Happy 7th Anniversary Bettina and Other News Bytes

Come celebrate Bettina’s 7th Birthday with a week of specialty pies, including the famous clam pie! Keep an eye out on Instagram to see which daily specials they drop.

Supervisors Vote to Begin Ending Onshore Oil in Santa Barbara County

In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors moved to phase out onshore oil production – marking the beginning of the end for an industry with roots in the region dating back nearly 150 years. The board voted to ban new oil well permits and begin the process of winding down existing operations, a plan that could take several years and cost the county millions. Supervisors Joan Hartmann, Laura Capps, and Roy Lee backed the measure, calling it a necessary step toward combating climate change and protecting public health. Opposing the motion, Supervisors Bob Nelson and Steve Lavagnino warned of lost jobs and economic fallout for working families. The county will next conduct studies to determine how long existing operators can remain active and how to handle financial impacts. The Montecito Journal will have more details next week.

Hudson Grace x Emily Joubert Talk

Join for a courtyard presentation and book signings with Jeffrey Allen Marks and Kathryn M. Ireland at the Montecito Country Mart near Hudson Grace and Emily Joubert stores, October 24, from 4 to 6 pm.

Montecito Country Mart News

October 1-31: Honor System Pumpkin Patch offers heirloom and organic gourds perfectly suited for your best culinary or carving aspirations. They’re keeping it simple: select your bounty, pay with cash in the drop box, card at the Trading Post, or the QR code. Open daily next to Dôen through October 31st.

Halloween, October 31, 11 am to 6 pm: Costume Contest, trick/treating and a movie. The Mart invites you to a festive day of Trick-or-Treating, a Pumpkin Patch costume contest, and Movie Night – a 6 pm screening of the essential classic, Monsters, Inc.

Ron Werft Named Chair of World Telehealth Initiati

Ron Werft, President Emeritus and former CEO of Cottage Health, has been elected Board Chairman of World Telehealth Initiative (WTI), a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit improving healthcare access in underserved communities across 18 countries. Founded by Dr. Yulun Wang and Sharon Allen, WTI connects volunteer physicians and nurses with clinicians in low-resource hospitals through telehealth technology, enhancing local expertise and patient care. Werft, who has served on WTI’s board since 2019, called the work “incredibly rewarding.” CEO Sharon Allen said Werft’s leadership comes as WTI prepares for “exponential growth” and its next phase of global impact.