Happenings in the air at Maverick
At the Maverick saloon in Santa Ynez, the Hayloft Grill is open from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. On Thursday, Feb. 11, the Maverick features “Free Jukebox Night – you play, we pay. In addition, Friday, Feb. 12, will include dance lessons starting at 6:45 p.m. followed by Von Cotton’s Country-Western music and then a DJPJ dance party. (Attendees must be 21 or older.) “Concert on the Deck” takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.
Film Festival kicks off
The creative minds behind some of this year’s finest films will share their experiences and anecdotes with audiences during the panel series at the 25th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which begins Thursday and runs through Sunday. The famed It Starts With The Script panel will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lobero Theatre. Moderated by IndieWire’s Anne Thompson, this ever-popular panel features Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker), Pete Docter (UP), Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious), Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek), Nancy Meyers (It’s Complicated), Scott Neustadter (500 Days of Summer), Jason Reitman (Up In The Air) and Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). The “Directors on Directing” panel will take place on at 11 a.m. Sunday, also at the Lobero Theatre. Moderated by Variety’s Peter Bart, accomplished directors will gather together to provide insight into their process and offer inspiration to new filmmakers and audience members alike during. Panel features Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), James Cameron (Avatar), Pete Docter (Up), Todd Phillips (The Hangover), Jason Reitman (Up In The Air) and Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). Log on to www.sbfilmfestival.org for ticket information.
Triathlon slated for Feb. 27
Kids, polish up your sneakers, get out your bikes and grab a towel Feb. 27 for the 2nd annual Dunn Kids Triathlon. Participants ages 3-14 can participate and take home a T-shirt and medal. All proceeds go to summer camperships, so all kids can go to camp. Fee is $35. Email summer@dunnschool.org or call 688-6471 x619 to register.
Dessert shop opens doors
Locally owned and operated dessert destination, Sweet Alley, celebrated the grand opening of its newest location, Jan. 31 at Camino Real Marketplace from 1-3 p.m. Goleta Mayor Eric Onnen joins owners Geoffrey Friedman and Ali Oshinsky (and their three children) for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2:00pm. An EZDJ from AMS Entertainment will be on hand for the celebration. Sweet Alley, formerly located downtown on State Street, opened at the Marketplace in late October 2009. The store offers 10 flavors of self-service frozen yogurt, 24 flavors of McConnells’s ice cream, 40-plus toppings and an assortment of bulk candy.
PG&E info meeting on tap
Please join us for an informational meeting about PG&E’s Central Coast WaveConnectTM project, which would be located off the coast of Santa Barbara County. Join the gathering to learn more about:
• Project overview and schedule
• Environmental review process and permitting
• Maps of proposed project study area
• Current and future public involvement opportunities
• Wave energy technologies
The event is slated for 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Betteravia Government Center in Santa Maria. Refreshments will be provided and all community members are encouraged to attend. For more information, call 1-877-743-6463.
Thrivent, Lutherans help food bank
A check for $9,221 was given to the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, North County by leaders of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Central Coast Chapter on Jan. 25. The combined efforts of Thrivent members and Lutheran churches in Lompoc, Orcutt, Santa Maria and Solvang augmented by a challenge grant from Thrivent’s Care in Regions program made this gift possible. As a result of the Food Bank’s ability to leverage cash donations, it will be able to distribute $64,500 worth of food to its member agencies and the hungry people they serve. The Foodbank is celebrating 27 years of providing a vital link between the multifaceted food industry and people in need of food. With warehouses in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria the Foodbank serves over 220 social service organizations and churches. More than 43 percent of those served are children under the age of 18. In 2009, the Foodbank distributed nearly 8.7 million pounds of food of which more than 3 million pounds was fresh produce to more than 135,000 people in need throughout Santa Barbara County. The Foodbank is committed to making fresh fruits and vegetables available to those in need as the best means of combating poverty-related health issues like diabetes and chronic obesity.
Poundstone coming to town
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents “improv” comedy extraordinaire Paula Poundstone, back by popular demand to perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 7, at UCSB Campbell Hall. Known for her honesty and an off-kilter view of the world, comedienne Paula Poundstone’s spontaneity and razor-sharp wit have made her one of the most popular panelists on NPR’s hilarious weekly news quiz show, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me. She is a regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition and The Huffington Post and frequently appears on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. Come laugh with us as we welcome back this improvisational skill and her uproarious live comedy – because as Paula says, “It’s very hard to do it any other way.” Paula Poundstone is presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures. Tickets are $45 for the general public and $18 for UCSB students who must show a valid student ID. For tickets or more information, contact the Arts & Lectures ticket office at 805.893.3535 or purchase online at www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.
Goleta open house Feb. 10
The City of Goleta is hosting a community open house on Feb. 10 to discuss potential alignments for a new Highway 101 Overcrossing Project. This project includes the construction of a new overcrossing to cross Highway 101 and the railroad tracks between Storke Road and Winchester Canyon Road in order to improve circulation and provide a safer and more convenient route for bicyclists and pedestrians. The project is partially funded by voter-approved Measure A sales tax funds. The city has completed a preliminary feasibility study to determine possible locations/alignments for a Highway 101 overcrossing in the area. The open house will give the public an overview of the proposed project and the results of the feasibility study. The open house is set for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Brandon Elementary School, located at 195 Brandon Drive in Goleta. Attendees are invited to drop in at any point during the scheduled hours. A Spanish language translator will be available. Additional information is available through the Project message line, (805) 562-0362 or via e-mail to rgaglione@cityofgoleta.org.