Congratulations, Class of 2020 by Montecito Journal

PEOPLE OF MONTECITO

18 - 25 June 2020 Vol 26 Issue 25

SERVING MONTECITO AND SUMMERLAND

Elisabeth Fowler on why Montecito is the perfect place for her family p. 18

CONGRATULATIONS

CLASS OF 2020 FROM DRIVE-THROUGH PARADES TO SOCIALLY DISTANT AND VIRTUAL CEREMONIES, THIS YEAR’S GRADUATES CELEBRATE THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION IN UNIQUE WAYS (P.8 AND P.40)

O Water, Where Art Thou?

As MWD outlines proposed rate changes, nobody really knows how much water Montecito already has, p. 6

Summer Solstice

This year’s Solstice spirit stays alive by heading online with a virtual parade and a theme of “Beautiful Earth,” p. 16

Newts in Nature

SBHS Graduating Seniors: Taylor Trider, Will Curtis, Lucca Scibird, Gioia Bernardi, Sierra Clark, Kylan O’Connor, Emi Wahlberg, Maddie Malmsten, Audrey Bierman, Brook Clark, and Mac Sales

Competing with nonnative species and altered habitats, California newts are listed as a Species of Special Concern, p. 44

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© Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. All rights reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark. This material is based upon information which we consider reliable but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. This offering is subject to errors, omissions, changes including price or withdrawal without notice. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity. Dusty Baker DRE: 1908615

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Inside This Issue 5

Editor’s Letter

In this week’s Letter, Gwyn Lurie asks, “Don’t we all have a right to be imperfect?”

On the Record

Montecito Water District trying to figure out how much water we have stored; SBHS trying to figure out all aspects of re-opening

Village Beat

Local high schools navigate commencement in a variety of ways; Montecito Planning Commission approves San Ysidro roundabout project

10 Letters to the Editor

A collection of communication from readers Sanderson M. Smith, Bob Handy, Linda Marie Prince, J.W. Burk, Leoncio Martins, and Gerald Rounds

Tide Guide 14 Seen Around Town

Lynda Millner dives into the Santa Barbara Zoo’s history; SBMM celebrates 20 years

16 On Entertainment

A global pandemic can’t stop Solstice; Live Oak Music Festival memories air on KCBX; CADA hosts virtual fundraiser; local movie theatres to reopen

18 People of Montecito

Come and Support Local At

Elisabeth Fowler on her favorite parts of living in town

Local high school students offer free tutoring during COVID

Gibbon Conservation Center needs a new 20-acre home somewhere in SB

Our race issues are more than people of color versus the men and women in blue

Questions about Health Savings Accounts? Find answers here.

Ashleigh Brilliant takes the high road

Today’s heat index is score is up 348.7% from last year

Generation Z

20 Ape See Ape Do 22 Bob Hazard

Focus on Finance

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JUST SOLD

Robert’s Big Questions

The author looks at the mathematical value of human life – and how to enhance it

24 Real Estate

27 Perspectives

5551 Ekwill St GOLETA, CA

The author proposes businesses set aside a percentage of profits for an equality fund, to level the playing field

The Optimist Daily

One of the oldest wild grizzly bears survives another winter; PayPal addresses racial inequality

29 I Believe I Can Fly

Information and a firsthand story from flying in the age of COVID

34 Nosh Town

Eateries reopen with exciting new menu additions; Rosewood Miramar’s Wine Director offers tasting notes

40 Our Town

Joanne Calitri continues her coverage of local school graduations

Chuck Graham observes newts in the Santa Clara River

44 River Roundup

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18 – 25 June 2020

Editor’s Letter by Gwyn Lurie CEO and Executive Editor of the Montecito Journal Media Group

The Right to Be Imperfect

y kids don’t appreciate when I publish what I write about them. Let me clarify, they hate it. We live in a small, one-degree-of-separation town. And they’re kids, which is hard enough without your mother writing about your travails in the local paper. I get it. So, we made a deal: as long as I leave no breadcrumbs leading directly to either of them or divulge any sensitive info about them or their relationships, we’re good. So what I’m about to say is not about either of them personally. It’s merely parental advice I dispense periodically, and also occasionally give to myself: If we are only willing to accept perfection from our friends, and nothing less… if we have a zero-tolerance policy for flawed or occasionally annoying people in our lives, then we will have no friends. Or role models. Or heroes. And no one will have us. I explain this to my kids by way of my Moldy Cheese Metaphor. That is to say, just because a block of cheese has some mold on it doesn’t mean you throw out the whole block. Now how much mold is too much is a matter of personal tolerance. Some cheeses have a very high mold content, as we all know, and yet we still enjoy them. In fact, if you reject outright the concept of mold you’ll miss out on some of the world’s best cheeses. Read on if you want to know what this has to do with JFK, Gandhi and George Floyd.

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After weeks of protests over the police killing of George Floyd and the tearing down of statues, the latest statue being torn down is George Floyd himself. Anyone who has been glued to the news is beginning to hear rumblings that Mr. Floyd had “run-ins with the law.” “Did time in jail.” May have “had drugs on him at the time of his arrest.” And to all of that I say: So what? I don’t care if George Floyd was a good person. The point is he was a person. Regardless of his record of goodness, and whether or not he was always on the right side of the law, he deserved to be treated with fairness and dignity and justice and certainly not killed while in police custody. Or killed period. The minute we judge the victim’s character whatsoever we’re detracting from the facts of the crime. I dread the trial of the Minneapolis Four. I already lived through the trial of the LAPD Four, so I feel like I’ve seen a preview. There’s a well-established playbook for the defense in these excessive force cases which is to discredit the victim in order to try to justify the unjustifiable. But the fact is, it doesn’t really matter what kind of person George Floyd was.

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Devaluing the Target

The Floyd incident has been compared to lynchings (like that of Emmett Till). But in fact, in some ways I find the killing of Floyd more similar to the Rodney King incident, even though Mr. King survived, because of the over-zealous arrest component as well as an apparently incriminating video. Because there’s so much commonality with the King incident, that earlier incident may also provide a vade mecum to where things are going next. Consider the LAPD Four: As with Mr. Floyd, Mr. King had an arrest and prison record. As with Mr. Floyd’s arresting officer Chauvin, King’s arresting officer, Stacey Koon, was both proud of the arrest and even initially pleased, as Mr. Chauvin appeared to be, that the entire incident had been videotaped. Mr. Chauvin certainly wasn’t camera shy. Meanwhile Mr. Koon said at the time, “I was proud of my officers, and proud of the professionalism they’d shown in subduing a really monster guy.” In both incidents, there was bystander video that seemed to incriminate cops. So before their trial, lawyers (and publicists) for the LAPD Four engaged in a time tested smear campaign against their victim known as “devaluing the target.” Just as Mr. Floyd’s failings are starting to emerge, so too were Mr. King’s failings paraded as if the victim could have possibly

18 – 25 June 2020

EDITOR’S LETTER Page 364 • The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

ON THE RECORD

Nicholas Schou

Nicholas Schou is an award-winning investigative journalist and author of several books, including Orange Sunshine and Kill the Messenger. If you have tips or stories about Montecito, please email him at newseditor@montecitojournal.net

Montecito’s Missing Water

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n June 15, Nick Turner, executive director of the Montecito Water District (MWD), gave a two-hour slideshow presentation to the public which outlined the agency’s proposed rate changes that will impact roughly 4,600 households. Thanks to a proposed 50-year Water Supply Agreement (WSA) with Santa Barbara, Montecito will receive a guaranteed supply of agua secured by the city’s recently restarted desalination plant, originally constructed in the late 1980s. Turner’s presentation was exhaustive to say the least, yet for anyone following the Montecito Journal’s ongoing series about Montecito’s complex history of procuring water for our naturally parched landscape, it didn’t deliver much news. Previous articles in the Journal detailed Montecito’s historic lack of water, MWD’s century-long effort to solve this problem, how negotiations with Santa Barbara began amidst a severe drought several years ago, and how the MWD’s then-board was unable to reach an agreement to purchase desalinated water from the city. That fact, along with controversy over emergency water conservation measures and, specifically, the levying of stiff penalties against the heaviest water users, led to the election of a new slate of candidates in 2016 and again in 2018, all of whom ran on the promise to bring “water security” to Montecito. There is one major component of Montecito’s water supply that has yet to be fully investigated in this series, yet which has everything to do with how much extra water Montecito currently needs as well as the question of who exactly should pay for it. The missing piece in this puzzle? Montecito’s local groundwater basin, a highly permeable (translation: leaky and almost use-

ON THE RECORD Page 114

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18 – 25 June 2020

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18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

REOPENING Weplease are pleased to announce we reopening have We are to announce that wethat will be onreopened! Thursday, We Mayare 28th! We are limiting thelimiting amountthe of amount people of people in store the store encourage appointments. in the andand encourage appointments.

Village Beat by Kelly Mahan Herrick

Kelly has been editor at large for the Journal since 2007, reporting on news in Montecito and beyond. She is also a licensed realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, and is a member of Montecito and Santa Barbara’s top real estate team, Calcagno & Hamilton.

Class of 2020, the Quarantine Class

MON-SAT 9:30-5:30 Call 805-565-3415 - Montecito 805-963-5760 - Santa Barbara Curbside service is available. The store has been completely sanitized and all customer areas, eyewear and equipment will be disinfected between customers. Please wear suitable face coverings when visiting us. All required social distancing protocols are being adhered to for your safety. We miss you and look forward to seeing you again!

SBHS principal Elise Simmons gave each graduate their diploma in front of the school

s we mark the end of the 2019/2020 school year and head into summer break, we want to honor the graduates of the Class of 2020, all of whom celebrated their commencements without the normal pomp and circumstance of a traditional graduation ceremony. Instead, our local high schools celebrated their seniors in unique ways: from drive-by graduation ceremonies to socially-distanced celebrations, marking the end of the school year, quarantine style! Congrats to the Class of 2020!

Santa Barbara High School

BHS honored its graduating Class of 2020 by hosting a drive-thru car parade; students and families drove through campus in their olive and

VILLAGE BEAT Page 324

Students and their families decorated their cars for a “drive-thru” graduation ceremony

Staff and teachers cheered on the graduating Class of 2020 at SBHS

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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18 – 25 June 2020

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18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

LETTERS

TO THE EDITOR

If you have something you think Montecito should know about, or wish to respond to something you read in the Journal, we want to hear from you. Please send all such correspondence to: Montecito Journal, Letters to the Editor, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite H, Montecito, CA. 93108. You can also FAX such mail to: (805) 969-6654, or E-mail to letters@montecitojournal.net

Expressing Needs

e need to realize most police officers are dedicated public servants who have a much tougher job than a vast majority of good people could handle. Yes, to use a cliché, there will be a few “bad apples” who manage to get massive publicity, but I wouldn’t want to “not have the police around.” I make every effort to thank a police person for his/ her service to the community. We also need to respect our military. I never had to fight in a war and wasn’t sent abroad to serve in a dangerous place, but I did serve in the U.S. Army back in the “draft days.” Military service is now voluntary. I have some sense as to what is involved in military service. It isn’t easy. This is all the more reason to respect and thank those who serve us. An idea: We should start a national volunteer program that would allow young people to sign up for one-year salaried work training programs in various career fields. The work possibilities should include military training at a somewhat higher salary. There would be no required commitment after the one year but such a program would open doors of opportunity and thought for many young adults. We should stop attempting to rewrite U.S. history or stand in judgment of those who came before us. We need to learn from the past and appreciate the elements that came together to create the greatest country in the world. Finally, we seriously need representatives in Washington, D.C. who can work together, compromise, and come up with ideas, thoughts, and programs to benefit the good people of this country. I see very few current

politicians capable of this. Fortunately, this is a situation we can correct if we choose to do so. Vote wisely. Sanderson M. Smith, Ed.D. Retired mathematics teacher (Cate School, Santa Barbara City College)

Dear Santa Barbara Police

Mr. Sullivan Israel (Letters #26_24) just completed his first year of college. So, he has years of education and studying. But what he learned about American history up till now, needs to be corrected. United States constitution is not the first legal document. It was proceeded by Hammurabi Code, the rules of Ancient Athens, the laws of Ancient Rome (think Pax Romana) and the greatest legal document of all Magna Carta. However, US constitution legalized slavery, established Fugitive Slave act and gave us Electoral College. The police force in the U.S. was not established by the constitution. In the southern states it grew out of Slave Patrols, that morphed into enforcing Jim Crow laws. In northern states it was organized to keep the undesirable new immigrants under control and as strike breakers. And then there was Prohibition! We need and support Police. But at this stage of history, there is great need for reform. Bob Handy

Times Are A-Changin’

Just wondering why Montecito Journal editorials (now called Editor’s Letters) have ballooned to several pages while the once immensely

entertaining Letters to the Editor feature has shrunk to only one page? Are readers fuming more but writing less? Also gone with the wind of the old normal is the charming past custom of previous editor, the unmasked Jim Buckley, to respond individually to some of the more interesting correspondence. I do miss his brief but enlightening yet always gentle rejoinders to his then diverse readership. The new and now masked editor prefers to lash out at non-residents and presumably non readers Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Perhaps they have moved here? Who hasn’t at one time or another? However sans Richard Mineards and his lively gossip column, we are left ignorant of that news. Linda Marie Prince Carpinteria

Tax Refunds for Police Defunded?

Defund the Police? Once the police department is defunded, I want a tax refund so I can hire private security personnel to take up the slack. I also want a tax rebate to pay for the increased business insurance premiums that will occur as theft and arson incidents increase. I would also need a government subsidy to help remunerate me for the purchase of firearms and instruction so I can “carry.” New ex-office police officers could become the private instructors I will soon need to hire. Talk about “creative destruction” within the economy and government functions. J.W. Burk

Police Violence in California

The recent murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade at the hands of law enforcement are a part of a generations-long cycle of horrific police killings of Black people. Recent scenes of police using mili-

tary gear to violently escalate peaceful demonstrations have only added renewed urgency to end dangerous policies that arm police forces with weapons of war. Instead of condemning the brutality, the Trump Administration encouraged it. Attorney General William Barr even personally ordered the forceful removal of protestors near the White House. This violence isn’t new. It’s the result of a generations-long cycle of abuse, and we are demanding change. Police brutality is rooted in systemic racism and oppression of Black people and people of color. It thrives because the structures we have allow and support it. But it won’t survive if every community joins Black people in dismantling them. Police brutality must end immediately and we must demand that Congress do their job to ensure the safety and freedom of every single person in this country. Leoncio Martins

Shame on the FBI

Wait a minute! The FBI behaved very badly when pursuing General Flynn. The original report of a conversation between Flynn and the FBI concluded that Flynn was not lying. That report was buried and a higher-up at the FBI altered the document to suit the goal of a continued investigation. That lie fed the falsehood that consumed this country for three years and counting. This alone is disgraceful beyond imagining and reason to dismiss the case. There is also the blatant double standard of investigation and punishment of those on the right relative to those on the left. Law enforcement should not be politically driven. To make matters worse, I see no remorse for these acts from FBI people, present as well as past. Barr seems to be the only person with the gumption to cleanse the rot in the once admired institution, the FBI. Gerald Rounds Santa Ynez •MJ

Montecito Tide Guide

10 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Day

Low

Hgt High

Hgt Low

Hgt High

Hgt Low

Thurs, June 18

3:09 AM 0.1

3.4

02:05 PM

2.1

08:29 PM

5.7

Fri, June 19

3:43 AM -0.3 10:10 AM 3.5

02:38 PM

2.2

09:00 PM

Sat, June 20

4:17 AM -0.6 10:51 AM 3.5

03:12 PM

2.4

09:33 PM

6.1

Sun, June 21

4:54 AM -0.8 11:33 AM 3.5

03:48 PM

2.4

010:09 PM

6.2

Mon, June 22

5:32 AM -0.9 12:16 PM 3.5

04:27 PM

2.5

010:47 PM

6.1

Tues, June 23

6:13 AM -0.9 01:03 PM 3.6

05:12 PM

2.7

011:29 PM

Wed, June 24

6:57 AM -0.8 01:53 PM 3.6

06:06 PM

2.8

9:28 AM

Hgt

Thurs, June 25

12:16 AM 5.6

7:43 AM

-0.5

02:46 PM

3.8

07:15 PM 2.8

Fri, June 26

1:10 AM

8:32 AM

-0.2

03:39 PM

4.1

08:42 PM 2.7

5.1

“Flattery is like cologne water, to be smelt, not swallowed.” – Josh Billings

18 – 25 June 2020

ON THE RECORD (from page 6)

less) underwater cavity that has been subjected to decades of degradation by private property owners drilling private wells. At this momentous time when Montecito is about to enter into a half-century-long deal to purchase new water, nobody really knows how much water we already have in our underground aquifer, its current capacity, projected lifespan, nor even the exact number of wells that have been drilled into it. This is an incredibly important point, because anyone who owns a substantial amount of land in Montecito and has The 1980s saw a growth in private well drilling, the trend continues enough money to drill a private well is therefore paying either nothing for municipal water or as little as possible to meet their needs. And basic math tells you that when the utility charges higher water rates to fewer customers, those who can’t afford access to private wells have no choice but to pay higher monthly water bills. Unfortunately, that’s as far as math goes in answering the question of just how much water exists underground, much less how much of it is being pumped out of private wells and into Montecito’s world class lawns, gardens, and golf courses. According to Tom Mosby, the MWD’s former general manager, who worked for the agency for nearly 20 years until 2016, there was never any precise monitoring of private well drill- A half century of guesstimating Montecito’s groundwater pumpage ing or private-party water pumping in Montecito’s history. During a major drought in 1973, Montecito created a moratorium on new water meters, which is generally thought to have dramatically increased the number of private wells. “Without the ability to obtain a water meter, you had no option but to go to the County and obtain a permit to drill a well,” Mosby said. “The County didn’t require you to measure the water taken from the aquifer and report it.” By the 1970s, of course, Montecito residents had already been drilling wells into our naturally bone-dry landscape for about a century. There is no official data on how all that drilling affected the aquifer over the decades. But at various times in history, MWD hired consultants to prepare reports estimating the volume of water that had been pumped out of the ground basin. One such report in 1979 found that since 1929, annual private water “pumpage” had fallen from about 1,700 acre feet per year to about 700 acre feet, a number that was still far higher than what MWD ever pumped, the highest number being well short of 500 acre feet in the mid-1970s. But that report only includes four actual pumpage numbers, for 1929, 1954, 1962, and 1979. A subsequent report from 1990 shows that average private water pumpage during the previous decade grew from an average of 709 acre feet to 1025 acre feet. According to Mosby, those numbers are hardly reliable, however. “There are no meters at all on any private wells in Montecito,” he elaborated. “These estimates are only guesses provided by consultants, and nobody knows if they are accurate. There is no validation of that data because there are no meters to justify that data, so you just hire consultants to look at water levels. They did the best job they could, but overall, we do know that at this point there isn’t much water there.”

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Groundwater Sustainability Becomes the Law of the Land

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To help address the lack of data, the MWD recently won $2.1 million in state funding to study Montecito’s groundwater basin. The study is part of MWD’s ongoing effort to adhere to a 2014 state law that requires all water districts to create a Groundwater Sustainability Agency. According to MWD director Cori Hayman, when that law was passed, Montecito’s ground water basin was considered a low priority under the law, as opposed to certain high-priority underground basins that were on the verge of completely drying up and thus

18 – 25 June 2020

ON THE RECORD Page 124 • The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

ON THE RECORD (Continued from page 11)

required immediate emergency measures to protect. That same year, Mosby led an effort to increase Montecito’s municipal water pumping from 300 acre feet to 600 acre feet per year. Two years later, after Floyd Wicks became president of the agency, the board began to pursue new and more accurate studies of the groundwater basin which might take into account the large number of private wells that had been drilled during the recent drought. “As a result, the groundwater basin became a medium priority basin by the time we formed our Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) in 2018,” said Hayman. “Through that process, there was extensive public outreach and community meetings,” she added. “Now we have a number of projects to study the ground basin, including (other degradations such as) seawater intrusion into existing wells and the drilling of new private wells. Our ultimate goal is to determine the actual safe yield of the basin.” According to MWD’s Turner, the agency has five years to complete a plan to ensure that Montecito’s groundwater supply is safely maintained. The agency has hired a consultant to examine Montecito’s topography, measure what is being grown on the land, and what water that growth consumes, and then compare that to what amount of water the basin is providing each year. Among the questions MWD hopes to answer is how much water is spilling out of our notoriously leaky underground water basin into Carpinteria’s aquifer, which itself lies below the largest concentration of thirsty cannabis farms in California. “We may drill a monitoring well to better understand how water is moving over there,” Turner said.

The Tragedy of the Commons

Anecdotally, according to longtime residents of Montecito, the town’s beloved network of seasonal creeks used to flow nearly year-round, with certain stretches occasionally deep enough to function as recreational swimming holes. Yet in recent decades, whether as a result of climate trend, more frequent droughts, private well-pumping, or possibly a combination of several of those factors, the water just isn’t there anymore. It’s a riddle that MWD’s Turner says he hopes to help answer thanks to grant funding. “We will take into consideration all the water that flows into the basin, creek flow, imported water via the South Coast Conduit, and also extraction, whether by the district or by private well extractions,” he said. “It will determine the big picture of what’s going on.” For his part, while Mosby is glad that MWD is taking measures to study the ground water basin, he questions how much cash the district should spend on this subject, given how paltry Montecito’s underground water supply is to begin with. “The district is right to question the number of private wells that have been drilled and to say that this is a public resource that is not being monitored or properly managed,” Mosby said. “But one thing I know is that the ground basin is relatively shallow, and most wells only go down to 400 feet. When we measure those wells, we see that if you have two solid years of rainfall, the basin fills up and then you can pump water from your well. But without that rain, the basin empties and there’s nothing to pump.” Even though Montecito hasn’t experienced two consecutive years of rainfall sufficient enough to recharge the ground basin since 2005, MWD is currently seeking to hire a full-time employee to study the issue, something that makes no sense to him. “It’s been 15 years since we’ve had enough rain to recharge the basin, and with climate change, it’s likely that it will be even less frequent,” concluded Mosby. “I’m just not sure why we’re putting so much effort into this.” While new data will certainly help define the extent of the groundwater problem, not even Turner is expecting the study to provide much in the way of good news. “Over the last decade and a half, we have been in some level of drought, and during that time, for seven years, we had the worst drought on record,” he said. “All of that has certainly drawn down the overall basin. Meanwhile, we are looking at all the known permitted and unpermitted wells. It’s still being studied, but it is safe to assume we have north of 1,000 private wells in Montecito. We hope to have the study done by the end of the summer.” On June 25, Montecito’s water customers and the general public will have a final opportunity to voice their opinions about the proposed water supply deal with Santa

12 MONTECITO JOURNAL

No amount of drilling can fix steep mountains combined with sporadic rains and a shallow and leaky coastal aquifer

Barbara. That’s when the agency will host an online public hearing about the water rate changes and the desalination proposal. To participate, simply go to the agency’s website, www.montecitowater.com, on the morning of the day of the meeting, and look for the exact start time as well as the online link. This is the last opportunity to weigh in on the proposal. As of press time, Montecito’s water board was scheduled to vote on the proposal immediately following the hearing.

Santa Barbara High School Fall Schedule Update

With the Fall 2020 school year rapidly approaching, Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) is finalizing its plan for how to bring as many of its roughly 2,200 students back to campus as safely as possible. The key word here is, you guessed it, “safely.” Right now, the school is awaiting official rulings from Governor Gavin Newsom as well as state and county education officials on just what that word means in practical terms. Will students and teachers have to pass a medical exam to confirm they are coronavirus-free before being admitted back on campus? Will they have to wear masks? How will social distancing work in the classroom? How will it work in the halls? What other health and safety measures will the school have to complete before the first day of school and then continue to enforce once the semester begins? All these questions so far remain unanswered, thanks to the complexity of the problem as well as the complex layers of bureaucracy that govern California’s public school system. “It’s like a Russian doll,” said Elise Simmons, principal of SBHS. “You have the state and the governor saying what we have to do, then the county, and within those two frameworks, we have to create our plans.” According to Simmons, local school district administrators are having regular meetings with the Santa Barbara Teachers Association to review the latest COVID-19 data and forecasting and they are currently preparing to present the county’s school board with a fall semester “proposal” as early as later this week regarding their plans to re-open schools this fall. So far, Simmons and other school officials have outlined three hypothetical scenarios. “One is that everything returns to normal, which we know is not going to happen,” she said. “Another (worst case) scenario, depending on how the pandemic progresses, is that all teaching will be carried out on a remote basis. But the middle scenario, which is where we have engaged with all our stakeholders, is a hybrid route, and surveys went out to parents and staff and students to complete.” Such a hybrid scenario, Simmons explained, would allow for certain students who either need to stay at home or prefer to continue studying in a remote learning environment to do so. “We know we have students and staff who don’t want to or can’t return,” she said. “People can only be as safe as they feel.” Currently, Simmons estimates that about 10 percent of students will likely opt to continue with remote learning, at least at first. “So the proposal is going to allow for a group of students that will be allowed to do 100 percent remote learning. We have found through researching other school districts in California that this kind of release valve is a common move to make, both for the safety of our staff and for some of our students.” Simmons said that even a 10 percent reduction in the on-campus student body will help SBHS transition from the typical three class rotations per week to two. How this will affect the school’s bell schedule isn’t clear. “Breaking school

“The greatest thief this world has ever produced is procrastination, and he is still at large.” – Josh Billings

ON THE RECORD Page 214

18 – 25 June 2020

Open and ready to provide safe care. We are prepared to protect your health. If you need medical care, don’t delay. Dr. Marc Zerey, General Surgeon, Chief of Staff, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

Your health is essential. Seek help if you need it. cottagehealth.org

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3090HiddenValleyLane.com California living at its best. This Mediterranean masterpiece, designed by renowned local architect Don Nulty and built by Rich Coffin in 2013, sits atop a 3.2-acre knoll with unparalleled views of the Santa Barbara Harbor, the coastline, and the Channel Islands with the Santa Ynez Mountains as a backdrop. Up a gated, private drive, this stunning villa includes three bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a great room with formal dining, a gourmet kitchen opening to casual dining, a family room, and a private office, all on the first level. On the first level, covered terraces with 360-degree views lead to paths down to the infinity pool and spa, seating area with fire pit and a two-bedroom pool cabana. A bocce ball court, culinary gardens, and walking trails complete the package for a world-class lifestyle experience.

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Compass is a licensed real estate broker (01991628) in the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice.

18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Seen Around Town

Ms Millner is the author of The Magic Makeover, Tricks for Looking Thinner, Younger and More Confident – Instantly. If you have an event that belongs in this column, you are invited to call Lynda at 969-6164.

by Lynda Millner

The Wildest Place In Town

The hobo encampment on Ms Child’s property

he wildest place in town has to be the Santa Barbara Zoo and certainly a child’s favorite. When I moved here in the ‘70s I thought the Child Estate related to children because the Zoo was there. I soon learned it had once been Lillian Child’s property. When she passed away it eventually became a very small petting zoo. Certainly nothing

to brag about, the way we do now. Lillian lived in a grand mansion at the top of the zoo hill for almost 45 years. She was born Lillian Bailey on January 15, 1866 in New England living on Staten Island and attending parties in New York City. She was exceptionally beautiful and had three wealthy husbands – one divorced and two died. She loved to give soirees

in both Santa Barbara and New York. In May 1891 she married D. Wheeler Brown who was from a prominent banking family. The New York Times wrote it up as “a smart suburban wedding with a large, fashionable crowd.” The plot thickens. In April 1903 the Chicago Sun reported that D. Wheeler Brown had not been murdered as friends feared, but turned up alive after a three-day absence. Interestingly he didn’t explain but did divulge that he and his wife had been “separated for four months.” Lillian soon arrived in Santa Barbara and met John Edward Beale, a retired tea and coffee merchant who had never married and lived in a two-story pink stucco mansion on a hill overlooking the “salt pond” we now call the Bird Refuge. Beale loved horses and used to race around the pond on the race track that was there while wintering in Santa Barbara. In 1896 he purchased 20.33 acres of the nearby Nidever Hill for $25,000 and called his new

estate Vegamar (star of the sea). The three-story tower on their home above Cabrillo Boulevard became a landmark. Beale was a ladies’ man and was smitten with Lillian. In June 1906, just days after her divorce was final, they married in St. John’s Church in New York. She was 35 and her groom was 68 when they set sail on the Teutonic for a European honeymoon. Lillian was known for her flamboyant outfits which always had a silk scarf draped around her neck. “She said it was for a conversation piece and that there was nothing wrong with her,” recalls Albert de L’Arbre,” whose mother was Lillian’s friend. “This was a kind of a uniform which she had devised so that she would stand out among other people anywhere she went.” Back home Lillian was the “hostess with the mostest,” entertaining Vanderbilts, Carnegies and others from New York, plus local society. Beale was 76 and in ill health so they closed Vegamar, and spent several months in Ojai hoping the climate would help but he died July 21, 1914. Beales’ nieces and nephews contested his will which left his California property to his widow and New York holdings to his brother. Lillian ultimately

SEEN Page 374

THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS This weekend, you stopped the fire and saved lives. We are forever grateful to the Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara City, Montecito Fire Departments, Five Cities Fire Authority, Cal Fire as well as the U.S. Forest Service Fire Division for your service, and continue to be inspired by your sacrifice. From Blair & Dianne Pence and the Entire Team of:

14 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“Life is hard. After all, it kills you.” – Katharine Hepburn

18 – 25 June 2020

Congratulations! Mia Bazzani

FROM SANTA BARBARA MIDDLE SCHOOL TO THE NINTH GRADE CLASS OF 2020 ON YOUR RITE OF PASSAGE!

Jack Bradway

William Buss

Eddie Dodson

Samuel Eaton

Evelyn Edwards

Arielle Feinberg

Elias Finkel

Izzie Hamm

Liam Hamman

Lucas Herzog

Ella Higgins

Mack Kelly

Shalini Lewis

Larkin McGinnes

Dylan McWilliams

Lucia Metcalfe

Chris Sanchez

Julia Smith

Steven Solano

Lucy Speier

Kelsea Vallance

18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

On Entertainment by Steven Libowitz

Sibilant Surprise: Santa Barbara’s Safe Social Distance Summer Solstice Celebration

Participants like Raven Wylde have sent in videos to partake in the virtual Solstice celebration (photo by Fritz Olengerger)

This year’s Solstice poster artist Katreece Montgomery (photo by Fritz Olengerger)

Steven Libowitz has reported on the arts and entertainment for more than 30 years; he has contributed to the Montecito Journal for more than 10 years.

This year’s virtual Solstice theme is “Beautiful Earth” (photo by Robert Bernstein)

lot of things seem impossible to produce during a pandemic, most assuredly a parade, especially one as perennially popular as Santa Barbara’s Solstice Parade and Festival, which draws crowds of more

than 100,000 participants and spectators from town and all around. Held at high noon on the Saturday closest to June 21, Solstice (as the locals call it) is a day of pure delight, full of dancing, drumming and all sorts

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of imaginative arts, both human and papier-mâché, that moves and gyrates up State Street to arrive at Alameda Park for more partying on the longest day of the year. But even the most popular pagan ritual has given way to a pandemic, kowtowing to COVID-19 and stay-athome orders that have only recently started being relaxed. So the in-person version has been nixed for 2020. But that doesn’t mean the local  Solstice spirit has been squashed. Indeed, the organizers decided to innovate and take this year’s theme of “Beautiful Earth” – which now seems even more appropriate as sheltering in place has led people to rediscover nature and let the planet begin to heal – into the online world. And while government orders to combat the novel coronavirus prevented activities at the Community Arts Workshop where normally in-house and ad hoc artists construct massive floats, produce life-sized puppets and concoct crazy costumes, a different approach took shape. “There was no way we weren’t going to celebrate Solstice,” explained Ricardo Morrison, Solstice’s longtime artistic director. “So we had to come up with some way to have a parade when you can’t actually come together.” So this year’s parade features a pre-recorded roster of homemade mini-floats fashioned by regular folks from found objects or other paraphernalia – Morrison himself created a YouTube video showing how to construct one and then how to capture it with a mobile phone’s camera – which will be interspersed with individuals

“The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.” – Kin Hubbard

Watch Claudia Bratton and other participants at high noon on June 20 on the Summer Solstice Celebration website (photo by Fritz Olengerger)

and ensembles celebrating at home or in parks (one even shot on the beach and in the water) plus a selection of still photos. It’s the result of a call to action for participants to get creative for the virtual version that was answered enthusiastically. “It’s been incredible, because we’ve received a lot of video submissions from artists, families, individuals, ensembles,” Morrison said. “It’s a lot of people who are normally part of the parade, and quite a few who are new.” One of the unexpected results was hearing from past participants who no longer live in the area, including Laura Smith, who now calls St. Paul, Minnesota, her home, and receiving submissions from a foreign country. “It’s a really wide spectrum, from professional stilt puppet makers in England to kids pushing a mini-float on the lawn,” Morrison marveled. “It’s truly capturing the spirit of Solstice in the variety of expressions of creativity.” Among the contributors, Morrison said, are fire jugglers, drum ensembles, Brazilian capoeira dancers and an annual favorite in World Dance for Humanity. “What they did was use a single

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All information provided is deemed reliable, but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it. We recommend that buyers make their own inquiries.

18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

People of Montecito Generation Z by Megan Waldrep

What Brought You to Montecito?

SB Sunshine Tutors

by Victoria Chow

y husband grew up in Carpinteria and always loved the area. We looked here in Montecito, then Hope Ranch and downtown before deciding that Montecito had all the things we were looking for. Such as, hills for hiking, beaches for surfing, ease of walking and riding bikes for our children and family, a friendly and welcoming neighborhood setting, great local schools and parks within walking distance, a darling library, restaurants and delicious ice cream (first only Scoop, then Rori’s). What more could one want?! How has the coronavirus impacted you? Certainly, COVID-19 has impacted our community in a big way. As a family, we are lucky that we could come together and be at home in beautiful Montecito. We have been sharing the load of cooking and cleaning as well as getting some overdue projects done. Best of all, we have been able to sing, laugh, play games, and take walks, and we know how lucky we are! We, too, hold our community close and have reached out in support of all those on the front line. We are full of gratitude for the depth of commitment shown in our community to do the right thing during these strained times. – Elisabeth Fowler

esley Drucker, a sophomore at Cate School, recently started SB Sunshine Tutors, a tutoring service to support students who are struggling with homework during the pandemic. Lesley saw how students were no longer able to meet with their teachers after class for help. “I really relied on getting help from teachers after class, but all of sudden, I couldn’t,” was a common refrain. During this stay-at-home period, helping her younger sister with online school, Lesley started to wonder about those who didn’t have older siblings who could stand in as tutors. “To me, it’s a luxury not enough people have. I sent emails to local schools to see what tutors I could harvest, and then it just started! Since we’re always inside, I thought SB Sunshine was a clever name in hopes that we can bring sunshine to others.” SB Sunshine Tutors is staffed by volunteer high school students who provide free tutoring services in a wide range of subjects. These tutors include Noah Silverberg, Kate Sheldon, and Sofia Schuster, sophomores at San Marcos High School, and Linnea Moe from Santa Barbara High School. “I think it’s so important that we provide this kind of one-on-one time where we can answer questions and really help students understand,” says Noah Silverberg. “Not everyone moves at the same pace and when you’re doing online school the teacher isn’t walking around the room, seeing who needs more help. You’re just in one big class and it’s a lot harder to ask questions. At the same time, when you ask a question, everyone

can hear you, so you might feel like you’re being judged. We provide a comfortable environment with oneon-one teaching that’s personalized to the student.” Noah explained. Lesley adds, “I’ve been fortunate in having such great teachers to help me through this, so I wanted to help those who don’t feel well adjusted to this new online school.”

“I’ve been fortunate in having such great teachers to help me through this, so I wanted to help those who don’t feel well adjusted to this new online school.” – Lesley Drucker, Cate School sophomore and free SB Sunshine Tutor

•MJ

From the left, Kate Sheldon, Noah Silverberg, Sofia Schuster, and Lesley Drucker

18 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“A man doesn’t know what he knows until he knows what he doesn’t know.” – Laurence J. Peter

18 – 25 June 2020

Lesley Drucker, Founder of SB Sunshine Tutors

The volunteer tutors offer hour-long tutoring sessions where they work together with the students on their homework to answer any questions and teach concepts that might have been covered too quickly in class. “Usually I have parents share what their child is working on a couple of minutes prior to the meeting, just so that I can understand the background. It’s helpful to work through it together with them in real time.” says Lesley. “I like to tutor by sharing my iPad screen and writing down the problem. I think for most kids it really helps to have them see the process. Other

times they can share their screen so I can help guide them.” Noah commented. Noah explained his motivation, “One of my goals is to not let COVID19 influence our education more than it has to. It has already torn apart daily routines and learning habits, so any way that we can help prevent issues in education we are ready to help. After COVID-19, when students return to school, we want them to fully understand the content from their online learning. When students aren’t being held accountable every day for their work and getting the help they need from teachers, there will be holes in their knowledge. Our job is to help them fill those holes and make sure they have their fundamentals down.” Sofia Schuster, an aspiring singer, shared her reasons for helping. “My biggest interest has always been music, and I’ve used this time in quarantine to really dive into my interests. I realized that being able to use this free time to explore my passion is a huge luxury so I wanted to help out and support kids who are transitioning to online school.” SB Sunshine Tutors is providing a great community service to many local students. Students or parents can email them at sbsunshine@gmail.com or reach out to them on Facebook at @ sbsunshinetutors •MJ

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18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Ape See Ape Do

here was once a bunch of impossibly cute and endearingly musical primates swinging around a compound just outside the City of Santa Clarita. And then they moved to Santa Barbara County. That’s how, ideally, the story will go for the Gibbon Conservation Center, a unique research, breeding and residential facility dreamed up and established by the equally distinctive Alan Mootnick. A native of Los Angeles and self-taught primatologist, Mr. Mootnick had first fallen in love with gibbons while watching Tarzan on TV as a kid. It was the calls from the small jungle-apes in the background that hooked him immediately and permanently, leading to a life of immersion in the study of these rare,

endangered animals. Mr. Mootnick became a world-renowned authority on gibbon biology and conservation, ultimately founding and funding (himself) the creation of the GCC in 1976. He continued to foot the bill until 1990 when the organization became a non-profit. The sanctuary, which houses the rarest group of apes (they’re not monkeys) in the Western Hemisphere, currently has 38 gibbons, some of which came from zoos and others that were born there. Ivan, the oldest at 46 years old, ended up in Santa Clarita via Moscow, 30 years ago. The youngest at the Center is just under one year old. “The baby’s dad is a first-time father who was really shy at first but has changed a lot since having his daugh-

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20 MONTECITO JOURNAL

by Rebecca Lee Moody

ter,” said Gabriella Skollar, Director of the GCC since 2014. She explained that the place’s mission is “to promote the conservation, study, care and preservation of this rare species of primates from becoming extinct.” In order to continue their work, the facility now needs to find a new home, and soon. Their lease expires in July of 2021. When the GCC’s founder died in 2011 (surrounded by family and a recording of gibbon songs playing) “we lost ownership of the land and had to start paying rent,” Skollar said. “That’s part of why we’re relocating, but he’d actually always wanted to move since a more temperate climate would be better for the gibbons and also, we want to grow.” At the heart of the expansion plan is the desire to have a classroom. “We want to have more educational offerings for children,” Skollar continued. “We currently invite school groups to tour and would like to add lectures, a zoo camp, plus have room for weddings, birthday parties, and other events.” Areas being considered for the Center’s new home are Solvang, Lompoc, Santa Maria, or anywhere in SB County. “We’d had a spot in Lompoc we were hoping for, but it went into escrow before we could raise the money for purchase,” Skollar said. “We need to have at least fifteen

“Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear but forgetting where you heard it.” – Laurence J. Peter

acres; twenty would be better.” As properties are vetted, there is also this to consider: The hills will be alive with the sound of music. “Gibbons sing at sunrise,” she pointed out. “It’s a beautiful sound, but this does add an issue to finding a place. I live on-site and it’s the best thing to wake up to. However our neighbors have to love it. We can’t just move somewhere without checking with them first and suddenly they have thirty singing apes next to them.” Gibbons begin expressing themselves this way when only a few months old. “They vocalize when spying food on the way,” says Skollar, who originally came directly from Hungary to the GCC in 2005 as a volunteer. “Also, when they are playing and tickle each other, they giggle, they smile, and they laugh.” The furry, roughly 14-pound creatures serenade, too. “When looking for a partner, they sing a solo song,” says Skollar. “The young males practice, sometimes for an hour at a time. Couples coordinate duets. They are so romantic.” The GCC has, historically, maintained a team of about twenty volunteers. It works with Girl Scout and Eagle Scout projects, offers opportunities to learn how to prepare food, and teaches visitors and helpers about individual gibbons and family dynamics. There are ‘Adopt a Gibbon’ and ‘Caretaker for a Day’ programs, as well as a gift shop where books, clothing and of course gibbon earrings can be found. Donations to their relocation fund can be made through the GCC’s website (gibboncenter.org) where there’s also an Amazon wishlist related to the facility’s daily operational needs. “A lot of people aren’t familiar with what a gibbon even is,” Skollar said. “But, once they come here, people fall in love with these creatures and this place.” •MJ Gibbon Conservation Center 19100 Esguerra Road Santa Clarita, CA 91390 661-296-2737 gibboncenter.org 18 – 25 June 2020

ON THE RECORD (from page 12)

down into two groups instead of three allows students to be on campus more safely and more often,” she said. “We can help students who need it the most , and they can have safe connections with others.” However, all these details are subject to approval by the county’s education board, not to mention state guidelines on how schools should reopen. Simmons said she anticipates strict state health and safety rules for schools that will require enhanced cleaning of all surface areas, reduce indoor classroom size, and require facial coverings for everyone on campus and possibly even face masks for front office staff. Santa Barbara High School gears up for a most unusual fall semester “All these things are being decided right now, because it doesn’t matter what our bell schedule is if we can’t ensure hopes to collect enough funds from our facilities are safe and clean,” she added. “Whatever the State of California fellow Dons during the summer break and our county says we have to do we will follow.” to match that gift and ensure the position can be filled by the start of Fall semester. “About 10 percent of our students struggle with emotional issues,” The worst job losses since the Great Depression have occurred in just the said SBHS principal Simmons. “That’s past few months, and Santa Barbara’s student population and their parents – about 220 kids that need support, and especially low-income families who were already struggling financially – have one therapist can only carry a caseload been experiencing severe levels of stress lately. Because of this, school officials of about 12 to 15 students.” anticipate that more students than usual will need extra emotional support For kids with emotional or medical once classes resume this fall. Yet SHBS has only one full-time therapist and two disabilities that directly impact their part-time therapists available to provide counseling for kids. Because of this, ability to learn, the high school has the Foundation for Santa Barbara High School has secured a $37,500 gift from a a psychologist available as part of a local donor who has agreed to fund half the cost of another full-time therapist larger assessment team, as required for the campus. SBHS Principal Elise Simmons hopes to tackle stuTo complete the funding for this new full-time position, the Foundation ON THE RECORD Page 474 dent mental health ahead of time

Dons Double Down on Student Mental Health

Unrivaled Ocean, Harbor and City Views

ENJOY THE SANTA BARBARA RIVIERA LIFESTYLE FROM 1308 DOVER HILL RD.

$300,000 Price Improvement | New Price: $3,195,000 Convenient Location with Close Proximity to the Belmond El Encanto Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, the old Santa Barbara Mission, the Museum of natural history and downtown Santa Barbara. 4,200 Sq.Ft. • 3 Bdrms + Office • 3 Full Baths, 2 Powder Rooms • Fully Equipped Media Room • Whole House Sonos Sound System Fully Finished 2-Car Garage • An Abundance of Storage and On-Site Parking MONICA LENCHES, SRES Coast and Valley Properties Tele#: 805.689.1300 Email: monica@monicalenches.net BRE: 01081461

18 – 25 June 2020

HOLLY McKENNA To learn more about this property, visit: www.1308DoverHill.com To learn more about the Santa Barbara Riviera lifestyle, visit: www.sbrivieralifestyle.com

• The Voice of the Village •

Coldwell Banker Realty Tele#: 805.886.8848 Email: hmckennasb@gmail.com BRE: 00984593

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Focus on Finance

Bob Hazard Mr. Hazard is an Associate Editor of this paper and a former president of Birnam Wood Golf Club.

Ball of Confusion

’m confused. Prior to May 25, law enforcement officers, along with firefighters, doctors and nurses, were celebrated as America’s heroes for showing up as first responders when other workers were told to shelter-in-place. What has happened to unleash a flood of angry protestors with signs that read “Eat the rich. Hang Bankers”; “F*** Capitalism”; and “Police are Pigs”? Where are the voices of tens of millions of Americans who are horrified at what happened in Minneapolis, but who support law enforcement, fight for social justice every day, live in peace with their neighbors and love this country? Instead, we are bombarded with the message that our “thin blue line” is inherently brutal, and worse, irredeemably racist. And just generally needs to be scrapped. In response, President Trump just signed an executive order “Safe Policing For Safe Communities” to establish new protocols (and abandoning others) to establish better policing policies in our nation. The order promotes better social services to aid mental health and homelessness, create a federal database to monitor law enforcement conduct, and create grant programs for community-supported law enforcement models. So the federal government is responding. But are the states and cities doing their part?

Support for Peaceful Protestors

New York City’s longest serving Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly,

points out that police are in the business of protecting the right of every American to peacefully protest. Kelly sensibly asks, “If reformers want to defund or dismantle police, or allow police stations to be burned down, who will show up when people or property is threatened?”

Public Safety and Personal Responsibility

According to Walter E. Williams, a Black Professor of Economics at George Mason University and a frequent editorial correspondent: “The first responsibility of elected officials who run our cities, is public safety. Some of the most dangerous big cities are St. Louis, Detroit, Baltimore, Oakland, Chicago, Memphis, Atlanta, Birmingham, Newark, Buffalo, and Philadelphia.” The most common characteristic of these cities is that for decades, all of them have been run by progressive Democrats. In my mind one of the worst bigotries is the bigotry of low expectations. I believe these Democrat electeds need to have higher expectations… and hold themselves to these higher expectations as well. An increased flow of federal subsidies has not ended poverty. Failing inner city schools have not closed the gap in education. It can be argued that Black Americans, more than any other ethnic group, have been sentenced to a life of generational and cyclical poverty in the failed urban ghettos of America in return for the surety of

HAZARD Page 264

HISTORIC LOW RATES!

30 Year Fixed at 2.75% Loan Amount Payment APR $300,000 .......................... $1225 ....................................... 2.94% $400,000 .......................... $1633 ........................................2.91% $500,000 .......................... $2042 ....................................... 2.89% $600,000 .......................... $2450 ....................................... 2.90%

John Entezari

Unison Financial Group President CA BRE LIC.# 01113108 NMLS# 326501

email: johne@west.net

22 MONTECITO JOURNAL

by Christopher Gallo Since graduating from UCSB in 1992, Christopher has worked with local individuals and families as a financial planner. He is a Vice President with UBS Financial and holds the CFP, CIMA, and CPWA credentials. He can be reached at christopher.t.gallo@ubs.com or 805-730-3425.

Health Savings Accounts

he recent CARES act allowed for a special mid-year adjustment to benefits elections to allow employees to adjust how much they spend on medical insurance and fund their medical cost savings plans. Given that studies estimate that couples over age 65 could spend over $350,000 on medical costs – including Medicare – during retirement, funding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can help save for these costs and are vastly underutilized by most of us. They benefit from a triple tax-free status for qualified expenses and are offered without income limits to any individual or family covered by a high deductible health plan (HDHP).

What is an HSA? It is a pre-tax savings account intended to cover health care expenses. Funds that go into the account grow tax free and also allow tax free withdrawals as long as proceeds are used to cover health care costs. Who qualifies to fund an HSA? Any individual or family that is under the age of 65 and has an HDHP as their primary medical insurance. An HDHP for 2020 is defined as a health plan with a minimum deductible of $1,400 (individuals) and a minimum of $2,800 for families. Out of pocket maximums must be less than $6,900 for individual plans and $13,500 for family plans. Out of pocket maximums do not include health care premiums. Many health care plans now fall into this range. If your employer offers an HSA plan as part of your benefits package it is more convenient for pre-tax contributions. However, even if your employer does not offer an HSA, if you are covered by an HDHP, you can fund your own HSA with all of the same benefits. What is the maximum contribution allowed to HSAs? In 2020, individuals can put a

805-689-6364 Rates as of 6/16/20.Owner occupied only. FICO OVER 700 Loan to value at 70%. Minimum loan amount of $200,000. California Department Of Real Estate License#01818741.NMLS #339238. Not all borrowers will qualify.Programs,rates and APR'S subject to change without notice.

“If you’re too open-minded; your brains will fall out.” – Lawrence Ferlinghetti

maximum of $3,550 and families can add $7,100. Individuals over 55 can add $1,000 annual catch up contributions. The pre-tax benefit of this is massive since this is what is called “above-the-line” in tax terms: the contribution directly reduces your taxable income, just like a 401(k). It is much more valuable than a deduction which may not be realized in savings. What happens once the money is in an HSA? There are a few options with the money that has been contributed to an HSA. Of course, you can use it for qualified medical expenses: doctor’s visits, copays, prescriptions, Medicare premiums (Parts B and D) and LTC insurance premiums are among the costs that qualify. Note that normal health care premiums are not considered qualified. A better plan, if you can afford it, may be to let the contributions collect until you are retired and you can them use them for medical costs. Many plans offer investment menus similar to a 401(k)for longer term investments. A reminder that any of the gains or interest earned inside of an HSA is not taxable. How does money come out of an HSA? As mentioned before you can use the funds anytime for qualified medical expenses without any tax due. When you reach the age of 65, it becomes even more flexible. You can still take tax-free qualified distributions, but you can also withdraw money for any reason and only pay normal income taxes on the withdrawals. With the potential triple-tax benefit, ever-rising health care costs and the flexibility of withdrawals, HSAs are an important tool for both current expenses and long-term retirement planning. •MJ

WENDY GRAGG 805. 453. 3371

Luxury Real Estate Specialist for Nearly 20 Years

Lic #01304471

Luxury Real Estate Specialist

18 – 25 June 2020

Robert’s Big Questions

Brilliant Thoughts by Ashleigh Brilliant

by Robert Bernstein

Born London, 1933. Mother Canadian. Father a British civil servant. World War II childhood spent mostly in Toronto and Washington, D.C. Berkeley PhD. in American History, 1964. Living in Santa Barbara since 1973. No children. Best-known for his illustrated epigrams, called “Pot-Shots”, now a series of 10,000. Email ashleigh@west.net or visit www.ashleighbrilliant.com

On the Road

on’t let them fool you. All roads do not lead to Rome – at least, not anymore. But: there is always a close connection between any road and whatever travels on it. Most of our roads today began as animal tracks. Animals didn’t need motels, or scenic views. They bought no souvenirs, and never wrote home. And the routes they followed were not necessarily direct. So, people straightened them, smoothed them, and eventually sprinkled them with all manner of “facilities.” There had of course been railroads long before the first automobiles appeared in 1895. So the most important roads became those which led to and from the railroad stations. But then came a new factor – the bicycle. These “easy and graceful machines,” as they were described at the time, could theoretically go anywhere. But they had one great limitation. They needed a fairly smooth surface to ride on. It was, therefore, organized bicyclists, not motorists, who spearheaded the first widespread agitation for “Good Roads.” But the better the roads became, the more problems they helped to spread, especially when the Mass Automobile came along. A good example was a certain weed, known to botanists as Tribulus Terrestris, but which became unpleasantly familiar to motorists, especially in California, the most motorized State, as the “Puncture Vine.” The spiked seed pods of this plant were found to be a great menace to automobile tires. The irony was that this plant had not been at all common in California until cars began to proliferate. Then it was found to be spreading rapidly all over the state. The reason was, of course, that the cars themselves were spreading the pest, transporting its seeds on their tires from one area to another. No really satisfactory answer to this problem was ever found, until tires became less vulnerable. Many of the earlier roads were made for military purposes – but all people who used them were of course benefited. In my own days of youthful travel, much of which was by hitchhiking, one of my trips took me into the Highlands of Scotland where, in the troubled times of the 18th Century, a British Field Marshall named George Wade had been responsible for supervising the construction of roads penetrating some of the most rebellious regions. Upon one such thoroughfare, 18 – 25 June 2020

Degrees from Physics departments of MIT and UC Santa Barbara. Career in designing atomic-resolution microscopes. Childhood spent in Europe and the East of the US. Passion to understand the Big Questions of life and the universe. Duty to be a good citizen of the planet.

some grateful user placed this inscription to be seen by travelers: ad you seen this road before it was H made, You would lift up your hands, and bless General Wade. There must be something emotionally appealing about the metaphorical concept of a road, considering how often it appears in our songs and stories. A classic example is the Scottish song “Loch Lomond.” Many people aren’t aware that it’s based on a legend that, for Scots who die abroad, there is an underground pathway (“the Low Road”) by which their spirits return home. The song supposedly expresses the feelings of a Scottish leader who had been captured by the English, and was to be executed in London, to a friend who was free and would be taking “the High Road” back to Scotland. When you know this story, it gives added poignancy to the words “but I’ll be in Scotland before ye’.” On a much lighter note, there was a series of seven “Road” movies featuring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. The destinations included Singapore, Zanzibar, and Morocco. One gag in one song from the latter film is the only line I can remember from any of them. It said, “Like Webster’s Dictionary, we’re Morocco bound.” Some routes endeared themselves to the public under particular names. Best-known in California since early Spanish days was the official “Royal Highway,” connecting all the Missions. To this day, parts of that route are still called by the original name, “El Camino Real.” When motoring became popular, a route was established in 1913 which went entirely across the U.S., from coast to coast. It was known affectionately as the Lincoln Highway – but that designation was eventually converted into various humdrum numbers. At least one of those numbered routes, however, acquired a cachet of its own. Route 66, which ran from Chicago to Los Angeles (and which, when 17, I hitchhiked along in 1951), became famous as the road followed by “Dust Bowl” refugees, celebrated in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Eventually it was bypassed by the Interstate Highway System – but certain forsaken portions still lure tourists who want to say they “got their kicks on Route 66.” •MJ

A Price for a Human Life?

ew York Governor Cuomo said in March, “If it’s public health versus the economy, the only choice is public health. You cannot put a value on human life.” But public policy absolutely requires placing a value on human life. There are about 35,000 automobile deaths each year in the U.S. If we reduced the speed limit to perhaps 10MPH the death figure could be reduced to nearly zero. Clearly, policy makers have placed a price on human life. So, what is the price of a human life? There have been different measures over history. At one time the price was set by the earnings of the individual. This would be used in legal cases to assess a fair compensation to a family that lost its primary earner. This clearly would depend on the age of the earner and the potential for future earnings. But is that the best way to assign a price? What about when someone dies who was disabled and could not work. An actual court case ruled such a person is a liability and the family got zero. If we base the price on the individual value of a life, I might claim that the value of my own life is infinite and claim the value of others’ lives is something else. A more common value today is given by the “Value of a Statistical Life” or VSL. This is based on how much you would have to pay someone to raise their risk of death by a certain amount. Or how much they would be willing to pay to reduce their risk. It is hard to do a survey for this number, but we can observe what people actually choose. For example, how much more people are paid for taking extra risks on the job. This is called a “revealed preference.” The number reveals about $10 million per life. Private companies make risk assessments based on the penalties they might have to pay if something goes wrong. The case of the Ford Pinto is a famous example. Out of about two million Pintos, there were six horrific deaths due to poor placement of the fuel tank in rear end collisions. Ford calculated that it was cheaper to pay compensation for the deaths and injuries than to fix the problem. Governments can change these assessments by setting fines or other punitive damages. But in most cases these fines are smaller than the actual damages that are caused. In other

• The Voice of the Village •

cases the government simply mandates policies. For example, starting in 1968 all cars were required to have seatbelts for all passengers. U.S. healthcare policy is really an outlier among industrialized countries in that there is very little rational assessment of value of life. The U.S. spends about $3.5 trillion each year on healthcare, amounting to over $10,000 per person on average. But that average is misleading. About 5% of the population accounts for half of that spending. Meanwhile, about 30 million Americans have little or no access to healthcare. Britain has the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, called “NICE,” to rationally allocate money in its universal healthcare system. Their rulings are not always politically popular in individual cases. But their outcome statistics are better than ours in the U.S. Americans will rail against the very idea of “rationing” of healthcare. But what is the alternative to a rational allocation of resources? The U.S. rations healthcare, too. Just not very rationally. In the case of the coronavirus, we may have made a false dichotomy between the value of a human life and the economic costs. First of all, economic costs have real human costs. There is a direct correlation between higher unemployment rates and rates of suicide and domestic violence. But we can also look on the positive side: We could invest in proper disaster preparedness and avoid some of the economic impacts. Starting with adequate supplies of Personal Protective Equipment. We also could be investing in projects that need to be done, but always get sidelined for more immediate priorities. Over a trillion dollars was quickly printed at the start of the COVID-19 crisis and handed out as a stimulus. With no clear idea where that money would end up. The Green New Deal was first promoted during the last economic crisis as Obama ran for president. But little ever came of it. If we invested a trillion dollars in sustainable transportation and energy projects we would get the economic stimulus and keep people employed. But we would also get the benefit of solving the climate crisis and living in a healthier world. Perhaps that is the best value of life? •MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

Real Estate View

Montecito Heat Index

by Michael Phillips

60 53

How Hot is Today’s Real Estate Market?

24 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Michael Phillips is president and principal broker of Phillips Real Estate. He can be reached at 805.969.4569 and info@ MPPRE.net.

more attention to options in all sectors as inventory began to grow pre-virus. A very strong Spring market was facing us. Since then the number of homes for sale in all sectors combined is down a considerable 23.8%. With the near impossibility of safely interacting with buyers, many sellers understandably withdrew from the market. Almost immediately upon lockdown, inventory dropped by as much as 67%. Open houses were no longer permitted and showings were limited to virtual tours. And yet three months later, showings are carefully resuming and the market is improving. And it is improving faster in Montecito than anywhere locally. Repeatedly, when market interrupters arise, Montecito has been an outli-

Heat Index

he Montecito Heat Index measures present demand for Montecito single-family homes. By focusing upon buyer contracts, rather than closed escrows which typically lag a month or longer from accepted contracts, the Heat Index provides a forward-looking indicator of both market strength and direction. At five distinct price points, we look at where value is most recognized by buyers. Today’s Heat Score is compared to this date last year. All data are from the Santa Barbara Multiple Listing Service and are uniformly deemed reliable. Today’s Heat Index Score is 166, a stunning increase of 348.7% from last year. As the adjacent graph demonstrates, the $2-3m sector and the $5m and above sectors were the most in-demand on this date last year. Today it is the $3-4m group besting last year’s score by an enormous 950%. And the high-end $5m and above sector came within two points of last year while other sectors easily outscored last year. A major change affecting the market has occurred. Buyers started to pay

20 19

20 20

15 16

13 9

4 0

0 1-2M

2-3M 3-4M 4-5M $$ in Millions

er defying both regional and national trends. Today Montecito has 3% more homes under contract than on this date last year. Hope Ranch’s inventory, by comparison, is down 41% where one might expect. Equally surprising is that our sales are up 2% from last year while Hope Ranch is down 47%. And our median sales price has increased by 17% to $3,450,000. Extraordinary numbers given the present circumstances. For now, however, uncertainty is firmly upon us. It has been said that when you see one pandemic –

5+ M

you’ve seen one pandemic. Markets hate uncertainty and pandemics often exhaust economies resulting in deep recessions. And a renewed outbreak in the fall will very likely dial everything back for awhile. However, in spite of Buyers facing very few choices, demand will continue for homes here. It always has. And with inventory at present levels (there are only nine properties listed in the $1-2m sector and nearly half are in escrow), sale prices will likely increase. A strong Seller’s market continues to control. •MJ

18 – 25 June 2020

Proudly Presents:

The Village 4th Road Show is rolling to YOU! Saturday July 4th 11:30 AM TURNAROUND Montecito Covenant Church

Get dressed in your 4th ﬁnery and come out and greet the motorcade as it rolls by! Be safe. Physically distant. Wear face coverings, please. For more info:

montecitoassociation.org

Village 4th Road Show 2020

Mountain Dr

San Ysidro Rd

Cold Spring Rd

End

Ashley Rd

Sycamore Canyon

MUS – Parade Start

Olive Mill

San Ysidro Rd

San Leandro

S Jameson

Channel Dr

18 – 25 June 2020

Parade Route

N Jameson

Danielson

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

HAZARD (Continued from page 26)

their votes. But are those votes still that guaranteed? Even with the former Vice President’s “You ain’t black” gaffe?

What Has Happened in our Largest Cities?

Let’s not forget that all these major metropoles, with emphasis on Minneapolis (the flashpoint of our current unrest), are run by progressive dems who have thus far only delivered lip service and photo ops to the urban disenfranchised, our own town not excluded. Of the top 25 cities in this country by population, only four have Republican mayors. In the top 10, only San Diego (#8) has a Republican mayor. So who is failing the urban disenfranchised? Don’t the cities have a pretty big role in all off this?

Minneapolis Self-Eradicates its Law Enforcement 18 days after the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed a resolution to replace the police department with a community-led public safety system. “We acknowledge that the current system is not reformable – that we would like to end the current policing system as we know it,” council member Alondra Cano said.

Seattle’s No-Cop Utopia

In Seattle, police officers have fled, and protestors have taken over the streets in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Posted signs read, “You are Now Entering Free Capitol Hill.” Police are not allowed to enter a sixblock downtown area of the city, which has declared its own independence. Demonstrators hung a banner on the burned-out East Precinct police station: “THIS SPACE IS NOW THE PROPERTY OF THE SEATTLE PEOPLE.”

J ARROTT

CO.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS

SPECIALIZING IN 1031 TAX-DEFERRED EXCHANGES

Protestors are camped out in the self-declared “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.” The street-party atmosphere provides free music, free snacks at the No-Cop Co-op and free gas masks are available from some guy’s sedan. A free documentary movie, 13th, the Ava DuVernay film about the criminal justice system’s impact on African Americans, is shown after dark. The street theme is “Summer of Love.” According to Michael Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, city leadership has lost its political will to assert the rule of law. Burned-out, boarded-up minority-owned businesses have been vandalized, looted and destroyed, perhaps never to reopen. Rioters ransacked Nordstrom’s flagship store downtown, and 100 other businesses on live TV before the National Guard was called in. Protestors claim that the Seattle Police Department and its attached court system are beyond reform. Their message is: “We do not request reform; we demand abolition. We demand that the Seattle Council and the Mayor defund and abolish the Seattle Police Department and the attached Criminal Justice Apparatus, including existing pensions for Seattle police.” Other demands include eliminating ICE, and the banning of police guns, batons, riot shields, and tear gas.

California Police Reform

Closer to home, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti proposes cutting the police budget by putting fewer officers on the street and redirecting funding to social programs that would benefit communities of color. The United Teachers Union in Los Angeles says it supports a campaign to eliminate school police funding and move its $8 billion budget that has been providing police protection at public schools to mental health support and academic counselors. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed announced that police officers will be replaced by social workers to respond to calls for help involving school discipline, neighborhood disputes, drug and alcohol addiction and homelessness as part of a new wave

of police reforms. By 2021, military weapons and tear gas will be banned for police use.

Santa Barbara Police Reform

Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo demonstrated that she has learned to take a knee during the Pledge of Allegiance at a City Council meeting two days after she refused to take a knee during a “Black Lives Matter” march on the police station. Apparently, Murillo’s gesture was not enough for community members who spoke at the City Council meeting, insisting that kneeling inside the council chamber was a token, too-little, toolate gesture, solely for the cameras.

New York City’s longest serving Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly, points out that police are in the business of protecting the right of every American to peacefully protest. Kelly sensibly asks, “If reformers want to defund or dismantle police, or allow police stations to be burned down, who will show up when people or property is threatened?” Community organizers have issued a set of demands they want from the City of Santa Barbara, including a City Council resolution condemning police brutality; declaring racism a public health emergency; removing statutes and symbols of white supremacy; and greater transparency and accountability from the Police Department, including the creation of a new civilian review board. Interestingly, there has been no mention of eliminating the power of police unions who protect the retention of “bad cops.”

Police Reform in Montecito

The County Sheriff’s substation in Carpinteria, headed by Lt. Ugo (Butch) Arnoldi, assisted by Deputy

AND

TRIPLE NET LEASED

SANTA BARBARA

M ANAGEMENT F REE

INVESTMENT PROPERTIES WITH NATIONAL TENANTS CALL

Len Jarrott, MBA, CCIM 805-569-5999 http://www.jarrott.com

26 MONTECITO JOURNAL

HOPE RANCH

MONTECITO

GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR LUXURY CUSTOM HOMES FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1983

805-966-9662

WWW.HOLEHOUSE.COM

LICENSE #645496

“I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” – Lily Tomlin

James Carovano as the Community Resource Deputy, provides law enforcement services for unincorporated Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria Valley, as well as the City of Carpinteria, by contract. Deputies are asked to provide assistance for life threatening incidents, such as murder; forcible rape; robbery; and aggravated assault, often involving alcohol addiction or drug overdoses from cocaine, meth, mollies, or mushrooms. A lesser category of offenses includes car thefts, stolen purses at trailheads, store and home robberies, mail and credit card fraud, gang fights, battered women and child abuse. Crime rates are inching upward as incarcerated felons are released from an overcrowded criminal justice system in Santa Barbara County and throughout the state. Montecito residents call on our local Sheriff to restrain noisy late-night parties, investigate public intoxication, prevent illegal drug sales or use, resolve juvenile problems, prevent trespassing, find missing persons, and remove homeless encampments on private property. It was our local Sheriff’s office that responded to reports of naked people on the beaches, a dead 38-foot grey whale which washed ashore near Santa Claus Lane and protection of empty homes during numerous Montecito emergency evacuations. I would be surprised if more than 1% of the residents of Montecito want our Sheriff’s Substation to be either defunded or disbanded.

ALL Need to Take Ownership of This Problem I personally have witnessed us come a long way as a country in improving race relations in this generation. Which is not to say we don’t have periodical growing pains and not to say that more doesn’t need to be done to achieve the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.…”that one day my children will live in a nation where they will NOT be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” But I also think it is madness to predominantly blame the police, and not ourselves, for the indignity of systemic racism. Black or white, brown or yellow, we each need to take personal responsibility for racial injustice and support changes that will make a difference. To suggest that police reform is the cure-all for years of failed social policies and government subsidies that inhibit individual initiative, personal responsibility and hard work is both illogical and irrational. Changing the hearts of “we the people” will prove to be much more difficult than changing the behavior of a few bad police officers. •MJ 18 – 25 June 2020

Perspectives by Rinaldo S. Brutoco

Bears, Business, and Better World

Rinaldo S. Brutoco is the Founding President and CEO of the Santa Barbara-based World Business Academy and a co-founder of JUST Capital. He’s a serial entrepreneur, executive, author, radio host, and futurist who’s published on the role of business in relation to pressing moral, environmental, and social concerns for over 35 years

The White Solution

ast week this column was entitled Half Slave, Half Free and dealt with the reality that people of color are not equal in this country; and, that this condition is a fundamental challenge to our “Union” as envisioned by Abraham Lincoln. Hopefully, after the last two weeks of international protests we are ready to embrace the solution to racism. It is not enough to “wish” it away. It is not enough to “hope” it goes away. It is not enough to ignore the reality of 401 years since slavery reached our shores in the hopes that somehow we can “forget” what has happened. It is not enough to cease being a racist, or thinking one is neutral, it is now incumbent on us to actively be anti-racist. What does this mean? It means that whites have accumulated the majority of power in our society so whites must be the source of the solution. People of color have been too marginalized to create equality. As Emmanuel Acho concluded, it will take a “White Solution.” South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn recently observed: with few exceptions, almost every white person who came to our shores did so voluntarily seeking a better life; and, tragically, with very few exceptions his people (of color) were brought here under duress as slaves. Those enslaved people and their descendants built this nation with the sweat of their brows and labored to co-create with us the wealth that became the United States even through the horror of Reconstruction. They labored to work our farms and build our factories through the incredible indignities of “the Jim Crow” era. Today, these same people of color are expected to serve our society even as our society fails to adequately educate their children; even though our society fails to provide the same opportunities for housing in the neighborhoods of their choice; even though we continue to abandon vast numbers of our fellow citizens of color to food desert wastelands within the inner city, and deny them the same quality of healthcare, or job opportunities, as we collectively extend to ourselves. A discussion of these systemic racist challenges often devolves into a debate around the idea of “reparations” as a way to repay our citizens of color who have suffered for generations. Unfortunately, those conversations become bogged down in practical questions like “Who is entitled to a payment?” and “How would the payment 18 – 25 June 2020

One of the oldest grizzlies outside a zoo emerges from yet another winter.

be calculated?” and “How would the payment be made even if we could agree upon who deserved the money, the amounts, and the desire to ‘even the score’ for centuries of being held back?” The problem with reparations, beyond the very challenging questions above, is far greater than the dollars. The problem with reparations is: after having been paid in whatever amount and in whatever way determined, the money will be gone and the challenges of our “half slave, half free” society would remain. I strongly believe that the best form of reparations is to morally, legally and financially support a permanent program which would remain in effect until equality is achieved for all people of color including Hispanics and Native Americans. I include Hispanics and Native Americans because as Martin Luther King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” “Equal” means equal for all of us regardless of skin color or nation of origin and true equality is what people of color are clamoring for. Given the current political paralysis, and the necessity to act at once, it is clear that our political institutions will not be up to the task of designing or executing such a program. Our Merchant Class must take the lead in this incredible challenge that will lead us to equality, and not cease until we arrive there. Apart from the obvious fact that our political institutions have been failing to correct our inequalities for hundreds of years and seem less able to address them today than at any time since Jim Crow, why should the business community assume this burden? There are two answers: 1) the peace of society, and the general prosperity of society for all its members, is the dominant driver of our consumer economy so it is in the interests of business to put the rancor, the riots, the ill will, the resentment, the negativity and the forces of destruction behind us – that’s how our economy works and the business community knows it. And, 2) business is the most powerful institution in society so more falls upon it to bring order from our current chaos as the ultimate corporate responsibility. There has not been a time for centuries such as this where the business community must once again provide societal leadership. Not since the Medici of Medieval Florence and the Doges of Venice created the Merchant Class rulers who lead Europe through the Renaissance have we need-

othing warms the heart like a conservation story about bears – and today we have a really good one for you. A few weeks ago, a nature photographer who lives near Yellowstone National Park sent a text message to Dr. Jane Goodall, the British primatologist. “Miraculously, she still lives!” The photographer, Thomas Mangelsen, was referring to a grizzly bear known as “399,” probably the most famous wild bruin in the world. Aged 24, not only is she one of the oldest grizzlies living outside a zoo, but she has also continued having cubs to a venerable age, becoming a poster child for the recovery of bears in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. The population of grizzlies in the Yellowstone region was given protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 after their numbers dipped to less than 150. But their recovery, thanks to habitat protection, crackdowns on poaching, and a ban on hunting, is considered one of the greatest conservation triumphs in U.S. history. Today, at least 700 grizzlies inhabit the region and, luring tourists, they have paid tangible economic dividends. Born in 1996, 399 has demonstrated the importance of a healthy female bear to an overall population. At least 22 bears are descended from her, both cubs and cubs of cubs.

PayPal commits to invest $530 million to support minority-owned businesses.

Along with elected officials, corporate leaders also have an important role to play when it comes to addressing racial inequality. Now, in the wake of worldwide protests against racial injustice, some of the world’s biggest corporate players are stepping in to support action against this societal ill. One of the most notable contributions comes from electronic payments firm PayPal, which recently pledged $530 million to support black and minority-owned businesses in the United States and foster diversity. Most of the money – $500 million – will be devoted to the creation of an economic opportunity fund that will invest in black and under-represented minority businesses and communities. What’s more, San Jose, California-based PayPal said $10 million of the total pledged will be used for emergency grants to black-owned US businesses hurt by the effects of the coronavirus lockdown. The grants of $10,000 each will be aimed at covering expenses needed to stabilize and re-open businesses. A further $15 million will be used to foster diversity within the company by expanding its inclusion programs. Although money alone cannot create an actively anti-racist corporate culture, contributing tangible financial funds towards supporting black-owned businesses and promoting diversity in business is a great starting point. •MJ ed the dispassionate commitment to common prosperity that the cry for Reparations evokes. What would a business-led program look like pushing us to true equality? It could look like every business setting aside two percent of annual profits for an “Equality Fund” to be used to pay for creating total equality in funding of public education regardless of the district the student lived in or the color of his/her complexion. Wealthy districts now provide homeowner subsidy payments to public school districts in many wealthy enclaves around the Nation. The Equality Fund would balance that wealth factor as one’s parents’ wealth should not be allowed again to determine the quality of one’s education. The Equality Fund could be used to pay to subsidize medical care for all who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods. It could pay for all the social services the disadvantaged fail to adequately

• The Voice of the Village •

receive because of their financial status and geographical location. It could finance the studies of inequality in our workplaces and instigate reforms by highlighting the best corporate behavior on behalf of all “stakeholder groups” as JUST Capital does today for the top 1,000 public corporations in America. Most importantly, the Fund could pay for lawyers to enforce anti-redlining statutes and to hold landlords, property owners, and the related real estate industry to standards of absolute neutrality when it comes to allowing people of color to live in the neighborhoods of their choosing. All this and much more could be done by the Fund if we truly believed that equality was the goal in everyone’s best interests. The Equality Fund is one idea. We hope and trust that others will emerge from the business community as we collectively strive to become “One Nation Under God.” •MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

ENTERTAINMENT (Continued from page 16)

piece of music and send it to each of the dancers who then filmed themselves,” he explained. “Some of them did the same choreography, while others just made up something else. But it’s all the same music. Then they put it together on the video, with the screen showing anywhere from one to six dancers at a time so you get that ensemble experience.” The theme itself was responsible for attracting one newbie ensemble, Morrison said, as “Beautiful Earth” enticed an ecology group to submit a video. Another smaller ensemble actually recorded their video of dancing up State Street. “They were small enough so that they could do it while social distancing and, yes, they wore masks.” Organizers also filmed a virtual opening with John Palminteri, the ubiquitous newsman who shows up every year, Morrison said. “We’re acting like we’re waving the parade floats out as we always do. We’re trying to keep as many elements of the parade as we can.” Morrison himself participated in the final entry, the large drum ensemble that traditionally serves as the ending float. That took place a couple of weeks ago, organized by Pali X-Mano, who had to eschew his annual inflatable but instead offered everyone a chance to don costumes from previous parades. It was filmed on State Street, but also in front of the Solstice mural behind the Granada Theatre in an impromptu decision. “It wasn’t in the original planning, but it turned out great, because we have the present parading in front of Solstice past,” Morrison said. “That was a beautiful overlap.” Justin Gunn, the filmmaker and artist whose short film A Solstice in Santa Barbara that he made just a few months after moving to town and which premiered at SBIFF, also shot some video in front of the murals, including his

28 MONTECITO JOURNAL

own entry, a giant macaw that appears to swoop and fly. “The whole concept is silly, it’s goofy, and it’s fun,” he said. “We really have no idea how it will turn out. But the point was to make an effort to continue to share the spirit of what the Solstice Parade embodies.” The parade can be seen on Solstice’s new YouTube channel and stream live at high noon on June 20 on the Summer Solstice Celebration website. Other associated online events include a full slate of music, a virtual beer garden and dance party, screening of Solstice-related films, sales of Solstice swag, and “Solstice Stories” interviews with special guests. Visit www.virtualsolstice2020.com.

Live Oak Music Festival Gets Radio-active

After spending more than a quarter century happily ensconced at the campground halfway up the San Marcos Pass that gave the festival its name, the Live Oak Music Festival that takes place over Father’s Day weekend every year packed up to return to its roots in San Luis Obispo two summers ago. Now, in the face of restrictions imposed by the state during the coronavirus pandemic, the fest is migrating, temporarily, once again, this time to the public radio station which produces the event and serves as its impetus and beneficiary. KCBX, which airs over 89.6 FM in Santa Barbara, is planning a reminiscence-filled romp through the Live Oak archives, featuring songs from the huge swath of artists that have appeared over the years – including such big names as guitar wizard David Lindley, country music chart-topper Wynonna Judd, dobro master Jerry Douglas, soul legend Mavis Staples, and jazz bassist Stanley Jordan – covering a wide array of genres from funk and soul to bluegrass, folk, reggae, and more. The broadcast, slated for June 19-21, will also feature current releases from artists who have performed previously at Live Oak and those who the fest hopes to have as part of its 2021 festival. Like the Toyota Prius, however, the festival is actually a hybrid. Live Oak also plans to feature live performances from a few favorite local artists, most of whom have performed at the festival in the past. Big Big SLO, which has been streaming shows from BGA Studios as well as the so-called Shelter Stage at the Pozo Saloon, is producing a series of performance at the BGA stage that will air as live audio-video streams mixed in throughout the weekend. Among the artists are Bear Market Riot, Moonshiner Collective, reggae master ResiNation, and the ever-popular gypsy jazz band Café Musique. What’s more, Joe Craven, the

Live Oak Festival’s Main Stage Master of Ceremonies Joe Craven

NorCal-based mandolinist and allaround entertainer who has served as Live Oak’s Main Stage Master of Ceremonies for more than 15 years, will again host the festivities all weekend long, and while we may still see him dressing in drag and other outlandish costumes, it’s doubtful, due to internet lag, that he’ll be able to sit in and jam, one of the Live Oak highlights back when we all met in person. Still, the fest is aiming to create its community albeit remotely by encouraging listeners to set up camp in your home or backyard, fire up the BBQ and turn up the radio to enjoy Live Oak at home. Add to the fun by using the hashtag #liveoakontheradio on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to share festival memories and/or videos and photos of your activities all weekend, showing camping setups, family jam sessions or whatever other celebration seems to capture the Live Oak motto of “Peace. Love. Dirt.” Visit www.liveoakfest.org.

CADA Cares Concert Combats COVID-19 Fundraising Shortfall

The unprecedented stay-at-home orders because of the pandemic have been a double whammy for service nonprofits such as the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, whose mission is to provide services for preventing and treating alcoholism and drug abuse to youth, adults, and families throughout Santa Barbara County. Not only has 70-year-old CADA had to close its offices and pivot to helping an increasing number of clients, their families and the community via providing a full spectrum of daily services through telephone and Telehealth visits, but it also had to postpone its 34th annual Amethyst Ball, its major fundraiser of the year, which was dubbed “Motown at the Miramar” and has been tentatively rescheduled for October 16 at the recently reopened resort. But next Thursday night is about

“The road to success is always under construction.” – Lily Tomlin

rockin’ it out Santa Barbara-style, as a number of well-known musicians with local ties have come forward to support CADA’s work as the COVID-19 crisis continues. CADA Cares: An Evening of Music at Home, which takes place on Thursday, June 25, is planned as an online interactive evening featuring performances by Michael McDonald, Alan Parsons, Peter and Natalie Noone, Dishwalla’s Justin Fox, David Pack from Ambrosia, and other special guests. The intimate performances are coming straight from the artists’ homes while the event venue will allow viewers to interact with favorite musicians, share comments about the performances, and provide support for CADA’s life-saving services by making donations before or during the concert. We caught up with Fox, who spent a decade in Montecito where he rented a house with his former UCSB alum bandmates in Tripdavon before relocating to Carpinteria and replacing original lead singer J. R. Richards in Dishwalla, which scored a huge hit in the 1990s with “Counting Blue Cars.” Q. What prompted you getting involved in the CADA Cares concert? A. It’s a really important cause and they need to raise both funds and awareness for those issues. When they couldn’t do the Amethyst Ball, they were looking for a virtual alternative to keep the torch burning. Alcoholism and drug addiction is a mental health disease that needs to be treated that way, not as a crime. It’s about giving people the tools to heal and change their lives without slapping on the handcuffs and hauling them to jail. So I’m happy to help. Have you done many of these virtual shows? (Dishwalla band members) Rodney (Browning), George (Pendergast), and I played the Together Apart Musical Festival that Todd Capps put together at the beginning of April. That was my first foray into doing something on Facebook Live. We had a bunch of technical difficulties, but we’ve figured it all out as the quarantine went on and we all got hip to it. Now I have a bunch more quality gear, good microphones and cameras, which is a lot better than propping your iPhone on a table. What can we expect from your part? David Pack and I are working on a song together, and that’s been really fun. He’s so talented. Rodney rode his bike over from his house in Carp with his guitar and we did a couple of acoustic guitar songs together. I also went over to Peter and Natalie (Noone’s) house to record some of their vocals for the event. It’s really a

ENTERTAINMENT Page 334 18 – 25 June 2020

I Believe I Can Fly

During a pandemic, check-in is a breeze at Santa Barbara Airport

by Megan Waldrep

What Flying During a Pandemic is Like from Santa Barbara Airport

s you might expect, I had mixed feelings about flying during a pandemic. Thankfully, the Santa Barbara Airport eased pre-flight nerves before I entered the building. For example, there are separated entries for Alaska and American Airlines on the North end, United and Delta through the main entrance, and signs requiring face masks at every turn. Upon entry, the airport wasn’t empty, but it wasn’t busy either. Without lines at the check-in counters (as in, not one person), the vibe is… chill. Relaxed. Enjoyable? No one is in a rush to catch a plane, people are kind and socially distancing, and hand sanitizer stations are filled and located anywhere you may roam. The best surprise was taking my time through the TSA screening. (To private jetters and TSA pre-checkers, the following may sound foreign to you.) With my boarding pass and ID in hand, I strolled up to the TSA agent’s desk

and passed my documents through a cut-out hole in the plexiglass barrier between us. What usually feels like a race to disrobe and unpack your perfectly packed belongings for the TSA scanners was the opposite – as opposed to limping out of the way wearing half a shoe, I had enough time to redress and pack up again like a civilized human. A first. After a short wait at the gate, about twenty passengers boarded the Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle. With seats in front and behind remaining empty, we strapped into entire rows to ourselves. The flight attendants ensured the cabin had been appropriately sanitized and proceeded with the pre-flight safety demonstration in masks and gloves. Besides the mortality check of turbulence, and hoping my N95 mask does its job, it felt like a normal flight. So normal, in fact, “maskne” (acne from wearing a mask) was my greatest concern other than the virus itself. (A vain yet strange

relief, I admit.) A twenty-minute flight brought us to our first stop in San Luis Obispo, where a cleaning crew would disinfect the plane before the next group of passengers came aboard. We were advised to either stay seated and direct the crew to clean around us or deplane with our belongings for a quick break. The cleaning crew turned out to be one cleaning guy, armed with a spray bottle of “high potency cleaning solution,” paper towels, and a vacuum which he used to trace each row of the cabin. The cleaning guy asked if he could further assist me in any way, and I asked to take his photo instead.

Here’s where the anxiety set in: enter twenty more passengers from SLO. A couple plopped down behind me, and one man scooted to the window seat in front. After the food service of bottled water and packaged snacks – instead of a variety of sodas and juice poured into ice-filled cups – the coughing and sniffling commenced, seeming to echo inside my brain. Each sneeze made me shutter, and I prayed the phlegmy hack from the woman behind me meant she was a smoker. The man in front of me let out a sneeze, and I felt ter-

I BELIEVE I CAN FLY Page 304

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

I BELIEVE I CAN FLY (Continued from page 30)

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30 MONTECITO JOURNAL

rible when I said, “Bless you,” when I meant, “F you.” Though the City of Santa Barbara Airport was the easiest part of the trip, and the airlines work hard to ensure the planes are clean and disinfected, you can’t control who will sit near you and trigger your silent vitriolic attacks on other passengers. The moral of the story? If the virus is your biggest concern, postpone your vacation or fly at your own risk.

A Message from City of Santa Barbara Airport:

Here is a breakdown of service by airline and destination according to Angi Daus, the Marketing Coordinator of the City of Santa Barbara Airport: - Alaska’s current service is to Seattle (SEA). The current service pause via Alaska is to Portland (PDX) and will return based on demand. - American Airlines’ current service is to Dallas (DFW) and Phoenix (PHX). No loss. - Delta service to Salt Lake City (SLC) is paused. However, we don’t

Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” – M. Scott Peck

have set dates for the return, and, once again, it is dependent on demand. - United is currently servicing SFO and DEN. The lost number of flights going out changes daily, sometimes hour by hour. “We’ve seen some stability in scheduled flights not being canceled, but that isn’t guaranteed. Again, it’s based on demand and other needs of the airlines,” Daus said. “We at SBA are doing everything we can to keep as much service as possible for our community, but ultimately these decisions are made by the airlines.” SBA highly recommends all passengers check their flight status and services regularly and to contact the airline directly with any specific needs. Currently, there is a live, daily flight schedule on the homepage of www. FlySBA.com. Daus reminds passengers that the online flight schedule is just a quick reference, but passengers should check directly with their airline to ensure they have the most up-to-date information. •MJ For more, visit www.flysba.com 18 – 25 June 2020

“B

This is ‘Spring Lamb’ Do you really need to eat these babies? Only weeks old, they are pulled away from their mothers, crying as they are taken to be slaughtered!

Stop: “Baby Animal Death” Please, you can make a difference! 18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

VILLAGE BEAT (Continued from page 8)

The DPHS Class of 2020 drove through local neighborhoods before a parade through the school San Marcos High School held three celebrations for their seniors, including a drive-thru parade

San Marcos principal Dr. Kip Glazer with students during one of three graduation celebrations

gold decorated cars while they were cheered on by their teachers and staff. Graduates made a pit stop in front of the historic building to receive their diploma by their principal, Elise Simmons. “Finding the right way to celebrate

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and honor our Class of 2020 was important to myself and our entire staff,” Simmons said. “Not only because our graduates deserve the recognition, but our staff needed the chance to say their goodbyes.” Staff worked hard to create a video honoring the graduates, and came together last week to cheer on students getting their diplomas. “We can’t wait to come together for a traditional ceremony in Peabody Stadium when we are allowed to. I am very proud of the accomplishments, strength, and positivity that the Class of 2020 has shown these past four years,” Simmons said. The school graduated 505 seniors this year.

San Marcos High School

MHS had 439 graduates this year, and administrators planned several celebrations to honor the Class of 2020. On June 1, seniors were celebrated by teachers and staff as they drove into campus in a parade; they also received a personalized yard sign and a Class of 2020 flag to help celebrate, which were donated by the PTSA. Two days later the school held a drive-in Graduation Ceremony; cars were lined up in the three dif-

ferent school parking lots with six feet between the sides of the cars. The ceremony was live streamed through Zoom; families in cars outside watched the livestream through various devices. There were three student speakers, a speech by principal Dr. Kip Glazer, and seven alumni speakers who wanted to give their best advice to the Class of 2020. The alumni speakers were: Dr. Robert Orr (1982), former Assistant SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations; Cady Huffman (1982), Tony-award winning actress; Oscar Gutierrez (2002) and Alejandra Gutierrez (2001), both Santa Barbara City council persons; Todd Rogers (1991), Olympic gold medal winner; Alex Mack (2004), starting center of the Atlanta Falcons and NFL all decade team; Anthony Edwards (1980), co-star of the movie Top Gun, star of TV show ER, and winner of multi Emmy and Screen Actor Guild awards. The celebration ended with a slideshow of all the graduates’ pictures and names. On June 8-10, graduates were able to walk across the stage at the school’s Greek Theater and have their name announced. Dr. Glazer and other district officials were there to help celebrate the seniors, and families were able to be there to take pictures and watch their student walk. Dr. Glazer stood on stage (with social distancing) for 15 hours over the three days to honor the seniors as they were announced. “I want to thank the Class of 2020 for their kindness. Many seniors were concerned about me and how I was doing as the first-year Principal despite all their losses. They taught me how to be a Royal with a fierce Royal Spirit of caring for one another. I am so grateful to them,” Dr. Glazer said.

Dos Pueblos High School

PHS held a parade through campus that led out to the student parking lot where there was a drive-in style graduation. Students and families decorated their cars and drove through a parade of all the DPHS

“Don’t keep a man guessing too long – he’s sure to find the answer somewhere else.” – Mae West

Heading up the parade was the school’s mascot vehicle

teachers and staff. After the parade, all the cars gathered in the student lot where a ceremony featuring student speakers was projected onto the side of the school’s performing arts center. “We set up a stage so our 460 graduates could have their moment of walking across the stage and hearing their names called as they were projected on the big screens,” said principal Bill Woodard, who called the graduating students “resilient young adults.” The environment was casual and festive, with lots of horn honking coming from the crowd. “We also had a couple of surprise shout outs from performing artists Katy Perry and Jack Johnson, and a shout out from Class of 2008 Major League All Star Catcher James McCann,” Woodard said. “The graduation ceremony itself was truly inspirational and therapeutic for our entire school community but especially our Class of 2020 graduates. It wasn’t your typical ceremony but in many ways was much more festive and special. So glad we found a way to pull it off as it was a huge undertaking.” The DPHS Foundation is also creat-

VILLAGE BEAT Page 454 18 – 25 June 2020

ENTERTAINMENT (Continued from page 28)

nice group of locals who are always up for supporting such great causes. I’ve done stuff for CADA for years. But really, how hard is it to put on some clothes, turn on the camera and live stream from your own home? It’s a much easier gig than normal.

How has sheltering in place been going for you? It’s not all that bad. All of my musician friends live in a vacuum anyway. With no gigs, we’re mostly just waiting for something to happen. The guys in the band (Dishwalla) we’re more of a low key, local vibe, so we’ve been kicking back for a while, which seems to be the status of the industry. But we are starting to get calls for virtual shows, which looks like how it’s going to be for the foreseeable future. I was on the phone today with our agent today to talk about some virtual music festivals. There will be a lot of really high-end productions coming this summer. Hopefully, as restrictions lift and with safety precautions in place, the band will ultimately be able to get together to play, but nothing like those 10,000 people together in the audience at the festival. So there will be lots of things – some solo shows, maybe me and Rodney, and then start planning for the whole band.

Dishwalla’s Justin Fox is one of the performers that will be featured at CADA’s virtual fundraiser on Thursday, June 25

(CADA Cares streams at 7 pm on Thursday, June 25. Visit https://cad acares.cadasb.org.)

Bringing Movies Back to the Big Screen

COVID-19 has certainly crushed a lot of dreams since forcing a shutdown back in March. But it’s also had a silver lining or two: After having closed its doors, supposedly forever, just a little more than a year ago, the Westwind Drive-In movie theater reopened a couple of weeks back, and immediately became a desired destination for families and others sick of being stuck at home watching Netflix night after night. Now, with the most recent relax-

ing of the shelter-in-place orders, Metropolitan Cinemas has announced plans to reopen two of its most cherished theaters – the Metro 4 in downtown Santa Barbara and the Camino Real Cinema at the Marketplace in Goleta – next Friday, June 26. (Much more about that next week.) In between, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Riviera Theatre is slated to start screening art films once again this Friday, June 19, at the cinema that SBIFF renovated after acquiring it from Metropolitan. The folks over there say they’ve “implemented every recommended safety precaution… and then some,” meaning in addition to touchless ticketing and social distancing seating, SBIFF has reconfigured its hospital grade custom-built industrial AC/ heat/filtration system so that air recirculation has been disabled, with negative pressure pulling out stagnant air to be exhausted externally, replaced by filtered outside air. Disposable seat coverings will be changed for every screening, while all staff and guests will be required to wear masks at all times. Meanwhile, film-wise, the first offerings include The Trip to Greece, written and directed by Michael Winterbottom, and Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth, playing in repertory for the first full week. In other SBIFF news, the public

The Trip to Greece will be one of the first films shown at the Riviera Theatre when it reopens June 19

is invited to view and vote for the Audience Award winners in the festival’s Student Showcase-in-Place in high school and college divisions, in which the students, who have submitted their end-of-year films for the community and a panel to view, are vying for the Jury and Audience Awards. Voting ends at 12 noon on June 22, and people are limited to one vote per day for each division. Winners will be announced the following day. Visit www.sbiff.org. •MJ

SBMM Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Sailing Into Ou r 2 0 t h Ye a r

SBMM Thanks Its 20th Anniversary Fundraiser Supporters Honoring Surf Legends

Shaun Tomson & Renny Yater

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Featured art | Yater, Rincon Peak, painting copyright. Hank Pitcher

Together, we are preserving Santa Barbara’s maritime heritage and history. SBMM | 113 Harbor Way, Ste. 190 | Santa Barbara, CA 93109 Museum Store Open Thurs - Sun 11am - 3 pm | Museum Opening Soon (805) 456-8404 | sbmm.org 18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

NOSH TOWN

by Claudia Schou

LOCAL EATERIES SLOWLY REOPEN, TOUTING NEW MENU HIGHLIGHTS

hile a handful of Santa Barbara dining venues are preparing to amp up service to 50% capacity, al fresco dining and limited hours, some of the city’s popular dining venues are taking first steps back at dine-in service. Business owners and chefs are eager to share their latest creations. Here’s a look at what’s new on their menus. JUICE RANCH: ESSENTIAL GREENS + TASTY TINCTURES

ower-packed tonics such as Immunity Bomb and Turmeric Tonic typify Juice Ranch’s live ingredients-based approach to a healthy diet. “We believe our juices are meant to be consumed as nature intended, rich with life,” said owner Scott Walker, who opened his shop on Coast Village Road in 2018, offering all things plant-based with prices ranging from $4 for a tonic shot to $69 for a detox cleanse. Dandy Liver is a new tonic made with dark, bitter leafy greens such as dandelion and burdock that are high in Vitamin K. Walker recently teamed up with neurobiology specialist Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, to create a potential antiviral tincture made with a panoply of medicinal herbs long used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. The tincture is not officially on the menu yet, but is available upon request at info@juiceranch.com. Juice Ranch is located at 1187 Coast Village Road. Call 805-770-3851 to place an order for pick up. Delivery is available through Grubhub.

marinara, pecorino and lemon thyme ($13). If you have a sweet tooth, you will most certainly enjoy the olive oil cake served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, sliced strawberry, crushed pistachio and a sliver of fresh basil. Lucky Penny is located at 127 Anacapa Street Call 805-284-0358 to place an order for pick up. Delivery is available through Ubereats.

SHALHOOB’S FUNK ZONE PATIO: SUMMER GRILLIN’, SB-STYLE!

as home-stay got you hungry for savory Santa Barbara barbecue? Smoked meat fans can now take comfort in Shalhoob’s carryout menu featuring fatty brisket, pull-apart pork ribs and slick, peppery sausage. The open-air Funk Zone barbeque eatery with custom built tables and rustic planters is offering limited service on its expansive patio with eight feet of distance between you and your neighbor. Despite the rising cost of beef (about a 40% increase, according to LJ Shalhoob, third generation butcher and production manager), Shalhoob hasn’t increased its pricing. Instead, the eatery has ramped up its offerings by adding family meal packages featuring its popular Santa Barbara-style grilled meats accompanied by house pickles, pico de gallo and fresh baked garlic bread. Other new menu items include a tangy and savory Avocado Salad ($9) and a hot and saucy Chicken meatball sandwich ($14). Shalhoob has also added to its menu vacuum-sealed barbecue to go. Shalhoob is located at 220 Gray Avenue. Call 805-256-7353 to place an order for pick up. Delivery is available through Grubhub.

LUCKY PENNY UNVEILS SUMMER MENU

ow open for dine-in service, Lucky Penny recently unveiled its summer menu focusing on locally-sourced seasonal ingredients. The popular artisanal take-out pizzeria in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone boasts a modern-meets-rustic copper penny tiled exterior and offers al fresco seating. The restaurant’s new menu features a selection of small dishes, salads and pizzas, including The Californian Pizza ($18), made with pesto, lemon ricotta, marinated artichokes and pine nuts. Other menu highlights include prosciutto and summer melon served with burrata and Fresno chile ($12) and smoked pork meatballs with Calabrian chili

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34 MONTECITO JOURNAL

oquita’s Executive Chef Nikolas Ramirez honed his culinary skills in Asia before returning to Santa Barbara. To the delight of loyal diners at Loquita’s contemporary Spanish tapas kitchen and bar near downtown, Chef Ramirez is meticulous in his balance of flavor and texture, working closely with local farmers to source the best produce and meats, along with specialty pork and cured Iberico ham

“I’m not for everyone. I’m barely for me.” – Marc Maron

18 – 25 June 2020

imported from Spain. When the eatery closed due to COVID-19, he found himself in a quandary: Nothing contained in a box can possibly match the savory-rich crispy texture of a paella served in a carbon-steel pan. Instead, the pragmatic chef modified his traditional paella recipe into a creamy risotto. The result is Pollo Rostit con Arroz ($19), a rich and savory dish served with slow-grilled chicken, artichokes and smoky mushrooms. Chef Ramirez adds thinly sliced fatty chorizo and parsley picada (a Spanish pesto) as a finishing touch. A vegetarian option is available. Round it out with a glass of sangria roja or a signature Costa Blanca gin and tonic. Visit loquitasb.com for dine-in hours and carryout orders. Loquita is located at 202 State Street. Call 805-880-3380 to place an order for pick up. Delivery is available through Grubhub.

TASTING NOTES

Summer Sips with Rosewood Miramar Wine Director Daniel Fish

he beginning of summer reminds me of a summer spent in Paris, sitting alongside the Canal Saint Martin with an assortment of cheese and chilled bottles of crispy, dry white and rosé. With a particular fondness for this special time of year in anticipation and as we enter another beautiful summer season in Montecito, I am excited to feature an incredible white wine made from the Grüner Veltliner grape, a native varietal of Austria. This particular Grüner Veltliner is one of the best made in the United States and is produced locally in Santa Barbara County by Graham Tatomer of Tatomer Winery. The spring and summer seasons bring us a bounty of green vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, arugula, and snap peas, which can present quite a challenge for wine pairing. Enter Grüner Veltliner whose first name grüner translates to green in Austria. This medium-bodied, crisp, herbaceous, and dry white wine is a great pairing with all of these green ingredients. Rosewood Miramar Beach Executive Chef Massimo Falsini recommends pairing this selection with a crisp arugula salad, roasted artichokes, or lightly grilled asparagus. A versatile wine, I’ve recommended Tatomer’s Grüner Veltliner as a pairing with Chef Massimo’s vegetarian salad with asparagus as well as our fish tacos. It is always available for your enjoyment here at the resort or at your local wine shop, The Liquor & Wine Grotto. Recommended Film Pairing: Midnight in Paris. •MJ

Santa Barbara Life Beachball Contest Find the beachball

and tell us what page it's on

in this edition of the Montecito Journal - Visit SBLIFE.COM with the correct beachball page number and enter to win Dinner for 2 and a romantic cruise on the Condor Express! Congratulations to our May winner - Kimi Mater Brought to you by:

and

Be good to yourself at ®

w w w.thenaturalcafe.com 18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

EDITOR’S LETTER (Continued from page 5)

wrought or motivated the use of such excessive force upon himself. It may sound like a farfetched strategy, but let’s not forget – it worked. The LAPD were acquitted, followed instantly by the L.A. Riots. In an odd twist, the final episode of the Cosby Show was scheduled to air during the L.A. riots, and Mr. Cosby’s network questioned if the timing was right to broadcast it. Mr. Cosby himself went on TV to try to quell the protest and suggested people watch his show instead. The show must go on, right? Ironic? Or is Mr. Cosby just another example, albeit an extreme one based on what we know about him today, of the moldy cheese?

“Just a Man”

After weeks of mayhem there was eventually a civil rights case brought against the LAPD Four, a case which this time the LAPD lost. Tom Owens, an LAPD officer who worked on the King side and later wrote a book about it, ultimately concluded that Mr. King was neither a hardened criminal nor a hero, but “just a man.”

As I see it, we are all flawed and we are all Floyd On occasion I’m asked who my heroes are. A question I’ve always found hard to answer. Because if you look closely enough at any of us, every cheese has mold. Certainly there have been many people I’ve admired. But mostly I find my inspiration in moments. In a single action that impresses me. Or in an act of bravery or kindness that moves me. But no one is beyond reproach, none of us. Nobel Laureates are not always noble. In fact, Alfred Nobel created his eponymous prize over guilt he felt for having invented dynamite and other weapons of mass destruction. Further down the line, the Nobel Prize winner William Shockley (inventor of the transistor and the silicon chip) turned out to be, in addition to a prolific scientist, a guy who moonlighted as a white supremacist. Shockley actually proposed that individuals with IQs below 100 be paid to undergo voluntary sterilization. Really? Even widely embraced heroes were not uniformly heroic throughout the entirety of their lives. One could fill a small library with the tomes written about JFK’s less than admirable actions. Did you know he voted against President Eisenhower’s Civil Rights Act in 1957? And even Gandhi has been accused of a number of crimes and oddities, like sleeping naked with teenage girls to test his chastity, racism against the blacks of South Africa, and referring to Adolf Hitler as a “friend.”

The Simplicity of the Binary

36 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Personally, I think our overtaxed brains have a desire for the Simplicity of the Binary: for people and things to be good or bad. Right or wrong. Thumbs up or thumbs down. Cops or robbers. Our heroes bring us exhilaration. We want to worship people. And then we love to knock them down. Because somewhere deep down it makes us feel good (relieved even) that they are flawed. Like us. But that doesn’t change the fact that the person we once worshiped also brought about certain things, like monumental change or profound ideas or brilliant art. Or a world record. Or simply expanded our notion of what a single human being could do. As I see it, we are all flawed and we are all Floyd. The people who will defend Floyd’s accused killers are flawed. As are the protesters who have taken to the streets to protest Floyd’s death. The leaders of BLM, flawed. And the longer we try to pretend that any of us are without our failings, and without moments in which we have behaved badly, that we are always politically “woke” – the longer we will live with the burden of aspiring to something of which we are simply not capable: perfection. Over time, we can all strive to move closer to the best possible versions of ourselves. But in the meantime, let’s ALL cut ourselves some slack. And allow ourselves the Right to be Imperfect. Because when you really boil it down, very few things or people are completely black or white. In the case of George Floyd, it is a criminal act that will be on trial. It’s about how a life was taken. Not how that life was lived. •MJ “Cleaning up with children around is like shoveling during a blizzard.” – Margaret Culkin Banning

18 – 25 June 2020

SEEN (Continued from page 14)

triumphed in court but she became a recluse and didn’t resume “at home” dates until 1917. We don’t know of Lillian’s activities between 1918 and 1921. She may have been in France working for the war effort but at 55 she married John Howard “Jack” Child. He was a son of a prominent Boston family who worked in importing and had many cultural interests. It isn’t known how they met. After a honeymoon in Europe they returned to Santa Barbara in 1921. Lillian once again hosted many affairs at Vegamar, now called the Child Estate. Her husband died in New York in 1931 after a short illness and Lillian was once again a widow returning to Santa Barbara to live year round. Then came the Great Depression. Hobos had long ridden the freight trains that rumbled behind the Child Estate where they often camped between the rails and her land. In 1935 when she saw a policeman evicting several vagrants, many elderly, she granted them permission to settle in the southwest corner of her property in a eucalyptus grove. “These men are not criminals. I want them to camp here as long as they like,” and for some that was 20 years. The men had to be orderly, not drink, and keep the area clean. They built ramshackle shacks and “shopped” at the nearby city dump. They had to leave every year on September 12, for 24 hours to avoid “squatter’s rights.” It was called Childville and Lillian often visited the 30 to 40 residents in the hobo jungle. They had their own mayor who took care of disputes and could summon the police by riding a bicycle to the nearest phone. The men either supported themselves or received pensions. In a 1949 interview Lillian’s quoted as saying, “We’re all good friends. Kind? There is nothing kind about it. I never think of it as kind.” Lillian had a staff of many Japanese, some who had worked there since the house was built, others born there. After Pearl Harbor, they were put in relocation camps for the duration of the war. Lillian spent the whole war years trying to help these people, even driving to the camps to deliver food and money. She lost many of her friends because they were anti Japanese and didn’t approve. Owners of the nearby Mar Monte Hotel complained about their guests being subjected to the sight of drying laundry and worse – bathing hobos – but Ms Child would not move the encampment. Finally in 1947 she sold several acres to the hotel and the camp was relocated further inside the estate. Then she donated the remaining 17 acres to Santa Barbara Foundation for the public welfare in return for tax payments and life occupancy. The rest of her days she lived alone in the man18 – 25 June 2020

The SBMM gang handing out the takeout dinners for the fundraiser: first row co-chair David Bolton, Linda Stirling, and co-chair Cindy Makela; back row Chef Michael Blackwell, executive director Greg Gorga, and Carol Kallman

sion with a maid, handyman, gardener, and the hobos just down the hill. Lillian passed away in 1951 at 75 years and is buried in Santa Barbara Cemetery, less than a mile from her estate. Cash bequests were given to her servants and relatives and many nonprofits in Santa Barbara. Her Japanese maid received the largest gift of $20,000. As part of her agreement with the Foundation, the vagrants who lived at Childville during her life were allowed to remain on the property. Much to the neighbors delight a bathhouse was built with public donations in the mid 1950s. In 1953 the property was granted to the City of Santa Barbara for park, promotional, educational, cultural, or recreational uses. Sadly since the mansion was so dilapidated the City Fire Department burned it down in 1959. In 1963 work began on the Zoo and Lillian’s dreams for her estate to be put to public use came true. Our Zoo has to be one of the most beautiful in the world. How many animals have an ocean view? There are over 500 animals under the care of executive director Rich Block. It’s come a long, long way in his 20 years as CEO. The staff are awaiting the arrival of male and female African lions. The Zoo loses $1 million per year since the shutdown and it costs $6,000 a week just to feed the menagerie. They could really use the community’s help. It is considered one of the nation’s best small zoos (if not the best).

Maritime Museum (SBMM). I remember when it first began and now is the 20th anniversary. With the pandemic, the Hawaiian themed party had to be cancelled. Instead supporters browsed and bid on online auction items to support SBMM children’s education program, lectures, new exhibits and other special events. Guests also came to the Santa Barbara Yacht Club on event day to pick up takeout dinners for their evening fare at home. ZOOM allowed everyone to hear from the honorees – Shaun Tomson and Renny

proudly congratulates

GRUBB CAMPBELL GROUP For their outstanding representation & successful closing of:

925 E. YANONALI ST Offered at $1,200,000

767 AVENIDA PEQUENA Offered at $835,000

My thanks go to PR gal Julia McHugh who let me use excerpts from a piece she wrote for Santa Barbara Seasons magazine. And to Michael Redmond from the Santa Barbara Historical Museum who helped her research. Also to Jennifer Zacharias who is the current Zoo PR person.

20th Anniversary Fundraiser

From the olden days fast forward to the current days for the Santa Barbara • The Voice of the Village •

Yater. Shaun was named one of the ten greatest surfers of all time but he also has a Masters degree in the science of leadership and many more credits. Renny Yater is a world famous surfboard builder. He and his generation in the ‘50s put surfing on the map. Cindy Makela and David Bolton were co-chairs of this virtual fete. Yacht Club Chef Michael Blackwell did his best in the kitchen with SBMM executive director Greg Gorga looking on. Here’s to another successful 20 years! •MJ

626 MEIGS RD Offered at $772,000

5930 BIRCH ST #4 Offered at $445,000 805.895.6226 | grubbcampbell@villagesite.com LIC# 01236143 | VILLAGESITE.COM All information provided is deemed reliable, but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it. We buyers make their own inquiries.

recommend that

MONTECITO JOURNAL

City of Santa Barbara Finance Department

www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov

PUBLIC NOTICE – June 2020

NOTICE HEREBY GIVEN THAT, the Finance ofState theofCity of Santa NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT, theIS Finance Department of the City of Santa Barbara, CountyDepartment of Santa Barbara, California, declares that the following monetary sums have been held by the City of Santa Barbara and have remained unclaimed in the funds hereafter indicated for a period of over Administration Barbara, County of Santa Barbara, State of California, declares that the following three (3) years and will become the property of the City of Santa Barbara on the fi rst (1st) day of August, 2020, a date not less than forty-fi ve (45) days 805.564.5334 monetary have been held by the City of Santa Barbara and have remained or more than sixty (60) days after the firstsums publication of this Notice. Accounting

unclaimed in the funds hereafter indicated for a period of over three (3) years and

Any805.564.5340 party of interest may, prior to the date designated herein above, file a claim with the City’s Finance Department which includes claimant’s name, will become theNumber property of Employer the City of cation Santa Barbara thethefirst (1ston )theday address and telephone number, Social Security or Federal Identifi Number, amount on of claim, grounds which of the claim is License & Unclaimed Permits August, a be date not from lessthe than days or more than sixtyCA (60) days founded. The Money Claim2020, Form can obtained City’sforty-five Finance Offi(45) ce at 735 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, 93102, or from the City’s website at www.santabarbaraca.gov. of identity such as a copy of a driver’s license, social security card or birth certificate may be required after the firstProof publication of this Notice. 805.564.5346 before funds will be released. Funds will be reimbursed via check mailed to address on file at the time. Please contact the City of Santa Barbara, Finance Department at (805) 560-7501 with any questions. Payroll

Any party of interest may, prior to the date designated herein above, file a claim with the City’s Finance Department which includes the claimant’s name, address Risk Management Check Date Check # Payee $ Fund Check Date Check # Payee $ Fund and telephone number, Social Security Number or Federal Employer Identification 805.564.5347 12/15/2016 658668 *1129* 500.00 General Fund 9/22/2016 654481 Kevin Shefﬁeld 15.59 Water Fund 5/23/2017 666419 Adalberto Zamorabetancourt 50.00 of claim, General Fundthe grounds 7/21/2016 on 651341 Lisa Gera 60.00 General Number, amount which the claim is founded. TheFund Treasury657406 11/17/2016 Alecia Irgens 95.00 Downtown Parking 11/3/2016 656800 Lisa James 150.00 General Fund Unclaimed Money obtained the City’s Finance Office at Parking 4/4/2017 663899 Alexis Anne Chapman 18.75 Claim CountyForm Library can be 1/31/2017 660595 from Lole Women 815.00 Downtown 805.564.5528 4/14/2017 644096 Alvarado, Laura Anacapa St, 153.10 Santa Downtown Parking 1/31/2017 660596 or Lole Women Downtown 735 Barbara, CA 93102, from the City’s 135.00 website at Parking 6/30/2016 48.00 General Fund 1/12/2017 659802 Louisa Kimble 25.00 General Fund Utility 650311 Billing Antonio Garcia Gomez Proof identity 636802 such as a copy 5/16/2017 665995 Anvita Awww.santabarbaraca.gov. Chitnis 160.00 Wastewater Fund of 6/10/2016 Mac Nevin, Donald Aof a driver’s 180.84 license, General Fund 805.564.5343 10/24/2016 640364 Arellano,social Matthew R security 78.84 General Fund 6/7/2016 648667 Mairza Rodriguez 30.00 will General card or birth certificate may be required before funds beFund 10/4/2016 655118 Ashley Madeline Frances 96.00 General Fund 10/25/2016 656303 Malcolm Hamilton 21.00 Downtown Parking Fax released. Funds192.70 will be reimbursed via check mailed address on file 885.80 at the time. 8/16/2016 652616 Audrey Graziani Wastewater Fund 4/6/2017 664014 Markto A. Jacobs Waterfront 805.897.1978 3/16/2017 663011 Avellanda Martin 96.00 General Fund 1/12/2017 659803 Marshall Stevens 40.00 General Fund Please contact the CityGeneral of Santa Barbara, Finance Department at (805) 560-7501 7/8/2016 637585 Barragan Carde, Jose G 168.64 Fund 8/4/2016 651950 Marshalls Of CA LLC #1116 50.00 General Fund 735 Anacapa 11/17/2016 657390St. Bradley with J. Odomany questions. 96.00 General Fund 6/24/2016 637216 Martinez, Christopher A 376.31 General Fund 805.564.5357

This notice and its contents are in accordance with California Government Code Sections 50050 et seq.

PO Box 1990 3/22/2017 643739 Burnett, Dalton J 291.38 Waterfront 5/23/2017 666489 Michele De Cant 145.01 General Fund 3/22/2017 643742 Burnett, Dalton J 422.50 Waterfront 9/8/2016 653893 Michelle A Checketts 30.00 County Library Santa Barbara, CA 9/22/2016 654472 Cahill Family Trustnotice and121.55 Water Fund are in accordance 11/10/2016 656973with MikeCalifornia Richardson Realtors 67.80 Water Fund This its contents Government Code 93102-1990 10/4/2016 655155 Chase Bank 24.00 General Fund 6/9/2016 648913 Mission Uniform Service Corp 177.31 Wastewater Fund Sections 5005054.00 et seq.General Fund 8/4/2016 651944 Chris Henry 6/15/2016 636878 Nasrollahi, Milad M 135.76 Downtown Parking 12/15/2016 658670 City Ventures Homebuilding, Llc 400.00 General Fund 6/9/2016 648837 Nicole Greenwood 68.00 General Fund 4/3/2017 644002 Colin, Daniel A 101.73 General Fund 10/24/2016 640358 Ortiz-Flores, Zuleijma 147.15 General Fund Purchasing Check Check Payee Fund 5/26/2017 645118 Concho, Brianna J Date 74.99 # General Fund 5/9/2017 665711 Paessler Ag $ 605.62 General Fund 805.564.5349 4/14/2017 644059 Coppa, Gene 20.46 General Fund 8/5/2016 638333 Parent, Zachary 500.00 A 96.15 Fund General Fund 12/15/2016 658668 *1129* General 9/13/2016 654032 County Of Santa Barbara 40.00 Water Fund 2/9/2017 661241 Pascuccis 86.21 General Fund Warehouse Adalberto Zamorabetancourt 50.00 General 6/9/2016 648889 County Of5/23/2017 Santa Barbara Dist Atty666419 268.46 Police Asset Forfeiture 3/16/2017 663155 Pascuccis 107.31 Fund General Fund 3/30/2017 663863 Courtney Jane Miller 175.00 General Fund 9/29/2016 654843 Phuong Ly 85.00 Downtown Parking 805.564.5354 11/17/2016 657406 Alecia Irgens 95.00 Downtown Parking 4/13/2017 664365 Craig Johnson 388.59 Water Fund 9/8/2016 653894 Preston Rovert Janssen 25.00 County Library Mailroom657427 11/17/2016 Dakota Wolf 125.00 General Fund 5/23/2017 666437 Rachelle Pegg 18.75 72.24 Library General Fund 4/4/2017 663899 Alexis Anne Chapman County 12/13/2016 658514 Dane Hodgson 25.00 General Fund 3/2/2017 662030 Raymond Jr. Ruiz 48.00 General Fund 805.564.5360 4/14/2017 644096 Alvarado, Laura 3/28/2017 153.10 Downtown Parking 1/31/2017 660567 Dash Funnel 170.00 Downtown Parking 663564 Rita Blau 43.00 County Library 3/14/2017 663007 David R Watkins 100.00 General Fund Garcia Gomez 11/17/2016 657399 Robert Riskin 48.00 58.00 Fund General Fund Fax 6/30/2016 650311 Antonio General 3/30/2017 663883 David R Watkins 100.00 General Fund 6/9/2016 648877 S.A. Jordan 250.00 Self Insurance Fund 805.897.1977 5/16/2017 665995 Anvita Wastewater FundFund 2/2/2017 660740 Denise Heller 96.00 General FundA Chitnis 12/20/2016 658800 Sandra Hough 160.00 60.91 Water 6/28/2016 650105 Dennys Restaurant 70.86 Water Fund 12/20/2016 658801 Sandra Hough 43.53 Water Fund 310. E. Ortega 10/24/2016 640364 Arellano, Matthew R 78.84 General 3/2/2017 662041 Don Boden 85.85 Water Fund 8/4/2016 651854 Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center 125.00 Fund General Fund St. 10/28/2016 640675 Drost, Megann E 145.35 General Fund 5/16/2017 666215 Sarah Gorman 52.00 Fund General Fund 10/4/2016 655118 Ashley Madeline Frances 96.00 General 11/8/2016 656833 Eastman-Marie Llc 17.00 General Fund 8/4/2016 651891 Scholastic Inc. 568.20 General Fund PO Box 1990 8/16/2016 652616 Audrey Graziani 11/22/2016 657581 Seri Aldana 192.70 Wastewater Fund Library 7/22/2016 638037 Elizondo, Caylin M 150.58 Waterfront 25.00 County Santa Barbara, CA 2/3/2017 642809 Elizondo, Caylin M 77.57 Waterfront 10/24/2016 640361 Sheridian, Chelsea M 16.80 General Fund 3/16/2017 663011 Avellanda Martin 96.00 General Fund 93102-1990 8/4/2016 651936 Elmer Ornelas 250.00 General Fund 3/2/2017 662032 Sikelinos Ezekiel Peteradam 20.00 General Fund 10/25/2016 656185 Fabiola Bojorquez 125.00 General Fund Carde,5/12/2017 180.25 Fund General Fund 7/8/2016 637585 Barragan Jose G 644659 Simon, Charles B168.64 General 4/20/2017 664771 George C. Price Trust 502.59 Water Fund 8/5/2016 638414 Singh, Ruby T 320.23 General Fund 11/17/2016 657390 Bradley 96.00 General 9/20/2016 654297 Guille Jacobo 125.00 General Fund J. Odom4/6/2017 664018 Smart & Final #914 40.00 Fund General Fund Environmental Services 12/15/2016 658662 Harold Whiting 225.37 Water Fund Dalton J5/11/2017 665789 Southern California Edison 300.00 General Fund 3/22/2017 643739 Burnett, 291.38 Waterfront 805.564-5631 9/27/2016 654639 Heidi Geagan 100.00 General Fund 5/18/2017 666238 Stella Ahn 96.70 General Fund 3/22/2017 643742 Burnett, Dalton J3/9/2017 422.50 Waterfront 11/10/2016 657000 Holly Perea 32.50 Downtown Parking 662517 Sunrun 202.18 General Fund Fax 3/2/2017 662045 Jack Malken 33.38 Water Fund 5/27/2016 648325 Susan Renee Ross 25.00 General Fund 9/22/2016 654472 Cahill Family Trust 121.55 Water Fund General Fund 7/8/2016 650558 Jessica Martinez 23.50 General Fund 9/20/2016 654329 Taqueria El Buen Gusto 24.60 805.564.5688 5/23/2017 666421 Jorge Armondo Ramirez 15.00 General Fund 6/24/2016 637115 Taylor, Stephen G 21.06 General Fund 10/4/2016 655155 Chase Bank 24.00 General Fund 5/4/2017 665449 Street Jorge Velazquez 231.27 Water Fund 6/20/2016 649503 Tom Gilles 900.00 Water Fund 1221 Anacapa 8/4/2016 651944 ChrisFund Henry 54.00 General Fund 3/23/2017 663410 Joseph Michael Kosich 16.85 General 12/8/2016 658266 Tri Delta 650.00 General Fund PO Box 1990 10/4/2016 655124 Josephine C. Walter 96.00 General Fund 3/14/2017 662782 United States Coast Guard 150.00 General Fund Santa Barbara, CA 6/30/2016 650318 Juan Ordonez 38.00 General Fund 8/4/2016 651852 Velislava Hristova Nikolov 25.00 General Fund 6/1/2016 648591 Judy Orias 100.00 General Fund 1/20/2017 660269 Water Environment Research Foundation 280.00 Wastewater Fund 93102-1990 9/8/2016 653890 Karen Michele Lindblad 25.00 General Fund 12/22/2016 659020 William Luhrs 500.00 General Fund 9/22/2016 654480 Karen Shaw 31.32 Solid Wste 3/16/2017 663020 Zhang Bolin 96.00 General Fund 7/21/2016 651350 Kevin Ruiz-Loyola 35.64 General Fund -END-

38 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” – Margaret Mead

18 – 25 June 2020

ORDINANCE NO. 5949

Notice Inviting Bids

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

Boat Launch Mini Mart Post Fire Restoration Bid No. 5842 1.

SANTA BARBARA APPROVING A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH

Bid Submission. The City of Santa Barbara (“City”) will accept sealed bids for its Boat Launch Mini Mart Post Fire Restoration Project (“Project”), by or before July 1, 2020, at 3:00 p.m., through its PlanetBids portal. Bidders must be registered on the City of Santa Barbara’s PlanetBids™ portal in order to submit a Bid Proposal and to receive addendum notifications.. Each bidder is responsible for making certain that its Bid Proposal is actually delivered to the Purchasing Office. The receiving time at the Purchasing Office will be the governing time for acceptability of bids. Telegraphic, telephonic, electronic, and facsimile bids will not be accepted.

VERIZON

BUISNESS

INSTALLATIONS ON CITY STREET LIGHTS, INCLUDING AUTHORIZATION FOR SITE SPECIFIC LICENSES The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular 2020. The publication of this ordinance is made pursuant to the

Remove debris and damaged framing, de-odorize the remaining shell building, and rebuild the shell to match the existing construction in quality, appearance, and quantity.

provisions of Section 512 of the Santa Barbara City Charter

2.2 Time for Completion. The Project must be completed within 45 calendar days from the start date set forth in the Notice to Proceed. City anticipates that the Work will begin on or about mid-July 2020 but the anticipated start date is provided solely for convenience and is neither certain nor binding.

obtained at the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, Santa Barbara,

as amended, and the original ordinance in its entirety may be California.

2.3 Estimated Cost. The estimated construction cost is $95,000.00.* *The repair work described herein is part of an insurance claim. The City is responsible for the first $50,000 (deductible) after which the insurance company is responsible for payment. The contract will be issued for $50,000 and once the deductible is met, the City will forward claims to the insurance for direct payment to the contractor.

DOING

meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on June 9,

Project Information. 2.1 Location and Description. The Project is located at 305 W. CabrilloBlvd. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 and is described as follows:

WIRELESS,

AIRTOUCH CELLULAR, FOR DEREGULATED WIRELESS

(Seal) /s/ Sarah Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager

License and Registration Requirements.

ORDINANCE NO. 5949

3.1 License. This Project requires a valid California contractor’s license for the following classification(s): A-General Engineering OR B-General Building

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

3.2 DIR Registration. City may not accept a Bid Proposal from or enter into the Contract with a bidder, without proof that the bidder is registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) to perform public work pursuant to Labor Code § 1725.5, subject to limited legal exceptions.

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

Contract Documents. The plans, specifications, bid forms and contract documents for the Project, and any addenda thereto (“Contract Documents”) may be downloaded from City’s website at: http://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=29959

Bid Security. Not required.

Prevailing Wage Requirements.

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA

) ) ) ss. ) )

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was introduced on February 25, 2020, and was adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a

6.1 General. Pursuant to California Labor Code § 1720 et seq., this Project is subject to the prevailing wage requirements applicable to the locality in which the Work is to be performed for each craft, classification or type of worker needed to perform the Work, including employer payments for health and welfare, pension, vacation, apprenticeship and similar purposes. 6.2 Rates. These prevailing rates are on file with the City and are available online at http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSR. Each Contractor and Subcontractor must pay no less than the specified rates to all workers employed to work on the Project. The schedule of per diem wages is based upon a working day of eight hours. The rate for holiday and overtime work must be at least time and one-half. 6.3 Compliance. The Contract will be subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the DIR, under Labor Code § 1771.4. 7.

Performance and Payment Bonds. The successful bidder will be required to provide performance and payment bonds, each for 100% of the Contract Price, as further specified in the Contract Documents.

Substitution of Securities. Substitution of appropriate securities in lieu of retention amounts from progress payments is permitted under Public Contract Code § 22300.

Subcontractor List. Each Subcontractor must be registered with the DIR to perform work on public projects. Each bidder must submit a complete Subcontractor List with its Bid Proposal through the PlanetBids portal. Failure to do will result in rejection of your bid. including the name, location of the place of business, California contractor license number, DIR registration number, and percentage of the Work to be performed (based on the base bid price) for each Subcontractor that will perform Work or service or fabricate or install Work for the prime contractor in excess of onehalf of 1% of the bid price.

10.

Instructions to Bidders. All bidders should carefully review the Instructions to Bidders for more detailed information before submitting a Bid Proposal. The definitions provided in Article 1 of the General Conditions apply to all of the Contract Documents, as defined therein, including this Notice Inviting Bids.

11.

Bidders’ Conference. A pre-bid conference will not be held.

12.

Retention. No retention.

By: ___________________________________

meeting held on June 9, 2020, by the following roll call vote: AYES:

Councilmembers Eric Friedman, Meagan Harmon, Mike Jordan; Mayor Cathy Murillo

NOES:

Councilmembers Alejandra Gutierrez, Oscar Gutierrez, Kristen W. Sneddon

ABSENT:

None

ABSTENTIONS:

None

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara on June 10, 2020.

/s/ Sarah P. Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance on June 10, 2020.

/s/ Cathy Murillo Mayor Published June 17, 2020 Montecito Journal

Date: ________________

William Hornung, General Services Manager Publication Date: 6/17/2020 END OF NOTICE INVITING BIDS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Eva Terces, 3067 Paseo Del Descanso, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Jean Gatewood, 3067 Paseo Del Descanso, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on June 3, 2020. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2020-0001368. Published

18 – 25 June 2020

June 10, 17, 24, July 1, 2020. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Dos Carlitos Restaurant & Tequila Bar, 3544 Sagunto Street, Santa Ynez, CA 93460. CLH Enterprises, Inc., 1212 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 29, 2020. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in

my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2020-0001328. Published June 10, 17, 24, July 1, 2020. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CAVA Restaurant & Bar, 1212 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Blue Serrano Group, LLC, 1212 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 29, 2020. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the

County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2020-0001327. Published June 10, 17, 24, July 1, 2020. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Scout Du Jour, 636 Oak Grove Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Travis Chauvin Lee, 636 Oak Grove Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 8, 2020. This statement expires

• The Voice of the Village •

five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2020-0001156. Published June 10, 17, 24, July 1, 2020. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAE FERMOSA, 421 E Cook, Santa Maria, CA 93454. Esther Hernandez, 421 E Cook, Santa Maria, CA 93454. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 12, 2020. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN

No. 2020-0001176. Published May 27, June 3, 10, 17, 2020. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Santa Barbara Corporate Services; SB Corporate Services; Live Scan Corporate Services; Portuguese Translation USA, 1482 E Valley Road #24, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Marcia Ribeiro, 1482 E Valley Road #24, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 19, 2020. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2020-0001246. Published May 27, June 3, 10, 17, 2020.

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Our Town

2020 Crane Zoom Graduation Joel Weiss Headmaster Award

by Joanne A. Calitri

Joanne is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@yahoo.com

Our Town’s 18th Annual Graduation Issue: Part 2

ur community of schools held their 2020 8th grade graduation ceremonies through online Zoom graduations, school drive by parades with their teachers, one in-person ceremony with directives from the Health Department and two schools opted to postpone an inperson ceremony until later this year. The number of graduates are 185: Montecito Union 57, Cold Spring 20, Crane Country Day 35, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 15, Laguna Blanca Lower 19, El Montecito Early School 23, and Montecito YMCA Preschool 16. The graduations are covered in two parts, this week and last week’s issue on June 4.

Crane Country Day School

The Crane Country Day School 2020 Eight Grade Graduation was held on Friday, June 12 at 10 am, with 14 faculty at 8 am delivering a “Crane Coyote Box” to the homes of each of the graduates who participated in the ceremony from home.

2020 Crane Country Day School Grads Formal (photo by Teresa Pietsch)

The box contained their diploma, a graduation pin, cards from the Head of School, the Board President, Division Head and Advisor, the program, a mini-graduation cake, school colored M&Ms and a mini bottle of Martinelli’s cider. Parents also received a goodie box with instructions for the Zoom graduation. Erika Sellin put the boxes together and

Lora McManus designed and laser engraved each box with the Crane logo and each student’s name. The Zoom graduation opened with Headmaster Joel Weiss at the school under the famous oak tree. He welcomed the students and lauded them for their work to complete their studies from home saying, “This is a class with huge energy and deep roots. It is interesting that 17 of the 34 are lifers, meaning that they’ve been at Crane since kindergarten. And they are really spreading out, heading off to 13 different high schools. Let’s honor the class who are heading off to high school where they will be thriving; this is a singular moment of transition from a smaller world into a much

larger community. A year we will all remember, at home in a digital platform you have learned so much, and have powerful skills that will take you through life. We have so much pride for you and are so appreciative of you.” He instructed the parents to present the diploma to their son or daughter after their teacher read a vignette about them. Photographs of each student with their diploma were taken by parents and organized into a composite at the end of the ceremony. The school song “This is Crane” was performed by Konrad Kono and the students. The students were pinned at home. Headmaster Weiss concluded the Zoom graduation with Ms Peggy Smith, toasting the students with a glass of Martinelli’s cider. Time was given for families to say individual congratulations on the Zoom, and Headmaster Weiss encouraged all the students to drive to the school for a Victory Lap flying their personalized congratulatory car flags, where they will be welcomed by faculty members cheering them on, take a photo op with school photographer Teresa Pietsch, and receive their alumni bag to celebrate their rite of passage. The alumni bag includes a Memories Video that encapsulates their time at Crane since Kindergarten, social media information to stay in touch, an alumni beach towel, an alumni beanie cap and a small plate of home-baked chocolate chip bars by Debbie Williams, Crane’s Director of Development.

Awards Given:

Headmaster’s Prize: Henry Hagerman Amiability Award: Henry Hagerman and Ingrid Lu Art Cup: Leighton Smith and Dan McCaslin History Cup: Christian Gonzalez and David Echols Math Cup: The Mathcounts Team of Melanie Davidson, Christian Gonzalez, Will Hammond and Ingrid Lu Design & Engineering Award: Avianna Gordon and Elizabeth Purdy

2020 Crane Country Day School Eighth Grade Graduates (photo by Teresa Pietsch)

40 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

18 – 25 June 2020

Melanie Davidson, Kate Deardorff, Shane Gifford, Christian Gonzalez, Avianna Gordon, Henry Hagerman, Will Hammond, Deacon Johnson, Jack Kane, Louis Leclerq, Cooper Lender, Drew Levinson, Bella Lomeli, Ingrid Lu, Paloma Lujan, Regina Lujan, Brody McGonigle, Cole Murphy, Tanner Murphy, Camilla Perkins, Elizabeth Purdy, Robert Reyes, Griffin Rick, Graham Rogers, Luke Sain, Phoenix Seal, Charlie Sheldon, Leighton Smith, Diego Veras, Ganden Walker and Zach White.

Cate School

The Cate School graduation was held from May 22 through May 29 with many celebrations for their international graduates during the week. Faculty members shared their special message of gratitude to the grads on May 22, followed by commencement

OUR TOWN Page 424

2020 Crane Country Day School Zoom Grads with Diplomas Drama Cup: Graham Rogers; Julia Brown English Cup: Ingrid Lu; Lejeune Teaching: Donna Brown and Elizabeth Teare Lejeune Language Award: Henry Hagerman and Cooper Lender Library Award: Melanie Davidson and Christian Gonzalez Music Cup: Henry Hagerman Nagle Community Service Award: Henry Hagerman Rose Bowl: Griffin Rick Science Cup: Melanie Davidson Sheila Davidson Cup: Deacon Johnson and Charlie Sheldon Sports Cup: Chloe Adams and Ganden Walker Talia S. Klein Award: Christian Gonzalez Technical Theater Award: Griffin Rick Tower Achievement Award: Charlie Shelden and Ganden Walker

2020 Cate School Graduates

The eighth grade teachers are Whitney Abbott, Shana Arthurs, Jennifer Bochsler, Louis Caron, Traci Cope, Richard Downey, Sabina Funk, Gretel Huglin Ridge, Konrad Kono, Ryan Long, Sarah Lopez, Doug McKenzie, Lora McManus, Erika Sellin, Peggy Smith, Elizabeth Teare, Terri Willis, Andres Wood, and Adam Yates. The Crane Country Day School 2020 graduates are: Hala Abed, Chloe Adams, Greer Biddlecome, Summer Corey, 18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

OUR TOWN (Continued from page 41)

Kimberly Jay Rogers Ellis Cup: Pierce Richard Thompson Morgan Gwynne Temby ‘69 Award: Ethan Thomas Ha and Kimberly Jay Rogers The Miramar Award: Oscar Vasquez III Dohrman Pischel ‘14 Bronze Medal: Maya Anne Blattberg and Jessica Yang Nelson Jones ‘48 Silver: Riley Sommers Swain Santa Barbara School Gold Medal: Theodore James Mack and Natasha Rose Weiss Headmaster’s Award: Will Anderson and Lina Infante William Shepard Biddle ‘18 Cup: Avery Zavay Ransom

2020 Cate School Graduates

speakers graduate Riley Swain and faculty member Ivan Barry via Zoom. On Sunday, May 23 Cate School Alumni from around the world hand-delivered diplomas to all 75 graduates. And throughout the week celebration, Headmaster Ben Williams met individually with each graduate and their families to deliver his commencement comments, a brief statement about each student and awards they were given. His statement to the 2020 graduates, “If you hope to leave behind something memorable and lasting, please know that you did. Cate is a better community for

42 MONTECITO JOURNAL

your having been a part, and that you stood for something genuine and generous in your tenure as students. Don’t wonder if you somehow left your journey here unfinished. Life is long, and your relationship with Cate is only beginning. In the years ahead, as it deepens and grows, we will remember together these

James Anderson, Tesfa Asmara, Hannah Biles, Grace Blankenhorn, Maya Blattberg, Elizabeth Borghesani, Parker Bowlin, Marcos Henrique Brasil, Piper Brooks, Cole Bryant, Peter Bulkley Armas, Simon Burke, Sean Busse, Carolynn Cai, Emily Calkins, Callum Casey, Harry Corman, Kenzie Davidson, Lea De Vylder, Isabella Dewell, Maya Fenelon, Buba Fofanah, Mia Foster, Grace Fuss, Madeleine Gutierrez, Ethan Ha, Charlie Heyman,  Scott Holmes, Mark Huerta, Dana HustonChen, Lina Infante, Bryce Jackson, Carlo Jacobson, Owen Jones, Alex Kim, Kenneth Liou, Ian Mabon, Dylan MacFarlane,  Theo Mack, Brandon Man, Parker May, Spencer Michaels, Jamie Morales,  Neema Mugofwa, Thomas Nettesheim, Ethan Ng, Georgina Omaboe, Devin Pai, Joshua Park, Dalton Phillips, Khadim Pouye, Alice Qin, Alyssa Queensborough,  Avery Ransom, Kimberly Rogers, John Rigsby Shelburne, Marissa Strauss, Riley Swain,  Christian Tarafa, Pierce Thompson, Millie Todd, Elliot Tsai, Oscar Vasquez, Ruth Wecker, Jackson Weinberger, Ava Weinstein, Natasha days we have spent, the stories we have Weiss, Finnian Whelan, Megan told, and the friends we have made and Wong,  Emme Wright, Jacob Wu, Phil count ourselves fortunate.” Xu, Jessica Yang, Sunny Zhao, and Vania Zhao.

Cate School awards:

Jeffrey Sumner Pallette ‘99 Award: Natasha Rose Weiss; Santa Barbara Scholarship Cup:

YMCA Preschool The

Montecito

Family

YMCA

2020 YMCA Preschool Grads “Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” – Mark Twain

18 – 25 June 2020

Preschool 2020 Graduation is tentatively scheduled for August when the students and their families will hopefully be safe to meet in person at the Y for the celebration. In the interim, Ms Annie Fischer, Preschool Director, wrote this statement for the graduates, “It was another year of fun and learning in Room 3, at the Montecito Family YMCA Preschool! Sixteen happy pre-kindergarteners celebrated the joyful experience of childhood! Each child was recognized for their own unique spirit, in our play-based, intentional,

and engaging program. The children have developed a love for learning in all domains, giving them the building blocks for advanced learning. Abundant experiences in singing, with books, drawing, counting, running, sharing, riding, yoga, laughing, art, field trips, friendships and praying, fostered a love for learning. Caring about each other and the environment also made it a beautiful year. Life was interrupted this year but we still had time to create lots of memories! Ms Annie Fischer and Ms Jayne Valdez combined to instill a sense of

wonder and are honored to present this year’s happy, kindergarten bound graduates.” The YMCA Preschool 2020 graduates are: Briana Baffa, Kody Baker, Warren Boersema, Robert Diaz, Lucas Dowell, Valen Lombardi, Savka Molina Perez, Max MontepequeMedina, Logan Nolasco, Joie Pickens, Caro Rivera, Remy Rivera, Anastacia Rodriguez, Maleko Trujillo, Justice Williams, and Lani Wills. •MJ

ORDINANCE NO. 5948 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AMENDING SECTION 9.97.010 OF THE SANTA BARBARA MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO SITTING OR LYING DOWN ON PUBLIC SIDEWALKS ON CERTAIN HIGH TRAFFIC PORTIONS OF CACIQUE AND MILPAS STREETS The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on June 9, 2020. The publication of this ordinance is made pursuant to the provisions of Section 512 of the Santa Barbara City Charter as amended, and the original ordinance in its entirety may be obtained at the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, Santa Barbara, California. (Seal) /s/ Sarah Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager ORDINANCE NO. 5948 STATE OF CALIFORNIA

) ) COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ss. ) CITY OF SANTA BARBARA ) I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was introduced on June 2, 2020, and was adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a meeting held on June 9, 2020, by the following roll call vote: AYES:

Councilmembers Eric Friedman, Alejandra Gutierrez, Oscar Gutierrez, Mike Jordan, Kristen W. Sneddon; Mayor Cathy Murillo

NOES:

None

ABSENT:

None

ABSTENTIONS:

Councilmember Meagan Harmon

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara on June 10, 2020.

/s/ Sarah P. Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance on June 10, 2020.

/s/ Cathy Murillo Mayor

Cold Spring School - Class of 2020 Note: The Cold Spring School 2020 graduation pictures are re-run in color in this issue due to not receiving them in time for printing last week. 18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

Published June 17, 2020 Montecito Journal

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Celebrity News

River Roundup Newtified

by Chuck Graham

he creeks were flowing, spilling over a configuration of cobble that snaked their way to the Santa Clara River. As water pooled up and calmed California newts (Taricha torosa) gathered, the only endemic salamander species in the Golden State. As I rock-hopped upstream, I found one of the orange-bellied newts out of the water, out of its comfort zone, working its way against the grain, an upper pool all to its own awaited. Moving slowly and awkwardly as if it had a hitch in its giddy-up, it finally found its aquatic haven diving in and swimming efficiently to a dark corner of the pool, its tail propelling crocodilian-like in the replenished creek.

Like Most Critters

It is all about habitat and like most critters it’s how bountiful that habitat is. In the case of California newts, they need suitable riparian environments possessing free-flowing creeks and streams. Clear ponds and pools with surrounding upland chaparral habitat are vital, with lots of mud and leaf litter in California’s coastal ranges. California newts require moisture. Like most other amphibians species they spend winter and spring where water flows, but also a significant amount of time is spent out of water in summer and fall – the driest months of the year – buried in mud patiently waiting for the next significant rains. Because much of their habitat has been altered in some capacity, these medium-sized, 5- to 8-inch-long salamanders possessing rough textured skin is listed as a California Species of Special Concern. And like so many endemic species, they have been forced to compete with introduced, nonnative species. The red swamp crayfish is a true threat to the existence of the California newt. Initially introduced as fish bait, this aggressive crayfish species feasts on helpless California newt larvae and egg masses. The invasive crayfish also disrupts newt breeding cycles where aquatic space is vital. Breeding is aggressive enough with newts to let alone be harassed by antagonistic, introduced crayfish. Armed with sharp claws, California newt adults cannot defend themselves as they are mauled, disfigured and even killed by the red swamp crayfish. When both species are present in the same habitat, it is not uncommon to see California newts with portions of their tails gone missing.

Newt Scrum

As I carefully tiptoed along the cobbled creek, I hiked gingerly not to disturb California newts or anything else enjoying the recent, late winter rains. California newts blend in so well with their environment, and because they move slowly, methodically out of water, I did not want to step on one. A decent sized pool emerged where at least 15 newts congregated in the shallows. A few swam effortlessly from end to end. Then, underneath some

44 MONTECITO JOURNAL

by Journal Staff

rammy winning singer-actress Ariana Grande is Montecito’s latest celebrity resident. Fresh from buying a $13.7 million 10,000 sq.ft. contemporary Hollywood Hills home in the famous Bird streets above Sunset Boulevard, the 26-year-old multi Guinness world record holder has put down another $6.75 million on an English Tudor-style residence in Montecito from TV talk show host and serial property flipper Ellen DeGeneres and her actress wife, Portia de Rossi. The home was constructed in the ‘80s using two antique barns that used to sit in the English countryside. It boasts two bedrooms and three bathrooms, over 5,500 square feet. The house also has an infinity pool, a cedar-lined wellness room, a 300-bottle wine cellar and fitness studio. Ellen and Portia bought the property, known as The Porter House, in January for $3.6 million and it underwent extensive renovations with a new kitchen and bathrooms. The sale was handled by Riskin Partners of Village Properties. •MJ storm debris a tangled ball of newts swirled in the corner of the pool. King of the Pool? Newtmania? A family get together? Apparently, none of the above. Breeding ball of newts is something to behold. While observing several twisted balls of newts, it was difficult to count how many newts were actually taking pleasure in the mating scrum. They get so entangled some were hanging on for dear life to participate in what can be a mortal ending for the female newt. I even watched a few newts hanging onto the tails of other newts that were already in favorable position to fertilize eggs, essentially the equivalent of climbing a rope or ladder to hop onboard and get a chance to sew their seeds of love. It does not look anything like love for the female though. In fact, some females do not survive the breeding ball. At times it looks like they are being strangled and suffocated in the water. Generally, reproduction occurs from December through May. Amazing enough, adult newts find their way back to the pools they were hatched in. The 7 to 30 eggs appear like a thick gel and are attached to whatever is lodged within a pool: sticks, crevices within rocks and vegetation. Once the breeding scrums have finished, some adult newts disperse. Others choose to stay close to home looking to feed for several months more.

Slow but Potent

The sleek, smooth-swimming, two-striped garter snake had its head out of the water. It seemed to be on the hunt. The look on its face was that of laser focus. It appeared menacing, intent on consumption. The water was clear, visibility was excellent as the serpent scoured all crevices within the threefoot-deep pond. Then there was a flash of movement. A Pacific green tree frog flinched, and the chase was on. California newts are not the swiftest on land and would seem to be susceptible to predation, but as newts plod along they never fear. I certainly would never have thought a small, dawdling, seemingly defenseless amphibian could pack such a lethal punch, but they can. Apparently, like other newt species the glands hidden within the rough skin on the back of a newt secretes neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, 100 times more lethal than cyanide. It is enough to kill any potential predator including us humans, but only if ingested. I cannot think of anyone that would skewer a newt and throw it on the barbeque, but stranger things have happened, meat lovers beware. Having said all that, the California newt has very few natural predators except for one. There is always at least one. Over time, two-striped garter snakes have developed a resistance to the newts’ toxins, so the newts take their chances by land or water, never really looking over their shoulders but knowing concealment is their best defense. •MJ

“Do not make the mistake of treating your dogs like humans or they will treat you like dogs.” – Martha Scott

18 – 25 June 2020

VILLAGE BEAT (Continued from page 32) Laguna Blanca head of Upper School Rob Hereford passed out diplomas to the Class of 2020; an in-person commencement ceremony is planned for July 31

A ceremony was projected on the side of Bishop Diego’s Performing Arts building so graduates and families could socially distance

ing a tile mural to commemorate the Class of 2020.

Bishop Diego High School

ishop Diego High School held a virtual graduation ceremony for its 53 graduates in the Class of 2020. “It has been said that it is during times of crisis that we see the selflessness of humanity become the norm. I have to say that our Bishop Diego community has exemplified this sentiment in the manner in which, since Day 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic, so many have come forward and inquired, ‘How can I help?’ While the last ten weeks have felt very different, the love and attention to detail that has guided the efforts to keep teaching and learning in place have exceeded expectations,” said Head of School Karen Regan in her closing remarks at the graduation ceremony. “The number of people who came together to ensure the proper celebration and recognition of the Class of 2020 is heartwarming.” Regan reports that the Class of 2020 received admission to 115 colleges and universities, with over $5.6 million in merit and athletic scholarships, $31k of that being awarded right here from our local Santa Barbara community. The class fulfilled over 11,500

hours in local community service. To watch the virtual ceremony, visit www.bishopdiego.org/explore/ news/359-graduation-2020.

Laguna Blanca Upper School

aguna Blanca held a senior car parade for its Class of 2020 on June 10. The 48 grads wore their caps and gowns, decorated their cars, and rode with their families around the Rusack Parking Plaza (next to Merovick Gymnasium) while teachers, staff, and additional family members and schoolmates cheered them on from around the parking lot. The lively graduates had fun with the parade, with some sitting in the back of pickups or riding in vintage convertibles, some of which overheated! Dean of Student Life and 2002 Laguna alumnus Blake Dorfman served as emcee (as the cars tuned into 96.9 FM), giving everyone the opportunity to listen to their classmates’ accomplishments as they were handed their diplomas. Gloved and masked, Head of School Rob Hereford handed each student their diploma through the car window, before the grad hopped out of the car for a quick socially distanced portrait holding his/her diploma. An official in-person commencement ceremony is planned for July 31.

“Our seniors are to be commended for holding up so well and actually thriving and reimagining projects, programs, and events under such trying circumstances this spring. This is certainly not the senior experience we wanted for them, but we are excited to continue the celebration on July 31 at our official commencement ceremony. We also hope our grads will return to campus and visit us in September when we reopen,” said Hereford.

San Ysidro Roundabout Moves Forward

After over 25 hours of digging through the details of the San Ysidro Road Roundabout project, the Montecito Planning Commission approved the project last week in a 4-1 vote. Commissioner Susan Keller was the dissenting vote, saying the project, in her opinion, is not consistent with the Montecito Community Plan. The project has been an extremely polarizing topic in the community, with over 70 letters submitted to the Montecito Planning Commission both in opposition and support of the project, which planners say will alleviate traffic issues at the clunky intersection of San Ysidro Road, North Jameson Lane, and the Highway 101 entrance and exit. The roundabout project is one of three parallel projects to improve local traffic flow in conjunction with the widening of Highway 101. The project A parade of vehicles drove graduates to get their diplomas at Laguna Blanca

Bishop Diego Class of 2020 Valedictorian Matthew Helkey and Salutatorian Marisa Mancinelli took part in the virtual graduation ceremony

18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

includes replacing the current intersection with an oblong-shaped roundabout and adding a four-way stop on the other side of the bridge, at San Ysidro and South Jameson Lane (near the Rosewood Miramar Resort). The single-lane roundabout will include pedestrian access on every leg of the intersection, including crosswalks that connect with paved walkways through the medians or refuge areas. The roundabout gives enough space for bicycles to traverse the lane, or bicyclists can get off their bikes and walk in the eight-foot-wide pedestrian/sidewalk areas. The area will be heavily landscaped per the conditions of the project, clearly delineating the transition from freeway to neighborhood. The rest of the landscape plan includes drought tolerant landscaping and native trees – Monterey Cypress, Coast Live Oaks, and cherry trees – providing a buffer between the roundabout and the adjacent Hedgerow neighborhood. Signage is limited to coastal access and safety signs, and lighting will be minimized with current cobra head lights being replaced with mission bell lights, bringing light nearly eight feet closer to the ground. The center of the roundabout is proposed to be mounded, so that headlights cannot be seen from neighboring homes, and the oblong shape of the roundabout is designed to bring down traffic speeds to 15-20MPH. Montecito Board of Architectural Review, a Design Working Group, COAST, and the Bicycle Coalition have contributed to the design of the project, which will head back to MBAR for final approval in July. The project will likely be funded at the same time as the portion of freeway widening through Montecito; an application for that funding will be submitted this summer. Conditions require that the roundabout be built at the same time as the freeway widening, although specific staging plans have yet to be determined. Both projects are expected to be in construction from 2023-2027. For more information, visit www. countyofsb.org. •MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED K-9 PALS need volunteers to be foster parents for our dogs while they are waiting for their forever homes. For more information info@k-9pals.org 18 – 25 June 2020

ON THE RECORD (Continued from page 21)

by state law. But while a mental health therapist might be part of such a team, most of their work involves helping students without disabilities but who are struggling emotionally for any number of reasons, problems that all too often only come to the school’s attention as a result of an incident on campus, which can range from being disruptive in class to fighting or being caught smoking or vaping marijuana on campus, which qualifies for an automatic suspension. “If a student gets in trouble at school for being high on marijuana, for example, we have to suspend,” Simmons said. “But we are also trying to address the root cause, so we ask the student if they ever think about talking to a counselor, as opposed to a parent or a principal, about why they smoke marijuana. Then we refer the student to a mental health therapist who does a screening, and at the end, they are able to decide on a plan for that student. Maybe they need outside services, or maybe they work with the therapist on a once-per-month basis.” According to Simmons, suspensions for marijuana smoking – or, far more often, marijuana vaping – have risen substantially in the last few years. “It’s not just because it’s easy for them to walk into a vape shop,” she says. “It’s something much deeper. There’s something in our psyche now about instant gratification and loneliness that is involved, and we need to figure out how to

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Contributors Scott Craig, Julia Rodgers, Ashleigh Brilliant, Sigrid Toye, Zach Rosen, Kim Crail Gossip Richard Mineards • History Hattie Beresford • Humor Ernie Witham Our Town Joanne A. Calitri Society Lynda Millner • Travel Jerry Dunn • Sportsman Dr. John Burk • Trail Talk Lynn P. Kirst Account Managers Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson, Casey Champion Bookkeeping Diane Davidson, Christine Merrick • Proofreading Helen Buckley Design/Production Trent Watanabe Published by Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC PRINTED BY NPCP INC., SANTA BARBARA, CA Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, cogitated over, and coughed up every Wednesday by an exacting agglomeration of excitable (and often exemplary) expert edifiers at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite H, Montecito, CA 93108. How to reach us: Editorial: (805) 565-1860; Sue Brooks: ext. 4; Christine Merrick: ext. 3; Classified: ext. 3; FAX: (805) 969-6654; Letters to Editor: Montecito Journal, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite H, Montecito, CA 93108; E-MAIL: tim@montecitojournal.net

help kids connect, so they don’t feel like they need to vape to get someone to like them more.” At the heart of SBHS’s effort to hire another full-time therapist is the school’s goal to provide support for what Simmons calls the “whole child,” a concept that goes far beyond the classroom setting and which has become even more crucial during the coronavirus era. “We recognized that we had academic shifts we had to make with remote learning, but that doesn’t address the social and emotional challenge some students face,” Simmons explained. “If your basic needs aren’t being met, you are not going to be able to academically or socially engage at all. I’m lucky we have a foundation and parents and staff who believe in that concept.” So far this year, the Foundation for Santa Barbara High School has also raised tens of thousands of dollars to help support the school’s most needy families. According to Foundation Director Katie Jacobs, not just parents but staff members have been critical components of this effort. Jen Slemp, an English Language Arts teacher, took several of her students and their families grocery shopping and helped raise money for their rent. Parent Ann Rycroft made handsewn masks, while the Foundation also teamed with the school’s PTSA and the student group Dons4Dons to raise a total of $12,000 in emergency funds for the school’s most economically vulnerable families. Their drive inspired an anonymous donor to offer $12,500 if SBHS could raise a matching sum, a goal that took only a few weeks to accomplish. Thanks to those efforts, the school collected a total of $77,000, with cash grants going out to nearly 130 families. “It has been gratifying to see our community respond to the needs of our families and our students,” said Jacobs. “However, we know that the money we are giving through #SBHSStrong is a drop in the bucket, and only a short-term fix.” Hiring another full-time therapist, she added, would go a long way to providing long-term support. “Having additional mental health resources for our students will build resiliency and possibly even save lives,” she said. “Now we just need to raise the second half of the funds for the position!” To make a donation to help meet the long-term mental health needs of SHBS students, contact Jacobs at (805) 966-9101, ext. 5225, or email her at katie@foundationforsbhs. org. You can also donate online at www.foundationforsbhs.org. •MJ

Laughing Matters

hy did Adele cross the road? To say hello from the other side

Send us your best joke, we’ll decide if it’s funny. We can only print what we can print, so don’t blame us. Please send “jokes” to letters@ montecitojournal.net

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Real Estate Appraisals

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18 – 25 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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©2020 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Info is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Sellers will entertain and respond to all offers within this range. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information.

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605 ROMERO CANYON RD, MONTECITO 3BD/2BA • $1,650,000 Nancy Kogevinas, 805.450.6233 LIC# 01209514

@BHHSCALIFORNIA

Congratulations, Class of 2020

Articles inside

Laughing Matters Local Business Directory

Nosh Town

River Roundup

Our Town

I Believe I Can Fly

Perspectives

Focus on Finance

Bob Hazard

SBHS trying to figure out all aspects of re-opening

On Entertainment

Ape See Ape Do

Seen Around Town

On the Record

Editor’s Letter