Around 200 motorcycles are expected to gather Saturday morning at the Santa Maria Airport The California State Rally is being put on by local members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association "We want to let our community know that we're here We also raise money to help local communities with their events whatever is needed," says Patrick "Reaper" Weart member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Organizers say the inaugural event will raise funds for local charities and veterans in need The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association says that veterans are traveling from across the state to take part in the event To learn more, become a member or donate, click here for more details The body of an unidentified Hispanic male was found on Sunday morning near Santa Maria according to Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Trevino The body was found along the bank of the Rio Grande Trevino said the death is being treated as an accidental drowning and the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office contacted the consulate to identify him Photos provided by Trevino show the names “Claudia,” “Romina,” and “Julie” tattooed on his body Anyone with any information on the victim’s identity is urged to contact the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office at 956-350-5551 The element requested is either not valid or does not exist Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker After discovering a subject was using social media to illegally sell marijuana to minors in Santa Maria the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office mounted an investigation in early March Detectives later identified 23-year-old Alexis Silviano Vazquez Guzman as the illegal pot dealer detectives served a search warrant at Vazquez Guzman’s residence in the 300-block of E Detectives seized over 1,100 THC vaporizer pens 33 miscellaneous battery packs for THC vaporizer pens approximately three pounds of cannabis flower Detectives believe the marijuana products were purchased legally with the intent to resell without a license Officers booked Vazquez Guzman in Northern Branch Jail for possession of marijuana for sales possession of a firearm without a serial number selling marijuana to a minor and possession for sales to a minor Vazquez Guzman has since been released on bail As social media platforms become more integrated into daily life they are increasingly being misused for illegal activities — including the purchase of cannabis products The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office encourages parents and guardians to stay informed and vigilant Sudden increase in privacy or secretiveness online Unexpected cash transactions or use of payment apps Packages arriving at home with no clear origin The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com.  Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not.   Comment Guidelines and drug dealers who target young people are particularly loathsome lower life forms Guzman deserves the absolute maximum punishment the judge can impose in this case But but but it’s no more dangerous that alcohol…..among all the other nonsense we hear about illegal drugs At least be smart enough to hide the cash to use for bail   Editor Bill Loving Reporter Karen Velie, (805) 234-1703 Reporter Josh Friedman Founder Daniel Blackburn Tip Your Team tips@calcoastnews.com Advertise ads@calcoastnews.com Moderator moderator@calcoastnews.com Site Issues admin@calcoastnews.com A Santa Maria man has been arrested on charges of illicit marijuana sales and a weapons violation according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office (SBCSO) Authorities say detectives from the Cannabis Compliance Team began their investigation in early March when they found indications on social media that a subject was selling illicit marijuana in the Santa Maria area detectives reportedly identified the suspect as 23-year-old Alexis Silviano Vazquez Guzman SBCSO says detectives served a search warrant at Vazquez Guzman’s residence on the 300 block of East Bunny Avenue in Santa Maria detectives reportedly seized 1,104 THC vaporizer pens/cartridges 33 miscellaneous battery packs/pods for THC vaporizer pens One handgun that was not serialized and approximately $37,597 in cash were also found at the residence SBCSO says they believe the marijuana products were purchased legally with the intent to resell without a license Vazquez Guzman was arrested and booked at the Northern Branch Jail for several misdemeanors including possession of marijuana for sale The Santa Maria resident was also charged with various felonies including selling marijuana to a minor and possession with intent to sell to a minor SBCSO is encouraging parents and guardians to stay informed and vigilant of their children misusing social media platforms for illegal activities including the purchase of cannabis products Officials suggest taking note of these important signs and tips: SBCSO also provides some tips for how parents or guardians can respond to the issue: Officials say anyone with information about illicit marijuana sales can contact the SBCSO Cannabis Compliance Team at (805) 681-4150 or the anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171 A Santa Maria grocery store was destroyed by a fire Tuesday night Santa Maria Fire Marshal Jim Austin says firefighters responded to a fire alarm call at Lassen’s Natural Food on the 1700 block of South Broadway at 11:44 p.m Austin says firefighters were able to gain control of the fire in less than two hours active areas of the fire that burned into the afternoon on Wednesday due to the severity of the fire it’s believed to have started in the attic area and likely on the south end of the building He says there was no indication of foul play or the fire being intentionally set and is confident it’s accidental; however due to the roof partially collapsing and safety concerns the fire investigation was unable to be completed Austin says specialized equipment will be needed to assist them with completing their investigation which he’s hoping can be done in the next week or two Multiple agencies assisted with the firefight a ladder truck and battalion chief from Santa Maria City Fire an engine and battalion chief from Santa Barbara County Fire a ladder truck from the Five Cities Fire Authority an engine from Pismo Fire and additional help from CAL FIRE crews in Nipomo locks were placed on the doors to the store and fencing put up around the perimeter to keep people out Austin says the structure is unstable and the roof is continuing to collapse KSBY has reached out to Lassen’s for comment but has not yet heard back Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More ROME (AP) — At Masses in Rome’s housing projects and in the heart of its tourist district, the faithful prayed Sunday for the upcoming conclave that will elect Pope Francis ’ successor Whether in the squat 1980s concrete church of San Paolo della Croce next to a notorious public housing project or facing millennium-old golden mosaics in Santa Maria in Trastevere Catholics shared two main hopes for the church’s future Young and old, Romans and migrants alike said they would like the next pontiff to make faith accessible to those on the margins and help bring peace to a world they see as teeming with dangers Michele Cufaro said he prays the next pope will “focus on the poor and re-educate the youth … who are getting totally lost.” The glass and metalworker first lived in the Corviale projects across the street – a multistory grey public housing block that snakes on a hilltop for more than 3,100 feet (1 km) – when it was built in the early 1980s He said he knows firsthand the reality of poverty addiction and exclusion that continues to plague many of its residents “I come to entrust myself to a higher power for the things that I can’t solve myself,” Cufaro said after Mass at San Paolo as tears welled in his eyes remembering Francis’ outreach The pontiff, who died on April 21 at age 88 and comforted a child worried about whether his recently deceased atheist father would be in in heaven to see the situation,” said Ida Di Giovannantonio who recalled meeting Francis on that visit She said she cried every day when she moved to the projects four decades ago The poor need welcoming and love,” said Di Giovannantonio who’s also volunteered with the church’s food bank a shopping cart stood by the church’s entrance with a sign encouraging the faithful to leave food donations Less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) away but in a different socioeconomic world, at Santa Maria in the riverside neighborhood of Trastevere, Lisa Remondino said she hopes the next pope will continue Francis’ legacy, especially in helping migrants “I hope it will be a welcoming pope, and also a pope who has the courage to fight for peace. He was the only voice we had against war, the powerful, and arms,” said the kindergarten teacher, who belongs to the Catholic charity Sant’Egidio that has worked closely with Francis to help migrants and refugees One of the cardinals considered top contenders to succeed him has served in various capacities both at Sant’Egidio and close-by Santa Maria In the outside portico decorated with ancient marble inscriptions and swarming with tourists Marta Finati said she hoped that the church would continue to respect dogmas The next pope should embrace a moral and political leadership for peace that would provide a “reference point” for non-Catholics too Rushing to change into an altar server robes at Sunday afternoon’s Mass at Santa Maria said coming to church is “like being with your family.” “The next pope should have the basic courage to bring the neediest from the peripheries to the center,” he said said losing Francis was “a big blow” for his congregation because Pope Francis’ visit had “interrupted for a moment the marginalization of these people.” “We need to get back a bit to God,” he added in the tidy rose garden between the church and the housing block that packs in more than 1,500 families so much selfishness is the fruit also of the lack of God’s presence in people’s lives … Different social problems would still exist several faithful stopped by the last pew to greet an occasional visitor – Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India who was in Rome for the conclave gatherings though having turned 80 at the end of last year Upon election, each cardinal gets a “titular” parish in Rome and on Sunday many celebrated Mass at theirs Gracias mentioned the different legacies of the last three popes – St John Paul II’s “world-changing” geopolitical impacts He urged the more than 100 faithful to “pray that the Holy Spirit may give us a pope who meets the needs of the times.” who finds in San Paolo her “point of reference,” said in a world rife with “wars and contradictions,” the new pope will need all the divine guidance and prayers “He will have to keep carrying this burden forward,” she said Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US The AP is solely responsible for this content rewritten or redistributed without permission It's the sweetest time of the year in the Santa Maria Valley That's because the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival kicks off Friday with a three-day weekend community event at the Santa Maria Fairpark The festival offers a wide variety of unique things to do including free strawberry tasting and dessert eating contests Tickets sold at the gate are $17 for adults There are a few sweet ticket specials for the Strawberry Festival this year Seniors get in free all day Friday and youth tickets are reduced to $6 all day Saturday The Santa Maria Fairpark is located at 937 S The Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library is holding its 14th annual Painted Chair raffle The fundraiser allows people to buy raffle tickets for the chance to win book-themed items crafted by local artists Organizers say the money raised will go toward materials programs and services that the Santa Maria Public Library would not otherwise have The charity raffle goes through May 10 and is located on the second floor of the Santa Maria Town Center Mall next to Macy’s Tickets are $1 dollar each or six for $5. A live drawing of those tickets will happen on May 10 and 4 p.m. on the non-profit’s Facebook page feeling burdened by the world that never seems to slow down I didn’t exactly know what that break would look like; all I really did was say “yes” when a friend mentioned going out of town for the weekend for his sister’s confirmation That’s the sound my phone makes at any given time of day — boring emails Canvas notifications and group chats I don’t have the energy to answer grabbed gas station snacks and drove down the coast with no real plan besides showing up and not thinking too hard about it the quieter my brain started to feel — like the noise of everything I’d been carrying couldn’t be heard past a certain mile marker Santa Maria wasn’t some flashy escape; it was slow a little sleepy and exactly what I didn’t know I needed there was no pressure to perform or explain myself — just time space and the kind of stillness that reminds you what it feels like to just be We were disappointed that we’d missed the infamous St reminding me of my family trips to Santa Barbara My friends and I wandered in and out of bookstores and knick-knack shops swelling adoration for the people I was with each so wildly different from the next that you’d never mix us up in a police lineup they made me feel like I was exactly where I needed to be One of them moved through the world like sunlight always radiating warmth toward anyone lucky enough to have a conversation with him like even my heaviest thoughts couldn’t quite stick the kind of person who remembers your favorite candy from weeks ago and notices when your smile doesn’t quite reach your eyes they always said exactly what I needed to hear someone who made me feel like I was living in one of their poems constantly narrating the world with a kind of wit and wonder that made everything feel more vivid I think I grew to love each of them in different ways — not the kind of love that needs to be declared or defined The way we shared fries in the gas station Arby’s The way they pulled me into the ocean even though I swore I wasn’t going to get my jeans wet The way I caught myself smiling just because they were near a nearby coastal town with an ocean that looked as if it should have been slapped onto a postcard kicked off our shoes and walked along the shore collecting shells without a care in the world I wasn’t thinking about what I needed to do next the salt in the air and the comfort of being somewhere that only demanded that I live in the present As we wandered through the bustling streets and talked about nothing and everything at once I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: gratitude There was something healing about the simplicity of it all: the soft wind the good company and the kind of laughter that comes easily when you’re with people who don’t need you to be “on.” Even the burgers we grabbed afterward — greasy The day wound down as we made it to our friend’s family home a house that smelled like home-cooked meals and beckoned us with its warmth even before we stepped inside His parents welcomed us with that effortless hospitality only big Latino families seem to have mastered The living room was soft-lit and a little cluttered in the way that says a house is lived in wake time felt criminal after the full day we’d had but the smell of bolillos and fresh coffee was enough to peel us off the couch Someone’s mom was already bustling around the kitchen making sure everything was perfect for the party that was to follow We went to church and watched as our friend’s little sister walked down the aisle and I couldn't help but think about all the things we miss when we’re too caught up in our own lives to show up for someone else’s But what stuck with me most wasn’t the ceremony the front yard had been completely transformed pink and blue balloons fluttering in the breeze trays of food that never seemed to run out and the joyous laughs of kids bouncing up and down in the playhouse toddlers in tiny formal wear and a type of warmth that made me want to give my mom a call someone was handing me a drink or asking where I was from or pulling me into a conversation like I’d been a part of the family for years and I couldn’t help but look out at the road ahead and wish I had just a little more time but just to exist in that pocket of peace for a bit longer deadlines and feelings I hadn’t sorted through I felt like I could face it all — like maybe I didn’t have to have it all figured out as long as I had people who made the world feel a little softer Sometimes peace doesn’t look like breakthroughs or big moments Sometimes it’s a weekend in Santa Maria instead Email notifications are only sent once a day We're an independent student-run newspaper and need your support to maintain our coverage Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The element requested is either not valid or does not exist.