River Roundup

Newtified

Grammy winning singer-actress Ariana Grande is Montecito’s latest time is spent out of water in summer and fall – the driest months of the year –

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 famiT he creeks were flowing, spilling over a configuration of cobble that snaked their way to the ly get together? Apparently, none of the above. Breeding ball of newts is something to behold. While observing several twisted balls of newts, it was Santa Clara River. As water pooled up difficult to count how many newts and calmed California newts (Taricha were actually taking pleasure in the torosa) gathered, the only endemic salmating scrum. They get so entangled amander species in the Golden State. some were hanging on for dear life to

As I rock-hopped upstream, I found participate in what can be a mortal one of the orange-bellied newts out ending for the female newt. of the water, out of its comfort zone, I even watched a few newts hanging working its way against the grain, onto the tails of other newts that were an upper pool all to its own awaited. already in favorable position to ferMoving slowly and awkwardly as if tilize eggs, essentially the equivalent it had a hitch in its giddy-up, it finally found its aquatic haven diving in and of climbing a rope or ladder to hop swimming efficiently to a dark corner of the pool, its tail propelling crocodilonboard and get a chance to sew their ian-like in the replenished creek. seeds of love. It does not look anything Like Most Critters fact, some females do not survive the breeding ball. At times it looks like they are being strangled and suffocated in

It is all about habitat and like most critters it’s how bountiful that habitat is. In the water. the case of California newts, they need suitable riparian environments possessGenerally, reproduction occurs from December through May. Amazing ing free-flowing creeks and streams. Clear ponds and pools with surrounding enough, adult newts find their way back to the pools they were hatched in. upland chaparral habitat are vital, with lots of mud and leaf litter in California’s The 7 to 30 eggs appear like a thick gel and are attached to whatever is lodged coastal ranges. within a pool: sticks, crevices within rocks and vegetation.

California newts require moisture. Like most other amphibians species they Once the breeding scrums have finished, some adult newts disperse. Others spend winter and spring where water flows, but also a significant amount of choose to stay close to home looking to feed for several months more. like love for the female though. In buried in mud patiently waiting for the next significant rains. Because much of their habitat has been altered in some capacity, these Slow but Potent medium-sized, 5- to 8-inch-long salamanders possessing rough textured skin The sleek, smooth-swimming, two-striped garter snake had its head out of is listed as a California Species of Special Concern. And like so many endemic the water. It seemed to be on the hunt. The look on its face was that of laser species, they have been forced to compete with introduced, nonnative species. focus. It appeared menacing, intent on consumption. The water was clear, The red swamp crayfish is a true threat to the existence of the California newt. visibility was excellent as the serpent scoured all crevices within the three

Initially introduced as fish bait, this aggressive crayfish species feasts on foot-deep pond. Then there was a flash of movement. A Pacific green tree frog helpless California newt larvae and egg masses. The invasive crayfish also disflinched, and the chase was on. rupts newt breeding cycles where aquatic space is vital. Breeding is aggressive California newts are not the swiftest on land and would seem to be suscepenough with newts to let alone be harassed by antagonistic, introduced craytible to predation, but as newts plod along they never fear. I certainly would fish. Armed with sharp claws, California newt adults cannot defend themselves never have thought a small, dawdling, seemingly defenseless amphibian could as they are mauled, disfigured and even killed by the red swamp crayfish. pack such a lethal punch, but they can. When both species are present in the same habitat, it is not uncommon to see Apparently, like other newt species the glands hidden within the rough skin California newts with portions of their tails gone missing. 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, Newt Scrum 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

As I carefully tiptoed along the cobbled creek, I hiked gingerly not to disbeware. turb California newts or anything else enjoying the recent, late winter rains. Having said all that, the California newt has very few natural predators California newts blend in so well with their environment, and because they except for one. There is always at least one. Over time, two-striped garter move slowly, methodically out of water, I did not want to step on one. snakes have developed a resistance to the newts’ toxins, so the newts take their

A decent sized pool emerged where at least 15 newts congregated in the chances by land or water, never really looking over their shoulders but knowing shallows. A few swam effortlessly from end to end. Then, underneath some concealment is their best defense. •MJ 44 MONTECITO JOURNAL “Do not make the mistake of treating your dogs like humans or they will treat you like dogs.” – Martha Scott 18 – 25 June 2020

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

Bishop 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

Laguna 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 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 45