Letters to the Editor
Signs of Trouble
What a surprise! During a Sheriff’s raid on a drug house, they found our stolen road signs; check out the attached image!
Montecito’s iconic road signs are 100% privately funded through donations to the Montecito Community Foundation. Most community members are unaware of the Montecito Community Foundation’s work (the conversion of a gas station into the Corner Green, rural road signs, upgrading of all the bus stops throughout our community, underwriting the 4th of July event, funding trail renovations, etc.). Any assistance you could provide that would raise public awareness of the Foundation’s work and that its work is only possible because of private donations would be greatly appreciated.
Darlene Bierig
Director and Grant Committee Chair
Montecito Community Foundation
Fire Weary Grant Seeker
(The following letter was sent to Amber Gardner of California Fire Safe Council):
I know that Idaho has a fire mitigation program in which the experts go to individual homes offering fire mitigation advice. I am told I must organize a group for the grant request, however, I do not like dealing with my neighbors who don’t care about home maintenance as much as I do. Though everyone discusses hardening our homes, we need to “harden our state” due to the fact that 98% of our fires are started by “human error.” Therefore it is logical and reasonable to educate not only residents but visitors as well.
My suggestion, which has been met with 100% approval, and enthusiastic support from everyone with whom I have spoken is to educate students 3rd grade to 12th grade, all private schools, the colleges, and universities. I have already met with Susan Salcido, Superintendent of Schools in our area. I am told to contact the State Dept. of Education in Sacramento. I have spoken with the County Fire Education Officer, Mike Eliason, both the SB City and SB County Fire Chiefs have been contacted, and have recently spoken in front of three fire chiefs for our area at a recent Fire Safe Council Meeting. I also have contacted the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, who then can present this program to the California Association of Realtors so they can put into each purchaser’s packet about what started our major fires, and have called the Newcomers for, of course, the same reason with no response as of yet.
Here in Santa Barbara, we have Westmont College, SBCC, and UCSB, as well as the Foreign Language School on Chapala, located right next to our SB Assoc. of Realtors. I had nine Chinese students here on my property who could not read the two “No Smoking” signs posted on this property. They threw nine cigarette butts out in my parking area! It was Dec. 4, 2017, 1:30 pm when I, spurred by anger, disappointment and safety issues began my campaign to contact all the entities who should provide information to all students at SBCC, UCSB, Westmont, etc. At 6:30, that very same evening, the Thomas Fire started. Only one person, the next day returned my call, Dave Zaniboni, County Fire, now retired, who was right in the middle of fighting one of the largest California fires ever.
Our property insurance rates have risen, with some insurance companies no longer insuring properties in this state.
I am exceedingly fire weary having been a resident since 1962 and a homeowner since 1970, enduring 13 major conflagrations. I, and many others, would appreciate more education and therefore, more protection. I cannot do it all by myself.
I am pleading for assistance.
Helen Larsen
Montecito
Without, not with
When you printed my letter to the Montecito Water District Board (“MWD: Reconsider Water Deal… Please,” MJ # 25/12), you made an error that completely changed the intent of the first sentence in the second paragraph. The sentence should have read that the proposed agreement should not be undertaken without (not with) a comprehensive analysis…
I would appreciate it if you would acknowledge this and run a correction in your next edition.
Jerry Lorden
Montecito
(Editor’s note: Whoops, don’t know what or why that happened but it probably had something to do with retyping it from its print form. Sorry about that. – J.B.)
Well Enough
Your Guest Editorial (“The Water Wells of Montecito,” MJ # 235/12) was very well thought-out and written by Bob Hazard (a fellow Rhode Islander who I’ve never met). I agree with every word. How fortunate you are to have him as your Associate Editor.
Leon “Lee” Juskalian
Santa Barbara
(Editor’s note: Mr. Juskalian informs us that he received a Master’s in Regional Planning from the University of Colorado, College of Environmental Design in 1977)
Mapping the Wells
I read the article by Bob Hazard about the private wells in Montecito and just wanted to pass along some information. When I was the Engineering Manager for MWD a few years back, I found a very good map of the District with all the private wells plotted. I only found the one print and it did not appear to be from a computer-generated file. I’m thinking it was hand-drawn and may have been associated with a study being performed by [Montecito geologist] Steve Bachman. At the time, I did show the map to former MWD General Manager Tom Mosby and indicated that it would be the starting point for a GIS based mapping that would be best way to track data for all wells in the basin. Having worked for Dudek as well, they have excellent GIS talent to perform that mapping, so hopefully they have found that map. It would be worth checking with Nick at MWD to see if they have it.
Currently, I’m working for the City of SB managing pipeline and pump station projects and also I’m on the Goleta Water District Board. In the long run, I’m working toward a change in leadership at GWD and getting it back to being a utility, not an arm of the third district Supervisor and the Democratic Party. I need two more Board members to align with and that may happen after next year’s election.
Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading the Montecito Journal every week.
Thomas C. Evans, PE
Santa Barbara
Obstruction of Injustice
The Mueller Report found no collusion. The remaining undecided issue is “obstruction of justice,” which is a simple question for anyone but Robert Mueller. To the rest of us, since there was no collusion, then even if Trump obstructed anything, it was an obstruction of injustice. That is not a crime; in fact it is the opposite of a crime.
Why is Robert Mueller unable to see this? The answer is that Mueller is a lifelong FBI guy. In his experience and in his mind, any complaint about the FBI is, by definition, an obstruction of justice. Anyone challenging the independence of the FBI is, per se, obstructing justice. On the other hand, he can’t say flat out that Trump obstructed justice in this case, because in this case, FBI malfeasance was so overt and well documented. So Mueller is conflicted and has to leave the obvious conclusion up to the rest of us.
Guy Strickland
Santa Barbara
Time for Reckoning
In 2016, Donald Trump was elected president. It shocked everyone. The pollsters, the media, academia, politicians, and celebrities were stunned.
What happened next, was unprecedented. A systematic and intentional attempt to delegitimize the presidential election was started. The primary charge, Pres. Trump and his administration “colluded” with Russia, a hostile nation. In short, treason. Those involved in the coup, Democrats, some Republicans, the MS media, FBI leaders, Intelligence agencies and special prosecutor Robert Mueller with his group of leftist lawyers.
Recently, the Robert Mueller investigation ended. The verdict, no collusion. Sadly, however, the witch-hunt against Pres. Trump, his family and friend continues. The above actors are now shifting to obstruction of justice. To heck with what is good for America.
It is time for a reckoning, America. Balance and sanity must be restored. We must get to the bottom of what really happened. Accountability and punitive deterrences must be established. Otherwise there is no Justice. And without Justice, society implodes. Furthermore, another hoax will plague our nation.
Diana and Don Thorn
Carpinteria
Wasted Time
There will/must be consequences to calling your Commander-in-Chief a traitor, especially when there was absolutely no evidence to back up the yelling and screaming.
It’s not so much the wasted 2.5 years; it’s the damage they were willing to inflict on our body politic, our Constitutional republican form of government. And, really, for what purpose?
Because Democrats no longer can or will accept official results of elections. If Democrats can’t govern, apparently, nobody should be able to govern. It’s really as simple as that. If Democrats can’t run the show unimpeded, their motto seems to be “Let’s bring down the nation.”
Americans in November 2020 should rise up and deprive Democrats of any/all power. Sweep Donald Trump into a landslide second term. Bring back the Republican majority in the House. This is fitting retribution for risking the destruction of our political nation in order to assuage Democrats’ fragile ego. The Mueller Investigation was all about Democrats losing. They just refuse to acknowledge when the voters reject them.
David S. McCalmont
Santa Barbara
(Editor’s note: Although Bill Clinton only won 43% of the vote the first time out [Ross Perot garnered 19%, depriving George H.W. Bush of a second – “Read my lips, no new taxes” – term], the nation accepted without complaint that Mr. Clinton was our president. Eight years later, when George W. Bush beat Al Gore, taking Florida by a couple hundred “hanging chads” (someone had to win), the Democratic Party called “Foul” and never really accepted Mr. Bush’s presidency. It didn’t help that Mr. Bush was unable to pick up a majority of the national vote. Another eight years went by and Barack Obama handily beat John McCain to become our president; Mr. Obama swept aside the meek challenge of Willard “Mitt” Romney four years later. Again, there was no one who could or would protest that Mr. Obama wasn’t “our” president, as he won both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
Unfortunately, Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by some three million votes on his way to the Presidency via a strong Electoral College win. Of course, Donald Trump is our president and every citizen should acknowledge that. But many Democrats don’t and now seek to change the rules. So, if Republicans – and President Trump – want to have a stronger hold on the office, they need to turn out the votes and win overwhelmingly. – J.B.)