Tag archives: local politics

Natalia Alarcon and Wade Nomura Backed By Carpinteria’s Anti-Cannabis Contingent
By Nick Schou   |   October 13, 2020

This November, three candidates are running for Carpinteria’s five-member city council: Mayor Wade Nomura, a former professional skateboarder; Mark McIntire, a former Santa Barbara City College philosophy professor; and Natalia Alarcon, a nonprofit program manager and clinical psychologist. Of the trio, Nomura, an incumbent, is the only candidate with any experience in city politics. McIntire, […]

Andy Caldwell
By James Buckley   |   October 1, 2020

Andy Caldwell’s mother was an immigrant from Austria and his father was a Bataan Death March survivor. Andy was born on an Air Force base in Jacksonville, Arkansas. After his father got out of the Air Force, they moved to Kingsburg, California, just south of Fresno. His dad passed away when Andy was nine years […]

Elections Have Consequences…
By Gwyn Lurie   |   October 1, 2020

Who we vote for, in many ways, determines how, and how well, we live. This has never been more obvious than it is right now. And not just at the highest levels of government; from the ballot’s top to bottom it matters. The dangerous perspective that a single vote does not make much difference allows […]

MJ’s Guide to Montecito’s Local Election Day Candidates
By Nick Schou   |   September 24, 2020

Hard to believe there are only 40-plus days until the November election – which will (God-willing) be decided before 2020 happily rides off into the sunset. Judges like to say that ignorance of the law is not a defense. We believe the same goes for elections. The following is meant to provide you with relevant […]

Candidates Throw Their Hats in the Ring
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   August 13, 2020

Last week was the candidate filing period deadline for many local elections, including the Montecito Fire Protection District and Montecito Water District boards of directors. This week marks the deadline period for both public schools in Montecito (Cold Spring School and Montecito Union), as well as for the Montecito Sanitary District board. At Montecito Fire […]

Voting to the Moon and Back
By Gwyn Lurie   |   April 9, 2020

Huge thanks from the Montecito Journal to Maureen McDermut & Associates for sponsoring this week’s home delivery! We are doing everything possible to get to you during this difficult moment! In the blink of an eye, the world has changed. On Sunday evening my daughter wanted takeout from a local Mexican restaurant, but my husband […]

Our Endorsements
By Gwyn Lurie   |   February 27, 2020

This political season feels tedious and interminable. Like watching Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar acceptance speech on a continuous loop. Set to elevator music. And then the elevator gets stuck. Unfortunately, for many of the races that matter to us, we still have eight months to go till November – eight months of promises, sniping, wooing, and […]

Letters to the Editor
By Montecito Journal   |   February 20, 2020

Passion and Competence When Das Williams was on the Santa Barbara City Council, I was the wife of a Councilmember, Grant House. Since then Das has been both my State Assembly member and my County Supervisor. I got to know him when he served on the Council, and have seen him grow since. Das was […]

Montecito Election Results
By Bob Hazard   |   November 15, 2018

No need for us to reiterate the national, statewide, and countywide election results. If you are a Democrat, you are ecstatic; if you are a Republican, not so much. It was, however, a good day for supporters of Montecito’s Water Security Team, all five of whom were elected to their respective boards: Cori Hayman, Brian […]

Why I am Running for the Montecito Water District Board
By Brian Goebel   |   September 27, 2018

I am running for the Board of Directors of the Montecito Water District because I believe that sound governance can deliver a more resilient and secure water future for our community. After years of inaction, we must shift to a more reliable, local, and sustainable water supply that will maintain our quality of life and […]

Mud in Your Eye
By Judy Ishkanian   |   September 20, 2018

Hello, from Judith Ishkanian. Surely nobody expected Mother Nature to inundate Montecito with mud and debris nine months ago. But she did, It has been a remarkable experience for Montecito residents ever since. According to the Sanitary District records, 10 percent of our population is off-line, whether because of total ruin, major repairs, disruption of […]

Why I am Running Again
By Dick Shaikewitz   |   September 20, 2018

I, Dick Shaikewitz, am an incumbent Montecito Water District (MWD) director since 2006, holding a business degree from Northwestern University and a law degree from Washington University. I practiced law in Southern Illinois; primarily doing litigation. Montecito has been my home for 21 years. I served six years as a Montecito Association director. The Music […]

Montecito Citizen: Called to Serve
By Judy Ishkanian   |   September 6, 2018

Judith Ishkanian here, candidate for re-election to the Montecito Sanitary District (MSD). Thank you all for the wonderful responses to my article last week (MJ #24/35). Many of you suggested that I say more about myself. Okay… But first, let me state that I am not going to defile our wounded community with yard and […]

Buying the Montecito Water District
By Dick Shaikewitz   |   August 30, 2018

This November, three seats on the five-member Board of the Montecito Water District (MWD) will terminate, allowing interested candidates to run for the open positions. The MWD, formed in 1921 is governed by a majority vote of the five elected directors who serve four-year terms. These directors determine policy and approve the expenditure of funds […]

Candidates Announced for November Election
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   August 23, 2018

Earlier this week, five local residents announced their candidacy for November’s upcoming election in which Montecito residents will be asked to fill three seats on the Montecito Water District (MWD) Board of Directors and two seats on the Montecito Sanitary District (MSD) Board of Directors. Calling themselves “the Montecito and Summerland Water Security Team,” the […]

Don’t Feed the Traffic
By Montecito Journal   |   July 8, 2018

When I was a little girl, my favorite book was A Fish Out of Water. Based on a short story by Dr. Seuss, it’s about a little boy who buys a goldfish and is warned by the pet store owner only to feed the fish a little bit. The boy didn’t listen and he fed […]

How We’re Voting: The California Primary
By James Buckley   |   May 31, 2018

In case you missed last week’s Coming & Going, in which we made our upcoming primary election endorsements, preferences, and suggestions, what follows is an edited version of same, with the addition of races and positions not previously covered: Governor of California: John Cox Lieutenant Governor: Cole Harris Secretary of State: Raul Rodriguez, Jr. Controller: […]

The California Primary
By James Buckley   |   May 24, 2018

Tuesday, June 5 (polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm) is that time again, folks, when you’ll be asked for “permission” to spend yet even more money that California doesn’t have to fulfill a wish list of spending by our profligate legislators. But hey, what the heck, it’s not only not their money, […]