Head of Cate School Alex Lockett announced this week that Maude Bond will serve as Head of Admissions & College Counseling. Bond previously built Cate’s nationally recognized College Counseling program, known for its personalized, data-driven approach with an emphasis on highlighting each student’s distinct strengths. Bond’s experience prior to Cate School includes being Director of […]

Unite to Light, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB), and Deckers Brands have joined forces to support low-income students through the annual Tools for School program. This year, the initiative expanded to include solar-powered Luke Lights and phone chargers for more than 200 junior high and high school students living in […]

They were the voice from the readers and thinkers in the community. Whether reasonable or not, the disappearance of the Letters section is sad, as it silences a key part of the American “conversation” in the media. “Letters” was only a small corner of the paper. What caused the cancellation?  Was an MJ money-sponsor offended […]

David Carpenter passed away on July 21, surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 86 years old. Dave was born on March 24, 1939, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana; the fourth of five children. Valedictorian of his high school (North Side High School), he went to the University of Michigan on scholarship where he received […]

Frank Meeink, a former neo-Nazi skinhead recruiter turned Jewish educator, will share his extraordinary story in “Hate to Hope,” a public talk on Thursday, August 14, at 6 pm at the Louise Lowry Davis Center in Santa Barbara. Raised in South Philadelphia, Meeink was drawn into violent white supremacy as a teen before prison friendships, […]

WhatsApp Spam Messaging / Middle Road — Wednesday, July 30, at 11:45 hours The Reporting Party stated that she received two WhatsApp messages that said in Spanish, “Hi my love, how are you” from an unknown number. She blocked the number from the App. She then received two facetime calls. She ignored them and then […]

Burglary Messages / Butterfly Lane — Sunday, July 20, at 07:57 hours Homeowner returned home late on 7/19 to discover the residence had been broken into and ransacked. A possible latent fingerprint was discovered on the rim of the safe keypad. The keypad was disconnected and booked into evidence for further forensic examination.  Meth / […]

Montecito’s Upper Village is about to welcome a new culinary gem: Little Mountain, a refined, ingredient-driven restaurant helmed by acclaimed Chef Diego Moya. Slated to open soon, the restaurant will showcase Moya’s signature wood-fired, seasonal cooking rooted in sustainability and global technique. His diverse culinary journey spans top kitchens from Lima to Paris to New […]

Ralph Minc, longtime Santa Barbara local, passionate athlete, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2025, at the age of 79. Ralph was born in Tayport, Scotland, to Catherine Duncan Minc and Hendryk Minc, a Polish Jew who escaped the Nazis and eventually made his way to Scotland. In 1958, the […]

Santa Barbara County has crowned its grand prize winner in the 2025 WaterWise Garden Recognition Contest: Teri and Pat Guillies of Montecito. Their vibrant, eco-conscious garden, dubbed a “pollinators’ dream,” captured top honors for its dazzling display of over 65% California native plants, including sagebrush, blue-eyed grass, island buckwheat, and more. Designed and maintained by […]

Suspect Text Messages / Toro Canyon Road — Monday, July 14, at 20:56 hours Responded to a report of suspicious text messages received by two different residents from the same number. The messages were ambiguous but suggestive and mentioned death, placing the two recipients and other residents in fear. The messages did not meet the […]

A renewed legal and political firestorm is brewing off the Central Coast as federal authorities and fossil fuel companies push to restart oil production at the long-shuttered Santa Ynez Unit (SYU), while local environmental groups and Santa Barbara County mount legal resistance. The U.S. Department of the Interior has hailed the project’s revival as a […]

About 10 days ago, ICE was reportedly in Montecito and detained several hardworking gardeners on Hot Springs Road — individuals who are not criminals. This has raised serious concerns in the community. Separately, the ongoing construction, particularly with the new roundabouts, is creating significant safety issues. The traffic flow and congestion are becoming increasingly dangerous […]

Attempted Break In / Las Entradas Drive — Tuesday, July 8, at 21:10 hours Reporting Party (RP) was alone in the residence when she heard someone attempt to open up two different entry doors. RP called 9-1-1, a search of the interior and exterior was conducted but no one was located.  Break In Stopped by […]

The luxury women’s fashion brand, Veronica Beard, will be opening at 1269 Coast Village Road, the previous location of Allora by Laura. The store is set to open in October and the MJ will have more information in the months to come.  Events at Montecito Country Mart – Poppy Marché every Wednesday from 3-5 pm […]

Montecito Fire Dept. Chief Neels shares to the community, “On June 26, 2025, our partners from Montecito Water District, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, neighboring fire agencies, and local community organizations joined us to discuss how your public safety agencies collaborate before, during and after emergencies.” The meeting […]

Ed Maschke, longtime Santa Barbara County environmental activist, political consultant, labor organizer and elected official, passed away peacefully at his home in Lompoc. He is survived by daughters Gwenivere (1970), Jennifer (1973), and Aurora (1980), ten grandchildren, one great grandson, countless friends and the thriving California solar energy industry he was instrumental in creating. Interest […]

The saying, “Its complicated” or should we say, “it’s apartment-complexed”, suits the ongoing debate over the Mission LLC group owners Craig and Stephanie Smith’s project to construct an 8 story, two building, 270-unit housing complex at, wait for it, 505 East Los Olivos Street, Santa Barbara, the private residential property behind the SB Mission and […]

James Daniel Simmons, known as Jay to most, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2025, at the age of 57 after his short battle of liver and kidney disease. Born and raised in Oxnard, California, Jay was a proud graduate of Rio Mesa High School, class of 1986. Jay was a devoted husband to his […]

Montecito drivers should prepare for significant traffic pattern changes asHighway 101 construction ramps up this July. As of June 28, newly constructed northbound lanes from Sheffield Drive to Hermosillo Road have opened, including a new auxiliary lane between San Ysidro and Olive Mill roads. Commuters can now access an improved northbound on-ramp at San Ysidro […]

Burglary / Boeseke Parkway — Monday, June 16, at 18:59 hours Residents came home after being away for the weekend and discovered entry had been made through a broken window on the back door. The suspects ransacked several rooms and stole three watches (two of them being Rolex) and a box of ammo. The victims […]

Our family and community lost a wonderful human being on March 22, 2025.  Thelma Fraley Mead, just three weeks shy of 102, was born on April 13, 1923, in Ashland, Oregon, and lived for 68 years in Santa Barbara. She grew up in Alameda, California, attended Pasadena College for two years, and graduated from UC […]

This July 4th, San Ysidro Ranch invites guests to its “Fourth of July in the Gardens” celebration – a festive afternoon of elevated Americana. From 12 to 4 pm, enjoy live music, lawn games, and patriotic décor in the sun-drenched gardens. Indulge in a gourmet Santa Maria-style barbecue featuring Snake River Farms Wagyu tri-tip, Jidori […]

Local residents are reminded to attend the Wildfire Preparedness Meeting hosted by Montecito Fire on Thursday, June 26, at 6:00 pm in the Montecito Union School Auditorium. This panel discussion will bring together representatives from Montecito Fire and adjoining fire departments, MWD, SBC Sheriff’s Office, SBC Office of Emergency Management (OEM), CHP, and SBPD for […]

Joanne Cooper Holderman passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 27, at the age of 89 in Santa Barbara, California, after a brief illness. She was surrounded by her loving children, Caroline Calvin and William Holderman. Born on July 1, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, Joanne was the first of three daughters of Margaret and Dr. John […]

Stolen Check / 1470 East Valley Road — Monday, June 2, at 10:14 hours Victim placed a card with a check for $200.00 in the Montecito Post Office mailbox. Victim learned the card wasn’t delivered to her sister, instead someone altered the check, and it was cashed for $2,000.00. Family Disturbance / 1700 block Jelinda […]

Marianna Victoria Mashek is a Santa Barbara native, a Santa Barbara High School Don, and studied Studio Art at UCSB. She later studied Arts Administration at Antioch University, worked for the Santa Barbara Arts Council and Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, and Santa Barbara City College. If you detect a theme you’re not mistaken – […]

Leo Brownstein, a Life Scout with Montecito’s Troop 33, is leading a community flag drive as part of his Eagle Scout project in collaboration with American Legion Post 49 and the Montecito Association. The drive will run from July 4 to July 18, with a flag collection box located at the Montecito Community Hall. Troop […]

Stephen Edward Geremia died peacefully on May 10, 2025, in Santa Barbara, California. He was 83 years old. Born on April 15, 1942, in Providence, Rhode Island, Stephen was the son of Dorothy Townsend Lovell (born 1914 in Washington, D.C.) and Eduardo Geremia (1912–1986), originally from Vairano Patenora, Caserta, Campania, Italy. After several family moves, […]

Leila Carpenter passed away in her sleep, alongside family, on June 7. She was 83 years old. Soft-spoken and reserved, Leila was a fiercely independent and loyal person. She grew up in southern Sweden, the middle of three children. She was a star tennis player and studied at Stockholm University. After moving to Manhattan Beach […]

We reached out to a number of Pete’s longtime chums and family members and asked them to weigh in on the subject of Pete Jordano. Dodgers bat boy, U.S. Marine, business legend, raconteur; to paraphrase Sinatra, Pete Jordano is a many-splendored thing. Pete’s Santa Barbara “journey” has been defined by people – business contacts, customers, […]

Wire Fraud / Colville Street — Tuesday, May 27, at 13:47 hours In October and November of 2024 the victim(s) wired the suspect an amount of money on two separate occasions ($16,000 per transfer) for two separate BMW vehicles. The suspect never delivered the vehicles and failed to provide a refund. Subject had an outstanding […]

In a remarkable development for local public safety, the Montecito Association has announced that the long-anticipated Sheriff Substation will now be hosted by the Miramar Hotel – at no cost to the community. The generous offer, which includes covering all associated expenses, marks a major milestone in a years-long effort to enhance law enforcement presence […]

The Music Academy of the West has announced the acquisition of 901 State Street, a landmark property in downtown Santa Barbara, marking a transformative expansion into the heart of the city. This ambitious new hub for music education and community engagement is made possible by a $20 million gift from Cheryl Goldberg, in honor of […]

Summerland’s popular antique, garden, and home boutique, The Well, has opened its new location at 1080 Coast Village Road, in the former location of Mad Dogs & Englishmen Bike Shop. This is only the second location of The Well, besides their L.A. warehouse, Big Daddy’s Antiques. The Well’s offerings of luxury vintage and modern goods […]

Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) officially broke ground on its new Westside Clinic at 621 W. Micheltorena Street on Friday, May 30. The event marked a major milestone in expanding access to healthcare for underserved communities on Santa Barbara’s Westside. Community leaders, including SBNC CEO Dr. Mahdi Ashrafian, City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez, and Co-chairs Janet […]

Cottage Health has elected Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons to its Board of Directors. Fitzgibbons currently serves as the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and holds multiple medical directorships within Cottage Health, including for Infection Prevention and Control and the Cottage Center for Population Health. She also serves on […]