Join Us October 22 at 7pm
By Steven Libowitz   |   October 23, 2020

In an effort to connect the community and keep the conversation going, James Joyce III, founder of Coffee with a Black Guy, has scheduled one of his signature events over Zoom for 7 pm to 8 pm Thursday evening, October 22, three days after Dr. Kendi’s event.  “It’s great that Arts & Lectures has stepped […]

On My Soapbox: To Agree or Not?
By Leslie Westbrook   |   October 1, 2020

This week I’m taking the opportunity to sound off from my soapbox, since the lead item on the Summerland’s popularity vote “yea” or “nay” for a cannabis dispensary in town, which ran a few weeks ago, created quite a little stir that resulted in three letters to the editor printed over three issues. First, I […]

 

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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 […]

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 […]

Voting Matters
By Sara Miller McCune   |   September 24, 2020

Most of us take voting as a right, which we may (or may not) choose to exercise. To me, voting is a privilege that I cherish and use in every primary and election. How else can I – together with my fellow citizens – put leaders in place with the authority to govern us wisely […]

Latest from Montecito Association
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 17, 2020

At a monthly board meeting last week, the Montecito Association Board of Directors heard from Brett Balint, CEO of Onward & Upward, who presented a very conceptual idea of modifying airspace over Santa Barbara and Montecito. Balint, who was in attendance on the Zoom meeting with Jasenka Rakas, Ph.D., from the University of California at […]

Cold Spring School Bond Measure Moves Forward
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 10, 2020

Earlier this summer, the Cold Spring School Board of Trustees approved a school bond measure on the upcoming November ballot, the first of its kind in 12 years. Measure L2020 is a $7.8M bond that will be used to fund much-needed infrastructure improvements and to fund a new classroom building to replace the dilapidated portables […]

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  • Legislative Update – the Mega Late Night Assembly Session Finale
    By Sharon Byrne   |   September 3, 2020

    The California legislature raced to get a slew of bills passed before the legislative session closed on August 31. Nine bills were proposed by the Senate leadership to create up to three million units of housing in California. Some of these bills directly impact Montecito, so we worked with Assembly Member Monique Limón and Senator […]

    Montecito Association Meets
    By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   August 13, 2020

    At this month’s Montecito Association board meeting, Montecito Union School and Cold Spring School superintendents reported that school will begin next week, on a virtual platform. Dr. Anthony Ranii from MUS reported that enrollment is up to 376 students, and the school is in process of distributing computers to each student. Administrators are also preparing […]

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    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 […]

    Laura Capps Launches Re-Election Bid for County Education Seat
    By Nick Schou   |   July 30, 2020

    In a video clip released July 27, former First District Supervisorial candidate Laura Capps officially announced her re-election campaign for the Santa Barbara Board of Education. In her case, “re-election” is somewhat of a misnomer, as Capps is the first to point out. “We got two new Board members in 2018, but the three of […]

    Police Reform En Route?
    By Jun Starkey   |   July 30, 2020

    Santa Barbara City Council looks into forming civilian review board The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer more than two months ago has shaken a nation that is still dealing with the fallout.    Thousands of protesters remain in the streets of Portland in a tense standoff with police and federal agents […]

    Gentrified or Not? A Chat with a Summerland Gentleman and Some Food for Thought
    By Leslie Westbrook   |   July 23, 2020

    Guy Hamilton and his wife, author Cynthia Hamilton, have lived in Summerland for 33 years. He wouldn’t live anywhere else. Guy recently reached out reminding me that he owned Chanticleer (now the site of Lucky’s) back in the late 1970s-early ‘80s and suggested he could offer a “little different perspective on things.” “Wouldn’t it nice […]

    Cannabis Under Fire, Part Three
    By Nick Schou   |   July 23, 2020

    Ever since the Santa Barbara Grand Jury issued its damning report last month on the explosion of cannabis cultivation in Santa Barbara County, a widening ripple of reaction has circled around Carpinteria, Goleta, and Buellton, where residents hope the controversy will aid their efforts to curtail the industry. As the Montecito Journal reported last week, […]

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