Hello Neighbors!
My name is Carlos, I was born and raised right here in Montecito. My home has been on a ranch nestled in the middle of East Valley Road, Romero Canyon Road, and Buena Vista drive for as long as I can remember. My mother named me Carlos Romero after the name of the ranch I live on, Rancho San Carlos and Romero Canyon, my neighborhood.
Please know that I am a neighbor, not a nemesis. If you see me from a car, wave. If you see me at your house, back away slowly, then, when safe, make lots of noise and let me know I should move on. After all, I get hungry this time of year and will gladly relocate to a more welcoming place. Just know it is not you I am after. I am shy and like to keep to myself, but lately the work on the ranch has been discomforting to me and the others there, such as my friends the deer, racoons, possums, and squirrels.
I think the humans are clearing brush and dead wood for fire season and that is a good thing. But the grubs, ants, and larvae that I eat as a staple diet might be getting taken away. I am an omnivore. I eat what is easiest to find and seldom hunt live prey. So, you really haven’t much to worry about from me. I may be large and imposing, but when I smell food from a garbage can, I will treat it like a log with larvae and see if I can find a nibble or two.
I know I might be alarming to you, but please be aware I have rights, just like you. Please go to the following link to understand them:
Winter is coming, that is why I am constantly eating, to prepare for my yearly deep sleep, hibernation, and bulking up so I will be able to snooze comfortably and be well out of your yards and streets for a good long slumber.
I know Fish and Game are probably setting a trap for me so they can take me to another location and that is fine with me as long as I can keep being a bear, doing what bears do best.
Carlos Romero, The Bear
Montecito
Kudos to Bernstein
Kudos to you, Robert Bernstein for “telling it like it is.” The lack of adequate medical treatment and care for all in this country is a monumental crime.
Political change sadly won’t be coming soon, not with someone as unscientific and backward-thinking as Robert Kennedy Jr. heading up Health and Human Services. His nomination is a huge distraction from the real need to address the insufferable human misery caused by the inequities of our health care system. A need which the new Administration will no doubt condemn as “socialized medicine.”
Nor can there be any meaningful progress with trillionaire Elon Musk calling the shots with a single tweet as he did on Dec.18.
May he and Donald Trump fight it out and mutually self-destruct sooner rather than later, while the CEOs of this new Gilded Age cower.
Let’s hope a few more brave Wendell Potters, CEOs with a conscience, emerge to advocate for true universal healthcare.
Medicare has worked with few hitches for me and my husband since 2003. It should be made available from cradle to grave as it is in Japan, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway and many other countries, including right next door to the north, in Canada.
Josie Levy Martin
Phone Booth Redux
Thank you, Journal, for Deann Zampelli’s piece: “The Power of Quiet.”
It’s also the power of self-awareness, the power of consideration for others nearby, and the power of, oh, existing in a society where quiet behavior can be so valuable, because it’s so scarce and… invisible.
Quiet behavior is the only gift you can give to others you don’t know.
Consider spreading it around… especially in a library.
Cell Phones are a misnomer. A more accurate name: Yell phones.
On that note, maybe the library can install a few sound-proofed “Yell-Phone booths” in strategic locations throughout the building – like the bright retro-red kind you see in London.
Of course, some local artists could also be commissioned to paint them, and they could be seen as public indoor art with a useful purpose.
Sincerely,
LeeAnn Morgan
High Price to Pay for the Newly Amended County Wireless Ordinance
On December 4, 2024, the County Planning Commissioners voted for amendments to the county’s wireless ordinance combined with SB 9, a CA state housing bill, and put it on the February 4,2025, agenda for a vote by the County Board of Supervisors. As a county resident, I am sounding the alarm for what will happen in our neighborhoods if these amendments are passed. Please urge the Santa Barbara County Supervisors to vote NO on February 4, 2025,on the county wireless ordinance amendments, pending a well-advertised, unrushed public review, meetings with concerned residents, the Safe Technology for Santa Barbara group and their expert attorneys, who have NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST with the telecom industry. We need legal and necessary protections, not currently in the ordinance. It’s important not to rush this through, especially during the holidays! Putting the amended wireless ordinance on the February 4, 2025, County Board of Supervisors’ agenda is premature.
This ordinance removes notification about proposed small cell tower permit applications, the public’s ability to participate in hearings, oppose and appeal, specifies zero setbacks and much more.
California SB 9 local legislation and the county small cell wireless ordinance amendments should not be combined in one package! This makes no sense, since they are not related to each other. It’s best tovote NO on SB 9, since SB 9 does not promote affordable housing, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis Kin issued a landmark ruling on April 26, 2024, striking down the controversial SB 9, as unconstitutional. Until final decisions are made, based on this court ruling building permits will be canceled. See:
SB 9 together with the county wireless ordinance are exempt from CEQA, NEPA, environmental review and coastal permit hearings.
It’s important that the Board of Supervisors upgrade, not downgrade the wireless ordinance for the most protective codes and best practices to protect us from the irresponsible placement of cell towers. Their hands are not tied!
Wireless purveyors often mislead local governments to believe that they have little or no authority to regulate the placement of wireless facilities. This is not true.
We can adopt the best parts of ordinances i.e. Malibu, Encinitas, Petaluma, Mill Valley, Palo Alto, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Oakland and Santa Rosa.
The new wireless ordinance encourages stealth and concealment of cell towers. We recommend that cell towers be visible and mapped.
More telecom facilities increase greenhouse gases and the digital waste stream.We need to protect our property and property values, health and environment. Please do not take away any regulations on these telecom ordinances!
Visit https://envirotecmagazine.com/2021/11/08/how-green-is-5g/
Require the wireless companies to provide liability insurance for harm and death. Cell towers are not insured. Lloyds of London and all insurers have excluded all Radio Frequency radiation related illness. Ask Verizon for proof of insurance. The truth is, they are uninsurable for health-related effects.
Telecom should not be exempt from electrical and fire codes at the federal, state, and county levels! We needfire safety protocolsin the county wireless ordinances. Electrically caused fires could cost the county billions of dollars. Our wireless ordinances should include requirements and enforcement to ensure that licensed electricians or engineers are supervising and/or building, and properly inspecting
wireless installations.
Restore local government discretion on antenna location, so property owners can cooperate with authorities to zone cell towers far from bedrooms, classrooms and other vulnerable populations.
Prioritize WIRED broadband connection, which polls show two-third of Americans prefer.
A cell tower adjacent to a home can reduce property values by 20%, and 90% of buyers will avoid purchasing such a home.
Do independent monitoring of radiation and add regulations to prevent fire risk.See:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_i5Q7r8dg14OCW1MLo0yR6bf3ppv1Q2B/view
Cell towers are for cell phone calls and texts and not necessary for internet. Macro towers, distant from residential zones are best.
Wired Internet should be affordable and accessible to all! It’s faster, more secure, safer, has less fire risk and is far less polluting.
We need more local authority over cell towers, not less. Do not give a free pass to the telecom industry at the expense of notification, property values, fire risks, privacy, huge carbon footprint, health and safety.
Please send written public comments to: https://www.countyofsb.org/, attend the meeting on February 4, 2025, see: https://www.countyofsb.org/1599/Board-of-Supervisors, and urge the Supervisors to vote NO on SB 9 and the proposed wireless ordinance.
For more information contact:SafeTechSBC@gmail.com
http://emfsafetynetwork.org/safe-technology-for-santa-barbara-take-action/
https://www.facebook.com/SafeTechSBC
Lesley Weinstock, PAd
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