Dear Montecito, Welcome to the 99th edition of Dear Montecito! Even though this column was started three years ago, I have been looking forward to our 100th edition practically since Day 1. It is not unpopular to say 100 is a very nice number. It is round and also somehow circular in that it encourages […]
As most know, our County’s complete lack of ethical standards is something I have raged against. While other counties have a Code of Ethics (something that our Grand Jury recommended in 2020), our County blissfully dances in the darkness without pesky little rules relating to the timing of campaign contributions, acceptance of gifts, hiring of […]
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Summerland is a unique blend of small-town charm, a vibrant mix of locally-owned stores and restaurants, and an outdoor paradise. Ocean views abound from every street. We are a close-knit and welcoming community. Our town exudes a friendly and neighborly spirit. We support each other in crisis. We are NOT a food desert. We […]
More than just a “Magic Man,” Milt Larsen was a kind and generous person. It’s inevitable that he and Arlene should marry, because they’re both the same – so friendly and giving. Milt and I first met when I joined the Magic Castle. Over our 50+ year friendship, he was always generous with his time, […]
When I moved to Casa Dorinda on January 1, 2009, after being on the waitlist for five years, it was the height of the 2008 financial disaster which cost me a $300,000 loss on the sale of my house. I had friends from the Music Academy of the West here, and the first four years […]
I don’t have many heroes. Maybe because I’m too easily disappointed. Or that just beneath my optimistic surface lives a somewhat jaded self. Or perhaps it’s simply that it’s hard to find heroes these days who stand up to the test of time, not to mention under the harsh glare of modern-day journalism. But when […]
I read in last week’s edition [of MJ] that someone has told the food trucks not to come to Montecito because of complaints. I find this shocking – that someone would complain when the people eating lunch at these trucks are mainly working for them! I am a direct next-door neighbor to the Olive Mill […]
I am glad that “Robert’s Big Questions” are published regularly in the weekly Montecito Journal. The writer is among my most interesting friends (among other things, he’s the widely grinning high-brow guy cavorting about on his unicycle in parades and events around town), and I find it worthwhile to consider how and what he thinks. […]
I think it’s time to cede Bryan Rosen space as a columnist; there is no other way to describe his way-too-regular contributions on a single topic. Certainly, no one can doubt his passion for the Hot Springs Trail and its attendant issues, but his letters exceed the accepted word limit by hundreds; often they cannot […]
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Montecito Journal, thank you for printing the letter I wrote on the surveillance cameras placed at the Montecito Hot Springs and nearby. Unfortunately, changes were made to what I submitted, greatly confusing the matter. First, the quote from Lieutenant Ugo “Butch” Arnoldi’s February 21 email was altered. It’s not proper to alter quotes from people […]
Bridge over troubled waters. A bridge too far. Golden Gate Bridge. Bridge over River Kwai. London Bridge. Building bridges. Burning your bridges. Water under the bridge. We’ll cross that bridge later. Bridge-to-nowhere. There are many kinds of bridges. A bridge offers you safe passage over an obstacle. I usually discuss the three bridges as they […]
Last year, our own Montecito Association did its diligent best to inform us of the final plan for Caltrans’ highway widening project. Many of us thought further study would be forthcoming, particularly updated FEMA maps (which are now in process). In December 2022, Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approved the project as is. The final […]
On Feb. 16, 2023, a camera was placed facing a newly restored pool at the Montecito Hot Springs. The camera bore a tag that had printed on it “County of Santa Barbara, Public Works, Trail and Creek Monitoring in Progress, Do Not Tamper or Remove, Enforced by County Sheriff.” The Dept. of Public Works wasn’t […]
As a person who has experienced homelessness as a former addict living on the streets of Ventura County, I have come to understand how chronic vagrancy gives homelessness a bad name. For the last four years I have made the choice to wake up clean and sober so I can advocate for others like me […]
