Tag archives: community

Carpinteria Garden Park Accepting Applications for Food Garden Plots
By Montecito Journal   |   September 10, 2024

There are one hundred raised garden beds at 4855 5th St. in Carpinteria that are now available to grow your own food. The Garden Beds are also available at 27-inch heights for people with limited mobility. The plot rental is for Carpinteria residents aged 18 and older, one per family. The rental includes access to […]

SB Eastside News: Ortega Park Revitalization Project Updates
By Joanne A Calitri   |   September 3, 2024

The SB Eastside 9.5 acres Ortega Park located next to Santa Barbara Junior High School at 640 Salsipuedes Street, is awaiting funding to proceed with a revitalization plan. Current data shows funding from the City of SB at $1,390,000 and a Community Development Block Grant at $146,690. The amount for construction of the current site […]

The Heart of Our Community Shines Again!
By Beth Sullivan   |   August 27, 2024

During Coast Village Week, the Heart of Our Community was visible in every way! The week-long celebration was filled with energy, joy, and a strong sense of togetherness, reflecting the vibrant spirit that defines Coast Village Road. Thanks to the incredible enthusiasm, support, and participation from our local community, Coast Village Week was a resounding […]

Exceptional Plants Auction: Lotusland’s Horticultural Hoedown
By Steven Libowitz   |   August 13, 2024

Crossing Encephalartos horridus with Encephalartos woodii might sound like the formula for developing the world’s next deadly disease. But horticulturalists will realize that it’s actually a unique cycad hybrid – one that results in super spiny and glossy green leaves. The Lotusland-created specimen will be among the hundreds of rare and specimen plants available at […]

Family Service Agency
By Steven Libowitz   |   July 30, 2024

It’s been a landmark year for major anniversaries in Santa Barbara. The Granada Theatre launched its year-long Granada 100 celebration in the spring. The Summer Solstice Parade held its 50th festival on the first day of summer. And Old Spanish Days Fiesta is in the midst of its centennial celebration as this issue hits newsstands.  […]

RiteCare Childhood Language Centers
By Steven Libowitz   |   July 23, 2024

There are 19 RiteCare Childhood Language Centers across California, a program of the California Scottish Rite Foundation that provides life-changing speech therapy, language skills, and literacy services to more than 2,300 children at no cost to the families. The highly effective centers in many ways more than fill the gaps between what the public schools […]

Village 4th Event Draws Over 2,000 Attendees
By Joanne A Calitri   |   July 16, 2024

Photos by Joanne A. Calitri The gray skies cleared for the Village 4th parade celebrating Independence Day and drawing crowd estimates of over 2,000 people, plus dogs of all sizes wearing patriotic adornments.  Officially the 38 entrants were: Boy Scout Troup 33, the CHP, the Montecito Association, the Montecito Community Foundation, SBC 1st District Supervisor […]

The Fund for Santa Barbara
By Montecito Journal   |   July 9, 2024

The Fund for Santa Barbara was founded way back in 1980 as a means to support local organizations working for progressive social change. Nearly 45 years later, while the issues, its methods and organization might have grown, that purpose has not been altered at all: The Fund remains dedicated to helping to find solutions to […]

Girsh Park Turns 25
By Leslie A Lund   |   May 21, 2024

Bill Terry was seven years old on May 23, 1999, when Girsh Park opened to the public for the first time. He played baseball with the Dos Pueblos Little League and had been waiting anxiously for the construction of the park to be complete so he could play ball again. It was with excitement that […]

M.E.R.R.A.G.
By Steven Libowitz   |   April 30, 2024

When M.E.R.R.A.G. was formed in 1987 as Montecito Emergency Response and Recovery Action Group, the uber-local organization started serving a vital purpose as the Montecito Fire Protection District’s neighborhood eyes and ears through a cohort of trained, embedded local volunteers augmenting our first responders’ efforts to keep the community safe. Growing out of a newly […]

PATH
By Steven Libowitz   |   April 23, 2024

A significant number of nonprofits and other organizations have been working to end homelessness in Santa Barbara and across California. PATH has had a jump on nearly all of them, as its mission is built right into its name – which is an acronym for People Assisting the Homeless. PATH started small and simply with […]

The 65th Annual Carpinteria Community Awards
By Joanne A Calitri   |   April 23, 2024

The 65th Annual Carpinteria Community Awards Banquet took place on Saturday, April 6, at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s indoor gym.  Held annually since 1958, the event was led by the newly formed Carpinteria Community Association [CCA], whose Board of Directors are President Karen Graf, Neil Bartlett, Bob Berkenmeier, Mary Ann Colson, Beth Cox, Gary Dobbins, […]

Connecting Doctors to Underserved Communities and Career Fulfillment Across the Globe
By Steven Libowitz   |   April 23, 2024

World Telehealth Initiative had a very lofty goal when the nonprofit began in 2017: use modern medical robotics and engage volunteer physicians to make an impact in healthcare disparity across the globe. With half of the world’s population lacking access to essential health services, statistics show that nearly nine million people die every year from […]

Montecito Association April Board Meeting
By Joanne A Calitri   |   April 23, 2024

The Montecito Association held its monthly Board meeting April 9 in person at the Montecito Library.  Public Comments for Items Not on the Agenda: Peter Daily presented his issues of private roads flooding following rain events. He asked the MA to get drainage and curbs installed with the Roads Department, and to resolve uninsured properties […]

Building Resilient Communities: The Power of Philanthropic Giving in Supporting Local Businesses
By Nicki Parr   |   April 16, 2024

In the heart of every thriving community lies a network of local businesses that can serve not only as its economic backbone but also as its social one. Yet, in the face of challenges such as economic downturns and natural disasters, these businesses often bear the brunt of adversity.  This was clearly evidenced in Montecito […]

Granada Theatre
By Steven Libowitz   |   April 2, 2024

Are you wondering why there’s a whole lot of hoopla about the Granada Theatre 100th birthday beyond merely marking a major milestone? First, perhaps, pivot over to Hattie Beresford’s comprehensive column The Way It Was (page 22) in this issue. That piece traces the history of the grand old theater – from its vaudeville days […]

New Beginnings
By Steven Libowitz   |   March 26, 2024

New Beginnings’ Safe Parking program turned 20 earlier this year, a milestone you need to celebrate. On the other hand, I wish it didn’t even exist in the first place. In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be homeless people living on the streets or in their cars. The latter is what the Safe Parking program […]

CVA Communiqué: Paving the Way to Progress
By Beth Sullivan   |   March 26, 2024

The City of Santa Barbara and Coast Village Association (CVA) are paving the way for a better district… literally!  Over the past eight years Montecito and Coast Village Road have endured many challenges. We have experienced droughts, rain events, winds, the Thomas fire and subsequent devastating debris flow, as well as the pandemic. As a […]

SBCC Foundation
By Steven Libowitz   |   March 19, 2024

It was Geoff Green, the longtime CEO of SBCC Foundation, who created and spearheaded the organization’s SBCC Promise, the program that provides all recent local high school graduates with the opportunity to attend the community college full-time free of charge for up to two years. The Promise is comprehensive and robust, covering virtually everything a […]

California Missions Foundation
By Steven Libowitz   |   March 12, 2024

Most locals are probably aware of the best Santa Barbara place to visit every Memorial Day weekend for a glimpse of the chalk drawings during the I Madonnari street painting festival. They know they can spend a colorful summer evening watching music and dancing from Mexico and other indigenous Californios cultures during La Fiesta Pequeña, […]