By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

For the second straight year, the Santa Ynez High girls basketball team will be headed to Fresno’s Selland Arena to vie for a CIF Central Section championship.

This year the Pirates are in the Division V bracket, seeded No. 5, and will be playing No. 3 seed Rosamond High, on Saturday, Feb. 27. This year, Pirates head coach Jennifer Rasmussen is confident her team can seal the deal after falling in the 2025 Division IV championship game.

“We were there last year [losing to Central Valley power Immanuel High of Reedley], they’ve been there before, and this time they just have to do their job and win the game,” Rasmussen said during the Pirates’ Thursday practice, their last before leaving Friday for Fresno.

Santa Ynez and Rosamond are scheduled for a 10 a.m. tipoff, the first of six championship games (three girls, three boys) to be played at Selland Arena on Saturday.

The Pirates (15-10, 4-6 in the Sunset League) earned their berth to the title game on Friday, Feb. 20, by knocking out the top seed of Division V, Coalinga High, overcoming a halftime deficit to defeat the Horned Toads 62-55.

Coalinga, whom Santa Ynez beat in the second round of the playoffs in 2025, came in as co-champions of the West Sierra League with a 23-8 overall record, but the Pirates were able to overpower them in the second half to erase a nine-point halftime deficit.

“I thought we controlled most of the game, but we had a letdown in the second quarter, which I don’t know why, but we have one quarter when we let down a bit,” Rasmussen said. “At halftime, I just stressed one basket at a time and just stop them and then score, and when we came out for the second half, that’s what we started doing, and we just played great team ball like we did to start the game.”

The Pirates allowed just eight points in the third quarter, which ended with them down just 39-37, and then scored 25 in the final quarter to overtake the Toads for the win.

Helina Pecile was the top scorer for SYHS with 16 points, while Rylan Agin added 14, and Jazmine Juarez 11. Pecile and Elliette Rasmussen brought down 7 rebounds each to tie for the team lead.

Before beating Coalinga, the Pirates traveled all the way up to Bishop and defeated host and No. 4 seed Bishop Union 47-25.

As the SYHS prepare for Rosamond, Rasmussen noted that her team is going into the title game with a little more rest, as the Pirates beat Coalinga on Feb. 20, but the Roadrunners played their semifinal against Corcoran this past Tuesday, Feb. 24. However, the coach admitted that there could be drawbacks.

“I appreciated the additional rest, but at the same time, we haven’t been used to taking off a week between games,” Rasmussen said. “We’re almost to the point we’re running out of things to do in practice; however, I think we’ll be OK.”

Rasmussen said she has had the chance to see some footage of Rosamond.

“They’re a 3-point shooting team like we are, and they have a physical defense,” she said. “But I think we can run with them.”

The game is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Fresno, and is being offered on streaming through the NFHS Network website, which specializes in high school games. Viewing of the game requires a paid subscription. To get access, go to nfhsnetwork.com, or you can click a link on www.maxpreps.com/ca/santa-ynez/santa-ynez-pirates/basketball/girls/

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The fourth concert of the 2025-2026 season for the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series entitled “An Afternoon of Soaring Songs,” will take place on Sunday, March 1, at 4 p.m., at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Espicopal Church.

The concert will feature the rising tenor, Giorgi Guliashvili, and celebrated collaborative pianist, Carrie-Ann Matheson. The program features songs and arias by Liszt, Donizetti, Tosti, Leoncavallo, Verdi, Puccini, and others.

“It is part of the mission of the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series to showcase up-and-coming musicians such as the wonderful tenor, Giorgi Guliashvili,” said Artistic Director Robert Cassidy. “He is on the cusp of a major international career, and we are so fortunate to welcome him today with the elegant pianist, Carrie-Ann Matheson, who is currently the artistic director of the Merola Program at the San Francisco Opera Center. As a bonus, they are both alumni of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.”

Guliashvili is currently a member of the Royal Opera House’s Jette Parker Artists Programme. He began his vocal studies at the Tbilisi State Conservatory, where he performed the roles of Tamino Die Zauberflöte and Alfredo La Traviata. He continued his training at the Accademia del Teatro di San Carlo in Naples under the guidance of the renowned soprano Mariella Devia.

During his time there, he appeared as Cavaradossi in a reduced version of “Tosca” and took on supporting tenor roles in “Anna Bolena” and “Norma.” Giorgi went on to complete postgraduate studies in opera at Yale University and is an alumnus of the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program. He has received recognition in several international competitions, including winning First Prize at the Gerda Lissner Vocal Competition. Recent roles include Vaudémont (“Iolanta”), Araquil (“La Navarraise”), and Lensky (“Eugene Onegin”).

Matheson has a multi-faceted international career as pianist, conductor, and educator, and since January 2021, the artistic director of the San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program. A native of Canada, Matheson began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, where she was a tenured member of the music staff, serving as assistant conductor, prompter, pianist, and vocal coach. The expansion of her European performing career began in 2014 when Maestro Fabio Luisi invited her to join the coaching and conducting staff at Opernhaus Zürich.

Tickets for the performance are free for students, $25 for General Admission, and $45 for Patron Seats, and can be purchased at www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html

The March 1 performance is the fourth out of five in the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series, with the final one scheduled for Sunday, April 26, featuring the Duo Giacopuzzi (Jacopo and Maddalena Giacopuzzi on dual pianos).

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The Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge, in tandem with Santa Ynez High School, has named SYHS senior Natalie Bailey as the January Student of the Month.

Natalie was born in Santa Barbara and has lived in the Santa Ynez Valley for the past 11 years. She brings energy, discipline, and heart to everything she does.

Athletics have been a central part of Natalie’s life — she has played soccer for as long as she can remember and is also deeply involved in both indoor and beach volleyball. This year, she served as team captain and was named Most Valuable Player, honors that speak not only to her athletic ability, but also to her leadership and character. Outside of sports, Natalie enjoys baking, hiking, spending time outdoors, and running — activities that reflect her active and balanced approach to life.

What Natalie enjoys most about being a student at Santa Ynez High School is the strong sense of community within athletics. She has grown significantly in her athletic abilities and takes pride in mentoring younger students, especially freshmen, often stepping into a coaching role to encourage and support them. Having been homeschooled prior to high school, Natalie values the opportunity SYVHS has given her to challenge herself academically through AP and honors classes, where she feels she has gained her strongest academic foundation.

Natalie credits her family as her greatest source of influence and support. Her mom played a key role in her education through homeschooling and has been a constant source of encouragement and guidance. Her dad has been equally supportive of her goals, and her grandparents on both sides of her family provide a strong and loving support system. Surrounded by people who believe in her, Natalie has learned the importance of perseverance, humility, and gratitude.

Academically, Natalie’s favorite subject is math — she describes her brain as being wired to think logically and analytically. At the same time, she enjoys engaging her creative side through art and English, appreciating the balance those subjects provide. One academic accomplishment she is especially proud of is her AP Art portfolio, which focused on creating functional kitchen pottery. This project reflects both her creativity and her attention to detail — qualities that define her work in and out of the classroom. Natalie has taken three Hancock College classes, five honors classes, and five AP classes, and earned a 4.3 weighted GPA.

Natalie motivates herself academically through strong self-expectations and a clear sense of direction. Growing up in a homeschool environment helped her develop independence and a deep understanding of where she wants to go in life. She plans to pursue a career in nursing and is preparing to attend Colorado Christian University to continue her education.

Natalie is also actively involved beyond academics and athletics. She participates in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society, and California Scholarship Federation, and she holds leadership roles within her church youth group. In that role, she helps plan activities, leads worship, and teaches Sunday school classes — experiences that have helped her develop patience, confidence, and leadership skills outside of the classroom.

The values Natalie strives to live by are rooted in her Christian faith: respect, kindness, positivity, and treating others well no matter who they are. She contributes to the school community by leading through example — whether on the field, in the classroom, or through her interactions with others.

One of Natalie’s biggest challenges has been managing the pressure she puts on herself to excel in every area — to be a top student, a top athlete, and a leader. Through experiences like preparing for AP exams, balancing work as a barista at Good Seed, and managing her commitments, she has learned the importance of balance, grace, and trusting the process.

When asked what advice she would give to younger students, Natalie shared this thoughtful message:
“Take life lightly. Be present each day. Don’t dwell on the past or worry too much about the future.”

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As both Presidents Clinton and Obama have stated, “We are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of
laws.”
 
At the same time, we must always be willing to acknowledge difficult truths. While the vast majority of those who have entered this country illegally did so in search of a better life and have remained otherwise law- abiding, there have also been many serious crimes committed by unlawful entrants. Americans across our nation worry about criminal activity by members of violent gangs, organized theft groups, smugglers, and dealers of illicit and often lethal drugs (which killed almost 350 people in our county in just the last three years), and other serious and violent crime committed by undocumented criminals. These have included some
notorious homicides here in Santa Barbara County, including the brutal murder of Marilyn Pharis, a 64-year-old Air Force veteran who was sexually assaulted, strangled, and fatally beaten with a hammer by a repeat undocumented offender who broke into her home in Santa Maria in 2015. The following year, during a sting called Operation Matador in Santa Maria, 13 of the 16 suspects arrested for the MS-13 gang-related murders of 10 victims — and the attempted murder of 14 others — were identified by ICE as undocumented.

These heartbreaking tragedies underscore the need for immigration law and enforcement reforms that protect public safety while still upholding our collective values. Over the past two years, while president of the MCSA, I engaged directly and candidly with members of both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as with members of Congress and other law enforcement leaders, on the issues of border security, immigration enforcement, their impact on local jurisdictions, and the urgent need for reform. As MCSA president, I was present at the White House when the bipartisan-supported Laken Riley Act was signed into law in January 2025. This law was named after a 24-year-old nursing student who was assaulted with intent to commit rape and beaten to death by an undocumented, repeat offender in Georgia in 2024. The act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented criminals who are arrested for certain crimes like burglary, assault on a peace officer, and some thefts, several of which her killer had previously committed. Although I recently passed the gavel to a new MCSA president, I’ll continue my efforts as a member of its executive board, advocating for secure borders and fair, effective, and humane enforcement practices that will keep our nation and its communities safe.
 
It’s important to remember that Americans don’t think alike on undocumented immigration. A Jan. 20, Harvard CAPS (Center of American Political Studies)/Harris Poll of 2,000 likely voters, divided almost equally between Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, showed that the vast majority favored the deportation of undocumented immigrants who have committed violent crime (82%), any crime (73%), and a majority of them (52%) still supported the deportation of all immigrants who are here without legal status. With our nation split in half on the issue of immigration enforcement, there is plenty of contention on both sides. Even though we are polarized, we are all part of the same democratic republic. Again, listening to one another is important. Each side has valid points to make, and both sides matter. Although our country is deeply divided on immigration, sooner or later we must find a solution to this problem. This complex and deeply emotional issue will only be resolved through meaningful changes to existing immigration law, with related changes in enforcement policy, training and practices. I believe there are some areas where consensus or compromise is possible. That change should include thoughtful reform that properly addresses border security and public safety, while at the same time ensuring fairness, proportionality, and humanity in enforcement and detention operations. That reform should also allow federal authorities appropriate access to our nation’s jails, so they can safely take undocumented criminal offenders into custody there, instead of doing so unsafely and alarmingly in our neighborhoods.

In the meantime, everyone should adhere to the law, and it should be enforced fairly, courteously, and professionally. We can support the law, or we can work to change it, while still having empathy and compassion for others. We must support the right to peaceful protest and civil discourse, whether we agree or disagree with what’s being said. Respect and decency must remain the standard.
 
Abraham Lincoln once warned that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” While the challenges before us are complex and difficult, we owe it to one another to engage on issues respectfully, seek common ground, and urge our congressional leaders to work together in good faith, compromise, and craft and pass comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform. That is the key to meaningful change in the immigration quandary.

The post On immigration, two viewpoints: Can both be valid? appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Buellton City Council, in its Thursday, Feb. 12, meeting, heard and then ultimately approved new Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) guidelines in an effort to improve communications to developers about what will be expected, and to claim more local input on developments on roads like Highway 246, the main drag of the city that’s under Caltrans jurisdiction.

Councilmember Elysia Lewis and City Manager Scott Wolfe were absent from this meeting.

The Business Item 8 was the first of two on the agenda, and ultimately, the only one it took action on.

In introducing the item, Contract City Planner Irma Tucker said that city staff was instructed in May 2025 to work with traffic engineers to update the Interim Traffic Impact Analysis guidelines that were adopted in 2020-21. Buellton’s Public Works and Planning Department staff worked with Associated Traffic Engineers (ATE), a Santa Barbara consulting firm, and the General Plan Update team.

Tucker said the new TIA guidelines “represent a more user-friendly and implementable tool for traffic impact evaluation, with standards that reflect traffic, circulation, and mobility issues specific to Buellton.”

Among the key policy and operational issues are implementation into the city’s General Plan update, addressing the needs of Buellton’s small-town nature and location at the crossroads of two major highways, and identifying realistic assessment thresholds and standards in regards to major development projects planned along Highway 246.

Tucker identified two main aspects of the new guidelines are a Local Traffic Study (LTS), which would generally be required for all development projects in Buellton, and a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) study, which may or may not be required and assesses how a new project could affect the distance a motorist may have to travel with the new development installed.

“The LTS is the most sensitive to local circumstances and consistency with city policy and gives the city the most local control with how traffic issues are mitigated,” Tucker said.

During council questioning, Councilmember Hudson Hornick asked about certain exceptions made for the LTS requirement along Highway 246 intersections, including Highway 101, Avenue of Flags, and McMurray Road, among others. Tucker said they had a lower standard (LOS D) because they were the busiest intersections and there is limited ability to make required changes to reach the regular standard, and ability of approve development.

“Sounds like you’re striking a balance between getting developments approved and the limitations on what developments can reasonably do; is that fair to say,” Hudson said. Tucker replied that it was an accurate statement.

Tucker added that another aspect of the congestion is that traffic going slower across town can benefit businesses.

“Businesses can thrive on going slowly by and seeing your business, instead of just flying by,” she said.

Mayor David Silva pointed out that the VMT, which he said was a greenhouse gas issue, could offset the declining effectiveness of the state CEQA requirements.

“At some point, CEQA was a really great tool to block development; over time state has weakened that,” he said. “Now we have created objective standards for LTS; predictable, developers now know. As CEQA becomes less utilized, we’ve strengthening local ability to examine that in more efficient, objective standards.”

However, Councilman John Sanchez interpreted that to mean the new guidelines could be used to stop development, as CEQA has had the repuation of doing.

But Silva answered back that, “As CEQA becomes less utilized, we’ve strengthening local ability to examine that in more efficient, objective standards.”

City Attorney Greg Murphy then chimed in that the role of CEQA, and the LTS standards, is misconstrued.

“CEQA was used by people to stop development,” he said. “CEQA not meant for that — it’s to study impact and mitigate them. CEQA is about studying impacts.”

Vice Mayor Carla Mead has praise for the new standards before it went to vote.

“I feel this is being proactive,” she said. “I asked what’s best way to get developers to Buellton, it is to get standardized policies that are clear, so builders know.
Having this proactive policy makes their job easier, that’s where developers want to be. It helps us greet people who want to invest in this city.”

The council was scheduled to hear Business Item 9, adopting Resolution No. 26-02, which would raise the city’s employee insurance contribution to $2,190 from the current $1,800. However, Sanchez recused himself due to having a finanical interest in the matter, leaving three councilmembers to hear the item.

Then, Hornick request to table the item because he wanted to ask questions about the topic to Wolfe, who was absent. Murphy then informed the council that unless the vote on the item was unanimous, it wouldn’t be able to pass because two votes is less than the majority required to pass an item. With that, the council decided to table that item for a future meeting.

The next Buellton City Council meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m.

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Live music and nighttime business suddenly emerged as a main topic at the Solvang City Council’s Monday, Feb. 9, meeting — more specifically, how a recently installed $200 temporary use permit is affecting the city’s nighttime businesses to provide that music.

During Public Communications, Lisa Mesa, who along with her husband Alfred has owned and operated The Good Life craft beer and wine establishment, told the City Council the TUP was adding another difficult expense to her business, and others in town who like to provide people a place to go and listen to live music after 6 p.m.

“I’m hear to speak for the businesses that give this city a heartbeat after the sun goes down,” Mesa said. “I ask the city reconsider the $200 temporary use fee requirement for businesses hosting live music. Adding a reoccurring financial hurdle is a step in the wrong direction for our local economy.”

Mesa, whose business is located on Mission Drive in the middle of Solvang’s tourist district, said the TUP fee is another tacked on to expenses that are already making it difficult for nighttime businesses to operate.

“The cost of doing business has reached a breaking point, and small businesses here have been squeezed from every side,” Mesa continued. “We have increases in business license fees, rents continue to climb. This fee might seem nominal, but to us it’s another death by 1,000 cuts.”

Mesa pointed said her establishment has hosted live music “every Saturday night for 14 years” without any trouble.

“We have not had any noise complaints or visits from law enforcement or safety, and thousands of happy guest who stayed in Solvang and extra hour or two,” she said. “I ask the council to remove the $200 fee on places that host live music. Let’s not put a price tag on the vibrancy of our town.”

Another local business owner, Peter Lancucki, who operates Final Girl Wines, also requested the fee be removed and pointed out the music at businesses like his and Mesa’s are not very disruptive.

“The thing is, the events in the [Solvang] park have bands that are louder, although I really like those too,” he said. “There’s always people asking ‘what is there to do after 6 in Solvang?’ Well, we’re providing that. The city is always spending money to bring people here, but you put barriers to have nightlife.”

Also speaking was Keith Cox, a part-time musician from Santa Maria, who said the fee could bring an end to live music at local hangouts.

“The fee is punitive for businesses, who also have to pay BMI, and ASCAP licensing fees for cover bands,” he said. “It’s very expensive, and three out of five venues have stopped playing music.”

Councilmembers could not formally discuss the matter at the meeting because it was not on the agenda; however, after Mayor Dave Brown and Councilmembers Claudia Orona and Elizabeth Orona expressed interest in revisiting the issue during Ex Parte Communications, it was announced that staff would work on getting an item on the agenda for a future meeting.

As for agenda items, the council heard a Mid-Year Budget review and budget adjustments from Administrative Services Director Wendy Berry. The budget has benefited from the Tourist Occupancy Tax (TOT) to the tune of $1.4 million so far in the fiscal year, which after expenses came to a change of $1.195 million for the current budget.

Elizabeth Orona asked about a line of $132,000 for addtional water pumping, which Berry said was due to the city having to pump more water with the lack of rain so far in the year. Claudia Orona later pointed out a discrepancy in the legal fees budget, which turned out to be a typo, with the actual figure being 411,000.

Ultimately, the council voted 5-0 to accept the budget adjustments with the corrected typo.

In the second, and final, discussion item, Public Works Director Bridget Paris introduced a budget adjustment to enable a citywide curb marking inventory project.

The Citywide Curb Marking Inventory Project is designed to create an inventory that will document, including through photographic evidence, existing curb conditions, such as curb color, restriction type, signage presence, and segment length. The resulting data will provide a reliable baseline for evaluating on-street parking capacity, curb utilization, and roadway marking needs.

The database and mapping will also support future development of a Curb and Street Marking Code, informed by California Vehicle Code requirements and best practices, to clarify installation criteria and enforcement standards. Findings will be used to analyze where curb markings may be installed, modified, removed, or maintained and to inform future temporary
and permanent parking strategies.

Councilmember Mark Infanti, who said he liked the project, moved to approved, with Claudia Orono seconding, and the item passed 5-0.

The City Council will meet next on Monday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m.

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It’s not often — or ever, for that matter — that you expect to see local mayors and councilmembers jump into the pool in support of a new aquatic center, but in the early morning of Feb. 7, that’s exactly what happened at Santa Ynez High School.

The occasion was the SYV Community Aquatics Foundation’s Polar Bear Plunge, which highlighted the foundation’s effort to build a new two-pool Aquatic Center to replace the single-pool complex where the Polar Bear Plunge was held.

The occasion was attended by several members of the Solvang and Buellton city governments, including Solvang Mayor David Brown and Buellton Mayor David Silva. The two then kicked off the plunge by doing cannonballs into the pool, with Silva wearing some floaties to get into the spirit of things. They were followed by City Councilmembers Claudia Orona (Solvang) and John Sanchez (Buellton) and Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy, SYVCAF President Lisa Palmer, and Buellton Rec Coordinator/SYVCAF Board Member Kristen Thomsen.

After that Valley residents of all ages were invited to jump in and enjoy the current SYHS pool for about an hour as coffee and donuts were served and information on the proposed Aquatic Center and signups for current aquatic programs were made available.

Before all the officials cannonballs, Palmer was able to kick off the series of speakers by the pool by making a promised “big announcement” that the fundraising campaign, which has a $13.7 million goal, has passed a notable milestone.

“I’m happy to report we have gone past the $5 million mark,” Palmer said as the crowd applauded. “We reached the mark after a $250,000 donation from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.”

Another big part of that $5 million was a joint agreement by the cities of Solvang and Buellton, who will share in the management of the Aquatic Center, and earlier this year agreed to each pledge $500,000 toward the project.

“We’ve been hearing for almost decades the need for a new pool,” Buellton Mayor David Silva said. “But this is more than just building a pool, it’s providing access. That means access for student-athletes to have first-rate facilities, access for students and community members to learn about aquatics”

“I think the effort to bring it this far has shown the courage and tenacity of this group,” Silva continued and lauded Palmer for spearheading the effort.

Solvang Mayor David Brown said the progress of the project is an example of neighboring communities working together.

“It’s not just the fundraising and putting the pool together, but all of us putting in a little bit and a little more,” he said. “This project mean safety for children, who will learn how to swim, therapy for seniors, and togetherness for a pool that serves the whole community.”

Also speaking on behalf of Santa Ynez High were District Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Sheehan, and SYHS aquatic athletes Atticus Heimerdinger and Jake Montejano.

Sheehan praised the support of the community for the school’s activities as well as academics, and said the development of top-notch facilities breeds success.

“Last year we were able to renovate the tennis courts, and last fall our girls tennis team won the CIF championship,” she said. “Last year we had donors put in the [sand] volleyball courts, and our beach volleyball team made it to the CIF semis.”

Sheehan added that the current pool used by the water polo and swimming programs aren’t up to CIF standards, so the athletes spend a lot of time on the road for playoff games. That point was echoed by Heimerdinger when he spoke.

“A new pool really would mean a lot to us,” he said. “Our pool does the job, but really needs a lot of work. A few days ago, the heater went down and we had to practice in freezing water, and I know the girls water polo team had to go to Lompoc every day for a week for practice and games because they couldn’t have games here.”

Heimerdinger also said there are plenty of aquatic athletes to come in the future who would love to have a new facility.

“I coach swimming at the YMCA, and there are a lot of kids who are passionate about swim, who are looking forward to swimming at the high school, and if they have this great new pool, I think it would bring out the best in them.”

The Aquatic Center, as projected would consist of two Myrtha pools — one a competition-ready 33-meter pool with the same depth all-around for water polo matches and swim meets. The addition of this pool would allow the SYHS programs to host postseason CIF events. The second one would be a warm 25-yard pool for fun, lessons, and fitness. The center would be located at the present pool location southeast of Rio Memorial Field and next to the SYHS gym.

According to the SYVCAF, the target date to raise the $13.7 million to build the center will be December 2026, with construction to hopefully begin sometime in 2027 once full funding is secured and building permits are secured, and the center to open in summer 2028.

For more information on the Aquatic Center project, its progress, and how you can keep track of the project, go to www.syvaquatics.org/

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Solvang Community Cleanup, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Solvang residents: Get rid of your household trash, scrap metal, green waste, wood. and bulky items for free. Residential customers only. To participate, please bring a valid photo ID and your WM bill showing a matching service address.

Accepted items for free disposal

• Household Trash — must be bagged or boxed (no loose items)

• Green Waste — keep separate from trash

• Wood — untreated only (no railroad ties or treated lumber)

• Scrap Metal — motors must be drained of gas and oil

• Bulky Items — includes unusable furniture, ma resses, and other large household items

No electronic or hazardous waste accepted

At Parking Lot 5, corner of Oak and Second streets, Solvang

For questions/more info, call City of Solvang at (805) 688-5575

Volunteer Garden Guide Training, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Are you passionate about plants? Looking for an excuse to get outdoors this Spring? Then being a volunteer Garden Guide is for you! As warm weather sets in for spring and summer, we are looking for volunteer docents to help lead garden tours during the busier months of the year. With opportunities to get involved in various areas of education, events, and many other ways, the garden could use your help to grow! Join us on Saturdays to learn more about the garden and how you can get involved.

Click the link to sign up for trainings: forms.gle/2dAWeNkypMWVefbj6

At Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, River View Park, Buellton

For more info: santaynezvalleybotanicgarden.org/events

SATURDAY, FEB. 28

CASA is Going Disco, 5 to 9 p.m.

Join CASA of Santa Barbara County for a dazzling night inspired by the glitz, glamour, and golden glow of Studio 54 — all in support of our community’s most vulnerable children. This year’s annual fundraiser will transport you to a world of vintage velvet ropes and sparkling style, with curated appetizers, a gourmet meal, and signature cocktails that shine as bright as a mirrorball.

This groovy event will feature exclusive live and silent auction items, inspiring stories, and a powerful opportunity to ensure that every child in foster care has a dedicated, caring advocate by their side.

At Chumash Casino Resort, Samala Showroom, 3400 Highway 246, Santa Ynez

For tickets/more info: e.givesmart.com/events/wgw/

Love Above All Ball benefiting SYV Pride, 7 to 10 p.m.

The third annual Love Above All Ball on Feb. 28 is an incredible way to support SYV Pride and help us create a kinder and more welcoming Valley for all. As our biggest fundraising event of the year, your ticket purchase goes directly to supporting Pride events in 2026, including our landmark Pride Parade and Festival, as well as our youth scholarship and Youth Connect programs. This year we are switching things up a bit and moved to a fully indoor venue at @crafthouseatcorque where will transform the ballroom and bar area to an elegant and elevated space that’s warm and welcoming. Also, we are opening it up to age 18+, and there’s a special ticket price for young adults ages 18-20! We are of course keeping some things the same — like our top-notch silent auction, psychic love readings for singles and couples, hearty hors d’oeuvres, and incredible music to dance the night away!

At Craft House@Corque, 420 Alisal Road, Solvang

For tickets/more info: www.syvpride.org/event-details/third-annual-love-above-all-ball

SYV Concert Series: Evening of Italian Music, 4 to 6 p.m.

Please join us for an afternoon of Italian music, with songs by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti, Neapolitan songs, and Arias from “L’elisir d’amore,” “Rigoletto,” and “La Boheme.” International vocal prizewinner Giorgi Guliashvili, praised for his “tender and powerful singing,” and Carrie-Ann Matheson, conductor and recital pianist and the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Opera Center and Merola Opera Program, will perform.  Students attend​ for free. General Admission tickets are $25. Patron tickets are $45.

At St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos

For tickets, more info: https://www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html

ONGOING

TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS

Storytime at Solvang Library, 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Join us indoors on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

Come to enjoy songs, stories, movement, and a warm welcome. Please make a reservation at www.cityofgoleta.org/city-hall/goleta-valley-library

At Solvang Library, 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang

For more info: Solvang Library (805) 688-4214

WEDNESDAYS

Solvang Farmers Market, 2:30 to 6 p.m.

Each week, the farmers in the marketplace display a colorful bounty of agricultural products grown right in our backyard. Seasonal diversity is available year-round rain or shine. Come. Shop. Socialize. Certified — the only way to buy! Join us in downtown Solvang every Wednesday on First Street, between Mission Drive (Highway 246) and Copenhagen Drive.

Wine Wednesdays in Buellton, 4 to 8 p.m.

Please join us for an evening out with family fun for all in Buellton, hosted by Esfuerzo Wines and The Birria Boyz. This event will take place each Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Each week we will have guest food vendors, live music and much more to be announced. We hope to see you there!

At 140 Industrial Way, Buellton

For more info: info@esfuerzowine.com

SPORTS AND RECREATION

ONGOING

Pickleball, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Pickleball — part Ping-Pong, part badminton, lots of momentum — is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. The games can be fast-paced and deliver a good workout. 2 person teams/ or singles. All are welcome!

At Buellton Rec Center, 301 Second St., Buellton

For more info: buelltonrec.com

Drop-In Adult Basketball, Year Round, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 6 to 7:15 a.m.

Start your day with a pick up game of basketball with friends.

At Buellton Rec Center, 301 Second St., Buellton

For more info: buelltonrec.com

Open Basketball, Ongoing, Mondays, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Start your day with a pick up game of basketball with friends.

At Buellton Rec Center, 301 Second St., Buellton

For more info: buelltonrec.com

For info on these and other programs, go to buelltonrec.com

The post Calendar: February 21 – February 28 appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

How did they all do? Here the roundup:

Molera’s treys, team defense carries girls basketball over Taft

The Pirates girls basketball team finished the regular season with a 12-10 overall record, including 4-6 in the Sunset League, and earned the fifth seed in Division V and a home game in the first round.

SYHS drew 12th-seeded Taft in the first-round game on Feb. 14, and the Pirates’ defense made its presence known early, shutting out the visiting Wildcats in the first period, and then riding the hot hand of senior guard Lexi Molera on its way to a 58-27 victory.

Molera led the team with 23 points, on the strength of seven 3-pointers, which was one short of the school’s single-game record. In fact, with the game well in hand late, Molera’s teammates kept feeding her the ball to tie or break the record, although she fell one short.

“I’ve been trying to beat the record forever, and I got close but just missed,” Molera said after the game. “Once I hit the first, it just kept flowing.”

The Pirates defense also impressed, rolling to a 12-0 advantage at the end of the first period, and a 27-7 margin at halftime.

“We’re a very defensive team overall,” Molera said. “We have short guards so we’re always hand checking to keep them off-balance.”

Pirates head coach Jennifer Rasmussen was very happy with the defensive performance.

“They were hustling, and they were just dominant,” the coach said. “We had Helina Pelice out there and she’s really good at anticipating steals and being in the right place to stop them.”

Pelice added 9 points for SYHS and dominated the boards along with teammate Elliette Rasmuseen as they had 15 rebounds apiece.

It had to be a gratifying performance from Pelice, who continues to recover from a sprained ankle suffered a couple weeks earlier.

“Yes, she really picked it up tonight,” said Coach Rasmussen of Pelice. “I’ve been bringing her along slowly with the injury; I think tonight was the first time since the injury she’s put in a full game.”

The Pirates moved on to a second-round matchup and a long road trip to Bishop to play fourth-seeded Bishop Union on Wednesday, Feb. 18 (results were not available at press time). If SYHS was able to pull that out, they would be playing again tonight (Feb. 20) against the winner of No. 1 Coalinga and No. 8 Sanger West. If Sanger was able to pull off the upset the game will be at Santa Ynez, but if Coalinga wins, then its back on the road for the Pirates.

Ladera scores twice as Pirates girls soccer beats Lompoc

While many Central Coast schools get matchups with San Joaquin Valley teams during the CIF playoffs, for the SYHS girls soccer team, their opponents were very familiar: the Lompoc High Braves.

The Pirates, 10-2-2 on the season a first-place finish (7-1-2) in the Ocean League and the fourth seed in Division III, met a Lompoc team that was 5-11-3, and 2-4-2 in the Sunset League (fourth place).

SYHS dictated the pace of the game all night, and Kailani Ladera scored two goals to lead the Pirates to a 3-0 victory.

Though the Pirates have been successful all this season, head coach Rob Cantrell feels his team is just now hitting its stride.

“This is our 14th game, and with a usual 28-or-so game season these players are used to, we feel we’re at midseason,” he said. “We’re working through the things a team needs to be working on at a midseason level. Tonight, we didn’t depend so much on our front and midfield, but we brought the defenders into the attack. That’s what they call ‘total football.'”

Cantrell felt his team started out a little hesitant, but picked up their game shortly into the first half, and junior midfielder Kailani Ladera opened the scoring with a long-range shot into the top corner of the net in the 13th minute, and that 1-0 lead would hold until halftime.

In the 43rd minute, junior Isabella Rubio added to the Pirates’ lead taking advantage of a funny bounce of a Braves defender and put it in the net, and Ladera scored off a shot in the 75th minutes to close the scoring.

For its second-round game on Tuesday, Feb. 18, SYHS played another Central Coast school, Pioneer Valley (14-5-3, 4-3-1 in the Sunset), with the result unavailable at press time. The winner of that game played the winner of No. 1 Torres and No. 8 Reedley in Thursday’s semifinal.

Boys basketball eliminated by Bakersfield North

The Santa Ynez High boys basketball team saw its season end Friday, Feb. 13, in Bakersfield as North High Stars beat the visiting Pirates 52-44 in a first-round Division III contest. The home Stars were a seventh seeded, while the Pirates were No. 10.

Despite 21 points from Mason Skidmore, SYHS was battling from behind since North jumped out to a 7-2 early lead. Aside from a brief 29-29 tie in the third period, the home team lead for the entire game.

The Pirates (16-12, 6-2 in the Sunset League for second place) finished the regular season in strong fashion, winning seven out of their last eight before the first-round loss.

SYHS boys soccer falls to host Riverdale

Santa Ynez, ranked No. 12 in Division IV, lost to fifth-seeded Riverdale High 4-2 in a first-round game played at Lemoore High School. 

Santa Ynez went down to an early 2-0 deficit, until senior Marcos Rivera tied the score with two direct free kicks by halftime. 

However, Riverdale’s Xaidyn Camacho, who had three goals and an assist for the game, helped Riverdale regain the lead and the Cowboys got one more goal, to close it out.

The Pirates end at 7-5-4, 3-2-3 (third place) in the Sunset League. Rivera and Vince Guerrero, both seniors, led the team with six goals apiece on the season.

Six Pirate wrestlers advance to Central Section Masters

The Santa Ynez Pirates qualified six wrestlers for the Central Section Masters Tournament, taking place on Feb 20-21 at Fresno’s Selland Arena.

Dallana Margarito (145 lb. sophomore) took fourth at the Girls D2 CIF tournament to qualify. Joey Duarte (285 lb. junior) took second, Neal Cunningham (157 lb. senior) took third, Curren Lane (144 lb. sophomore) and Kaj Kretzschmer (175 lb. senior) took fifth and Hayden Pahler (165 lb. junior) took seventh at the Central Section D3 Boys CIF Tournament. Out of the 4 girls and 9 boys competing we had 6 qualify for Masters.

“The Pirates have been working hard all year and are performing their best in the postseason,” said Sean Yamasaki, the first-year wrestling coach. “I am beyond proud of this team and the effort they have put in and I am super excited for this next tournament and the future of our team.”

Some notable matches from the weekend were Hayden Pahler winning his seventh-place match with a last-second takedown to qualify for Masters. Luke Elliot, despite not qualifying had his best tournament of the year with two pins to make the second day of the tournament. And Neal Cunningham won his third place match in overtime.

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The Board of Santa Barbara Strings is pleased to announce the appointment of Santa Barbara County resident Kyle Abello as the organization’s first executive director. This position will work with Santa Barbara Strings founder and Artistic Director Mary Beth Woodruff to fulfill the mission of providing quality training and education for young string musicians.

“We are so pleased to add Kyle Abello to our team at Santa Barbara Strings and the addition of the position of executive director reflects the incredibly healthy growth of our organization, now in its 16th year,” Woodruff said. “Kyle is a masterful organizer, effective utilizer of local resources/networks, and well-loved by our board of directors and parents of our young musicians.”

Abello was pleased to be able to take on the position.

“I’ve been on the Santa Barbara Strings Board for two years now, and it’s been a joy to work with a group of people dedicated to giving the highest level of music education and strings training to kids from all over the County,” he said. ” After 16 years of existence as a youth nonprofit, it was time for our organization to have an executive director, and I feel honored to have been chosen to be the first person to serve in this role.”

Abello said he would be taking care of the administrative tasks, grants, and fundraising efforts so that Woodruff can focus on teaching the program’s young string players. 

“Mary Beth is an amazing professional violinist and an equally amazing educator,” he said. “We are so fortunate to have her as a long time Valley resident sharing her expertise with younger generations of aspiring violinists, violists, cellists, and double bass players.

Abello was raised in the Santa Ynez Valley, attended Santa Ynez High School, and graduated from UC San Diego summa cum laude with a major in biology and minor in humanities.

He was the founder of the Buellton Recreation Department and served as recreation director for the City of Buellton for 20 years, during which time he helped to establish the Buellton Community Recreation Center, the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, PAWS Off-Leash Dog Park, and many community events and recreational programs that continue to benefit the local community.

Kyle has also served on the boards of the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation, Santa Ynez Valley Chorale, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, and currently serves on the College Elementary School District Board.

Kyle has always loved classical music, especially the Baroque era, and he feels incredibly blessed to be able to serve in his new role with Santa Barbara Strings to support the next generation of musicians.  

Kyle lives in Santa Ynez with his wife, Yana, and their twins, Skylar (violin) and Tristan (cello), are enjoying the fantastic music education and ensemble environment of Santa Barbara Strings. To contact him, please e-mail sbstringsdirector@gmail.com

Santa Barbara Strings is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive training for musicians from ages 4 to 19 in three progressive levels of string orchestras and chamber ensembles. Recent graduates of this exceptional string orchestra program are attending the Juilliard School of Music and the Colburn School of Music. Open to all students, Santa Barbara Strings aims to inspire life-long understanding and appreciation of classical music of all eras.

The program has expanded to offer and introductory strings program, the Buellton String Project, where Santa Ynez Valley kids can sign up to learn the violin or cello through instruction at the Buellton Recreation Center instead of having to travel to Santa Barbara. In October, the Buellton City Council approved a $20,000 grant for the program during a regular meeting in October. Woodruff even performed a number with a young student during the meeting.

“We are so grateful for the generous support of the Buellton City Council in awarding Santa Barbara Strings an Arts & Culture grant to create the Buellton Strings Project,” Abello said. “This program is laying the foundation for early strings education, and we hope the city will continue to support music for Buellton kids and families in the coming years.

“It would be wonderful to expand strings education in the Valley to the point where there are enough kids to form a Santa Ynez Valley String ensemble as a satellite of the larger SB Strings orchestra program.”
 
For more information on the Santa Barbara String and its program in Buellton, please visit www.santabarbarastrings.org

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