Tag archives: letters

Having served on the Montecito Sanitary District Board in the past, I understand what may not be apparent to most residents: The decisions facing the District are far more complicated than “the slate” of candidates Wicks, Francis, and Barrett suggest in recent paid advertising, mailers, and an MJ editorial. Today, the District faces decisions about […]

Asking for Facts on MSDI was saddened and concerned to receive the mailer from Montecito Sanitary District slate candidates Barrett, Francis, and Wicks. After reading it, I keep coming back to a phrase that has been on my campaign materials since the beginning: the facts matter. I mean that literally, not simply as a campaign […]

My work in Santa Barbara has long focused on public health and safety, prevention, and bringing community systems together to address difficult problems. That experience shapes what I look for in public leadership: an understanding of how policy works, a willingness to ask hard questions, and the ability to move from ideas to implementation. Devon […]

Editor’s note: The following letter remembers Pedro Rivera, the longtime Santa Barbara and Montecito bartender who was struck and killed by a car on Coast Village Road on August 2. My family (Cheri, Garret and Sierra) enjoyed talking with Pedro at the restaurant, Teddy’s by the Sea, every other week for the past two years! […]

These are our daily traffic concerns going into the roundabout, with road closures, people not letting you in, people not sharing. The road is all long lines. It seems to be heavy traffic, daily now, and with the overpass being built, what is it that local traffic can do to bypass some of this inconvenience? […]

Jeffrey Harding’s column on socialism lacks nuance and greatly oversimplifies what socialism can mean. Below is AI’s answer to the question, “Have there been successful experiments in socialism?” Jeffrey doubts that there are any progressives with “a well-rounded knowledge of history, economics, and philosophy,” a statement that might have surprised Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. […]

Recently, I attended the best SBUSD meeting I have witnessed in my 28 years of following local school board issues. The facilitator, Dr. Suzette Lovely, presented a creative and thought-provoking workshop on “Governance.” Two slides set the tone for the day: 1. Definition of the Greek root of the word governance (“to steer”); and 2. […]

I have so much admiration for Mayor Sheila Lodge. I can’t imagine Santa Barbara without her. The impact she had was as deep as the love she shared for our community. In fact, the profound way she shaped our city, decade after decade, is unmatched.  Sheila was the first mayor I knew as a child, […]

Montecito resident Keith Yeager traded FIFA gear during an exchange with FIFA/Qatar football club staff, one local example of promoting international friendship and cooperation, at the Rosewood Miramar on June 25th. The Qatar team was well hosted by Montecito, staying at the Rosewood Miramar hotel as their base camp, and training on Westmont’s Thorrington Field. […]

About a month ago I enjoyed the surprise of having my photo on the cover of the Montecito Journal (May 14-21, 2026). The feature article highlighted an important, but perhaps little-known nonprofit in our community called Veggie Rescue. I had no business being the face of the article. In case you didn’t read the article, […]

I have a pair of nesting kestrels in my yard. Because the kestrels need lots of mice and voles to feed their young, I realize how easily they can be harmed if my neighbors put out rodent poison. On my walk yesterday a woman asked me if I had seen the sick coyote which is […]

We are sad to learn that the wonderful Miss B’s in Summerland is unable to open. I have been walking by the location at the corner of Lilly and Olive, and chatting with the owner, Sara, for over a year. She explained her vision for a young child’s club and art venue, and I’ve watched […]

Outdoor lighting is something most of us rarely think about, yet it has a powerful impact on birds. White outdoor lighting attracts insects at night and many of those insects die from these bulbs – from exhaustion, predation or from hot bulbs. This matters far beyond insects because birds rely heavily on caterpillars and other […]

He was happy, dancing in his nearly empty kitchen. And then sad, because of all the memories he had in this den. Fragmented, emotionally and overwhelmed physically with moving; what’s a bear to do?  Dance!!  His clouds lifted, and he felt better with his radio on KTYD, playing the rock and roll that he grew […]

Many immigrants have come to our country as desperate refugees, some fleeing for their lives. The fact is most immigrants are honest, hardworking people, and this group has a lower crime rate than U.S. citizens. Unless you’re a Native American, you’re an immigrant or come from immigrants. Many of the immigrants we came from were […]

Only Jeff Wing could walk us through a crash course in evolution biology, anatomy, AND his own colonoscopy in the stand-up comedy mode, all the while lying on his side.  LOL!  The lesson: our gut health is so integral to the gut-brain axis, but pooping will always be hilarious. Sincerely, LeeAnn Morgan  A Lasting Lesson […]

SOC (save our cattle) from horrible inhumane slaughter. Every time I drive up in the country, I enjoy seeing all the free-roaming cattle with their cute calves on the hillside. It’s nice to see happy cows while they are alive, knowing that eventually they’re going to end up on someone’s dinner table. I have an […]

As a survivor of the mudslides, I want to thank all of the various forms of government (State, Federal, County, City) who handled the recent storm.  Sincerely, Paul Orfalea Way It Was Reflections Of all the pieces in the Montecito Journal, Hattie Beresford’s The Way It Was local history series is my favorite. This week’s […]

I am writing this letter because Hattie Beresford’s piece on Rowland Hazard III, while very interesting, was missing some vital information that was not included in her article. Of interest is Rowland Hazard III’s role in the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the connection of AA with the Hazard property down to this day. Rowland […]

Jeff Harding’s recent column in the Montecito Journal brings up one of the hottest topics facing City Council currently. “Rent Control” surfaces periodically as a solution to the relatively high cost of living in a city where demand for affordable housing has traditionally out-paced supply. Due primarily to our high-functioning Housing Authority, Santa Barbara actually […]