 70 countries and all 50 states with a goal to improve the well-being of people and communities affected by poverty or emergency situations. Since its first Santa Barbara Wine Auction in 2000, the foundation has raised more than $4 million for this important charity. More than $1 million was raised at this year’s event, which was coordinated by foundation President Jenny Williamson-Doré and her dynamic team. A silent auction kicked off the evening with items ranging from exotic travel to exclusive wine packages, health and beauty experiences, art and entertainment. Guests were treated to hors d’oeuvres and wine was provided by the honorees. Bob and Louisa Lindquist of Qupé received the Vintners of the Year Award, and the Pioneer Award went to the founders of Sanford and Benedict Vineyard, Richard and Thekla Sanford and Michael Benedict. It was wonderful to see the Santa Barbara Vintners’ Foundation acknowledge, praise and show

Since its first Santa Barbara Wine Auction in 2000, the foundation has raised more than $4 million for this important charity. More than $1 million was raised at this year’s event, which was coordinated by foundation President Jenny Williamson-Doré and her dynamic team. such respect for all that these individuals have done to make the Santa Barbara wine industry what it is today. In the Bacara ballroom, 36 wineries hosted tables represented by their winemakers and owners. My husband James and I were honored to represent his parents, Richard and Diana, at the Longoria Wine table. During the ceremony, we served a selection of Longoria wine that paired perfectly with celebrity chef Michael Mina’s menu. I especially enjoyed the Waygu short ribs with the Longoria 2013 Pinot Noir, Fe Ciega Vineyard. A thrilling live auction hosted by DawnMarie Kotsonis and Chris Harrison of “The Bachelor” followed dinner. Guests bid on spectacular wine dinners, winery experiences, and trips to Costa Rica, Africa, and the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, just to name a few. After an impressive bidding war, the auction opened a special opportunity for everyone to donate to Direct Relief. This was probably my favorite part of the evening, as everyone was encouraged to “Stand Up and Be Counted” by donating as much as $10,000 or as little as $250. It was beautifully overwhelming to see hundreds of guests eagerly hold their paddles up and donate as much as they could. The Santa Barbara Wine Auction is truly an unforgettable event that brings generous donors and winemakers together to help Direct Relief heal the world.

April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 25

Toning up starts with pantry purge Time to spring clean and remove all the high fats, carbs and sugars

pring is here, so here comes the beginning of bathing suits and lighter clothing. Want the secrets to tone up fast? Here you go: Start with a food sweep of your pantry, fridge, and freezer. First eliminate all foods high in fat, carbohydrates and sugar. Foods that need a lot of processing to make them do not make for great fuel for your body. If you don’t have junk foods in your house, there is no way for you and your family to eat them. Your pantry should have healthy oils for cooking, such as coconut and olive oil, as well as spices and herbs for making meals. Buy brown rice and quinoa instead of white rice and pastas. Steelcut or rolled oatmeal should take the place of instant oatmeal. Peanut or almond butters should have just one ingredient: the nut that is used to make them. Soups and sauces should all be low in fat and be made with pure ingredients. Cans of beans such as kidney or garbanzo make a wonderful, heart-healthy addition to salads. Sauces should all be low in fat. Breads should be whole grain. Your fridge should be stocked with eggs or liquid egg whites and low-fat milk, whether it be from cows, almonds or soybeans. For soy and almond milks, read the labels when purchasing because some have a lot of sugar added to them. Always buy low-fat options versus nonfat or whole, because having a little bit of fat in your dairy slows the sugars that are naturally in cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk and sour cream from going directly into your

By Kristen Wood bloodstream and being stored as fat. Plain Greek yogurt is great for not just snacking but also for cooking and adding to recipes to create comfort like foods without the guilt. Eat rich green vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, zucchini, spinach, and be aware of vegetables that are highly glycemic such as corn and carrots. Look for fruits that have high fiber and low sugar such as berries, apples, and citrus, and be aware of fruits that are higher on the glycemic index, such as raisins, figs, and bananas. Have lean meats, fish, and tofu on hand. If you are not going to make the meat or fish within a couple days of purchasing it, freeze it to keep it safe. Do a clean sweep of your salad dressings, looking at the labels to see which ones contain a lot of fat and sugar. Your freezer should have meats on hand that you can leave out in the morning to thaw for dinner that night. Having the right food on hand at all times keeps you from eating out and not knowing all the ingredients in what you are ordering. Prepare a lot of baked dishes and other dinners in a large quantity and store them in individual meal-size sized portions in the freezer. Sometimes double up and make two casseroles instead of one for dinner. Don’t forget to exercise! Walking, running, cycling, swimming, or using a cardio machine is great for shedding pounds. Strength training is great for the finishing touches of toning up. To effectively shed pounds, start with a warm-up to get loosened up, do your strength training (abdominal, chest, back, arm, leg, and

Open ys a 7 D eek aW

buttocks exercises), followed by a cardio 1 tsp. dried oregano workout. When you start your workout with weight and resistance training, by the 1 tsp. dried basil 1/2 tsp. dried thyme time you get to your cardio workout your anaerobic energy systems will already be 1/2 cup fat-free, sodium-free chicken broth tapped out, meaning your body will have (beef or veggie broth would work, too) to resort to burning fat to keep your aerobic system going strong. Don’t forget 1/8 tsp. black pepper to cap off your workouts with lots of 2 eggs (or ¼ cup liquid egg whites) stretching. 1-1/2 cups low-fat ricotta Please consult your physician when changing your diet and a fitness profession- 2 cups low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese al for exercise. Here is a great recipe to make in bulk Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and and freeze: spray a deep 10x14-inch baking pan with olive oil. Brown ground turkey and onions. Drain any excess fat, then add tomato paste, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, broth, and pepper. Let everything simmer while stirring every few minutes for 20 minutes. (instead of noodles) Fill the baking dish evenly with spaghetti sauce. Layer with zucchini that are cut lengthwise, each slice about a quarter-inch 10 oz. spaghetti sauce thick. ~ (I used Barilla chunky traditional) In a bowl scramble the eggs and then 8 zucchini add ricotta and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Take the meat mixture from the stoveOlive oil top and spread it evenly over the zucchini. Garlic salt to taste Then spread the cheese mixture evenly Black pepper to taste over the meat mixture. Then add one more layer of zucchini and top the zuc1 lb. ground lean turkey meat chini with the remaining mozzarella unit price Retail Price 1 cup chopped onion 15.15¢ cheese. per oz. $2 .3 Bake for 1 hour or until cheese is 9 bub2 large tomatoes chopped 16 FL. OZ. +CRV bling and starting to brown. Let the lasagna Celestial Seasonings 3 cloves minced garlic Sleepyti me Tea it up. cool for 10 minutes before serving 6 oz. tomato paste Enjoy!

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26 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

education

Female pilots become ‘The Night Witches’ in high school production by Jeff McKinnon

by Victoria Martinez

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School It has been said that theatre is the most collaborative of the arts, pulling in specialists from many and various disciplines from across the arts and sciences, and working together to bring to life the theatre performance. But a successful production is not a matter of simply always having the right people around to fulfill a pre-arranged plan. There is a special alchemy to preparing a dramatic performance piece that has as much to do with timing and improvisation as it does with having an airtight production team and conceptual plan. Chance conversations seem to lead to chance encounters wherein wild, whimsical and improbable “what if’s” come into being, producing that result shared by all performing arts of things happening in the moment, in real-time, subject to all the mistakes, accidents and surprises that occur when one is creating a thing in the present moment. Learning to recognize the creative opportunities provided by these chance encounters with fortune is an art in and of itself. I try to teach my students to recognize these openings and to run through them fearlessly. Several chance encounters in the past year have led the Santa Ynez High School Theatre Group into uncharted waters for our spring theatre production of Steven Young’s play “The Night Witches.” The play is a dramatization of the true story of the Soviet Union’s highly decorated, all female, 588th bombing regiment. Known by the Nazis as “nacht hexen,” they flew World War I-era biplanes, would cut their engines, coast under the enemy’s radar and drop their payload of one or two bombs almost literally on the heads of their tormentors. Young has crafted a play, part fact, part fable, wrapped in a love story, with that other all-important element: a large female cast, a must for almost all high school plays. Having been friends with Steve since graduate school more than 30 years ago, I contacted him about the possibility of my directing The SYVUHS Theatre Group in his play. He enthusiastically agreed and is keeping tabs on us, has contributed re-writes based on our experience with the script in rehearsal, and will fly out from his home in Dallas to join us for technical rehearsals in April. The experience for young actors in working with a script as it’s being created and revised by the playwright is invaluable. I brought in a visual and performing artist, Cecilia McKinnon, to lead my Honors Advanced Theatre class in a workshop known as “crankies.” This workshop has been instrumental in shaping the conceptual design of “The Night Witches” into an almost 19th century folk tale, complete with a donated rake stage and a giant crankie, which is a

Outdoor play is good for everyone

Contributed “Crankies” are a story-telling art form. Known in the 19th century as “moving panoramas,” they are long illustrated scrolls, unfurled or “cranked” in a viewing device.

panoramic device used to scroll murals that are dozens, sometimes hundreds, of feet long. Crankies are a story-telling art form. Known in the 19th century as “moving panoramas,” they are long illustrated scrolls, unfurled or “cranked” in a viewing device, somewhat like a television or movie screen, and contain a narrative element in words and/or pictures that tells a story. They can be silent or accompanied by exterior music or dialogue. As a story-telling mechanism, they illustrate the beauty of how unrealistic media can captivate and transport the watcher in a way that a realistic story cannot, much like an animated object or puppet. When combined with live action the result can be, as we are discovering, mesmerizing. We found some primitive video links of a group who had built just such a device. I sent the links to an ex-student, Dan Lyon, who works in local professional theatre as a carpenter, and asked if he could create a design. He signed on to build it, and Celia signed on to paint the 48-foot by 9-foot panorama of a “Soviet skyscape” that “spools” across the viewing space. It’s painted in a kind of fanciful style meant to suggest the pilot’s point of view during the abstracted flight. This mural was painted on four 9 by 12-foot canvas painter’s drop cloths, hand-stitched and blocked square to make up for the wild irregularities in the dimensions of the canvas. While we are still working out a few bugs, as of this writing the “moving panorama,” or “contraption” as I call it, works according to our plan. The beautiful mural is hung, and behaving according to plan. Our raked floor, a traditional theatre floor that rises from down to upstage on a gradual grade, looks as if it was designed to rise and

meet our contraption. Originally used for an opera company at the Granada Theatre, the sloped floor gives the space a surreal, almost music-box enclosed feeling that is just right for a Russian folk tale about a love story between Soviet aviators in World War II. A bounty of professional collaborators have helped make this production a show you will not want to miss: friend and collaborator playwright Steven Young; Dan Lyon, carpenter and contraption-designer; Cecilia McKinnon, paint and visual designer; Dave Johnson, lighting designer/guru and floor-finder; Tatiana Johnson, costumer; and of course the fabulously talented cast and crew of actors, singers, musicians, techies and deck crew. Jeff McKinnon teaches theater at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.

Y Check it out! “The Night Witches” will be performed at 7 p.m. ThursdaysSaturdays, April 21-23 and 28-30 in the Santa Ynez High School Little Theatre. General admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.

The performance contains simulated war-related violence and other mature situations and may not be suitable for younger children.

Call 688-6487, ext. 2361, for more information.

It’s finally spring! Around the Santa Ynez Valley, spring doesn’t always mean much of a change in the weather, especially this year. However, with the sporadic El Niño rain we’ve been receiving, there’s something about watching my kids play on grass that is finally green again, in a backyard full of blooming flowers, that is mesmerizing. I’m trying not to take my second spring here for granted after spending my first four mom years in the blistering heat of Arizona. April there meant there was only one more month of being able to play outside with my kids past 11 a.m. without fighting off heat stroke, or at least a really nasty sunburn. I’m definitely more eager to take advantage of one of the greatest options in my mom arsenal this area has to offer: playing outside. In our house, I’ve been declaring just about every day as “Get The Heck Outside Day.” Most days, this celebration has consisted of me throwing open my glass door and telling my kids, “Go!” As my kids are getting a bit more self-sufficient with independent play (meaning my 2-year-old no longer tries to eat strange things he finds in the dirt), sometimes I use their outdoor play time as an opportunity to fold one of the many piles of laundry I inevitably have waiting for me, or a quick workout in the living room where I can still see them, or to accomplish some work on my computer. Sometimes stuff just needs to get done. Lately I’ve been reminded how fleeting this time is with my littles. Just as I don’t want to take this beautiful spring season for granted, I also don’t want let each sweet season for my kids pass me by. I’m trying to let the laundry sit a bit longer (despite the pile’s judgmental glare), and get down in the dirt with my 2-year-old, or plant some new flower seeds with my 5-year-old. That sunlight and fresh air isn’t good just for our kids, it’s good for parents as well. Maybe taking a moment to stop and breathe in the spring today would do us all some good. Victoria Martinez moved to the Santa Ynez Valley a year ago after spending 13 years in Arizona. Her husband, Louie, does something with computers that she doesn’t fully understand, and her two kids — Macie, 5, and Justin, 2 — keep her on her toes every day.

April 2016 H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H Santa Ynez Valley Star H 27

STUDENTS CHALLENGED WITH CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING

Contest builds interest in architectural design by Raiza Giorgi

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

ikayla Palmer took her first drafting class last year and loved it so much that she signed up for a second year. Now she plans to study engineering when she gets to college. Mikayla, 16, a student at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, said drafting and architecture combine her love of art and math. “I like that I can be creative and still have structure,” she added. Mikayla and 38 other students from schools around Santa Barbara County participated in the 25th annual Santa Barbara County High School Architectural Design Competition on Tuesday, March 15, at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. The 12 finalists then presented their work to a jury of architects and educators on Saturday, March 19, at Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church. In the finals, the top three students were all juniors from Dos Pueblos High School: Allison Larinan (first), Rose Hellebrandt (second), and Annabel van der Meulen (third). Dunn School senior Kristoffer Camargo and Laguna Blanca freshman Sullivan Israel both earned honorable mention. The competition is open to all ninththrough 12th-grade students in the county, with no entry fee. Participants spend the first day designing a building in the hope of becoming one of 12 finalists who get to present their project for judging and ultimately win a scholarship. The competition was started more than two decades ago by Santa Ynez Valley architect David Goldstien as a way to draw interest to the profession and help support local youth. Many of the students that come to the competition end up going into architecture or a related field, according to Linda Goldstien. “One of our winners from 2000 wrote

Raiza Giorgi Mikayla Palmer, 16, of Solvang, says drafting and architecture combine her love of art and math.

the guidelines for this year’s competition and he became an architect. We are proud of all of the students who work so hard, especially those that enter that don’t have drafting classes at their schools and show up with no training,” she added. Students are challenged to use their creative and critical thinking skills by using any drawing medium, from freehand to drafted, to develop a building design and communicate ideas on paper. “This event is great because it gets students interested in this field and, as school budgets are getting cut, we see a lot of drafting classes disappearing. The students are so different from even just a decade ago because of technology, and this makes them think in a different way to create smart solutions,” said Jeremy White of the

Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara. White also said he was surprised to find a healthy ratio of girls to boys in the first round, since boys have been a big majority in previous years. Technology is great, White continued, but he also sees it holding some students back because drafting is disappearing and students are drifting more toward 3-D computer programming. “This competition is incredibly important to show students there are so many options for careers in design,” White said. For more information, contact Allison Marcillac at 965-6307 or info@afsb.org. This event is sponsored by the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club, Santa Barbara County Education Office, and the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara.

Solvang School to begin new ed program by SYV Star Staff

news@santaynezvalleystar.com The Solvang School District is leading the way on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education by implementing Project Lead the Way (PLTW), which will expose all of the students starting next school year to a comprehensive STEM curriculum. “PLTW seeks to empower students to apply their STEM learning through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science,” said Dr. Steve Seaford, the district’s superintendent. “This change comes at the same time as an expansion of dance and visual arts at many grade levels,” Seaford said. The district sent two teachers, Amy Lovelace and Laura McVicar, to a national PLTW training-for-trainers last November. Both teachers said the training they received was the best professional development of their careers. Upon returning, Lovelace led the training of all of Solvang’s elementary teachers and the middle school science teacher. At the elementary level, PLTW Launch provides 10-hour modules with all the information and materials the teacher needs to bring lessons to life. The hands-on challenges for students include designing a robot that delivers supplies at a hospital, constructing a rescue method for a trapped zoo animal, proposing methods to prevent the spread of illnesses, and creating a video or podcast to teach others about concussions At the middle school level, PLTW Gateway tackles pressing challenges like creating mobile apps that help clients overcome obstacles, designing tires for a moon rover, cleaning up an oil spill, or creating robots. Having led a previous school district’s transition to PLTW, Seaford said the program is the most comprehensive and well supported STEM program in the nation. This year all of the K-5 students are involved in PLTW’s Launch program. Next year the middle school will implement PLTW Gateway. The Gateway program will provide new electives for students to take at the middle school.

YMCA program builds passion for STEM classes by Joe Dolaskie Contributing Writer

f you are a member of the YMCA and happened to walk into the Teen Center on Friday evenings just after 5 p.m., you’d find the bustling chaos of an activity not normally associated with the swim and gym atmosphere. Twenty students, ranging from nine to 13 years old, run around frantically trying to complete the robotics challenges of YMCA Director Joe Dolaskie. Dolaskie, along with volunteer mentor Dell Richardson, started the YMCA robotics club in 2013 with minimal supplies and six

students. The program has grown tremendously since then, with the YMCA teams winning first place trophies at local competitions. This November, one of the YMCA teams won the highest place for “robot design” at a tournament in Santa Maria. In its current form, the club is structured around dozens of challenges that range from building a simple cube to building and programming a hexbot. After completing any given challenge, the student is awarded coins that are used to purchase more parts. This system allows for a club that caters to veterans and beginners alike, with incremental rewards that help them evolve a passion for STEM, a common acronym for science,

technology, engineering and math. To ensure the students have the skills needed to complete the increasingly difficult list of challenges, a half-hour workshop is held at the beginning of each session. These workshops start simply, with engineering and design principles, and eventually progress up to advanced programming. While the club is in session, you can often hear buzzing and beeping from the corner of the room. There, mentors Aidan Tesdahl and Calan Williams experiment on prototype designs for competitions. They are also responsible for being the shopkeepers of the “Roboshop,” where the endless array of Mindstorms pieces are organized into bins

and available for purchase. At the same time, volunteer mentors Rob Tesdahl and Aaron Allin can be seen roaming the room, assisting any student who might be stuck on a difficult problem. Dolaskie hopes to build the club into a year-round program that serves as a feeder program for high school robotics. One of the club members from 2014, for example, was accepted into the Dos Pueblos engineering academy. Another has joined the Santa Ynez High School robotics team. The organizers hope the program will continue for years to come, and be a gateway for many Santa Ynez valley students on their path to STEM careers.

28 H Santa Ynez Valley Star H www.santaynezvalleystar.com H April 2016

STUDENTS CHALK IT UP TO FESTIVAL FUN

Public invited to view students’ work by Callie Martin

LO teammates win tennis tourney finals

Contributed Students work on creations during a previous “Masters of Chalk” Festival.

Contributing Writer

EDUCATION ROUNDUP

halk Festival has become something of legend at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. Every spring brings an excitement and buzz to the art building, where students are dreaming, anticipating, and preparing for the Chalk Festival. This year the 22nd annual “Masters of Chalk” Festival will be open to the public during an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 6. The Fine Arts Department is producing the event on April 5, and it calls on beginning, advanced and advanced-placement levels of studio art classes to lead the way. This year there will be 70 squares, actually 4-foot by 6-foot rectangles, of famous art created by 80 or more students. Once again, local businesses are sponsoring the artists and their creations acting as a fundraiser for art trips, student scholarships and the Art Club. The festival was created in 1994 by then art teacher Connie Rhode. As a former

student of Connie’s, I feel nostalgia for this event more than any other. It gives students a real-world art experience of showing work to the public. Traditionally the festival has included reproductions of famous artworks by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Georgia O’Keefe. With the growing influence of contemporary art on our global community, students have begun to look outside the “traditional art box” of Western Europe. I am so excited to see works of art by Alice Neel, Jenny Saville, and Shepard Fairey this year. The event creates a community of artists on campus who discuss, collaborate and share ideas about their artwork. They become part of a collective, and at the end of the day you can see the masses of chalk-covered, sun-drenched artists sluggishly leaving campus exhausted from their creative output. The festival reaches beyond our school and invites our community to support, witness and marvel at the

Y Check it out! Santa Ynez Valley Union High School’s 22nd Annual “Masters of Chalk” Festival will be open to the public on April 6 from 6-8 p.m. For questions, call Callie Martin at

688-6487, ext. 2373. artistic talent that our high school students have to offer. For questions or to sponsor a student artist, call Callie Martin at 688-6487, ext. 2373.

FROM THE SYVUHS SUPERINTENDENT

District proudly knits together valley people the valley, and it’s one that we’re honored Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District to assume. As a community hub, more than 50 different outside organizations utilize our he Santa Ynez Valley Union High gyms, various athletic fields, theater, board School is a place that uniquely knits room and classrooms. In use six and even together the people in the valley, seven days a week in some cases, there and has done so for 120 years. Graduates, are, on average, 150 scheduled school many of whom swear that they won’t come and community events that take place on back, inevitably do and become the backcampus each month. As I write this, the bone of the community that takes care of Pirate Garage students and staff (auto shop) the next generation of valley residents. are putting on an outstanding car show. At I speak from personal experience, as I noon there is a big kickoff fundraising event am one of those graduates who came back, for what we hope will be a new pool facility albeit 30 years later, but I made it. It’s a in the future that will meet even more needs regular occurrence for me to run into some- for both our students and the community. A one that I graduated with or someone that softball double-header gets underway today graduated with one of my brothers or sister, as well. In honor of the car show event, you or some former 4-H member, now an adult, might say that we’re firing on all cylinders. who says, “Your mom taught me to sew” Our mission as a school district is to or “Your dad was my chicken leader.” It’s provide a rigorous and broad academic great stuff. experience for all of our students so that I’m fortunate to be at the helm of the San- each of them graduates with the skills to ta Ynez Valley Union High School District pursue, and succeed in, his or her choice of as superintendent and would like to take a post-secondary endeavors. We are moving moment to reintroduce you to our role in forward on the shoulders of those that have

by Scott Cory

Students from Los Olivos Elementary, Dunn Middle School, Santa Ynez Charter, Santa Ynez Christian Academy, and Jonata School participated in an eight-week tennis season in which the final tournament was played at Dunn school in February. Eighth-graders Kyle Wilczak and Tyler Rasmussen from Los Olivos School won the Intermediate Division for the second year in a row. They defeated teammates Henry Allen and Ryan Casey in a close tie-breaker. They were coached by Jennifer Rasmussen. From Jonata School, sixth-graders Charlie Hoose and Jace Hurnblad won the novice p division. They were coached by Paul Smith. a s t

gone before us, and we pledge to leave it better than we found it. Our teachers and support staff are the best that I’ve ever worked with in my 27 years as an educator. The future of the valley is in good hands with them. Want to get a great look at all of our programs? I’d invite you to come on by for Open House on April 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. It will all be on display that evening: agriculture, robotics, art, automotive, academics and more. It’s not just for parents. I do hope that you will come take a look. The community has been an inseparable part of our success. Thank you so very much for your support. As your superintendent and a member of the Pirate class of 1983, I count it an honor to be of service to you. I also like the mission that drives the SYV Star and hope that it reconnects many of us to the many great things that define our valley. Scott Cory is superintendent of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District.

e V O H

d H Contributed a Eighth-graders Kyle Wilczak, left, and Tyler Rasmussen from s the Los Olivos School won the Intermediate Division. s g

Third-graders to give fun fact presentation

s a The third-grade class at Los Olivos School t invites the public to join in celebrating the s Santa Ynez Valley by learning fun facts about t Solvang, Santa Ynez, Buellton, Ballard and Los Olivos. r Presentations will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. i on Thursday, April 14, in Sharla Brana quinho’s classroom, Room 502. Check out u creative models and brochures presented by b the third-grade students. Read through well k researched reports on special places in the i valley, and see artwork of the birds of the s valley. e

Art scholarship applications due Seniors who will be graduating this year from a high school in the Santa Ynez Valley, or an accredited home schooling program, are invited to apply for one of the art scholarships offered by the SYV Arts Association’s General Scholarship Fund. This year the association plans to disburse individual merit awards that may range from $500 to $2,500 to students who will be attending an accredited college, university or art school. The deadline to apply is Thursday, April 28. The purpose of the SYV Arts Association scholarship program is to reward qualified students who have shown an active interest in the visual arts and to help defray their college expenses. Selection of winners is based on art academic achievement, the desire for future involvement in the art field, and community service. Applicants must submit a portfolio of seven pieces of original artwork to be judged by professional artists selected by

o CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

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star spotlight

TAKING AIM FOR EXCELLENCE

Rifle club teaches more than shooting by Raiza Giorgi

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

Summer Fanning can’t go to shooting practice if she doesn’t have good grades, and that motivates her to stay focused in school because she wants to shoot competitive some day. The 12-year-old from Santa Ynez spends every Wednesday evening at the Santa Ynez Valley Junior Rifle Club, which meets in the Old Gym on the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School campus. The club has been practicing Wednesday nights since it was formed in 1952 by Henry Skytt, according to organizer Bethany Clough. Santa Ynez is the only high school in California that has an on-campus shooting club that allows firearms on school grounds. “Everyone who starts goes through a safety course and instruction and spends a lot of time watching. However, you get to shoot the first night you come,” Clough said. Shooters hit NRA-approved paper targets with .22 caliber rifles. “When I first started shooting with the rifle club and heard the practices were indoors at the high school it threw me for a loop, but my husband reminded me he used to shoot before school in his school basement. In this rural area with a lot of kids still growing up on farms and ranches, it’s not really a big deal,” said Marcia Gibson, who is now ranked as a distinguished expert.

been leading the club for 23 years. “We supply everything from the guns, ammunition, safety gear and more. It’s mostly about education and how to use this tool, like any other tool,” Agin said. Agin has instructed kids who started at 11 years old and is now instructing their children. “A lot of kids come in super intimidated and not sure of themselves, but within a year they open up and have such confidence not just in themselves, but in school and outside lives. That is why I do this,” Agin said. Valley resident June Pratt said she didn’t grow up shooting guns, but her husband did and encourages her children to learn. “When you know gun safety you respect it. This is a great independent sport for those kids that aren’t really into sports, but they are still competing for high scores and I see so many of them so proud when they Photo by Raiza Giorgi get a good score,” Pratt said. Shooters aim at NRA-approved paper targets with .22 caliber rifles. According to club organizers, Santa Ynez Valley Union The club is open to boys from 11 to 19 High School is the only high school in California that has an on-campus shooting club, allowing firearms on school grounds. years old and women of all ages. Annual dues are $25, and each night of attendance Everyone’s goal is to get to distinguished about the sport,” added Mason Demeure, costs $5. For more information contact 11, of Solvang. expert, the pinnacle of the program. Clough at bethanyclough@comcast.net. Mason’s dad, Jean-Paul Demeure, said “As a naturally squirrely person, for me the two are going antelope hunting in Wyto get distinguished expert was shocking. oming at the end of the year and this club Especially off-hand. I had to really control will help with teaching his son the fundamy breathing and focus, but it paid off,” mentals. Gibson said. “Mason is a great shot, but getting inGibson, 57, earned her expert level two struction from an expert will be invaluable. years ago. She says it was the hardest test It’s important for kids to know gun safety she’s ever taken and, as an educator, she’s and that it’s serious,” Demeure said. taken quite a few. Instructing the club is Range Master Dan “I have been shooting for a long time but I was really excited to come and learn more Agin, a long-time valley resident, who has

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