In a perfect universe there would be unlimited funds and proactive civil, charitable and political involvement on the Hot Springs Trail issue that seems to engender such considerable interest on the part of Bryan Rosen. No one can reasonably dispute that his desire to clean up the trail from potentially dangerous and unsightly impediments makes […]
It was towards the end of Black History Month in 2019. Coffee with a Black Guy (CWABG) was hosting our first community conversation in a yearlong collaboration with the Lois and Walter Capps Project (now the Common Table Foundation). More people were gathered for this event than any of the previously convened conversations since launching […]
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We can’t solve important local problems unless we get better at recognizing what we do and don’t know. That includes acknowledging when our conclusions may be unsupported and when we need to look beyond our own experiences to understand the experiences of others. Consider, for example, discussions about dual language immersion (DLI) programs, in which […]
Combating climate change and the effects of air traffic are dichotomous and irreconcilable. In spite of this threat, private/corporate and commercial jets are increasingly congesting our local skies. To make matters worse, Santa Barbara’s City Council approved the airport expansion that is expected to bring a 50% increase in aircraft traffic in 10 years. While […]
A major battle broke out between a bunch of Irish fishermen from County Cork Ireland, and the pride of the Russian navy. You may have missed the news story, so it is worth spending some time looking at what happened, why, and what lessons we can take away from the exchange. The story begins with […]
We love our pets. They’re family members. And the dozen or so years most of us get with our canine loved ones fly by too quickly. But when one dies prematurely and unexpectedly, it’s a whole other level of painful and tragic. No one understands this more than a local Montecito family, who brought their […]
The last time I sat face-to-face with Congressman Salud Carbajal was in September of 2020, when we were all optimistic that the pandemic’s end was in sight. That was three years into his stint in Congress. And as honored as he was to be representing this district in the People’s House, he nonetheless seemed burdened […]
Unfortunately, pipes are taking the water from hot springs in Montecito. The pipes are maintained by the Montecito Creek Water Company, a private company that has water rights in Hot Springs Canyon. The pools of hot water that the Chumash used to enjoy are no more. The hot water is taken from above the east […]
Investor-Owned Utilities (“Utilities”) are plotting to kill California’s solar program. Apparently, avarice, and the ability to get away with causing 85 percent of area lost in recent forest fires in California, are not enough, and they are now coming up with ways to dramatically reduce all new solar installations in California. Can you believe that […]
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In October of 2021, universities around the United Kingdom started making headlines after the rise of a threatening new epidemic: injectable date-rape drugs. I remember the buzz at my own university as students called for stricter safety measures in bars and clubs. The fear of this new weapon for sexual assault and the lack of […]
The recent targeting of a Colleyville, Texas Jewish community in connection with grievances it had nothing to do with was just the latest in a trend of rising antisemitic violence and conduct in recent years. We have seen some of it here, with 26 credible reports of antisemitic incidents in the Tri-Counties last year (more […]
A few days after New Year’s Day, Riven Rock Road was a mess due to the large number of vehicles parked on it. Some were on the dirt, but quite a few were on the roadway protruding over the white line. It must have been a ticketing bonanza. People are coming from all over to […]
Who was Martin Luther King, Jr? Why do we celebrate a “MLK Holiday” and is he still relevant in 2022? All great questions. Joyfully, the research to explicate those answers took a full day that I will be grateful for the rest of my life. Many of us grew up in the civil rights era. […]
As schools across Santa Barbara County reopen following the winter break and prepare for a successful return, I wanted to take a moment to reconnect with our community. We are welcoming our students back at a time when surging COVID-19 case rates have created new layers of uncertainty and concern for our schools. From interpreting […]
