The Montecito Sanitary District has unanimously approved its first sewer rate adjustment in seven years, adopting a phased five-year plan designed to address aging infrastructure and ensure long-term system reliability. The decision followed a public hearing on June 10 and was informed by the MSD’s first comprehensive sewer rate study in more than a decade. […]
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On June 4, Montecito Fire Chief Brian Fallon honored Captain Evan Skei for his 25 years of dedicated service to Montecito Fire and our town. Attending the presentation was Skei’s family. Of note, Skei has been in the Montecito Journal’s Our Town section since 2002 for various work in the community– from instructing kids on […]
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This summer, Westmont’s picturesque campus with state-of-the-art facilities becomes a vibrant hub of activity, welcoming young participants to traditional sports camps while showcasing newly launched, cutting-edge academic camps for high schoolers. On June 15, 17 high school students began the new Engineering Design Innovation Camp, an immersive, weeklong experience of real-world problem-solving at the Fletcher […]
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Westmont invites the local community to explore the night sky during its monthly free public stargazing event on Friday, June 19, beginning at 8:45 pm and lasting several hours at the Westmont Observatory. “Weather permitting, visitors will have the opportunity to view the moon, the Hercules globular cluster, and Mizar and Alcor – a famous […]
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The Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Program for Effective Access to College (PEAC) held its annual PEAC Foundation celebration at UC Santa Barbara, marking an inspiring night of academic achievement and expanding community partnerships. The event honored eight PEAC seniors bound for Westmont, alongside Cindy Gonzalez, a graduate of the Westmont Downtown | Grotenhuis Nursing […]
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Community is a big buzz word these days, from nonprofit mission statements to arts organization’s program descriptors. But over here nothing says community like the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade. Everything about the saunter (not a march) up Santa Barbara Street (formerly State Street in the pre-pandemic days) on the Saturday closest to the longest day […]
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Let’s face it: in Santa Barbara, dogs aren’t just pets – they’re part of the pack. They join us on morning beach walks, accompany us to café patios, hike our favorite trails, and somehow manage to become the unofficial mayors of every neighborhood they visit. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce Pup Culture, Montecito Journal’s […]
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Members of both Montecito Bank & Trust’s MClub and the venerable Santa Barbara Club joined together for a memorable journey to Santa Paula’s Heritage Valley. After a scenic drive, we made our way to the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum, where we explored Ventura County’s rich farming heritage and toured their impressive photography exhibit […]
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On Saturday afternoon the patio at La Lieff Tasting Room was alive with puppy energy. What some participants have called the happiest happy hour in town was actually a heartwarming adoption event featuring Aussie Mix puppies and hosted by Aussie Rescue Networking Group (rescuenetworkinggroup.com), a local rescue known for turning puppy love into forever families. […]
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Calling all photogenic pups, camera-ready cats, and even those feathered, scaled, or slightly mischievous companions who know how to work a lens. The Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation has officially unleashed its 2027 All-Stars Pet Calendar Photo Contest, and it’s time for your furry friend to have their moment in the spotlight. For just […]
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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (“Go Lancers!”) held its 8th grade graduation ceremony on Friday, May 29, at 2 pm. The graduates processed into the church to “Pomp and Circumstance,” wearing a traditional cap and gown in the school colors of blue and white. Students were adorned with flower […]
Lea másRecently a new word just popped up courtesy of the NY Times: “microlooting.” Microlooting is a word that justifies petty theft (shoplifting) as a political statement. The idea is that as long as you are stealing from “big corporations” it is a protest. NYT reporter Nadja Spiegelman interviewed The New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino and […]
Lea másIn the early days of the internet our company had a software engineer who managed our internet connection as a side job. When something went wrong, he often had this answer: “Works for me!” How often do you encounter someone with this attitude that if it works for them that is all that matters? If […]
Lea másProwler / 200 block Middle Road — Sunday, May 31, at 19:20 hours Deputies responded to report by residents in the area of a suspect seen entering private property and prowling. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the subject, who fled from deputies into neighboring backyards. When finally confronted, subject resisted arrest, refusing to present his hands […]
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The Music Academy of the West‘s 2026 Summer Music Festival is the Montecito-based institute’s 79th season, an eight-week celebration full of world-class performances, high-level education, and far-reaching programming that ranges from full 100-member orchestral concerts to chamber music events featuring solo, duo and larger ensembles. Over the course of more than 100 events, the repertoire […]
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Santa Barbara County’s High Fire Season was officially declared on May 25, 2026 – signaling a heightened risk of potentially severe wildfire impacts in our local area. Just days prior to that announcement, a pair of Montecito firefighters deployed to Santa Rosa Island where a vegetation fire quickly grew to more than 16,000 acres – […]
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Connie Lindberg, 72, of Santa Barbara passed away peacefully on May 12th, holding the hand of Carl, her beloved husband of 39 years. Connie was born on February 16, 1954, in Chicago, IL. Before beginning school, her family moved west to Alamo, CA, where she spent her childhood. She graduated from San Ramon High School […]
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Ahoy, Santa Barbarans! Have you noticed the presence of Santa Barbara’s Official Tall Ship, the Mystic Whaler, docked in the protective waters of the Santa Barbara harbor? She returns to Santa Barbara from the Ventura harbor where she hosted a series of marine related educational programs and dock tours for young people and guests. After […]
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Westmont hosted an exclusive community training session for Qatar’s national football team June 4 on Thorrington Field. Having arrived on campus the prior Sunday to begin their closed training block, the event marked the team’s first and only public session before the tournament begins. The event brought together more than 400 local community members, including […]
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The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara held its annual scholarship award ceremonies, awarding $8.4 million in scholarships to 2,300 students, including a record 75 Westmont students, at the Sunken Gardens at Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Jose Olvera, financial aid and advising programs coordinator for the foundation, says the partnership, including Westmont hosting the annual Affording […]
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