MOXI@Night Returns and More News Bytes

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, is turning up the fun this fall with MOXI@Night: Play It Forward, its signature annual fundraiser set for September 26. Inspired by the glamour and energy of the Studio 54 era, the event will transform MOXI into a disco-themed celebration of music, creativity, and community impact.

Honorary Co-chairs Belle Hahn and Lily Hahn Shining are leading this year’s festivities, which will bring together supporters for an evening of rooftop cocktails, interactive experiences, dinner, a live auction hosted by Andrew Firestone, and MOXI’s popular silent disco under the stars. Guests are encouraged to embrace the retro theme with disco-chic attire.

Beyond the party, the event supports MOXI’s mission of expanding access to STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Proceeds help fund school field trips, community partnerships, reduced-cost admissions, after-school programs, and other initiatives that connect local children and families with hands-on learning opportunities. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available, with a July 24 deadline for inclusion on event invitations.

411: moxi.org/moxi-at-night.

Hillside National Disability Independence Day Celebration

Hillside will host its annual National Disability Independence Day Festival on Saturday, July 25, inviting the Santa Barbara community to an afternoon celebrating inclusion, accessibility, and the achievements of individuals with disabilities. Held at Hillside’s Veronica Springs campus, the family-friendly event will feature carnival games, live music from DJ of Ability Chris Benedict, face painting, a petting zoo, balloon artists, food vendors, and hands-on activities including slime-making and birdhouse painting.

Guests can also explore booths hosted by local organizations including Tri-Counties Regional Center, Alpha Resource Center, PathPoint, and the Grace Fisher Foundation. Proceeds from food, games, and raffles will support Hillside residents living with intellectual and developmental disabilities through therapeutic programs, medical care, life-skills training, and adaptive equipment.

The event coincides with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, honoring progress toward equity and inclusion while creating a joyful day of connection and celebration for all abilities.

ShelterBox Mobilizes Aid for Philippines

Santa Barbara-based disaster relief organization ShelterBox USA is responding to a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines, with plans to assist up to 15,000 people affected by the disaster. Drawing on its longstanding presence in the region, ShelterBox is deploying emergency shelter supplies and essential aid from its pre-positioned warehouse in Cebu to support communities facing displacement and damage.

Computer Donations Sought by Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara’s Downtown Club is calling for donations to help fund new computers for the hundreds of local youth who rely on the Club each year for academic support, mentorship, and after-school programs. 

411: https://www.boysandgirlssb.org/donate

LPF Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

The big news across the Los Padres National Forest right now is that Stage 1 Fire Restrictions went into effect last week. That means no more backcountry campfires, but stoves are still OK with a fire permit. Campfires are still allowed in Designated Campfire Use Sites (i.e., car campgrounds) across the forest. Campfires are great, but so is enjoying the starry sky, warm nights, and avoiding any accidental wildfires. Let’s all do our part to have a safe and uneventful fire season! Los Padres Forest Association volunteers and Trail Crew have been busy wrapping up the spring trail maintenance season. The LPFA’s Trail Crew, supported by the Montecito Trails Foundation, have thoroughly cleared brush in order to open the San Ysidro Trail, upper Romero Trail, West Fork Cold Spring Trail and the Cold Spring Ridge Trail Loop. These classic Santa Barbara front country trails are in GREAT shape right now! 

411: https://lpforest.org

EDC to Represent the Citizens for the Carp Bluffs

The Environmental Defense Center will legally represent the Citizens for the Carp Bluffs and the Carp Valley Association in a joint effort against “The Farm Project,” a proposed housing development by Central Coast CA Ventures LLC, who are planning to build a massive luxury residential development project at 5885 Carpinteria Avenue, on the Carpinteria Bluffs. All legal proceedings and administrative proceedings by the City of Carpinteria on The Farm project will be countered by the EDC.

Peter Dugre of the Citizens for the Carp Bluffs informs, “The decision to secure EDC’s expert advocacy follows a comprehensive consistency review by the City of Carpinteria, which documented an extensive list of inconsistencies between the proposed development and local policies. The City’s review highlighted non-compliance with dozens of policies under the Coastal Land Use Plan, General Plan, and Zoning Code, spanning crucial areas such as public beach access, visual resources, public services, and hazards.”

Search & Rescue Foundation Highlights Lifesaving Volunteer Efforts

The Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation recently welcomed supporters, volunteers, and community leaders to the Santa Barbara Yacht Club for an evening dedicated to raising awareness of the critical work performed by the Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Team. The event highlighted the efforts of the all-volunteer unit, which responds to requests from local law enforcement agencies to assist with missing person searches, wilderness rescues, and disaster response operations across more than 2,500 square miles of Santa Barbara County.

Team members contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year training and responding to emergencies, often in remote and challenging terrain. Foundation leaders emphasized that community support helps fund the specialized equipment, technology, and training necessary to keep volunteers mission ready. As outdoor recreation continues to grow throughout the region, organizers noted that public support remains essential to ensuring the team can continue providing this vital public safety service.

OSB Extends Protopapas’ Contract

Opera Santa Barbara has renewed the contract of Artistic and General Director Kostis Protopapas through the 2028-29 season, extending the leadership that has helped guide the company through a decade of growth and artistic success. The announcement follows two consecutive sold-out seasons and continued momentum for the organization.

Since joining Opera Santa Barbara in 2015, Protopapas has overseen a balance of classic and contemporary productions while strengthening the company’s artistic standards, community engagement, and support for local and regional performers. Notable productions during his tenure include Manon, Eugene Onegin, Il Postino, and the California premieres of Zorro and Elmer Gantry.

Board Chair Nikkaëlle Burlett praised Protopapas for creating programming that is both adventurous and accessible, helping build enthusiasm among audiences. Under his leadership, Opera Santa Barbara also remained active throughout the pandemic, becoming the first local performing arts organization to offer streaming programming.

New Trustees at SBMNH

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has announced the appointment of four new trustees – Dr. Kirk Gilbert, Michael Mongold, Dr. Bethany Harkrider, and Brett Piersma – bringing expertise in healthcare, cybersecurity, science, and law to the institution’s Board of Trustees. The Museum also honored longtime Board Member Elisabeth Fowler with honorary trustee status in recognition of her more than 15 years of leadership, including her role in the successful Centennial Campaign, which raised $18.4 million. Museum leaders noted that the new trustees share a commitment to science education, environmental stewardship, and community engagement as the institution continues its mission of connecting people with nature.

Medical Director of Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic

Cottage Health announced that Dr. Helen Matthews has been appointed Medical Director of its OB/GYN Clinic, which supports patients in preventive care, reproductive health, pregnancy, menopause, and gynecologic conditions. Dr. Matthews joined Cottage Health in 2025 and is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has more than 20 years of experience, including routine and high-risk obstetric cases. Dr. Matthews offers specialized care that includes minimally invasive and robotic surgery procedures, diagnostic hysteroscopy and office-based procedures such as IUD placement and biopsies. She earned her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Maryland. She is also a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (formerly NAMS).