The Montecito Union School Foundation (MUSF) annual gala fundraiser was held on Friday, April 12 at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito. This year’s formal affair – Côte d’Azur: A night in the French Riviera. The important fundraising gala assures that the resources of MUS will continue and be added to. It awards grants towards the […]
The 65th Annual Carpinteria Community Awards Banquet took place on Saturday, April 6, at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s indoor gym. Held annually since 1958, the event was led by the newly formed Carpinteria Community Association [CCA], whose Board of Directors are President Karen Graf, Neil Bartlett, Bob Berkenmeier, Mary Ann Colson, Beth Cox, Gary Dobbins, […]
The Montecito Association held its monthly Board meeting April 9 in person at the Montecito Library. Public Comments for Items Not on the Agenda: Peter Daily presented his issues of private roads flooding following rain events. He asked the MA to get drainage and curbs installed with the Roads Department, and to resolve uninsured properties […]
The Los Padres ForestWatch is excited to celebrate Earth Day during all of April in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties with info sessions and clean ups. The organization is calling for volunteers to work shifts in Santa Barbara, Ojai, and Ventura. Duties include signing up new volunteers, selling merchandise and meeting like-minded individuals who are […]
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s annual awards event, Fuel Her Fire (formerly titled ‘Women of Inspiration’), was held on Thursday, April 4, at their Carpinteria campus gym. Over 200 people joined to congratulate the scholarship winners and the local honorees. The scholarship awards are presented to girls who are members of the local organization and have […]
Susan and Palmer Jackson, Jr. of the Ann Jackson Family Foundation have announced they are the co-chairs of Casa del Herrero’s $18 million capital campaign. The capital campaign, titled, “Preserving our Past, Protecting Our Future,” is the first comprehensive capital campaign in the 30-year history of Casa del Herrero as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. In […]
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital’s Children’s Department and Trauma Services Department joins with the County of Santa Barbara Fire Department and Emergency Management Services, the County of San Luis Obispo, Car Seat Concierge, Car Seat 101, and Safe Kids Santa Barbara County to host a free Child Car Seat and Booster Check Event on Saturday, April […]
Shabbat Shalom! The 12th Annual Mega Shabbat event by Chabad of UCSB was held outside on Friday, April 5, at the Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center, established 2007 by the Rohr Family of NYC in memory of Mrs. Charlotte Rohr (née Kastner). The attendance was approximately 1,100 people, the largest single shabbat in the history […]
CEO Ty Warner, known for his talent of blending elegance into family centered hospitality at his properties, did not disappoint at the San Ysidro Ranch Restaurant Easter Sunday Brunch. This reservation-only event was sold out, even with the flux of sun and showers throughout the afternoon. Guests in their Easter best with their children were […]
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art Women’s Board held its first of two fundraising soirées, titled, “Art à la Carte,” at the University Club on Monday, March 25. The lovely event featured an in-depth artist talk with Iraqi American abstract artist Vian Sora, and the museum’s Contemporary Art Curator James Glisson,PhD. The opening cocktail hour […]
The Los Padres ForestWatch (LPFW) nonprofit organization announced their 2024 Women Leaders of the Central Coast Public Lands. The LPFW selection focuses specifically on each woman’s groundbreaking work protecting public lands and waters. The women are Gloria Brown, Marlene Braun, Lois Capps, Jan Hamber, Kathleen Goddard Jones, Linda Krop, Mary Looby, Janine McFarland, Anne McMahon, […]
The City of Carpinteria announced this week the opening of grant applications for its Community Services Support Program. The deadline to apply is April 19, 2024. The allocated budget for Community Services Support Grants for the current fiscal year was $191,350, with $133,000 already awarded. The budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year has not yet […]
On the Wave Productions’ 22-minute documentary short film titled, Greetings from Summerland, Birthplace of Offshore Oil, is headed to Washington, D.C.’s bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. The film was produced and directed by filmmakers Harry Rabin and Joey Szalkiewicz. It premiered at the SBIFF and is scheduled for the Marjorie Luke Theatre for Earth Day. Its […]
The Carpinteria Writers Group presented its first book and author event titled, Carpinteria Festival of Books, on Saturday, March 23rd, at the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center. Suzanne Ahn from the Carpinteria Writers Group has been the volunteer lead on the event, working with the Carp Arts Center to put it on, along with Lantern […]
Heralding its fifth year for Open Call Environmental Hero Nominees, Explore Ecology is inviting everyone to submit their nominations for 2024 by April 1via the online form. I reached out to Explore Ecology’s PR Director Jill Cloutier, about this year’s awards and the importance of it for the organization. She explained, “We are thrilled to […]
With Easter arriving this weekend on March 31, we have the lineup of local area Easter events for children of all ages listed below. For Passover April 22-30, Rabbi Chaim Loschak and the Chabad of Montecito community will hold a Pesach Seder service on Monday, April 22 at 6:30 pm. There is a kosher food […]
The Montecito Association held its monthly Board meeting March 12th in person at the Montecito Library and via zoom. Community Reports began with Police Chief Lt. Ugo Peter “Butch” Arnoldi on the resolution of investigations and reported crime in the area. Montecito Fire Chief David Neels reported on the last storm, stating the area did […]
This week I interviewed Erika Endrijonas, Superintendent and President of Santa Barbara City College. A feminist and a women’s historian, she holds a B.A. in History from Cal State Northridge, and a M.A. and PhD in History from USC. Prior to her position at SBCC, her career included Dean and Professor, Union Institute & University, […]
When I read Editor-In-Chief Edward Kobina Enninful OBE’s final issue of British Vogue, which he dedicated to 40 women, I realized that it is fitting fashion designer Catherine Gee be featured in my Women’s History Month issue. From 2016 – with her hand-painted designs for the prints on her signature silk line of women’s clothes […]
My column’s Women’s History Month is proud to present Montecito trailblazer Christine Garvey. As a women’s leader in banking and real estate law, Garvey was one of seven women attending Suffolk University Law School in Boston in the late 1960s. That translates to approximately 1.5% of the law students at the time. She was one […]
The Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction held its 13th Annual Gratitude Luncheon Honoring its Mentorship Program, Wednesday, March 8 at the El Encanto Santa Barbara. The luncheon was founded by Anne Smith Towbes to celebrate the mentor program, which is 28 years strong. This year, the CADA honoree mentor is Kenny Slaught. He was […]
The Montessori Center School held its annual soirée fundraiser on March 9 at the Santa Barbara Women’s Club. This year’s theme was ‘90s Rock ’n’ Roll, and they rocked that ballroom! The top costume was sported by Primary teacher Kacy Cristofani and her husband Chris Burke as Wayne & Garth of Wayne’s World. The cocktail […]
The Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation held its 21st Annual Tiara Ball, traditionally known as the party of the year, at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort on Saturday, March 9. The Black-tie event saw five-star elegance in its 450 guests, with women in flowing silks and taffeta gowns, brilliant tiaras, Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks; and […]
Montecito Association held its Land Use monthly meeting March 5 via Zoom. Key issues on the table were the updates from the Rosewood Miramar Beach and the pedestrian paths in Montecito. The meeting was led by MA Land Use Chair Bill Babbitt. First up was Executive VP, Development & Acquisitions Bryce Ross for Caruso, Inc. […]
Administered by the National Park Service, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was updated effective January 12, 2024. The act was first established in 1990. The NAGPRA requires all Federal agencies and all museums, institutions, universities, colleges, state agencies, and local agencies that receive Federal funds, to identify all Native American human […]
The Chabad of Montecito led by Rabbi Chaim presented a talk with disaster management specialist Gavriel “Gavy” Friedson on Sunday, February 25 at the private home of Ben and Cheryl Trosky. The event program commenced with a welcome by Rabbi Chaim. He shared, “One of the most famous words in Hebrew is l’chaim – which […]
The California Special District Association (CSDA) awarded Assemblymember Gregg Hart, California State Assembly, District 37, as the Legislator of the Year. The award ceremony took place at the Montecito Fire Department on Friday, March 1st. Hart was honored for his support of local service specialists responsible for providing water, sanitation, healthcare, fire protection, parks, open […]
Santa Barbara Cottage Health announced its first Leap Year Baby birth! Our town’s newest resident is Ezra Kai Avila, born on February 29, 2024, at 2:19 am, weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and measuring 19.5 inches in length. Ezra’s birth is unique as this date only occurs every four years. Proud parents, Veronica Ortega and […]
The SoCal Museums organization is holding its 19th Annual Museums Free All Day event on Saturday, March 23. This free ticket covers all ages for general admission at over 30 museums from Santa Barbara County through Los Angeles County. The museums participating cover the arts, cultural heritage, natural history, and science. And the free day […]
Santa Barbara Museum of Art held its annual fundraiser titled, “Artful Affairs: Seasons of Change, Midwinter Night’s Dream,” on Saturday, February 24, at the museum galleries. The coveted upscale attire event saw the mix of art and music, as the SBMA joined with the Music Academy for a collaborative affair, accented with art themed hors […]
We are celebrating Black History Month with Kimberly Battle-Walters Denu, PhD.She is the Provost and dean of faculty at Westmont College, Montecito. Denu is an ordained minister, author, speaker, and teacher. Prior to Westmont she was the vice president for educational programs for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. Denu is […]
Santa Barbara Black Culture House’s Founders Darrell McNeill and Sally Foxen-McNeill presented their two final cultural events of the month over February 24 and 25, at Soul Bites Restaurant. First was a music performance by Los Angeles band The Funky Neighborson Saturday. The band members are Damon “Super Day” Wilson (keyboards), Terrence “Smoke” Huggins (drums), […]
To round out Black History Month, the exhibit by Janna Ireland, titled Janna Ireland: True Story Index, is up through June 2 at both the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art SB. The exhibit was co-curated by SBMA Curator of Photography and New Work Charles Wylie and MCASB President Frederick […]
The Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, Montecito has officially opened following extensive upgrades to its amenities and interior architecture, meticulously designed by owner Ty Warner. Well-known for his astute sense of creating the best in the hospitality industry, Warner ensured every step of the process personally. To oversee the club is its new General […]
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History announced its 15th Annual Legacy Awards honorees Kathy and Bob Harbaugh, Toni and Terry McQueen, Don Morris, and Ken Tatro, at a private dinner event on January 18 in the Fleischmann Auditorium. The Museum’s Legacy Awards acknowledge extraordinary contributions to the Museum and the natural world by community supporters, […]
Celebrating week three of Black History Month I met with Jordan Killebrew at his Santa Barbara City College office. He is the Executive Director (VP), Public Affairs & Communications for SBCC and has his own Graphics company, JK Graphic Solutions. His current volunteer work includes Founder of Project IV Love and Co-Founder & Executive Director […]
In celebrating Black History Month, this week we honor America’s First Black Woman novelist, Hannah Bond, whose self-styled pen name was Hannah Crafts. Her novel, written in the 1850s, is titled The Bondwoman’s Narrative. It remained an unpublished manuscript until 2001, when it was purchased at an auction by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. from the […]
Black History Month is dedicated to African Americans and the Arts. In Week Two we give it up for the young Obsidian Scholars at the Gateway Educational Services Goleta, who presented their original poetry in fond memory of Santa Barbara poet laureate, activist, and local institution Sojourner Kincaid Rolle. The event was held at Soul […]
Last year, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) posed a lofty goal to its members; to raise $1 million in funding for 2024 in honor of its 20th anniversary. The team at the WFSB has just announced it met and exceeded that goal, with an estimated record-breaking grants pool of $1.125 million. Indeed, happy […]
Attention all local high school students! Time to pick up your drawing penzils and pads, digital or analog, and create a logo for the Funk Zone Live Logo Contest, entries due by March 1, 2024. The winning logo is set to be featured on all merch and posters for SB Funk Zone Live events – […]