Santa Maria Times from Santa Maria, California • A6

00 01 A6 Tuesday, November 16, 2021 Santa Maria tiMeS CENTRAL COAST SANTA MARIA TIMES STAFF REPORT Members of the original cast and fans from near and far joined locals Saturday night for dinner and a movie the 30th anniversary screening of Dis- at one of the original set pieces that now houses Santa Maria Museum of Flight exhibits. Pilots who flew planes for the film as well as local residents who were hired as extras for the movie and fans from Anaheim and Omaha attended. The event raised funds for the Museum of Flight, the Central Coast Film student film competitions and Band of Brothers, a local group of veter- ans supporting veterans. The outdoor screening of the 1991 film took place right out- side the original hangar used in the movie that still bears the restored Aeronautical sign. Although the hangar is now lo- cated at Santa Maria Public Air- port just off Skyway Drive, it was originally built by crew at a different location, where a fictional airport was created.

After filming was complete, the hangar was modified, moved to its present location and be- came the Museum of exhibit space that includes a replica of the beside a poster for the movie. Set in 1930s Los Angeles, the plot was based on a comic book series and involved Howard Hughes, gangsters, the FBI, Nazi spies and, of course, a hero stunt pilot, his faithful sidekick me- chanic and his actress girlfriend. While it received favorable reviews from critics when it was released, it was not a box-office success. However, since then, has developed an almost cult- like status among fans around the world. SANTA MARIA TIMES STAFF REPORT The Santa Maria Elks Lodge hosted the 15th annual poker bike run event benefiting Toys for Tots on Sunday, with motor- cycle riders arriving with chil- gifts to donate.

Toys for Tots, which is run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, has been celebrated nationally since 1949 and collects new, un- wrapped toys for distribution to children whose parents are un- able to afford Christmas gifts. During the Sunday event, attendees were invited to ride their motorcycles to five dif- ferent poker sites at La Simpa- tia in Guadalupe, the San Luis Obispo Elks Lodge, Mr. Ricks in Avila Beach and Rancho Nipomo BBQ, ending at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge 1538 on North Brad- ley Road with a barbecue and raffle. Toy donation boxes will be collected from dropoff sites throughout the county from Dec.

8 to 18 and delivered to one of four designated toy distribu- tion sites in Guadalupe, Santa Maria, Lompoc and Santa Bar- bara where registered families will receive their gifts. Families must first register children and be approved to receive toys. Registration may be completed online at san- or call- ing 805-736-4978. Organizations or locations interested in becoming a toy donation site can contact Santa Barbara Toys for Tots coordinator Soledad Kennedy via email at santa.maria.ca@ toysfortots.org or by calling 805-588-0650. SANTA MARIA TIMES STAFF REPORT Three Santa Barbara County agencies are calling for artwork that expresses what environmental justice means to county residents for use in county documents, and the five top artists will receive hon- orariums or scholarships.

County Planning and Develop- ment Long Range Planning Division and Commu- nity Services Sus- tainability Division are collabo- rating with the County Office of Arts Culture in the call for art. Three selected artists will re- ceive a $500 honorarium, and two student artists will be awarded $250 scholarships. Selected works also may be used in the state-mandated Envi- ronmental Justice Element of the County Comprehensive Plan, which expresses the devel- opment goals and land use policies, said a county spokeswoman. The goal is to expand community understanding and awareness of environmental and climate issues and allow residents to share per- spectives and experiences about living in Santa Barbara County. is de- fined as the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures and incomes with respect to development, adoption, implementation and enforcement of land use and en- vironmental laws, regulations and policies, the spokeswoman said.

Themes for artworks may include air, water, transportation, utilities, housing, food access and recreation as they relate to justice or injustice, but works should focus only on un- incorporated areas of the county, not those within city limits. Jan. 10 is the deadline for artists living in the county to electron- ically submit art in any media at www.sbac.ca.gov/environmen- tal-justice. For more information about the Environmental Justice Element, go to countyofsb.org/plndev/ SANTA MARIA Caltrans project closes lanes at Miller, Main streets through Thursday morning Santa Maria drivers are advised of lane closures near the intersec- tion of Main (Highway 166) and Miller streets through Thursday morning while Caltrans completes lighting and signal improvements. Lanes were closed in both direc- tions on Sunday night and will re- main closed until 6 a.m.

Thursday morning, according to Caltrans District 5 spokesman Jim Shivers. For the next couple months, lanes near the intersection also will be closed weekly at 11:55 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday. The project is expected to be completed in January, as weather permits.

Traffic delays as a result of the project are not expected to exceed 10 minutes. Electronic signs are present along the roadway in- forming travelers about the lane closures, Shivers said. The $522,000 lighting and sig- nal repair project is being handled by Arroyo Grande-based contrac- tor Lee Wilson Electric, according to Shivers. For more information on the proj- ect or traffic updates related to other Caltrans projects, residents may call the District 5 toll-free number at 805-568-0858 or visit dot.ca.gov/ NIPOMO Vehicle on fire reported in garage of La Quinta Drive residence A vehicle parked inside of a ga- rage reportedly caught fire Mon- day at a La Quinta Drive residence in Nipomo, according to scanner traffic. The fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m.

at a single-family residence in the 1400 block of La Quinta Drive, according to dis- patchers. Fans, cast, locals blast off with Santa Maria Museum of Flight hosts 30th anniversary screening RANDY DE LA PHOTOS, CONTRIBUTOR santa maria native david mcNeil, who was hired as an extra for 1991 film checks out a replica of the during a 30th anniversary screening of the movie saturday night at the santa maria museum of Flight. a dinner and the 30th anniversary screening of took place saturday night at the original hangar used in the film that now houses the santa maria museum of Flight at the santa maria Public airport. County seeks visions of environmental justice COUNTY LINES Elks Lodge holds Toys for Tots poker bike run Motorcycle riders donate gifts at annual event RANDY DE LA CONTRIBUTOR elks members eddie and Lynne vargas drop off toy donations at the elks Lodge in santa maria during the 15th annual Toys for Tots poker bike run on sunday. LEFT: Families and friends enjoy an outdoor screening of outside the original hangar from the film saturday night to commemorate its 30th anniversary and raise funds for the santa maria museum of Flight, which now occupies the building, the Central Coast Film student film competitions and the veterans group band of brothers.

RIGHT: members of the cast, pilots who flew the aircraft and crew attend a special 30th anniversary screening of at the santa maria museum of Flight on saturday night. Please see COUNTY, Page A5.