Tag archives: community
Last week – in the middle of the mess of coronavirus-related closures and several days of seemingly nonstop rain – the inevitable happened: I got a flat tire. The tire pressure light on my Prius had been on for a few days, so I did what any sensible busy person would do and swung by […]
Unity Shoppe (Unity) is offering free food and other essentials to Santa Barbarans who are now unemployed or unable to work due to the spread and impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. To meet the overwhelming need, Unity has consolidated its offerings to food distribution alone and now estimates it is serving more than three times […]
With all “non-essential” business coming to a halt last week after Governor Gavin Newsom mandated a “shelter at home” order, many small businesses in both the upper and lower villages have modified their business plans in an effort to stay afloat and help the community during this unprecedented time. “Now is the time for us […]
Not even an epic coronavirus pandemic can slow down Abe Powell. The founder of the Bucket Brigade who became a local hero in Montecito after the 1/9 debris flow, when he led local residents in an impromptu effort to dig out their neighbors’ homes, is now taking a front-line role in educating the public about […]
Adam McKaig, Realtor and Summerland/Toro Canyon resident, decided to ask friends and neighbors to join him in an effort to help out our neighbors. “Adam’s Angels” now consists of some 40 volunteer citizens who have signed up in the Summerland area and beyond to help deliver supplies to those who are housebound due to COVID-19 […]
I was talking to a young friend on Friday. She grew up in Montecito and is in her sophomore year of college in Santa Barbara. We were commiserating about her school, and my daughters’ local schools, all coming to such an abruptly surreal halt when my friend looked at me and said, “Same thing happened […]
Gwyn Lurie sits in the back office of the Montecito Journal. Mock-ups of issues are fanned to one side as she types on her laptop at her long wooden desk. A large-scale photograph by Alan Kozlowski is propped on the wall behind her screen, waiting to be hung. The image titled “The Lake of Turquoise […]
The Future of Santa Barbara Your Editorial and article “The Long now of Santa Barbara” (March 5, 2020) provide a great service to our community. You’ve touched on all the hot-button issues that will determine how we grow and adapt to a changing world: density, cars, parking, building height, views, retail, community. I loved the […]
The California Primary is finally over and our sincere congratulations go to Das Williams for the win. Now let’s get to some serious bridge-building – something we’re all too familiar with in Montecito. Hopefully these bridges will take less time to build than the one at Parra Grande. Am I pushing for a Kumbaya moment? […]
Every once in a while, I have something that I feel so strongly should be presented because of its importance to community, change, and capital that I write it without a question from my readers. Ken Saxon’s work is one such example. Ken Saxon rightly is seen in the Santa Barbara community as the guru […]
Lori Bowles, an affiliate agent with the Montecito office of Coldwell Banker Realty, was named the Carpinterian of the Year for 2019 by the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce. “I am honored to be named the Carpinterian of the Year,” said Bowles. “As a happy resident for over 35 years, I have loved giving back […]
Also in the news on the rebuilding front: earlier this week the County Board of Supervisors dedicated $10.1 million toward restoring haul routes and roads within the Montecito community and surrounding area that were damaged due to the 1/9 debris flow and emergency response. The funds were recently received as part of the County’s litigation […]
If a weekend seems like too big of a commitment, by the way, visitors are always welcome at Sunburst’s weekly meditation that take place every Sunday morning at the sanctuary that exists as a community of practice dedicated to personal and planetary awakening. No experience necessary, and beginners are welcome. You don’t have to do […]
Over the last few years, the Dive into Silence weekend retreat at Sunburst Sanctuary has provided respite for all sorts of seekers, including at least one Montecito resident who wanted to find some solace after all the nervous-system challenges of the Thomas Fire and debris flows in the winter of 2017-18. Others have attended as […]
I started this column wanting to highlight how people can have an impact or create positive change, find personal meaning, and sometimes even make money doing it. I hoped to spotlight new and existing opportunities to benefit our community – what’s out there and what can be done to achieve these goals, who is doing […]
The hottest ticket in Montecito for the month of January is a seat at the Music Academy of the West’s Hahn Hall on Monday evening, January 27, 6 to 8 pm, for a FREE, 1st come, 1st served, debate between the Democratic incumbent, 1st District County Supervisor Das Williams, and the Democrat challenger Laura Capps, […]
Montecito resident Dr. Jennifer Freed has released her 9th book, titled Use Your Planets Wisely: Master Your Ultimate Cosmic Potential with Psychological Astrology. The book, which is available locally and online, is the culmination of over 30 years of Dr. Freed’s work, in which she teaches how a person’s astrology can set the tone for […]
The Montecito Community Foundation board of trustees met earlier this month to wrap up another successful year of donating funds to beautification projects throughout Montecito. The Foundation, which was formed in 1966, continues to be run by local citizens who oversee the granting of funds for projects that preserve and improve Montecito. In 2019 MCF […]
On Tuesday, December 10, the Montecito Fire Protection District marked the retirement of Communications Coordinator Jackie Jenkins, who served MFPD for 21 years. Jenkins began in Public Safety on April 1, 1980, at California State Parks, Pt. Mugu as an YCC Crew Member. At the same agency, Jackie continued as lifeguard and seasonal Ranger until […]
As 2019 comes to an end, I’m choosing to focus on what’s right in front of my nose and how grateful I am that Montecito is my home. Today, seated at Merci near Vons in my favorite corner booth (for which I really should be paying rent – thank you Elizabeth and Stephane), before I […]
