South Coast Property Report
By Stan Tabler   |   April 22, 2025

The Santa Barbara South Coast real estate market continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience in early 2025, with significant price appreciation in most areas and a persistent shortage of available inventory driving competitive bidding situations despite rising interest rates. Montecito, in particular, maintains its position as one of the nation’s most exclusive real estate markets, though […]

Stroke on the Water: Mike, Linda, and Ka Nai’a Outrigger’s Unsung Legacy
By Jeff Wing   |   April 1, 2025

Montecitans Mike and Linda Ofner have been a dynamic team – as coaches, mentors, and life partners – through more than 50 years of marriage. Never mind that they’ve also been the backbone of a Santa Barbara waterfront institution for nearly 40 years – a beachfront outfit called Ka Nai’a Outrigger. “So, 1986,” son Greg […]

 

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License Plate Readers in Montecito and More
By Joanne A Calitri   |   March 25, 2025

The Montecito Association March 2025 meeting was held in person at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom, Tuesday, March 11. MA President Doug Black with1st VP Leslie Lundgren called the meeting to order and moderated the presentations. The key agenda item was the presentation by FLOCK representative Brooke Midgett, via Zoom. Flock makes […]

Hot Springs, Red Flags, and Congestion Enforcement
By Tiana Molony   |   March 11, 2025

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, county officials say Montecito’s hot springs have seen a surge in popularity. They attribute the increased foot traffic, in part, to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where posts have promoted the pools as a must-visit destination.  There were also reports of tour buses dropping off large groups at the […]

Pipelines & Supes’ Salaries: Community and Organizations Flock to BOS Meeting
By Tiana Molony   |   March 4, 2025

Hundreds gathered outside the Santa Barbara County Administration Building on the morning of Tuesday, February 25th.  The focus of the day was the Board of Supervisors meeting, where they were to consider the appeals to the County Planning Commission’s (CPC) approval of Sable Offshore Corporation’s application for a change in owner, operator, and guarantor for […]

Intuitive da Vinci 5 Comes to Foothill Surgery Center
By Tiana Molony   |   February 25, 2025

A surgeon enters the operating room and sits on a stool in the corner. They lean in and rest their forehead on a cushioned viewfinder before placing their fingers in the appropriate loops. The surgeon begins the operation while the patient is just feet away. They’re using the Intuitive da Vinci 5, an advanced robotic […]

Crime in Montecito and Insurance Rates post-L.A. Fires
By Joanne A Calitri   |   February 25, 2025

The Montecito Association February 2025 meeting was held in person at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom, Tuesday, February 11. Leslie Lundgren, 1st VP MA, called the meeting to order and moderated the presentations. Present were MA Executive Director Houghton Hyatt and the full MA board. The top agenda item was the crime […]

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  • Pools and Paths at the Land Use Meeting
    By Joanne A Calitri   |   February 18, 2025

    The Montecito Association (MA) Land Use Committee (LUC) February meeting was held Tuesday, February 4, at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom. The meeting was called to order by its Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson. Attendees were the LUC members, Montecito residents, MA ED Houghton Hyatt, and Chip Wullbrandt of Price, Postel & Parma […]

    MERRAG at Sunset
    By Jeff Wing   |   January 28, 2025

    The world is changing. Not to sound ill-advisedly sentimental, but the Human Touch is quickly going the way of the Triceratops. Today our consensual twin summits – Efficiency and Optimization – are turning us into almost childlike fans of automata. Robots, algorithms, and computer-generated flapdoodle are obsoleting such exotica as warm-blooded human beings walking through […]

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    The 7th Annual Raising Our Light Ceremony
    By Joanne A Calitri   |   January 21, 2025

    For the 7th year, the lives of the 23 Montecito residents who lost their lives in the 2018 mudslides were honored in a solemn ceremony, Raising Our Light, on Thursday, January 9, outside in the Montecito Union School parking lot.  There, with the Montecito Fire Department Engine as backdrop, was the podium for the speakers […]

    Biltmore Project at the Land Use Meeting
    By Joanne A Calitri   |   January 21, 2025

    The Montecito Association Land Use Committee (LUC) January meeting was held Tuesday, January 7, in person at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom. The meeting was called to order by its Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson. Attendees were the Land Use Committee members, MA Executive Director Houghton Hyatt, MA President Doug Black, land surveyor […]

    Raising Our Light: Montecito Comes Together for the 7th Anniversary of the Debris Flow
    By Zach Rosen   |   January 14, 2025

    January 9th, 2018, is a night that Montecito will never forget, yet nature has provided some unwanted reminders. In 2023, heavy rains, flooding, and evacuations all took place on the very day of the 5th anniversary of the tragic Debris Flow in Montecito that took 23 lives. Even now, as the community prepares for the […]

    Roy Lee Takes Oath of Office as First District Supervisor
    By Joanne A Calitri   |   January 14, 2025

    In its first meeting of 2025, and its 125th convening, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors inducted into office three supervisors in an hour and half ceremony with much pomp and circumstance. Newly elected to the BOS is Roy Lee, First District, and taking their second and third terms respectively are Fourth District Supervisor […]

    Crime in the ‘Cito: Sheriff’s Blotter 93108
    By Montecito Journal   |   January 14, 2025

    False Alarm / 800 block Cold Spring Rd — Monday Dec 23, 2024, at 22:00 hours Reporting Party (RP) called law enforcement because she received concerning text messages from her estranged cousin she has not been in contact with over several years. RP stated her cousin texted her stating that he is close by and […]

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