April Chavez

4 days ago | santamariatimes.com | April Chavez

Santa Maria kicked off Pride Week Tuesday, a vibrant run of celebrations and events running through Sunday with the theme “Strength in Diversity.”The theme sets the tone for festivities centered around inclusivity, community and visibility for the city’s LGBTQIA+ population, according to Suzette Lopez, executive director of HOPE and lead organizer of the Santa Maria Pride Committee. “It is our second year doing a full week’s worth of activities,” said Lopez.

5 days ago | santamariatimes.com | April Chavez

Allan Hancock College and California State University Channel Islands will partner to bring a hybrid bachelor of science in nursing program to Hancock’s Santa Maria campus in fall 2026. Backed by a $1.15 million grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the collaboration aims to expand access to bachelor’s-level nursing education in northern Santa Barbara County, speakers said Monday during an announcement at Hancock's campus in Santa Maria.

6 days ago | santamariatimes.com | April Chavez

Thousands gathered along Broadway Saturday morning for the 82nd Annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Parade, an event rich with Western pride, small-town tradition, and community spirit. Kicking off with the national anthem and a flyover from CALSTAR Seven, the parade route was alive with color, music, and cheers as entries rolled through under a cloudless sky. “This year’s parade is bigger than it has been in the last few years,” said Jaime Flores, parade chairman for the Elks Lodge.

1 week ago | hanfordsentinel.com | April Chavez

The stands were packed and the crowd roared as 40 of the world's top bull riders faced off against some of the fiercest bulls in the sport Wednesday night at the Elks Rodeo inaugural Extreme Bulls event. Wacey Schalla, 19, of Arapaho, Oklahoma, stole the show with a high-scoring 89.5-point ride that earned him the top spot of the night — and nearly $7,000 in prize money. Schalla, who currently leads the standings, will return to the arena Thursday night for another ride.

1 week ago | santamariatimes.com | April Chavez

More than 600 people gathered at the Santa Maria Fairpark Convention Center Thursday to celebrate the academic accomplishments of local students during the North County Scholarship Awards Ceremony hosted by the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. The event recognized hundreds of North County students receiving scholarships for the coming academic year — more than $7.7 million in scholarships was awarded to 2,225 students countywide, with $3.9 million going to students in North County.