Tag archives: Debris flow
About four miles and 3,500 vertical feet uphill from the San Ysidro Trailhead, a Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA) work crew wearing hardhats printed in block letters with their names, are wielding hand hoes. They’re fixing a somewhat crumbling ridge dotted with small bushes and the scorched skeletons of small trees that burned in the […]
Lauren Cantin, the Montecito-raised teenager who was famously pulled from underneath a four-foot pile of mud and debris after being buried alive for six hours in the early morning hours of January 9, 2018, has appeared on all sorts of big stages in the two years since her rescue. That includes performing a duet with […]
Also in the news on the rebuilding front: earlier this week the County Board of Supervisors dedicated $10.1 million toward restoring haul routes and roads within the Montecito community and surrounding area that were damaged due to the 1/9 debris flow and emergency response. The funds were recently received as part of the County’s litigation […]
Earlier this week the Ashley Road bridge reopened after being closed for more than two years following the catastrophic events of the 1/9 debris flow. This Thursday, February 13, a reopening ceremony will be held on the bridge at 10:30 am. “Each step in the recovery and rebuilding process is a reason to celebrate,” said […]
Last Sunday, January 12, Montecito’s Cold Spring Trail was officially reopened following a two-year long closure after the 1/9 debris flow. First District Supervisor Das Williams hosted the ribbon cutting and celebration at the Cold Spring Trailhead on East Mountain Drive in Montecito. Other key people included Ashlee Mayfield, President of Montecito Trails Foundation, and […]
On January 9, 2020, Montecito residents gathered for the second annual 1/9 debris flow memorial titled, “Raising Our Light: An Evening of Remembrance, Connection and Hope.” The inspirational event was hosted by Westmont College at the Murchison Gymnasium, its stage decorated with white roses and two small Christmas trees glistening with white lights. The event […]
This Thursday, January 9, marks the two-year anniversary of the historic debris flow that killed 23 people and destroyed or damaged over 500 homes in Montecito. To mark the anniversary, a team of community organizations has collaborated to host Raising Our Light: A Night of Remembrance, Community, and Hope at Westmont College. The first annual […]
Two years ago this week, at approximately 3:30 am on the morning of January 9, 2018, a massive rainstorm unleashed a series of lethal debris flows that swept through Montecito, killing 23 people and leaving scores more injured and homeless. Two victims were never recovered, including Jack Cantin, whose father, David, also died in the […]
We hope you’re enjoying some of the lovely holiday decorations in our community. On December 4, we lit the tree in the Upper Green in front of Pierre Lafond, during Hospice’s now second annual Light Up A Life in Montecito. The Hathaway tree was decorated at Upper Manning Park by some fabulous elves that also […]
A question one often hears in Montecito this summer involves home real estate values within the dreaded “red zone.” Those currently in the red zone, whose homes were untouched by the 1/9 debris flow, ask how can they have their homes removed from the punitive evacuation red zone. To better understand the “red zone” and […]
MERRAG held its annual meeting at the Four Seasons Resort the Biltmore on Thursday, December 12. President Troy Harris listed the accomplishments of MERRAG over the past year, including the planning and execution of the Raising Our Light Remembrance Event on January 9, staffing information kiosks during the winter storm events from January through March […]
The standing room-only crowd that filled Montecito Union School’s meeting hall on the evening of December 5 wanted one thing above all else: good news. And by and large, that’s what they got from the group of city, state, and federal officials who presented their latest findings on both the winter weather forecast and the […]
In a little more than 80 days (March 3) we will have the opportunity to vote for, among other things, one of two candidates vying for the First District Santa Barbara County Supervisor seat: the incumbent Das Williams or his challenger, Laura Capps. Why does this election matter to the nine thousand plus residents of […]
On Monday, December 9, at Montecito Hall, Bucket Brigade co-founder Abe Powell hosted a Resiliency Workshop in order to roll out the organization’s newest mission: to help neighborhoods build hyper local resiliency in Montecito and beyond. “We are in a time where there is a huge opportunity for neighborhoods to build resilience, in what we […]
In the wake of the devastating debris flows of January 9, 2018 that killed 23 people in Montecito, local residents gathered together to brainstorm a safety solution that could prevent a similar tragedy. The Partnership for Resilient Communities (TPRC) raised millions of dollars to purchase state-of-the-art steel nets – high-tensile ring nets designed by the […]
For all of us who live or work in Montecito, the rainy season brings up a still fresh mix of emotions. We’re grateful for the hydration of our mountains as they continue to recover and revegetate. We’re thankful to no longer be in an active drought. But still we struggle with the residual trauma from […]
Last week, several hundred Montecito residents turned out at Montecito Union School to hear Kevin Taylor, Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD) chief, plus a parade of six county officials, provide an update on Winter Storm Readiness in Montecito. Montecito Fire Chief Taylor served as “Unified Commander” during the December 2017 Thomas Fire, as well as […]
Earlier this week, Khao Kaeng, the Thai food restaurant located in Coast Village Plaza, closed its doors after just a year in business. The eatery was the latest concept from the owners behind Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar at the Santa Barbara Public Market. Co-owners Jerry Lee, Emre Balli, and Nui Pannak signed the lease […]
History and our culture are rife with seemingly odd pairings that, perhaps counterintuitively, turned out to be productive and beneficial. Previously in these pages I’ve mentioned the counterbalance provided by founding fathers John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. But there was also an odd friendship between George Wallace and Shirley Chisholm. House Speaker Tip O’Neill and […]
Nearly two years after being washed away during the 1/9 debris flow, the Montecito Creek Bridge was reopened on Friday, November 22, the last of six bridges along State Route 192 to be replaced or repaired following the disaster. “I am very pleased that we can bring a small sense of normalcy to a community […]
