Since his election in 2007, Sheriff Bill Brown has been the chief law enforcement officer for Santa Barbara County. While “Santa Barbara County” may suggest to some the varied and gorgeous environs associated with the “Santa Barbara” brand – sandy beaches, the rolling hills of wine country, wildflowers, a puzzling Danish village with windmills – […]

During his 44 years teaching at Westmont, Jeff Schloss explored the fascinating relationships between biology and Christian faith. The author and co-editor of major works on biology and love, morality and religious commitment, he served for the last 15 years as senior scholar for the Biologos Foundation. He lectured and held fellowships at major universities […]

Debbie Price caught the Hollywood bug when she glimpsed festival klieg lights. “It was opening night of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre,” she says. “I saw Robert Mitchum, Jane Seymour, Kirk and Michael Douglas, Peter Cetera and others arriving – my first celebrity sightings.” She has since attended 36 of […]

“The company was pretty small then, but lemme tell you – on a typical Sunday I would be washing my car.” His name is Pete Jordano and he is an institution. I’ve come to his office to interrogate him. He’s taking it well. “I drove a ‘39 Pontiac. While I would be washing my car, […]

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, […]

A passionate longtime rock climber, Noah Banez (‘18) pursues his sport in an unlikely location: the isolated island of Guam. The co-founder and managing director of Guam Sports Climbing Center (Climbing Guam) in Barrigada, he also coaches the Guam National Climbing Team.  He and his wife, Olivia ‘Ozie’ Le Sage Banez, moved to Guam in […]

Two Westmont students received David K. Winter Servant Leadership Awards during chapel on April 7 in Murchison Gym. Angela D’Amour, dean of student engagement and interim vice president for student life, honored Kate Robinson (‘27) of Beverly, Massachusetts, and Andreas Olvera (‘26) of Woodland, California, for demonstrating above-and-beyond commitment to serving the campus community with […]

“So 90% of magicians are hobbyists. They don’t perform. They might for a little dinner party at home for a family member, but that’s about it.” Gene Urban is a professional magician – a card-carrying performer and habitue at the storied Magic Castle in Hollywood, and a guy who has traveled the world, his skill […]

In idle moments we mull unimaginable experiences beyond our own. What’s it like to be launched into space? To be on a sinking ship in mountainous, hurricane-tossed seas? To be homeless?  “I was never embarrassed about being homeless. It was just a fact. I wasn’t psychologically traumatized by it all. Yes, it was very stressful […]

Brian O’Laughlin was born to it – his awkward orientation at Washington State University notwithstanding. “Everybody shows up and all the other students are holding their major signs. You know, ‘What’s your major?’ And I was just walking around aimlessly looking for my group. I asked someone from admin, ‘Excuse me. Where’s Turf Management?’” The […]