Tag archives: community
More than 300,000 people descended on Bella Vista, the sprawling Summerland estate of polo playing hotel magnate Pat Nesbitt and his wife, Ursula, for One805’s Kick Ash Bash to honor first responders while raising much-needed funds for emergency equipment and relief efforts in the wake of the Thomas Fire and the devastating January mudslides. The […]
I believe you are off on this one (“Who Should Pay?” MJ #24/7). Most of the merchants I spoke with were paying their workers at least part of their wages. You might want to call around. After all these years, you would think a business could protect workers from their losses. I don’t want to […]
“Eye in the Sky” was a big hit for The Alan Parsons Project, reaching No. 3 on Billboard’s chart back in 1982. Thirty-five years later, drones – something the British rocker and producer famed for his early work with The Beatles and Pink Floyd hinted at but probably didn’t fully anticipate – proved especially helpful […]
Unity Shoppe is on the move! After 15 years at 1219 State Street, the popular charity has moved just a tiara’s toss down the road to new premises at 1209, a former antiques store. The new shop is 4,900 sq. ft., which longtime executive Barbara Tellefson says gives them more room for storage and a […]
It has been nearly a month since we were awakened in the middle of the night, without electrical power, to the drumbeat of a pounding rainstorm and the roar of a descending mountain of mud and boulders. As is usual in a natural disaster, there were scenes of personal heroism from unnamed first responders and […]
I chose to write this letter even at the hesitation of the people I am writing it for… I am a past resident of Montecito, where I grew up. I attended Mt. Carmel School as well as Bishop Diego. I moved away after college, yet continue to visit my parents and sister who are still […]
All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church played a critical role on the night of the deadly mudslides, I learn. The church was spared the worst of the damage, but became a triage center for those injured in the disaster, says parishioner Sheri Benninghoven. “Hundreds of people descended on the church during the heart of […]
One of the unexpected gifts of the twin tragedies of the Thomas Fire, the largest recorded wildfire in California’s history, and the subsequent Montecito mudslide that engulfed our small village, has been the outpouring of sympathy, compassion, and support from our neighbors in the City of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland, Goleta, the rest of Santa […]
On Sunday, January 28, the grassroots organization Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, led by Montecito Fire Protection District Board president Abe Powell, began helping homeowners clear out mud and debris from their driveways, homes, and properties. Dozens of volunteers, including local contractors donating their equipment and time, have assembled to help homeowners, who are overwhelmed with […]
On Tuesday, January 23, evacuation orders were lifted on the western flank of Montecito, including Coast Village Road, which was closed for two weeks following the mudslides on January 9. Major utilities including sewer, electricity, and gas, were up-and-running, allowing most businesses to repopulate and welcome customers back to the business district, following the opening […]
It was time to celebrate mayor Helene Schneider’s 14 years of public service (eight years as mayor) and hundreds showed up at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW) on Garden Street to do so. Besides celebrating at the carnival-themed part, they honored the first responders who bravely battled the Thomas Fire, and funds were also raised […]
Westmont reopened its campus for students January 16 and resumed classes January 17 after the voluntary evacuation on January 9 following the Montecito mudslides. The Westmont campus sustained no damage from the storm, but students were voluntarily evacuated after college officials learned of water restrictions that would affect food preparation and sanitation. Crews delivered portable […]
Please, let’s keep as many boulders that have clobbered our community as possible; place them someplace in Montecito (Manning Park, Toro Canyon Park, the Cold Spring area, the lot we traded with the Y next to MUS) and build a big, big awesome (think Awahnee) community stone house recreation center. Have several big outdoor stone […]
Thousands of firefighters, utility crews, contractors, and rescue workers have been working around the clock following last week’s deadly mudslides in Montecito. Now considered a search and recovery mission, three people remain missing as of press time; 20 people have perished, and the majority of Montecito residents remain under a mandatory evacuation as crews search […]
Like all of us in the Montecito/greater Santa Barbara area, I have had a lot of personal reactions to the Montecito mudslide disaster coming on the heels of the Thomas Fire, from numbness to grief to fear to hopefulness and even gratitude. The latter came mostly last weekend in the wake of the community coming […]
What is needed to make Montecito better?Last week my wife and I had lunch with our Congressman and former 1st District Supervisor, Salud Carbajal. Although we are on different sides of the political spectrum, Salud gets my vote and my financial support because of his sincere commitment to the Montecito community, his dedication to constituent […]