Firefighter/Paramedic Garet Blake Montecito Fire Dept Honored for Service
Firefighter/Paramedic Garet Blake has been honored for his 15 years of service with the Montecito Fire Department. Montecito Fire Department Chief Neels presented Blake with a 15-year pin that attaches to Blake’s badge. Joining in the celebration was Blake’s wife, children, family, and fellow MFD crew.
12th Annual SB & Montecito Unified School Track & Field Meet
Cold Spring School Superintendent and Principal Amy Alzina has announced CSS’s track and field results from the All Santa Barbara and Montecito Schools Track and Field Meet, held on May 5 at the Westmont College campus Montecito. Over 400 student athletes competed from the following schools: Cold Spring, Montecito Union, Roosevelt, Adams, Cleveland, Washington, Harding, Monroe, Franklin, and McKinley. Eligible student athletes were from grades four through six. The meet held 11 competition events, including the high jump and 800-meter run. Finishing first overall at 120 points was Roosevelt School, with Cold Spring School a close second at 116 points. CSS was also awarded the School Spirit Award,voted by the PE teachers from all the schools. Congrats to CSS athletes!
Homebody Studios Opens in The Post
Homebody Studios, the boutique Pilates brand known for its community-first ethos and elevated design, is bringing its signature reformer experience to Montecito. Opening June 14, the new studio will be located inside The Post.
To celebrate the opening, Homebody will host an Open House on Thursday, June 12, inviting the community to swing by for a first look at the studio, enjoy drinks from Ospi Montecito, and savor light bites from curated local partners. With intimate class sizes of just 12 people led by a curated team of instructors, Homebody is excited to open up booking on June 1 in advance of their first day of classes on Saturday, June 14. Montecito marks the brand’s second location, following its flagship in Austin, TX.
“Montecito is the perfect home for our next studio,” says founding team Sophie Axelson and Anna Rinke. “The Post is all about bringing together thoughtful brands that prioritize experience, and that’s exactly what we do at Homebody. We can’t wait to welcome this community in.”
ShelterBox USA President to Receive Honorary Doctorate
Kerri Murray, who has served as the President of global relief organization ShelterBox USA for 10 years, will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Human Services from Providence College this Sunday, May 18. Murray grew up in Naugatuck, Connecticut, in a Catholic family that valued service to others. She studied political science at Providence College and was involved in the community beyond campus, working for the Rhode Island Public Defender, teaching courses in English as a Second Language, serving women in prison, and becoming the first lobbyist for Save the Bay.
Murray has served on the front lines in the war in Ukraine, in Morocco following the earthquake, in Japan after the catastrophic tsunami, across the Philippines, in Los Angeles during the 2025 wildfires, and in other disaster zones. She has led ShelterBox through a significant expansion of its humanitarian efforts. Under her leadership, the organization has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize, including a nomination in 2025 for its efforts in the world’s worst conflict zones. The NGO has delivered aid to more than three million people in 100 countries.
In 2024, Providence College honored Ms. Murray with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Vision Award, recognizing her commitment to the values espoused by the civil rights leader.
Hope Shines Brighter in the Santa Ynez Valley
Olive Crest’s second annual Hope Shines fundraiser at Sunstone Winery raised over $250,000 in support of survivors of child sexual exploitation. The funds will directly benefit the Hope Refuge Campus in Santa Barbara, which offers safe housing, education, and life skills for these courageous young women. The event was marked by emotional moments, including a powerful testimony from survivor and advocate Ashley Chesney, who reflected on her healing journey and emphasized the impact a place like Hope Refuge could have made in her life. Emcee Andrew Firestone hosted the event, inspiring guests with a message of shared responsibility. Since 1973, Olive Crest has supported over 250,000 children and families with safe homes, counseling, and education across the Western U.S.
Los Padres Forest Has Opened Its Seasonal Road Gates
The Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA) has announced the reopening of the seasonally closed gates. Popular roads include the Grade Valley Rd, Frazier Mountain Rd, Santa Barbara Canyon Rd, Pine Mountain Rd, Cherry Creek Rd, Dough Flat Rd, and most of the Off Highway Vehicle routes on the Mount Pinos Ranger District.
411: INFO@LPForest.org
LPNF Wildfire Risk Reduction Project Open for Public Comment
The LPNFWildfire Risk Reduction Project (formerly the Ecological Restoration Project) #62369, is now online to view and comment on through June 2, 2025.
LPFA says the project is designed to increase community/infrastructure protection and wildfire containment opportunities by establishing fuel breaks, defense zones, and improved vegetation resilience – all meant to shield the health of forested areas from environmental stressors.
411: https://tinyurl.com/LPNFPublic
Elverhøj Museum Screening & Panel of‘The Kiss’
Bille August’s latest film, The Kiss, will be screened with a panel discussion and reception at the Elverhøj Museum of History and Art on May 31. The panel includes Paul D. Hancock, President/CEO of World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation, and Chris Hite, filmmaker-professor at Allan Hancock College.
The film is currently premiering across the U.S. It is based on the classic German novel Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig, the Austrian author whose writings also indirectly inspired The Grand Budapest Hotel. The Kiss stars an award-winning international cast, including Danish actors Clara Rosager, Esben Smed, and Lars Mikkelsen, who starred in the most recent Star Wars installment, Ahsoka. Bille August’s many prior films include Pelle the Conqueror starring Max Von Sydow, which won the Academy Award, Palme d’Or, and Golden Globe; The House of the Spirits starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, and Glenn Close, and Les Misérables starring Liam Neeson and Uma Thurman.
Craig Case Sentenced in Embezzlement Case
Craig Alan Case, a former private investigator and local TV personality, was sentenced to 26 years and 8 months in state prison for orchestrating a sweeping financial crimes scheme targeting a wealthy Montecito philanthropist. A Santa Barbara jury found Case guilty in February of 62 felony counts and one misdemeanor related to the embezzlement of nearly $700,000 from Constance McCormick Fearing between 2018 and 2021. Convictions included charges of conspiracy, grand theft, identity theft, money laundering, tax fraud, and firearms violations. Prosecutors argued that Case exploited his position of trust and manipulated co-conspirator Nancy Coglizer, who testified against him after pleading guilty and receiving a reduced sentence. Coglizer was sentenced to 10 years’ probation and 364 days in county jail. A restitution hearing for Case is scheduled for May 20. Authorities praised the outcome as a strong stance against elder financial abuse.
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