Push Refresh on Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show

One of Santa Barbara’s premier tourist attractions, the Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show, every Sunday along Cabrillo Boulevard at the beach for more than 50 years, has had a facelift. Besides the recent remodeling of the bridge and sidewalks, the show is now integrated, no longer separating the arts from the crafts.

Now is the time to get out of the house and experience the new and improved Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show. Bring your family and friends to see paintings, sculpture, photographs, clothing, jewelry, and much more.

You must walk the whole show, or you might just miss the perfect Christmas gift.

Jim Koorey

Taking Issue with a Councilman

Last night at the City Council meeting, Santa Barbara City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez asked if they could enact an ordinance to prevent old, sick, and disabled people from living in the Santa Barbara foothills to develop more housing in high fire areas. When did it become OK to discriminate against protected classes? If this is how he conducts himself in a public meeting, what is happening behind the scenes that we don’t see? This behavior should not be allowed to happen without ramifications. The only way this will happen is if our press makes it known outside the small group that attended this meeting. The fact that the City Attorney advised him that this was not legal, and the rest of the council did not support it is not sufficient; it does not change the fact that Gutierrez was advocating for discrimination.

To provide further context, his comments came up in a discussion related to an ordinance to allow lot splits (item number 17 on the agenda). The city council and mayor were cautioned by many that allowing lot splits in high fire areas would pose a significant risk to residents and there are no plans to mitigate this risk. This was Gutierrez’s solution. So, I guess it also means it’s ok if people in these protected classes can’t get out in an emergency and die?

For the record, I am a strong proponent of the need to develop housing, especially targeted to low-income individuals. Discrimination is never the answer.

For your information, these meetings are recorded as part of the public record, so you can listen for yourself. I hope you will make this known to our community so appropriate actions required by law are taken.

Jim Carbone

Truth is in the Video

If Mr. Brutoco of Perspectives sincerely cares to promote morality, he would be well advised to more critically investigate truth, rather than parroting the same old gossip and polarizing political slant. After viewing clear footage, testimony, and documentation in the Kyle Rittenhouse case, I find the facts indisputable.

Number 1, Rittenhouse did not purchase an illegal firearm and bring it across state lines. It was purchased legally in Kenosha. It was only less than an hour’s ride from his home to Kenosha, though there was a state boundary between. He had friends and family in Kenosha, some had businesses that were threatened by fire and window-breaking rioters, as police presence was drawing back. He was involved with groups that cleaned graffiti off of walls, and spent time with police. He also studied first-aid and carried his medical bag that night. I believe he was motivated by a desire to diffuse the very violent situation. Naive or not, he was within his legal right to carry a firearm.

Three young men became very aggressive toward him. He, trying to avoid them, ran the other direction down the street. They pursued him and circled him when he fell on his back on the street. One of the young men jump-kicked him in the side of the head. The other man threatened him with a skateboard, which I believe could be deadly. He shot them out of fear for his life. He wounded the third young man that drew a gun on him.

Mr. Brutoco referred to the aggressors as innocent and not involved in the riot. There is a clear video of the kicker lighting dumpsters on fire and trying to push them into a business. He was also verbally threatening the people around him.

All three of these young men were found to have very lengthy violent criminal records.

All souls are precious. Kyle has deep remorse for what has happened and suffers for it. If Kyle would have had foreknowledge of the events of that night, he would never have been present.

Merari Avery