The Lilly Graduate Fellows Program has selected Westmont alumna Olivia Stowell (2019) as one of 10 Lilly Graduate Fellows nationwide. The prestigious fellowship supports outstanding students who want to explore the connections within Christianity, higher education, and the vocation of the teacher-scholar as they pursue graduate degrees in humanities and the arts. Stowell, who earned […]
It’s America’s birthday party and what could be more celebratory than shooting off fireworks?! But no one will be celebrating if those fireworks spark a fire. Fourth of July in Montecito is a celebration of our great nation’s independence and, our community’s independence from all fireworks. The manufacturing, storage, sale, handling, and use of all […]
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Our library continues to thrive these days as we move from the intensity of the pandemic and open further. While the Montecito Library has been offering curbside pickup since last July and indoor visits since December, June 15 has ushered in a true feeling of normalcy. While we continue to wear masks indoors, library staff […]
With climate change and potential severity of future droughts unknown, voluntary conservation continues to be an essential component for water supply planning locally and statewide. Historically, Montecito Water District customers have been able to reduce demands when necessary. In 2009, SBX7-7 set a requirement for urban water suppliers to reduce demands 20% by 2020. The […]
In Santa Barbara, Summer Solstice is synonymous with a vibrant parade down State Street, with music blaring and feet moving to the beat. But that’s not the only impactful event in town — the Alzheimer’s Association has hosted “The Longest Day” in each of the last seven years. The day is a combination of a […]
With just three full-time employees left, Cindy Faith Swain couldn’t help but have a little bounce in her step as some three dozen community members entered the gates at La Casa de Maria on June 24. The facility’s director bounced from group to group as guests grabbed a name badge and talked about yesteryear at […]
Jazz really can change the world; at least two of UCSB’s most accomplished professors think so. Dr. Jeffrey Stewart and Dr. Victor Rios have just been named as the newest recipients of the MacArthur Foundation Chairs — the same prestigious foundation known for their “Genius Grants.” Stewart, a professor of Black Studies and winner of […]
Kim Cantin remembers a time when her hard-working husband, Dave, would jet back from an international trip to make sure he didn’t miss a Troop 33 meeting — not only to join his son, Jack, but also because he understood that showing up was a needed lesson for impressionable youngsters. “He refused to miss it, […]
It was recently announced that Santa Barbara City College and the SBCC Foundation will receive a $20 million donation from MacKenzie Scott. This gift is one of 276 donations to universities and community colleges that total to $2.7 billion and marks the largest gift in the 112-year history of SBCC. The donation was made directly […]
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It wasn’t a message that any neighbor wants to see on the NextDoor app: “Rattlesnakes Galore. We found FOUR RATTLESNAKES on our property TODAY! My nerves are shot!!! Also saw a bear last week. It’s a jungle out there, neighbors. Please keep a watchful eye out everywhere you step and be really careful with your […]
A new aquarium store has opened in the Upper Village, in the space formerly occupied by Stationery Collection. Aquatic Jewels is owned by longtime aquarium enthusiast Dottie Allen and her business partner Mark Amescua, who opened the shop in late April. “We’ve always wanted to open a shop here in Montecito, and when this space […]
La Casa de Maria has stayed dormant since the Montecito Debris Flow. The organization has chosen to learn more about the land before redeveloping. More than three years later, it has a plan and a potential reopening date. Cindy Faith Swain peeks through a chain-linked fence that was once completely unnecessary, as separation from San Ysidro […]
California and much of the country reopening have been met with rejoicing by many people, but not everybody is completely comfortable with jumping right back into their old lives. That’s the impetus behind Hospice of Santa Barbara’s “Navigating Re-entry” Town Hall, an online forum featuring a half-dozen community leaders discussing the fears, anxiety, and issues […]
The total local student graduates for this week are 120 — with 74 at Cate School, 11 at Laguna Blanca Lower School, and 35 at Crane Country Day School. For the year, there were 246 graduates at all Montecito schools. We at the Montecito Journal wish all the 2021 graduates success going forward and congratulations […]






