carry-out extravaganza at Belmond El Encanto and Miramar

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AMENDING SECTION 10.60.040 OF THE SANTA BARBARA MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT HEAVY VEHICLES ON PORTIONS OF SAMARKAND DRIVE, STANLEY DRIVE, VERNON ROAD AND ARDEN ROAD

The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on December

15, 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. 5982

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ) ) ss. ) )

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was introduced December 8, 2020 and adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a meeting held on December 15, 2020, by the following roll call vote:

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

None

None

ABSTENTIONS: None

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my

Hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara

on December 16, 2020.

Sarah P. Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager

I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance

on December 16, 2020.

Cathy Murillo Mayor

Published December 23, 2020 Montecito Journal

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE WATERFRONT DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE A SUPPLEMENTAL LEASE AGREEMENT EXTENDING THE LEASE TERM AN ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS WITH THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ADMINISTRATION, LOCATED AT 113 ATMOSPHERIC HARBOR WAY,

COMMENCING ON JUNE 1, 2021.

The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on December

15, 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. 5983

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ) ) ss. ) )

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was introduced December 8, 2020 and adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a meeting held on December 15, 2020, by the following roll call vote:

AYES:

Murillo

NOES: Councilmembers Eric Friedman, Alejandra Gutierrez, Oscar Gutierrez, Meagan Harmon, Mike Jordan, Kristen W. Sneddon; Mayor Cathy

None

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 December 16, 2020.

/s/ Sarah P. Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance on December 16, 2020.

/s/ Cathy Murillo Mayor Published December 23, 2020 Montecito Journal AN UNCODIFIED INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA PROHIBITING THE CONVERSION OF SENIOR MOBILEHOME PARKS AND EXCESSIVE VACANCY RENT INCREASES

The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on December

15, 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. 5984

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ) ) ss. ) )

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was introduced and adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a meeting held on December 15, 2020, by the following roll call vote:

AYES:

NOES:

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

None

None

ABSTENTIONS: None

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my Hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara on December 16, 2020.

/s/ Sarah P. Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance on December 16, 2020.

/s/ Cathy Murillo Mayor Published December 23, 2020 Montecito Journal

lowing person(s) has (have) abandoned the use of the Fictitious Business Name(s): Cabin 11 Bakery, 11 San Marcos Trout Club, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Anneli Clavering, 11 San Marcos Trout Club, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was originally filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on November 12, 2019. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL), filed November 20, 2020. Original FBN No. 2019-0002806. FBN 2020-0002845. Published December 9, 16, 23, 30, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Drains Plus, PO Box 2058, Santa Maria, CA 93457. Raul Avila, 354 Hobbs Lane, Santa Maria, CA 93455. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on November 23, 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. 2020-0002859. Published December 9, 16, 23, 30, 2020. doing business as: Deep It

Management; Deep MSP;

Tech Doctors, 919 Linden Ave, Unit B, Carpinteria, CA, 93013. Deep It Management LLC, 919 Linden Ave, Unit B, Carpinteria, CA, 93013. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on September 8, 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 origi- ard DMD, Inc., 1040 Alston nal statement on file in my of- Road, Montecito, CA, 93108. fice. Joseph E. Holland, Coun- This statement was filed with ty Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. the County Clerk of Santa 2020-0002281. Published Barbara County on November October 7, 14, 21, 28, and 24, 2020. This statement exDecember 2, 9, 16, 23, 2020. pires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the FICTITIOUS BUSINESS County Clerk. I hereby certify NAME STATEMENT: The fol- that this is a correct copy of lowing person(s) is/are doing the original statement on file in business as: Montecito Den- my office. Joseph E. Holland, tal Group; 1260 Coast Village County Clerk (SEAL). FBN Circle, Santa Barbara, CA, No. 2020-0002871. Published 93108. Cristopher Shep- December 2, 9, 16, 23, 2020. MONTECITO JOURNAL 39

On The Record (Continued from page 34) Santa Barbara Salvation Army Toy Drive Sheffield Dr & N Jameson Ln – temporary stop signs will be installed at the intersection of Sheffield Dr and N Jameson Ln for the duration of construction Helps Hundreds of Families Celebrate Christmas of the Summerland segment *Please note that consecutive ramps in the same direction will not be closed at the same time with the exception of the southbound on-ramps at Sheffield Dr Santa Barbara and Wallace Ave. To view detour maps, please visit www.SBROADS.com and Salvation Army’s Major Jessyca select the project segment. Carr

Highway 101: Summerland

Along the freeway, crews will fence environmentally-sensitive areas, remove old cormorant nests and trim tree limbs, install underground storm drains, and install temporary highway lighting. Crews will remove old safety barriers from the median and then excavate old pavement and soil.

Sheffield Drive Interchange

Crews have finished installing underground supports (piles) for this stage of work. Crews will continue to build footings, install rebar (see photo above), and pour concrete for columns, side supports (abutments), and retaining walls for the new bridges in the median.

Evans Avenue Undercrossing

Crews will continue excavating and installing underground supports (piles) The shortest day of the year turned between the Highway 101 bridges for the new upcoming bridge. Please expect out to be an unexpectedly generous daytime noise when crews drive piles for the bridge supports (in January). one for needy Santa Barbara area Temporary lighting is being installed near the on- and off-ramps at Evans drive families. From 9 am to 6 pm Avenue. on Monday, December 21, the Santa Highway 101: Carpinteria Barbara Salvation Army held a food

Crews will continue placing rebar and concrete as part of the new continu- and toy drive at its headquarters on ously reinforced roncrete ravement for new lanes and ramps near Reynolds Hollister Avenue, providing gifts of Ave. Crews will also pour concrete for improvements at the intersection of food and toys to more than 300 low-inCarpinteria and Reynolds Avenues. come families who registered for the Southbound Hwy 101 between Carpinteria & Santa Ynez Avenues nonprofit’s Angel Tree and Adopt A

Crews will excavate and install underground supports for new wall sections. Family programs. Work will then progress to building the wall footings and rebar installation. On Because of COVID-19 precautions, Bailard Avenue, crews will pave the southbound areas between the freeway the toy drive was a drive-through lanes and ramps. event, with 10 families allowed to

For more information, please visit the 101 Freeway Widening project website drive through the reception area that Salvation Army volunteer elves deliver toys to at www.SBROADS.com, call at 805.845.5112, or email info@sbroads.com. was staffed by a team of festively needy families attired Salvation Army volunteer elves every 15 minutes. The event came as the culmination of weeks of fundraising and donation drives that took place at shopping centers throughout Santa Barbara, as well as a three-week toy drive Mention this ad managed by the Montecito Family YMCA, explained Major Jessyca Carr Salvation Army’s corps officer for Southern Santa Barbara County. , the and receive a 15% discount “They ended it this past Friday,” Carr said. “It was organized by the kids who are in the afterschool program. The Montecito YMCA really helped us out, plus there were a couple of other people who are Montecito residents who also care (up to $500 value) about us and kind of help us out as well.” As families lined up outside the Hollister location waiting for bags of toys

FULL SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY delivered by cart-steering volunteers, Carr showed the Journal lane upon lane of bags ready to be distributed throughout the coming day. Despite organizing SPECIALIZING IN: annual holiday toy drives for a number of years, the past several weeks, she said, had been by far the busiest she could remember, with at least 300 families • ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS having registered. “Throughout the fall, we’ve had families come to us who need a little help • TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY during the Christmas season,” Carr said. “But this year we had something new happen and a lot of people registered online. So people were able to tell us • VIDEO PIPELINE INSPECTION the child’s name, their age, what they wished for, what they needed, and their • 24 HOUR DRAIN CLEANING SERVICE clothing size.” Based on that information, Carr said, Salvation Army was able to allow contributors to actually go shopping for specific gifts personalized for various Stewart’s family members and then drop them off at the Hollister center. Passing along a row of neatly assembled gift packages, Carr selected one that had a brand-new skateboard, still in its original shrink-wrap packaging, poking out of it. “Here is a bag for a family of three,” she said, reading for an identification slip that was stapled to the side of the bag. “The son said he wished for a skateboard DE-ROOTING & PLUMBING and that he loves Legos, but definitely needs some clothes, as well; his favorite color is green and he wears a size 12.” (805) 965-8813 Aside from all the individually purchased items, Carr said Salvation Army also put together bulk holiday-oriented food items. Aside from chicken, butter, License #375514 and other cooking staples, families could choose between masa and lard for

“The Plumber with a conscience” making tamales or Bisquick and Crisco for making biscuits. In addition, the nonprofit received an unexpected bulk shipment of Hollister Co. brand T-shirts. “We had this random donation, so everyone got five shirts,” she said. “We told *May not be combined with other discounts people who are getting them to regift the ones they don’t need, because who Payment must be made at time of service to receive discount doesn’t like a Hollister T-shirt?” (Limit one coupon per customer) To donate online directly to Santa Barbara Salvation Army’s charitable efforts this holiday season, please visit www.SantabarbaraRedKettle.org. •MJ 40 MONTECITO JOURNAL “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” - Percy Bysshe Shelley 24 – 31 December 2020

Your Westmont and women’s soccer and volleyball pushed their seasons to the spring. The munity. Hannah belongs to a team of all women, an unusual circumstance in an industry where men make up more than 80 percent of the workforce. In fact, 60 percent of Hannah’s clients are women. She offers them appropriate strategies, contributed to a variety of notable financial publications.

The fact that few women work in Hannah’s industry makes networking with them particularly challenging. In general, women spend more time working and less time networking, often because of their responsibilities at home. In 2017, Hannah co-founded the W Source with her AmeriFlex colleague and mentor, Thomas Goodson. The for-profit firm seeks to help women in financial services, the law, accounting, insurance, real estate, risk management, and other professions establish meaningful relationships in their community. The W Source holds breakfast or luncheon networking events, which align better with women’s schedules and prove to be more efficient. The chapters, which include and women’s cross country were the only fall teams to compete, as men’s men’s and women’s basketball seasons by Scott Craig (photography by Brad Elliott) began about four weeks later than Awarm, inviting atmosphere greets clients who step into the financial planning office of Connecting Women Professionally and Compassionately Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College Westmont ers. Illustrating the tenuousness of the season, the November 14 men’s hoops opener was scrapped the day before after an opposing player tested positive for the coronavirus. Several more canceled men’s and women’s basketball games have followed. Westmont women’s swimming, seekFreshman Bridget Hoth recorded a NAIA National Championship provisional qualification time of 25.37 to win the 50-yard freestyle on December 12 Hannah Buschbom ’10 in downtown alumna Hannah ing a way to compete in the midst of a Santa Barbara. This welcoming space Buschbom pandemic, has held two virtual meets. has witnessed many empowering con- On November 7, the Warriors finished versations, especially with women. As second in an event that also involved a wealth adviser with multiple certi- College of Idaho, Loyola (Louisiana) fications, Hannah assists those nav- and Midland (Nebraska), each comigating significant transitions in life. peting in its own pool. All four venues As co-founder of the W Source, an started the meet at the same time and organization dedicated to growing and followed the same order of events, expanding professional networks for providing officials and an automated women, she seeks to empower fel- timing system to record results. low businesswomen throughout the In cross country, the No. 23 men and nation. the No. 24 women both claimed sec-

At an early age, Hannah discovered a passion for leveraging finance to make ond place at the Golden State Athletic a difference, and she decided to enter business or the financial world. Her love Conference Championship in Rocklin for Santa Barbara and the college’s excellent academic reputation contributed on November 7. Seven runners earned to her decision to attend Westmont. As an economics and business major, she All-GSAC honors for placing in the Cade Roth’s dunk couldn’t help the Warriors decided to pursue accounting. She wanted to stay in Santa Barbara and believed top-14. Six Westmont cross country overcome a double overtime loss to Concordia accounting would provide her with a stable job. runners, possessing a cumulative GPA University Irvine, 101-99, on December 11

A speaker in Hannah’s advanced accounting class her senior year changed her of 3.5 or higher, were named GSAC Scholar-Athletes, including Danny Rubin, career trajectory. John Tynan, a business partner of Dave Odell ’89, Westmont’s John Baker, Chris Hanessian, and Jason Peterson, Abigail Stadtlander, and athletics director, spoke about his experience as president and CEO of a success- Alexa Gatiss. ful real estate development services firm. After the class, John pulled her aside Tennis and golf, which are spring sports, successfully competed in early and encouraged Hannah to consider financial planning as a way to integrate season tournaments. The men’s and women’s tennis teams battled in the ITA her love for people with her passion for working in the financial world. He NAIA West Regional in San Diego September 30-October 3. Ethan Ha and connected Hannah with her future business partners in The Ameriflex Group, Rachal Jackson both reached the quarterfinals of the main draw of singles for a wealth management firm based in Santa Barbara. the men’s and women’s teams, respectively. The tournament marked the first

Hannah has worked as a wealth adviser at AmeriFlex for 10 years and now time the full team was together since its 2020 season was canceled due to the is one of the owners of the larger firm. She is also a registered representative outbreak of COVID-19. at SagePoint Financial Inc. Hannah helps people make major transitions in life, The men’s and women’s golf teams were the first to launch the 2020-21 such as retirement, a change in marital status, the loss of a loved one, or the Westmont athletics season, teeing off in the Vanguard Invitational at the Bella sale of business or real estate. Recognizing that many people find talking about Collina Golf Course. The men finished fourth in the seven-team tourney with money uncomfortable, Hannah strives to engage her clients with empathy, Mason Mancasola claiming the eighth best individual score. Kat Bevill finacknowledging that grief may be part of the process. “Life is ever changing,” ished with the fifth best individual score for the women. Hannah says. “It’s important to approach these issues with compassion.” Volleyball is currently scheduled to begin its season January 22. Men’s and

The AmeriFlex branch in Santa Barbara seeks to empower women in the com- women’s soccer are slated to play their first games February 25. •MJ financial wisdom, and an abundance of compassion. Hannah loves watching Enjoy the music from Westmont’s women grow more knowledgeable and gain financial confidence. She speaks fabulous Christmas Festival online at frequently to share her expertise with other female professionals, and she has WESTMONT.EDU/FESTIVAL

20 to 25 women who’ve been invited to participate, have grown from one in Santa Barbara to 35 nationwide with a goal of 450. Join Westmont this Advent season for a three-concert series with singer-songwriter Steve Bell. His Hope Remains Though Seasons Delayed by Pandemic music, poetry and reflections will Westmont’s fall and winter athletic seasons have seen limited action, but several sports have offered inspirational moments. Prioritizing the health and bless you and invite you into a deeper experience of Advent. safety of its student-athletes, Westmont decided to play contact sports only WESTMONT.EDU/ against opponents who test for COVID-19 before all athletic contests. Men’s CELEBRATINGADVENT usual and in front of empty bleach24 – 31 December 2020 • The Voice of the Village • MONTECITO JOURNAL 41

necessary healing, starts right here at home. As the song goes, “I’m looking at that man (woman) in the mirror.”

My resolution is to do away with an overreliance on labels. Labels that place ourselves and others into overly simplistic boxes that are not just unhelpful, but harmful, and serve only to further divide us. Labels like “liberal,” “conservative,” “socialist,” “immigrant,” “citizen,” “patriot,” “traitor.” Have any of these labels been helpful? Can’t we look at things not as Democrats or Republicans or Libertarians but as compassionate individuals with a variety of different ideas for how to fix our problems? What matters most is our values. And that our personal actions and that of our leaders, and the public policy they put forth, reflect those values.

At this moment Montecito is in the middle of an unprecedented real estate boom, bringing to it people from near and far. People who can choose to live anywhere have long gravitated to our village, but this seems more-true now than ever. Here, on this small patch of paradise, we punch far above our weight in many ways. Collectively, our residents have greater access to the power and means to make a difference than most communities have anywhere in the world. Right now, our little hamlet is on the world’s radar in a way that not only raises the value of our homes, but raises the value of our actions. How we behave, what we value, how strongly we support our local nonprofits, is a model for the world.

Looking forward to 2021 and presumably a new administration, how can we begin to fix problems that seem so much bigger than we are? Problems further reaching than our arms or our pocketbooks could possibly stretch?

I am reminded of something I read years ago, though I can’t unearth where, that said the problem with the quantity and enormity of our problems is that they move us to… nothing. They paralyze us. Ironically, the sheer critical mass of our problems moves us to… inaction.

And therein lies the quandary. It is critical as we try to right the ship that is America that we not become collectively paralyzed into inaction, but rather that everyone do at least the least they can. The idea here is that if everyone did something, it would go much further towards moving the needle on our massive problems than waiting for Jeff Bezos to write a massive check, or for our notoriously unagile government to fix things.

I’m calling on all of us not to give in to “enormity paralysis.” Instead, do at least the least you can. Start there. I am hopeful that if we do so, we can make a profound difference. As James Baldwin said: “I can’t be a pessimist because I am alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter. So, I am forced to be an optimist.”

I hope you will join me in optimism. Commit to doing at least the least. Give what you can to charities. Demand integrity and civility from our leaders, and the same from ourselves. Let’s resolve to take care of one another. Because we’re each better off when we’re all better off. Show grace. Show empathy. Be kind. Just because we have the right to say whatever we want whenever we want to whomever we want, doesn’t mean we should. Words hurt. There’s enough hurt in this world.

I wish each and every one of you a happy and healthy holiday season and a peaceful and gentler New Year! It is with great hope and faith in us and optimism that I look forward to 2021. They say that hindsight is always 2020. MontJournal_December24th'20_2:Layout 1 12/18/20 2:15 PM Page 1 I, for one, cannot wait till 2020 is in my rearview mirror. •MJ

TAKEOUT WITH DELIVERY COMING SOON!

call, “And it helped that I was chair of the Natural Resources Committee (2015-2016).” Funds came from the state and Heal the Ocean.

The Becker Well was capped in 2018, but before that, other leaking oil wells were discovered that needed to be dealt with.

In 2017, many people wrote letters to California legislators urging the passage of SB44. They were submitted via the Community Environmental Council – just named California’s nonprofit of the year by the way! Congrats! I still have my email letter that simply stated: “I would be pleased that our once lovely beach may be habitable again with this help. I am so pleased that legislation is now before our state senators thanks to Hannah-Beth Jackson to clean up the leaking and I urge the passing of this bill.”

In October of 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 44, the Coastal Oil Well Clean Up and Remediation Act that required the California State Lands Commission to monitor and plug old “orphaned” oil wells in California waters when the original oil companies that operated the wells no longer existed so could not be held responsible. The bill directs up to $2 million annually, derived from state mineral leases, to a fund set aside for the remediation of improperly abandoned legacy wells. With this fund, the commission began identifying leaking, abandoned wells and prioritized capping the highest risk wells first.

Thank you, again, Hannah-Beth, for authoring legislation and securing $14 million over seven years to cap leaking abandoned oil wells along California’s coastline.

It took a decade of efforts – from people and organizations like Hillary Hauser and Heal the Ocean and the cinematographer and documentary filmmaker Harry Rabin and HannahBeth and Das, among many, many others, some known to me, others not, like Nora McNeely Hurley (but just as appreciated), including many community activists and hardworking politicians to get the problem fixed.

This winter, in the midst of a pandemic, we can celebrate the capping of two more of Summerland’s worst leaking wells, Northstar and Treadwell. There are still some 192 underwater still left. Who knows if and when they could fail?

So, how is the beach? Absolutely gorgeous. The day was perfect and the sea was sparkling and bright. Young children were romping on the beach, the shorebirds were doing their thing. All in a healthy environment.

I took my beach walk last Friday with the amazing Harry Rabin, who lives in Montecito. Harry has been an integral player in the last two well remediations and continues to monitor the beach. Not only did he dive into the murky waters and ruin a wetsuit while trying to locate the leaking wells when this began, but he’s conducting ongoing monitoring of the shoreline and waters on a regular basis. In fact, he got into this when he tracked weird suds at Miramar beach to the source with his drone – which were the two leaky wells just recently capped. I also watched Harry launch his drone from Lookout Park and learned a lot more (including technical details) from this terrific neighbor who spends his spare time making this a better place and doing everything he can to help the ocean. Thank you, Harry!

Thanks to all the friends, neighbors, politicians, and others who made this and other good things happen in our golden bubble by the sea. How lucky we are!

The Squeaky Wheel Method

Suzy “Squeaky Wheel” Cawthon has spent eight long years on a long and winding road of a dream that began with Fran Davis, the “founding mother” of an effort to re-imagine and enhance Lookout Park. The idea was to move the camp host from its

Suzy Cawthon, the new president of the Summerland Citizens Association, celebrates the new Lookout Park improvements (Photo credit: Leslie A. Westbrook)

Photo courtesy of Olio e Limone Ristorante Photo courtesy of Olio e Limone Ristorante and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com next door to sister restaurants

Driftwood atop the pergola at Lookout Park – just one of many thoughtful additions to the park (don’t have to use) (Photo credit: Leslie A. Westbrook)

perch and a primo spot to the upper end of the beachside county park (not bad either) so residents and visitors could enjoy a newly envisioned public area.

Cawthon, who is also the newly elected president of the Summerland Citizens Association (congrats Suzy!) jumped on board eight years ago and, along with other community members and folks in government, reviewed plans that took up three years, got help from Supervisor Das Williams on funding, and worked with the Summerland Architectural Board of Review and others to create the lovely park designed by landscape architect Susan Van Atta – complete with driftwood topped pergolas, a bocce ball court, concrete ping pong tables (don’t try to play when it’s windy!), a lovely stone bench overlooking the sea, and plenty of space for weddings or birthday parties or other events when things open up again. This very busy lady, with lots of dreams, is also president of the Summerland/Carpinteria Fire Board. Brava to this squeaky wheel, a firecracker who gets things done!

Whether you drop a stone in a pond and let things happen organically or become a squeaky wheel or a cog in the wheel, every project needs cheerleaders and community involvement. Change really can happen!

A Final Note & Attitude of Gratitude

This is my last column for this strange year of 2020. Writing for the Journal has been lifesaving in many ways and helped keep me occupied during the silence of my monk-like life of the past nine months. I’ve appreciated the camaraderie of our editorial Zoom meetings, as well as the time to reflect on new Summerland and old Summerland, to meet old friends and potential new ones via Zoom or email and even (occasionally and safely) outdoors and in-person. It’s been a time to listen and quote – and hopefully spell people’s names correctly. It’s also given me a wonderful opportunity to not just bark from this community soapbox but also to connect with those of you who read me. For all of this, I thank you. For errors, and there have been a few, I apologize and take full responsibility.

A Few Shout Outs

I hope everyone remembers Bert Vega generously at the Summerland Post Office this holiday season. She lost her work sidekick, her hours have been shortened and like all postal workers, she’s a frontline worker who has been toiling without hazard pay. A good place to spread holiday generosity. Thanks Bert for always being there

Bert Vega, a frontline Summerland Post Office worker who has been toiling without hazard pay (Photo credit: Leslie A. Westbrook) for the community!

And a special shout out and thank you to Editor-in-Chief Gwyn Lurie for her faith in me in 2020 and to Tim Buckley, for tolerating a Democrat.

P.S. Dear Santa,

Dear Santa, Leslie has been a good girl this year and this Summerland sweater at C Magazine shop in Montecito is really fetching (Photo credit: Leslie A. Westbrook)

I’ve been a very good girl this year. Well, practically a nun. I would like COVID to go away, none of our neighbors to go hungry, peace on earth, a clear and easy path to citizenship for many of our neighbors and, by the way, that Summerland sweater at Studio C in the Montecito Country Mart is really, really cool.

Leslie •MJ

Love,

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