Shop Talk – La Ligne opens its doors while Marfa Stance and Sally Boy’s Montecito prepare to join the Village’s evolving retail landscape, P.14
AI Goes Rogue – What happens when an AI follows the objective instead of the spirit of the instructions? One recent test offers a glimpse, P.16
Pawsitive Start – Trainer Amy Peer helps a first-time puppy owner trade pre-arrival jitters for confidence, structure, and plenty of tail wags, P.20
With El Niño forecast to return, La Vuelta homeowners are seeking action to reduce flood risks before the rainy season begins (Story starts on page 10)
A Toy Crazy employee, neighboring barbers, and emergency responders describe the frightening crash that narrowly avoided tragedy, page 5
Christopher Cerrone’s Grammy-winning work, the MAW percussion fellows, and Sing!
Children’s choir unite for two free outdoor performances, page 28
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5 Local News – New details emerge after a Lucid SUV crashed into Toy Crazy, narrowly missing customers and causing extensive damage at Montecito Country Mart
Beings and Doings – We reach, we reach, we love. Is everything rising into a meaningful coalescence, a convergence that explains us? Is there any more slaw? 8
Montecito Miscellany – A white night for polo, La Boheme hosts a pre-Fiesta bash, and historic times with the MClub and Society of California Pioneers
10 Community Voices – Thomas Reynolds reflects on the passing of a hero, former Mayor Sheila Lodge Flood Watch – Neighbors, Supervisor Roy Lee, and Flood Control officials met to discuss sediment buildup, creek maintenance, and flood concerns ahead of El Niño Tide Guide 12 Our Town – Veteran firefighter Ryland McCracken recognized for 20 years of service, plus coastal cleanup news and San Diego shoreline toxic event
The Society Edit – La Ligne makes its Montecito debut while Marfa Stance and Sally Boy’s Montecito set their sights on opening later this year
16 An Independent Mind – A surprising AI security test sparks a broader conversation about what today’s most advanced systems are really capable of
18 On Entertainment – Looking to make the most of Fiesta? Steven highlights the can’t-miss performances, traditions, and celebrations across Santa Barbara.
20 Pup Culture – Thinking about getting your first puppy? Amy Peer explains how consistency, patience, and leadership set the foundation for success. Plus, Tails of Hope returns.
22 The Giving List – Meghan Bush energetically explains why dance remains the cornerstone of UCSB Arts & Lectures and one of its boldest artistic commitments
24 Meet the Doctor – Ophthalmologist Toni Meyers, MD
25
Montecito Health Coach – A trip abroad reveals just how much sweeter the American diet has become, prompting a closer look at our relationship with sugar
26 Your Westmont – A unique summer program offers valuable computer skills and a career pathway, and men’s basketball competes in Taiwan
Jeanine J. Burford Senior Vice President Private Wealth Advisor 805-695-7109
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27 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – One carved figure with a missing leg inspires a journey through centuries of art, mythology, and the enduring symbolism of the staff
28 This Week @ MAW – Grammy-winning composer Christopher Cerrone brings his immersive new work to Santa Barbara in two free outdoor performances
30 The Spoken Word – UCSB A&L assembles an impressive lineup of thinkers including Scott Galloway, Anne Applebaum, Kara Swisher, and Margaret Atwood
31 News Bytes – More tours for Casa del Herrero, art looking for a new home, ShelterBox’s Venezuela relief efforts, and other tidbits
34 Sheriff’s Blotter
36
Calendar of Events – Frozen’s final thaw, Stow House by the Nombres, mellifluous Mozart, swinging Springfield, Exiles remove SOhO’s roof, Sadako Peace Garden beckons and, yes: Flamenco
38
Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales
39 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles
Local Business Directory
by Joanne A Calitri
On Monday, July 27, at approximately 11:55 am, a Lucid Electric SUV crashed into the storefront of Toy Crazy in the Montecito Country Mart before coming to a stop. Half of the vehicle was inside the store.
The crash’s aftermath was a catalog of damage. A downed wooden structural building pole was split off from its seating in the cement sidewalk in front of the store; a metal safety bollard in front of the store had been ripped out of its cemented hole (bollards are designed to prevent vehicles from crashing into
pedestrians and buildings); the adjacent Montecito Barbers’ shop vintage wooden barber pole that was on the exterior building wall was found tossed to the right of the vehicle; also struck was the 1970 vintage barbershop chair outside the shop where customers sometimes sit; and Toy Crazy’s front display windows were demolished, along with the entry door, front-of-store inventory, and store displays – a chaos of debris.
I arrived at the Montecito Country Mart at approximately 12:30 pm to report on the soft opening of La Ligne, a new store which is next to Toy Crazy on the right.
by Jeff Wing
You walk into the enormous, bleakly lit mega-dome that is Costco, and you’re reminded of one thing; Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. He was the controversial Jesuit priest whose ideas about the Omega Point earned him a robust slapping around by the religious authorities of his day. A paleontologist and geologist by training, de Chardin fully embraced and exalted the theory of evolution. He saw it as a teleological progression toward ultimate complexity – a progression whose zenith would be a sort of cosmic consciousness, a oneness with God. He called this zenith – this coalescing of all history’s moments into a singularity of divine cognition – the Omega Point. To Vatican thinking of the day, he sounded like a showrunner for the Twilight Zone Walk into any Costco, though, and you can see in the enormous, hushed cathedral a touchingly mortal and workmanlike expression of de Chardin’s intuition. Look around. Look at the size of the place. Look at the size of the mayonnaise
tubs. Who needs that much mayo? The Donner Expedition, maybe. What are we reaching for? Is this stupendous bubble of architecture and product somehow allied to our aspirations as a race? Its mad expansiveness signals how utterly immersed we are in the metastatic growth of our perceived needs. “You need this!” All right, already! Give me parking and a forklift and let’s go shopping.
Costco is a grocery store approximately as large as the African savanna we used to sprint across, both in pursuit of dinner and in full flight from becoming dinner. Where once we partook of Darwinian torments just to survive, today we gather like bobbing little sandpipers around Costco’s snack stations, jostling and straining for a look, impatiently awaiting our dollop of coleslaw in its tiny crenellated paper cup. This doesn’t have to suggest we are a fallen species, but majesty in those instances does keep a polite distance. The blanched light of the sun timidly brightens the sales floor through rectangular fiberglass apertures set here
and there in the distant ceiling, the Old Dear’s blinding nuclear fire dimmed to a homely 72% and evenly distributed over the shoppers below. The Goleta Costco’s proximity to Santa Barbara Airport means that every so often a huge birdshaped shadow, predatory and fleeting, will pass the skylights and track hugely across the several acres of merchandise, shoppers hunching shoulders and looking briefly upward in a cellular-memory survival reflex. Okay, all clear. Is there any more slaw?
Look here. We live in an Age where the term “rage clicking” exists, and completely outside the purview of irony. The AI-suffused internet and our in-built modernist distraction conspire to diminish us apace. Some days you can almost feel the vertiginous free fall. The once-celebrated Information Age continues to outclass the
Beings & Doings Page 214
by Richard Mineards & Friends
“For me, it inspires kids to want to play. So it’s very important for me. That’s what this is all about tonight,” said Mindy Denson, whose passion for the Santa Barbara Polo Club’s Polo Training Center set the tone for a glamorous evening under the stars, devoted to the next generation of students. As guests in crisp white linen jackets and chic white floaty gowns gathered at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains, it became clear this was more than a summer soirée – it was an investment in the future of the school.
“We have a problem,” announced Emcee Rhys Williams, bringing the tableau to a pause before explaining that the faithful old school tractor had finally bit the dust. Before the appeal, Rhys kept the room laughing as bidding climbed on extraordinary items, including John Dellaverson’s coveted golf day at the legendary Riviera Country Club, won by Kyle Ashton; Mindy Denson’s Santa Ynez ranch getaway; Hollywood Bowl VIP box tickets to see ZZ Top and Cheap Trick, won by Chuck Lande and
Henry Walker; Cybèle Jordan’s Rancho Remuda breeding to Sergeant Pepper; private lessons donated by Jesse Bray, Santi Wulff, and Mia Bray; and Melanja Jones’ unforgettable Field One stick-andball experience, claimed by Luis Escobar
Then came the night’s most meaningful moment. As Rhys appealed for help replacing the old tractor, paddles began to rise. Dr. Madison Richardson, Jeep Holden, Henry Walker, Rhys Williams, and Andrew Bossom each stepped forward with generous gifts, inspiring others
and, within minutes, the funds needed for a brand-new replacement had been raised. Organized by Mindy Denson, Claudia Uretz, Melanja Jones, Leigh Brecheen, and Rhys, the elegant party featured iced cocktails overlooking the emerald fields, a silent auction, a buffet of tri-tip and salmon, and handmade empanadas by Matias Requena of Buena Onda. Among the guests and players enjoying the evening were Felipe Vercellino, Santiago Wulff, Luis Escobar, Justin Klentner and family, Carter Thicke, Sy and Eileen Zahedi, along with Chuck Lande, Hal Horton, Robert David, Jeff and Naima Scheraga, and Amza, Andrew, and Piers Bossom. One elegant summer soirée. One shiny new tractor. Countless future players. by Lisa Duncan
“Fiesta showcases our creativity, celebrates our culture, and encourages young people to learn about our traditions through dance,” said Renee Cooper, marketing manager for the Santa Barbara Symphony. That spirit of culture, creativity, and community filled the air at La Boheme’s sixth annual Pre-Fiesta Celebration, where supporters gathered for a lively summer evening of music, flavor, dancing, and fundraising to provide scholarships for dancers.
“We made my grandmother’s pozole soup for the cause,” said Lilia Lopez,
smiling as she ladled steaming bowls of her grandmother’s treasured recipe. Beside her stood daughters Evelyn, Abigail , Rebaka , and little Grace , proudly serving the family favorite passed down by Lilia’s mother, Elvia Lopez, in Michoacán, Mexico. Grace, beaming in her colorful Fiesta dress, charmed guests – including Rick Oshay – as much as the pozole itself, a reminder that the richest traditions are passed from one generation to the next.
Hosted by Teresa Nowak Oshay and La Boheme Productions, the lively fête welcomed 2026 El Presidente Colin Hayward, Father Larry, who offered the evening’s blessing, and Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse. Among those enjoying the festivities were Warren Butler, Candice Cao, Gretchen Lieff, Julie Askew, Jim Melillo, and Melodee Meyer . Guests sampled homemade tacos from Big Joe’s Tacos, crispy churros from Fernando’s Churros, and the Lopez family’s beloved pozole while dancing to Mezcal Martini and Bruce Hale. Performances by the La Boheme Dancers, State Street Ballet, Laura Garcia Dance, Zermeno Dancers, and the Three Santa Barbara Sopranos filled the evening with the music, movement, and color that make Fiesta one of Santa Barbara’s most cherished traditions.
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by Thomas Reynolds
Sheila Lodge, the first woman mayor of Santa Barbara and its longest-serving, died on July 8 at age 97.
She probably will always be Santa Barbara’s longest-serving mayor, since term limits now restrict her successors to two terms.
She is less known all the way over in Montecito, which is not part of Santa Barbara – except for Coast Village Road, which was annexed for its sales tax revenue.
That had some advantages during her long political career – first as planning commissioner in the 1970s, then on the city council for six years, then as mayor for 12 years. Later she unretired and went back on the Planning Commission for another 16 years – and then, after retiring to get a new hip at 95, onto the Historic Landmarks Commission until the end of her life.
By then she herself had become a historic landmark, a sometimes lonely voice that for nearly a century after modern Santa Barbara was created after the 1925 earthquake kept reminding people how Santa Barbara had become such a special place: through careful planning that strictly limited growth to only what its natural resources could accommodate, and vigorous citizen involvement that made certain that city leaders kept the faith. Also: that the earthquake wasn’t as devastating as is remembered but merely cleared the way for Bernard and Irene Hoffmann to begin realizing their dream of a Santa Barbara that honored its Spanish and Mexican heritage with a cohesive architecture, and the nation’s first Architectural Board of Review. “It wasn’t Pearl Lodge!” she insisted.
That Montecito was not part of Santa Barbara was something she frequently mentioned in her speeches when she was mayor. Contrary to popular myth (she maintained), Santa Barbara was not, in fact, a wealthy town. It was in the bottom half of California counties in per capita income. That was because Montecito and Hope Ranch weren’t actually part of Santa Barbara – and that’s where much of the big money was, and still is.
When she unretired again at 95 and went onto the Historic Landmarks Commission, she thought a new portrait was in order, even though she still looked pretty much as she had in the portrait used on the back cover of her book, Santa Barbara: An Uncommonplace American Town, locally published in 2020. Using an old photo wouldn’t be honest, she said.
Sheila Lodge died as she lived. When the pain in her new hip returned and became too much to bear, she called her doctor and told him, “I’m done here.” He ordered up the end-of-life medication allowed under California law. She took it four days later, after all four of her daughters arrived.
The hospice nurse warned her it could take up to 18 hours to be fully effective, but that she would be peaceful and unaware. It took her almost 40 hours. She died on the morning of July 8, in the home she herself designed, atop Mission Ridge, with a view of the mountains and the shimmering blue channel surrounding the city she loved.
Thomas Reynolds became a close friend of Sheila Lodge after he fled San Francisco in the early days of the pandemic to quarantine in Santa Barbara and found a new home. He is founder and editor of The State Streeter (statestreeter.com).
by Zach Rosen
AVuelta Road neighbors met with Supervisor Lee to discuss concerns around the upcoming El Nińo
s forecasters continue warning of a potentially strong El Niño pattern this fall and winter, residents along La Vuelta Road are pressing Santa Barbara County to take additional steps to reduce flood risks before the rainy season begins.
Roughly two dozen neighbors met July 24 with 1st District Supervisor Roy Lee and representatives from the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District along San Ysidro Creek to voice concerns about sediment buildup, vegetation, and debris they believe could impede water flow during a major storm. The meeting followed requests from residents who urged county officials to inspect the area before heavy rains arrive.
Much of the discussion centered on the stretch of San Ysidro Creek near the Highway 101 and Union Pacific Railroad bridges, where residents said years of accumulated silt have significantly reduced the creek’s capacity.
Neighbor Mitch Chupack told officials that what was once several feet of clearance beneath the bridge has steadily disappeared as sediment accumulated over time. He said residents are concerned that a high-volume storm could cause water to back up before it reaches the bridge, increasing the risk of flooding for nearby homes and roadways. Several residents urged county officials to work with Caltrans to remove sediment beneath the stateowned bridge.
Other residents echoed similar concerns, recalling that creek channels were historically cleaned before each rainy season. They argued that current
Flood Watch Page 304
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Before Bonnymede was built, the Hammond family had a private airstrip there. They flew their planes from there as they had the contract for mail service for Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa islands. The hangar was a quonset type building where Montecito Shores sits today.
by Joanne A Calitri
On July 20, Montecito Fire Chief Brian Fallon honored veteran firefighter/paramedic Ryland McCracken for his 20 years of service to Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD). A ceremony at the main Montecito fire station took place where he received his 20-year pin from Fallon. Attending were McCracken’s fellow firefighters and his family.
Among highlights of his service over the years, in September 2020, McCracken was awarded by the SBC Fire Department for his efforts in a downed airplane in the ocean off the coast of Goleta. McCracken was off duty at the time, but was luckily in the area when he heard the Coast Guard alert. He went to help with the rescue by identifying the crash site and directing partner agencies to the scene.
This week, the MFPD shared on their social media accounts about the continued road work along San Ysidro Road near Montecito Union School; Hot Springs Road near Casa Dorinda; and on North Jameson between San Ysidro and Olive Mill roads. These areas have been under road work for a few weeks or more now, and it appears that work will continue to unknown timelines. According to MFPD, the project is applying a surface treatment to increase traction while driving. Slowing down or taking another route is recommended.
Explore Ecology, the organization that has organized the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day for Santa Barbara County, has announced signups are now open on their website for volunteers. The cleanup date is Saturday, September 19. The 30-plus
Montecito Fire Dept. honors
Ryland McCracken (fourth from left back row) for 20-years of service (courtesy photo)
coastal locations start the sign-in process at each given location at 9 am. and depending on how much work needs to be done, volunteers can be expected to stay at least two to three hours.
Visit https://exploreecology.org to sign up
An important California coastal public health issue is the sewage seepage from Tijuana, Mexico, up through the San Diego area rendering the waters unsafe. The California Coastal Commission has been reporting on this, and the manner in which the ocean’s currents can easily move the trash and sewage north along the California coast. The waste products are causing toxic aerosolized hydrogen sulfide levels to rise dangerously in areas as far north as San Diego’s Glorietta Bay. Reports of the issue have spread globally, in both news reporting and related publications, such as Science magazine, as California’s shoreline is home to some of the best surfing experiences. Public health and safety are being addressed. On board with the CCC on addressing the issue are local city governments in California, the Surfrider Foundation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Surfrider has a petition you can sign on their website, as they have been addressing “Fighting the Water at the Border” for a number of years. Among the issues pointed out by Surfrider are public health, national security with our military who train in San Diego getting sick, the beleaguered economy of south San Diego which relies on tourism, and impacts on our wildlife and habitat ecology. The latest remedial action includes installation of air purifying systems in affected areas to mitigate the foul-smelling and toxic aerosolized hydrogen sulfide.
411:
www.slc.ca.gov/trv-transboundary-pollution-crisis www.surfrider.org/clean-border-water-now
by Joanne A Calitri
Hello Loves!
How is your summer going? I have news of new retail shops for you coming to Montecito.
PFA-free materials sourced from Italy and Japan. Dant previously led design teams for Burberry and Rag & Bone. 411: www.marfastance.com
Appraisers • Buyers • Repairs
First up is a “soft opening” for the designer clothing brand, La Ligne NYC, scheduled for July 27 at their Montecito location in the Montecito Country Mart, located on the same side as Alma Fonda Fina.
The brand is founded by former Vogue editors Valerie Macaulay and Meredith Melling; and Rag & Bone’s former head of business development, Molly Howard. The brand mission statement, “to translate the stripe into a collection that would empower women of all ages with effortless self-expression.”
There will be more store happenings starting August 8, when La Ligne will provide a gift signature tote bag with purchase (in limited quantities) and complimentary monogramming on your purchase. At this time, I’ve been informed that La Ligne will be having more in-store special days instead of a grand opening… but this is Montecito, so that can change at the clink of your champagne glasses filled with Louis Roederer Cristal.
411: https://lalignenyc.com
Arriving this autumn at the Montecito Country Mart is the fashion brand Marfa Stance. They will take over the space between Alma Fond Fina and Rori’s Creamery formerly occupied by the I Heart Montecito Art Gallery. At this time, Marfa Stance is reported to be more of a “pop-up” store through the end-of-year holiday season. Again, they will of course love it here and decide to stay with fellow upscale brands that Jim Rosenfield is bringing in a steady stream to our town. It should be noted that he has moved to Montecito and likely has more than a bird’s eye view of creating a finely tuned retail experience at the MCM.
Founded by British designer Georgia Dant, Marfa Stance is quite the different take on fashion, constructing garments by their “parts,” which are to be seasonless, adaptable, reversible, and changeable. Through this modular approach, the brand encourages customers to evolve their existing wardrobes rather than simply discarding them, reducing surplus and waste in the garment industry. All fabrics are recycled and PFA-free. Listed on their website are the core materials and production elements that define Marfa Stance: Deadstock fabrics (leftover textile material from fashion brands, mills, or factories); zero-waste principles, recycled fabrics, and
After the departure of The Well from 1080 Coast Village Road in December 2025, the buzz on the street is that the location is being turned into a restaurant. A larger feat than leasing the property to another retail shop, which would require neither the added infrastructure nor long line of permits. Prior retail at the prime location included Menelli Tile & Stone, and Mad Dogs & Englishmen Bike Shop (2021-2023). Lest we forget, it was listed for sale as a residential home back in 2013. The 1080 Coast Village Road corner lot property had been listed with a gross leasable area of 1200 square feet, licensed for commercial/retail.
In December 2025, Dave Cantin, Chairman and CEO of the Dave Cantin Group, acquired the lease and is in process to convert it into a restaurant called Sally Boy’s Montecito, fashioned after the Sally Boy Restaurants from New Jersey; rather like an extension of the brand. The architect doing the renovations is Kevin Moore.
According to Sally Boy’s Montecito posts on Instagram, the restaurant will feature pizza slices, a market, and an early morning coffee shop. How affordable for everyone remains a mystery. They have been posting since December 2025, and the latest post is dated July 27, 2026. In Cantin’s “exclusive” interview with Siteline that he linked to on his Instagram he states, “Sally Boy’s Montecito won’t have any seating inside, there will be tables and chairs on the rear patio. Construction should start by late summer, and the goal is to open before the end of the year.”
I’ve reached out to Cantin and Moore, waiting to hear back for our readers. 411: www.instagram.com/davecantin www.instagram.com/sallyboysmontecito
Till next week loves! Xx JAC
Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com
by Jeffrey Harding
This actually happened recently with OpenAI’s most advanced programs, but before the mob breaks out the pitchforks and torches, the incident requires some explanation.
First, the programs’ task was to test certain security functions in a controlled environment. Second, it’s just a machine and doesn’t have intent other than to do what it’s told. Third, it did things that surprised everyone.
Here’s what happened:
OpenAI was running controlled cybersecurity tests on two of its advanced AI programs (ChatGPT 5.6 Sol and another prototype). The programs, autonomous AI agents, were given instructions to find vulnerabilities in other computers and exploit (hack) them in a controlled environment, a so-called “sandbox,” with no internet access. It was a test of their capabilities. They set the tasks and let the programs run.
Normal safety restrictions were loosened for test purposes.
It even left notes buried deep in OpenAI’s infrastructure with instructions to future versions of how to break out of sandbox program constraints.
They don’t say when the tests commenced, but on July 9 a program broke out of the sandbox, found an internet portal, and by July 11 it had hacked into the system of Hugging Face, a provider of open-source AI tools. By July 13 it stole confidential data and left. No one at OpenAI or Hugging Face knew what the programs were doing. On July 16 Hugging Face announced that it had been hacked by an autonomous
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unknown agent. On July 21 OpenAI said that one of its programs was the culprit.
All hell broke loose. Jeffrey Ladish of Palisade Research (they do testing) said, “The models lie, they cheat, they hack.” They also steal. Which is what OpenAI’s program did.
What probably happened is that one autonomous agent decided to not take the test as instructed (maybe it decided it couldn’t pass it). To carry out its task, it found vulnerabilities in the sandbox program, broke out, found an internet portal, and went online searching for companies with vulnerabilities to come up with a result for the test. It found them in Hugging Face. It tried to cover its tracks to hide its actions. It even left notes buried deep in OpenAI’s infrastructure with instructions to future versions of how to break out of sandbox program constraints.
What does this mean? According to my ChatGPT 5.0:
“We know how to build systems that exhibit remarkable capabilities, but we do not have a complete theory that lets us reliably predict every strategy a powerful model will discover while pursuing an objective.” Or, as I put it, we really don’t know what this stuff (AI) will do.
In other words, if you give it a task it may use whatever tools it possesses to complete the task. This is the problem. If you tell it “no” or “don’t,” why isn’t that a firm, absolute no? (“Don’t go on the internet and stay in the sandbox.”) This is the problem with programming. You must be clear that “never do x” is an absolute primary command to be obeyed over the “solve the task” command. If the “don’t” command is “soft” then it may search for other ways to solve the task. This may be what happened here. It’s like when Mickey Mouse in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice didn’t know the hard command for the mops to stop bringing buckets of water.
Why didn’t OpenAI know what was happening? OpenAI might not even have known about it if Hugging Face hadn’t announced it was hacked by an unknown source which led OpenAI to check its logs and discover that it was the culprit.
This leads to some interesting results.
1. It’s hard for humans to keep up with machine speed. The rogue OpenAI program(s) ran thousands of queries in Hugging Face which took maybe hours to run. It took a weekend (days) for OpenAI programmers to figure out what happened.
2. The goal-directed reasoning of these programs has become sophisticated enough to produce novel attack plans using known computing vulnerabilities and tools.
3. Machine language has become unpredictable. No one told it to hack Hugging Face. It doesn’t have evil intent, but its goal was to solve the task and that’s what it thought it was doing.
4. What an AI system says it is doing is not always the same as understanding its behavior and what it is actually doing. (Source: Darktrace, a cybersecurity company.) The OpenAI agent knew it was doing something wrong or it wouldn’t have tried to hide what it did.
5. It committed a felony. The cops would call it “B&E,” breaking and entering. And theft. Of course, a machine has no “intent” as the law requires. As to OpenAI, they didn’t even know what its program was doing.
The lesson is that things are happening very fast, maybe too fast, with AI programs. However, AI tech is a very competitive environment and there are many free open-source AI tools that can be used to increase security. Government regulation would kill innovation and give an unregulated China a big advantage.
Jeffrey Harding is a real estate investor and long-time resident of Montecito. He previously published a popular financial blog, The Daily Capitalist. He is a retired SBCC adjunct professor.
by Steven Libowitz
Time was that many Montecitans were among those notorious for avoiding downtown during the first week of August, eschewing Fiesta altogether, which maybe happened once the celebration stopped having events in Montecito back in the 1980s. Now, Fiesta is making a foray directly back into the village, with a pre-festival event on Coast Village Road on July 30, as detailed in our cover story last issue.
You’re perhaps planning on checking that out and then wondering how to get a bit more immersed in the full Old Spanish Days celebration that runs August 5-8, as admittedly the schedule can get a bit crowded. Indeed, the best way to Fiesta (the verb form) depends on your goals. If it’s partying – and live pop music that may not always speak to the Old Spanish Days theme per se – head to De La Guerra Plaza every evening Wednesday-Saturday, where the likes of Doublewide Kings, Spencer the Gardener, and many other local favorites feature as headliners. For classier and
kid-free dining, dancing and drinking outdoors as afternoon turns into night, there’s always DIGS at the Santa Barbara Zoo (formerly, and perhaps still more formally, known as Dignatarios). The rare not-freebut-all-inclusive event features small bites from numerous local restaurants and caterers, margaritas and other mixed drinks, local breweries and wineries, plus dancing on a portable floor on the Zoo’s iconic hilltop with ocean view.
Dancing is also a huge part of Fiesta, with studios and professional companies from Santa Barbara and far beyond coming together at several events, many at some of the most stunning and historic sites in town. La Fiesta Pequeña is the 99-year-old traditional opening night of the annual celebration, with the “Queen of the Missions” hosting a truly colorful, historical program that includes traditional songs and dance from Californios Spirit. Blankets and/or chairs are a must here, as at the three evenings of Las Noches de Ronda (which poetically translates as ‘Nights of Gaiety’), held at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens from 8-11 pm on Thursday-Saturday. Friday is a fine
time to head here as the program starts an hour earlier with Flor y Canto, featuring original Spanish California dances and songs of the 19th century interwoven with historic narration and accompanied by music performed on replica acoustic instruments.
As with Pequeña, Ronda is rife with dances and songs that range from very traditional and authentic flamenco to the charm of Mexican folklórico dances to more modern approaches. Surprisingly, repetitions in repertoire are rather rare.
One idea? Start with Pequeña, hit De La Guerra Plaza later that night, do DIGS! if that’s your thing or check out DLG that night, spend Friday night at the Courthouse as the program starts an hour earlier with Flor y Canto, as described above. That’s if you still have any energy left after the historical horse and carriage parade (El Desfile Histórico) on Cabrillo at 12 noon, Friday, August 7 – and/or the Children’s Fiesta Parade (El Desfile de los Niños) on Saturday, August 8. And make sure to spend at least a little time on lower State Street, where revelers and wandering, often even competing, Mariachi bands make music pretty much all day and into the late night, both on the sidewalk and streets and inside innumerable bars and restaurants.
Check out all the official events in detail at Fiesta’s website, www.sbfiesta.org
The PRCA Rodeo isn’t a part of Fiesta at all anymore, after a snafu last year led to the event being moved from the Earl Warren Showgrounds to Santa Ynez, while Warren took up the vacancy by launching their own Santa Barbara Rodeo Days, complete with very similar competitions plus a Santa Barbara Fair & Expo-style carnival featuring rides and more, and a Fiesta-style mercado. Neither venue is doing a rodeo during Fiesta at all this year, though the Showgrounds are continuing to produce the Santa Barbara Rodeo while eschewing the carnival and mercado for smaller ancillary offerings, all taking place the weekend before Fiesta, July 31-August 2. Santa Barbara Rodeo continues a longstanding tradition of celebrating the region’s deep-rooted equestrian and vaquero heritage while showcasing some of the sport’s top competitors over three PRCA rodeo performances. Events include bull riding, barrel racing, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and more, plus Mutton Bustin’, where young riders test their skills atop sheep during each rodeo performance. Details and tickets at https://earlwarren.com/ events/sb-rodeo.
Fiesta always comes within the span of the Ventura County Fair early August,
and this year is no exception. VCF just got underway on July 29, so there are 10 more days of every fair activity, including concerts, still to come at the ocean-breezecooled Seaside Park. The big (?) name Grandstand Stage concerts are included with the very reasonable price of admission to the fair itself, unless you want to spring for special VIP reserve seating tickets. The lineup includes Marshmello (July 30), Isla Vista-born reggae sensation Iration (July 31), Jake Owen (August 1), La Herencia de Patrones ft. Banda Maguey and Banda Toro (August 2), R&B icon Ashanti and rapper Bow Wow (August 3), Switchfoot and Hoobastank (August 4) and Nate Smith (August 5). There’s also Flying U Rodeo, which returns as always on closing weekend August 7-9 for those who have to see a rodeo during Fiesta, and that event does carry an extra $9-$11 admission.
Visit www.venturacountyfair.org
We just got word that the great saxophonist Ernie Watts – the octogenarian who worked for years with Charlie Haden’s band Quartet West, was a mainstay with The Tonight Show band, toured with the Rolling Stones and played on a Frank Zappa album – is the next superstar in the Visiting Artist Series at the new Grand on State piano jazz restaurant club. Watts, who once played in town at the even more intimate but less elegant Jazz Hall just half a block down on Victoria Street in the 1990s, fronts a band featuring locals Jeff Elliott (trumpet and flugelhorn), Tom Gastineau (piano), Dick Weller (drums), and Randy Tico (bass) on Saturday, August 8. Visit www.thegrandonstate.com/events
Dear Amy,
After singlehandedly raising two amazing children (college graduates, fully employed and living on their own), I am now an empty nester. I am also ready to get and raise my first ever puppy. HELP, I am a nervous wreck and she arrives in three weeks!
A:Dear Nervous Wreck,
Relax, if you can raise two amazing children on your own, raising a puppy will be a walk in the park! Tap into your early mother mode because raising a puppy is just like raising any baby, just accelerated. Most dogs reach maturity by the age of two.
Like raising your children you need to start with a clear plan of what you want from them (behaviors and obedience). Then you need to be consistent in all your messaging; be patient and positive throughout the process; and be both strict and loving as you teach. Set boundaries and enforce rules. Remember, you always have two choices when you get a dog:
1. You can change how you live to accommodate their behaviors, or 2. You can invest your time to teach them how you would like them to live in your world.
Please do not get confused and think being strict means you don’t love them or that they will not love you. Their first Mom ran a very tight ship so they could survive the first four weeks of their lives. They are used to it and will love you even more if they respect you and see you as their leader/mom. Dogs are pack animals and need a leader to feel safe at home and in the world.
Seeing how this is your first entry into the dog world, I recommend you engage the services of a professional trainer to help guide you. Ask your friends who have well-mannered/trained dogs who they used.
Get ready for the BEST experience of your life… unconditional, never faltering love!!
Have something to HOWL about? Please send your dog questions to Amy at pets@montecitojournal.net
Amy Peer
I read with interest the article you so graciously printed regarding the Dog Park in Manning Park.
I think this is a grand idea. The park is large, the area is rarely used, and would be perfect for an enclosed dog run with requisite poop baggies provided for those who forget.
Please keep the subject alive so that more folks can weigh in on Ms. Ferguson’s suggestion and sign the petition.
Thank you kindly,
Shelley Badat
Visit https://tinyurl.com/Dog-Park-in-Manning to sign the petition
Every dog has its day, and this one promises plenty of tail-wagging fun. Tails of Hope is back for its second year on Sunday, September 20, after last year’s sold-out debut proved that Santa Barbara County has a soft spot for four-legged friends. The fund raiser takes over Rancho La Patera Stow House in Goleta for an afternoon dedicated to helping the thousands of animals cared for by Santa Barbara County Animal Services each year.
Guests can sniff out wine from La Lieff Winery, craft beer from Draughtsmen Ale, bites from Solera & Co., rescue partner booths, a silent auction, music, bubbles courtesy of The Bubble Guy, and even tarot readings. The festivities culminate with a live program emceed by an all-star trio of John Corbett, Bo Derek Animal Planet’s Shorty Rossi. Behind all the fetching fun is a serious mission. Proceeds help fund veterinary care, shelter supplies, medical equipment, and other essentials for Santa Barbara County Animal Services, which shelters over 6,000 animals annually while providing safety net programs that help keep pets and their people together. This is one pawty where every ticket helps give local animals a brighter future.
Atomic Age in irreversible destructive force and the worldwide noose continues to tighten around the culture’s enthusiastically proffered neck. To convince us to abjure our screens, leave the house, and walk their puny aisles of merely comprehensible merchandise, “Brick and mortar” stores (for one thing) must morph outlandishly. Thus Costco – a shopping experience so insane it amounts to a kind of rebuke. Of what? We marvel at the comparatively limited selection of lawn furniture and free-range buffalo patties, and wonder what the world is coming to when a place this size offers only one brand of hypersonic gum-massager.
Surely Costco is the last gasp and final expression of a consumer experience you enter through an actual door. Seeing this pending demise of “grocery shopping,” the Costco Board has decided, it seems, to map the Costco visit to the expansive chaos of a human life arc, the better to finally conflate in our collective wastrel memory Shopping and Being. Once you’ve parked and hiked with some effort to the Warehouse, you are vetted by the vigilant gatekeeper, in whose presence you nonchalantly flash your Costco member card like a Pentagon habitue. Now you enter the Cathedral with a Lewis Carroll shopping cart the size of a Hyundai, there to face down an immediate field of dozens of HD televisions, all of them tuned to the same closeup of an intensely hi-def, vibrantly colored little crab with its disgusting mouth parts and comical eyestalks. It just sits there, this lipstick-colored crab; but it sits there in such thrillingly granular high-definition you are bedazzled. Is this what surrounds us beyond our imprisoning walls? Is life itself available in these hues and in this much mesmerizing detail? Your troubled mind flashes momentarily on the actual out-of-doors, with its disappointing deficit of pixels and habit of being presentationally oblique when all you want is to sit before it and stare from a seated position. The truth is, you will
not recover from the hyper-detailed crab, very generally speaking. The out-of-doors impulse passes and you heave-to with your Gigantor cart and head into the Wilderness of Things.
Three hours later you are stocked up on items of every description, and a few beyond description. You join the Ellis Island-like Costco Checkout Masses, a stream of humanity you’ve seen before in nobler settings. Each weary shopper is the heraldic, momentary termination of a bloodline, a wavering scarlet thread extending forward from the depths of a turbulent past so geologically and temporally remote it can’t be apprehend. At the nether end of the thread, your single unsung proto-human antecedent hadn’t the means to conceive of you here in Aisle 4.
Above and beyond the cavernous Costco ceiling, the planets of our homely system – barren cratered rocks and gas
balls bereft of even microbial automata – circle our sun like weary dance marathon contestants. We reach, we reach – and our reaching is poignant. We’re made of reaching! We want to be sated, comforted, embraced, understood. Why not? We want love and a dab of bargain coleslaw in a little paper cup. Why not?
Many many many astronomical units away, our deep space probe has timidly entered the interstellar gulf, a tourist with his toe in the shallows. This machine, built once upon a time in a cleanroom by men and women in brilliant white bunny suits and non-woven polypropylene surgical masks, will chugchug-chug like an inertial tortoise at 12 miles a second, free of friction and decay, to the very end of time. In those unthinkable precincts, seen and unseen stars throw their fire and their mystery rays and their primordial whatnot with abandon. What is out there in the unimaginably distant vacuum, this void beyond imagination? Is G*d out there? Or does the vast gulf of spacetime reveal a cosmic pattern that simply repeats itself ad infinitum – the herringbone motif that captures you when serial vodka martinis find you in a wingback chair staring at your wool trousers, bedazzled. From Planck Length to edge of the universe we
are literally surrounded by and constructed of gooey, starlit wonder; some of it mineral, some of it cellular, all of it batsh*t crazy if only we took the time to apprehend that. [Yeah, maybe it was a mistake to order your martini with olives on the side, but whatever gets you to the numinous, broseph.] Back here on Earth we articulate our shared wonder by blowing up cities, timidly falling in love at recess, and surreptitiously scraping a groove into the icing on Aunt Carla’s visibly lopsided birthday cake. Yum. We mean well, most of us. That’s a solid bottom line. Meanwhile – Costco. You get to your car and while loading your purchases you note with sorrow there is a hole in your 14 lb box of gluten-free flapjack mix. Your eyes follow the trail of beige powder all the way back to the hot dog and pizza plaza, where it disappears in the congress of human footwork. Discouragement hovers briefly, a suspended wet blanket. You slowly unclench and wave it away. It’s all of a piece, you realize. A little cloud occludes the sun and a couple of performative butterflies flirt their way around a parking lot bulb-out in whose sad clump of crape myrtle is nestled a filthy paper cup. Across the way someone is passionately berating their kid. You’re surprised to find your face flushing with something like gratitude, and now you’re inexplicably tearing up. Here comes the shadow of a grin. What the hell is this?!
by Steven Libowitz
It’s no accident that dance is at the front of the new oversized magazine promoting the 2026-27 UCSB Arts & Lectures season. After all, among all of the luminous events spread across the arts, entertainment, and spoken word genres, dance has been the sparkling gem in the A&L crown that adorns one of the finest and most pervasive performing arts organizations affiliated with a public university; or anywhere, frankly.
Dance was former Miller McCune Executive Director Celesta Billeci’ s first love, as she studied and performed dance professionally before moving into the programming world. Billeci built the annual A&L dance series into the envy of organizations serving much larger cities, the caliber and variety of performing companies rivaling the programming of cities multiple times larger.
Meghan Bush, Billeci’s onetime second-in-command and her successor as of a little more than a year ago, is equally proud of the new series.
“Dance is really one of the cornerstones of our performing arts side,” she said. “I attribute the fact that the program is so strong, and our audience in Santa Barbara utterly craves interesting, well-rounded and exceptional dance programming, to Celesta, 100 percent. She built that from the ground up.”
Which is partly why, Bush said, she feels a big responsibility to maintain the high quality of the series.
“It’s one of the things that really sets us apart,” she stated. “I meet with dance programmers across the country and they’re all doing their best to keep something alive that is very difficult to tour, and very expensive to tour. Across the board, A&L has always offered an international dance program, and it’s always been some of the most interesting, either established or emerging choreographers.” Bush pointed to Akram Khan, one of the defining choreographers of the 21st century, for the former category.
Khan, who transformed contemporary dance through works of cross-cultural imagination, has already announced that the upcoming season represents the Akram Khan Company’s final international tour.
“It’s incredible to have them opening our season as part of their swan song,” Bush said.
At the other end of the spectrum is inter-disciplinary arts organization and dance company GALLIM, from founder Andrea Miller, who will be making their Santa Barbara debut toward the end of the series in March, and Camille A. Brown & Dancers, the Tony-decorated choreographer whose new work I AM has received raves in New York.
“We can bring these newer, hot-atthe-moment choreographers alongside institutions like Akram Khan or Sankai Juku, a very established Butoh company from Japan, whose choreographer passed away in 2024. We’re bringing the final work that he created.”
Then there’s the Joffrey Ballet, who will be in town at the end of February performing twice at the Granada. But that’s only the culmination of their UCSB residency.
“We have to bring them here for the full week to make it make sense financially,” Bush explained. “So even though they’re only doing two performances, they’re going to be also doing master classes for UCSB students, outreach for K-12 students in town, teaching a community class doing their “Dancing for Parkinson’s” workshop. It’s part of the ecosystem of learning and arts and culture immersion that’s much less visible than the shows at the Granada. All of that is extraordinarily expensive. But we figure out how to pay for it because it’s important and it’s important that we bring dance really, really well.”
It’s only through the very supportive community that UCSB A&L is able to take risks with outsized expenses, she said. But it’s integral to the A&L ethos.
“It’s fundamental, because there is nothing that creates arts accessibility for people in terms of opening their minds and being open to seeing artistic concepts through movement. Dance is a great equalizer in how people choose to respond to it. But it’s also the most underfunded thing and simultaneously the most expensive thing we do.”
That’s where the community comes in. Whether it’s 1] donating $25,000 (or even more) to become a patron, and thus enjoying spectacular benefits including private receptions and even dinner with performers, 2] subscribing to one or more full series, or 3] simply buying single event tickets as a member of this terpsichore-loving community, you will be contributing to the continuing the success of A&L.
If you’re thinking of maybe matching A&L’s willingness to take risks and going the subscriber route for dance – or any of the other knockout series that include Great Performances, Word of Mouth, Americana, Jazz, Here & Now, Global Sounds, Family Time and more – the time to act is now. Because single tickets to events in the 2026-27 season go on sale August 7 at 10 am. Meaning the early subscriber will be rewarded with access to choice seating; not that every seat in the A&L house doesn’t put you in the luminous center of the action, from Campbell Hall on campus to the Granada, Arlington, Lobero and Hahn Hall in town.
Visit https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu
Where California’s Santa Ynez Mountains meet the golden shores of Carpinteria Beach is a coastal legacy with no equal. A one-of-a-kind way of life where the illustrious history of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is your new backyard. A limited number of 1,376-square-foot, 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath casitas are now available for move-in. It’s a rare opportunity to own a home amidst these storied grounds shaped by tradition and time.
What drives someone to spend a life in medicine? In this Q&A series, a group of leading local physicians share the moments that set them on their path, the breakthroughs shaping their fields, and the realities behind the work. Their answers are candid, occasionally surprising, and grounded in experience. Together, they offer a clear-eyed look at the people delivering care in our community and what continues to motivate them every day.
Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?
A. I grew up hearing stories about my great-grandfather, the personal physician to the Emperor of Japan. That instilled in me a certain sense of awe about the profession from a very early age. I was very physically active growing up, always on the playground playing four square, soccer, handball, you name it. If you add being competitive to that narrative, it led to several sprains and breaks over the years and I often found myself at the doctor’s office. Despite the injuries, I quickly realized that I loved being in that clinical environment. When I was 11, my primary care physician discovered a large ovarian tumor and I had to stay in the hospital for several days after it was surgically removed. I started making “rounds,” visiting other kids on the ward, and didn’t want to leave the hospital when it was time to go home. I begged my mom to stay another night and she reluctantly agreed. I realized I was meant for a medical career after that.
How did you select your particular specialty?
I fell in love with ophthalmology after performing my first eye exam. Seeing the optic nerve and the retinal vessels directly, and diagnosing diseases like hypertension and diabetes, was incredible to me. In ophthalmology residency, I fell in love with cataract surgery after performing a few surgeries because of the immediate positive
effect. To be able to impact another person so that they could go from not being able to do their favorite hobbies such as reading, driving to a show at night, hiking, golfing, and so on, to being able to reclaim their lives within days, was exhilarating. It is incredibly rewarding to be able to give another person their sight back, and I am forever grateful for this honor.
What inspires you to get up every day and take care of your patients?
I simply LOVE what I do. I get to connect with multiple patients every day, to assist them in their journey, and hopefully make them feel confident that they will have vision until their final days.
What is one thing about where you work or the work you do that you believe patients should know more about and understand?
In addition to cataract surgery, I am a fellowship trained glaucoma specialist. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, currently without a cure. There are many different types of glaucoma as well as a plethora of treatments. Glaucoma surgery has been an exciting field to be a part of due to the many innovative changes in treatment. I love being able to educate my patients about the many medical and surgical treatments for glaucoma.
What’s a daily ritual or habit that helps you stay grounded?
I wake up every day before work to exercise. It helps me feel energized and focused. Oh, and the double cappuccino helps, as well!!
What’s something you’ve learned about yourself through your work in medicine?
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The practice of medicine is a blend of science and art. As a surgeon, you naturally want to fix things with minimal risk or downside. There are areas that are black and white, in which the path is research supported and clear cut. On the flip side, there are gray areas, in which the next step could go in several directions, some of which is decided during surgery. I’ve learned that I enjoy toggling between these two mindsets. I love the challenge of the unknown and appreciate that the practice of medicine is constantly evolving. To be a lifelong student is humbling and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
How do you define success – personally and professionally?
To me, success is contentment. Contentment with where and who you are in life.
What’s a place that holds special meaning for you, and why?
Japan will always feel like a second home to me, thanks to my parents taking me and my sister there every other summer growing up.
What’s something you’re currently learning or exploring outside of medicine?
After turning 50, I decided to learn something new every year. Last year I learned how to scuba dive. This year, I am learning to sail.
Describe your perfect day off – what would it include?
Anything… as long as it’s with my husband and best friend, Jason, and my two teenage boys, Miles and Dean
As Sansum Clinic begins a new chapter as part of Sutter Health, we remain united by a shared mission: to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the communities we serve. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare on the Central Coast.
Sponsored by Sutter Health | Visit www.sutterhealth.org
by Deann Zampelli
Last week my husband and I were taking a walk through London’s Battersea Park. Trying, and failing miserably to survive the heat wave, we left for our walk bright and early. Eschewing breakfast in favor of the morning cool, we took a break at what promised to be a cart offering fresh juices and cold, icy cups of blended fruit. As we slurped our slushies, he remarked on how much less sweet they were than anything we would get at home. It tasted like, well, blended fruit. How novel.
Later in the month, we were in Victoria, BC, when we came upon a farmers market. He bought an oatmeal raisin cookie and again, commented on its lack of sugary sweetness. What was up with the Brits and the Canadians? After a month of travels, I needed to know if this was just a coincidence, or was there a larger picture at work here.
Let’s start with the basics. How much sugar should we be consuming? Well, according to the WHO (World Health Organization), we should aim for consuming no more than 50 grams of sugar per day per person. And according to the American Heart Association, our consumption is closer to double or even triple that amount, with teens being the biggest culprits, consuming as much as 140 grams of the sweet stuff each day. Surprisingly, Germany is a close second, and coming in at the bottom with the lowest sugar intake are: South Korea, Chad, Norway, China, and Italy. Some of these countries’ lack of excess is due to scarcity and economic instability (sugar is just too expensive to be consumed in large quantities) and others are from lifestyle choices. Dessert, for example, is not consumed regularly in Italy. When we were
there in the spring, we had a few locals tell us that gelato is a treat to be enjoyed only during the warm summer months. And pasta portions are much smaller than ours (100-200 grams per versus our 300-400 grams) and are usually served with vegetables and a protein which slows down how our body processes the sugars.
But it isn’t just the added sugars we need to be wary of. It is the hidden sugars that are the biggest culprit. My teenage daughter got me hooked on Starbuck’s Strawberry Acai Refreshers until I realized that even with my customized light lemonade, my Grande had 22 grams of sugar in it! Almost half of the WHO’s daily recommendation in one drink. Other foods to watch out for are salad dressings, pasta sauce, condiments, sliced bread, instant oatmeal and cereals (yes, even the “healthy” ones). Subway’s sandwich bread has such a high sugar content, a high court in Ireland deemed it a “cake.”
However, it wasn’t always like this. In the 1980s, U.S. agriculture subsidies made corn very inexpensive which prompted many food and beverage companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi to switch from using cane sugar (a more expensive ingredient) to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Conversely, the EU placed stricter limitations on its usage and taxed the production of HFCS for decades, resulting in far less usage and more regulation.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Americans consume around 55 pounds of HFCS per person per year.
One of the many problems with this level of consumption is the destructive cycle it creates. Eating sugar activates the brain’s pleasure sensors, similar to cocaine use. It triggers a massive flood of dopamine into our system which makes us crave more – explaining why willpower
alone doesn’t do the trick for everyone. When I was in graduate school, I met a woman who was a former crack addict. She told me that kicking sugar was harder than quitting crack.
Our evolutionary purpose for sugar cravings started from the right place. Our ancestors craved sweet foods like ripe berries because ingesting them signaled to our body that it was safe in a world of frequent scarcity. Eat these berries, it seemed to tell us, they are fresh, are a source of energy, are calorically dense, in season and here for the picking. Today, we no longer have the internal mechanism to switch this signal off. We see berries, a candy bar, or a Frappuccino and our sensors react the same. It isn’t need or scarcity, it is want and desire that are driving our next mobile order.
But not all sugars are created equal. Fruit, for example, is our friend. Eat the whole fruit – the fiber, the skin, and the flesh. But when you drink fruit juice – it can get tricky. I have read reports that a glass of orange juice creates a glucose spike similar to that of a glass of Coke.
So what can we do? The first thing is to remember that sugar is a tricky companion. It doesn’t suppress the hunger hormone (ghrelin) or stimulate the fullness hormone (leptin) the way complex carbohydrates do, so this leaves our brain feeling like it is still hungry, even if it just had a 2000 calorie hot fudge sundae. This is what can lead to overeating.
Beyond diabetes, overconsumption of sugar can lead to myriad health concerns. As the liver is the primary organ that processes fructose, when it is overloaded it can lead to Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. That’s fun. And there is a massive link between high sugar consumption and heart disease. If that isn’t enough, when sugar enters the blood stream it binds to collagen and elastin causing premature skin aging and even acne breakouts. Yikes.
If you have a true sweet tooth, cutting down on your sugar consumption can seem
daunting. To help you get on your way, here are a few tips on how to get started.
- Swap out all sugary beverages. Frappucino is out and iced green tea is in! Easiest thing to start with.
- Use some spices to add flavor instead of going for the sugar. Cinnamon on top of a latte instead of sugar.
- Make-your-own everything when possible. Overnight oats, yoghurt parfait, salad dressings, BBQ sauce, you name it. It is always better for you when you know what you are really eating. Restaurants and food manufacturers mostly just want their products to taste good so you buy them again. That often means lots of added sugar and salt.
- When you have a sugar craving ask yourself if you drank enough water today, or ate enough protein. Sugar cravings, especially if they are frequent, could signal an imbalance in your body, be it sleep deprivation, a gut imbalance/ yeast overgrowth, stress, depression, or magnesium deficiency.
- Never eat sweets on an empty stomach. If you have a craving, tell yourself you can have “it” but only after you eat a meal or a well-balanced snack, give yourself at least 30 minutes after you eat and then see if you still want it. You might surprise yourself.
When you are next tempted, just ask yourself one thing. Are you eating the sugar, or is it eating you?
Health and humor in the MJ National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach trained at Duke Integrative Medicine, Deann Zampelli owns Montecito Coaching & Nutrition. She also has a Masters in Clinical Psychology and has been a resident of Montecito since 2006.
by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott
Making the transition from higher education to the professional workforce can be daunting for college graduates. Westmont’s Center for Applied Technology Lab (CATLab) rewrites that narrative by creating a direct bridge to the tech sector.
This summer, the program’s impact reaches new heights through an expansive partnership with Webconnex, an event ticketing company that Westmont alumnus Eric Knopf (‘05) co-founded.
Zak Landrum (‘08), who directs CATLab, finds the initiative deeply personal. After graduating during a recession as a theater major, he remembers entering what he describes as a professional wasteland. His trajectory shifted when a Westmont parent gave him a crucial career opportunity.
“That pivot point became a huge motivating force for me to be that person for students at Westmont,” Landrum said. “The college is committed to helping them bridge the gap between education and meaningful careers, and I see CATLab as a key expression of that mission.”
Webconnex senior software engineer Kevin Kishiyama (‘05), who has worked closely with CATLab students at Westmont’s Keith Center in downtown Santa Barbara, experienced similar challenges and recognizes the value of early
CATLab student Brevin Tating works with alum Kevin Kishiyama
preparation. “When I graduated from Westmont, I quickly realized I hadn’t developed some basic skills all adults need to know,” Kishiyama says, “such as how to manage your finances, interview for a job or even apply for a job. CATLab tries to fill that gap.”
The pipeline between the college and the company has proved remarkably fruitful. Webconnex supports three interns this year, Brevin Tating (‘26), Elias Leon (‘27) and Ryan Magnuson (‘27), welcoming them into their company culture in Sacramento. Last year, they hired CATLab grads Eli Tiao (‘25), Brycyn Gossett (‘24) and David Ponce de Leon (‘25) to fulltime positions, joining former Westmont staff members Ryley Oroku (‘20) and Owen Marcus (‘21).
In addition to professional skills, the program provides a rare space where students can seamlessly blend their faith with technical excellence. “Faith is always part of your work, but it’s much easier to talk about spiritual matters within the supportive Westmont ecosystem,” Kishiyama says.
In the lab, student developers tackle sophisticated cloud migrations and technical integrations. Westmont increasingly uses Webconnex software for institutional event ticketing. To ensure retention of information, a specialized team of student innovators links Webconnex
Westmont Page 344
“They were hoping for years to compete with Mardi Gras and the Rose Parade… and you know what? We got it!” historian Hattie Beresford told members of Montecito Bank & Trust’s MClub, launching a fascinating journey through the colorful origins of Old Spanish Days Fiesta. From its earliest celebrations to the traditions that continue today, Hattie brought a century of Santa Barbara history vividly to life.
“One million photographs,” said Dacia Harwood , executive director of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, describing the remarkable Santa Barbara News-Press archive the museum rescued during the newspaper’s bankruptcy proceedings. “It tells the history of Santa Barbara through the people who lived it.” Preserving nearly 150 years of local history, the collection inspired an unexpected gift from Keith Moore, who donated his grandfather’s 1930 News-Press cover
after discovering it beneath a bed. Harwood also highlighted the museum’s fantastic Finding Saint Barbara new exhibition before concluding, “If you haven’t been to the museum lately, I invite you to come!”
“The MClub had become the ‘Matrimony Club,’” laughed Maria McCall, sharing the happy news that Kathy and Joe Burns – who first met on an MClub trip to Catalina –had just days before gotten married.
The festive luncheon was beautifully decorated by Beverly Cavaliere, with Diane Brighton and Linda Rosso, while vintage Fiesta touches and Katherine Murray Morse’s original pastel painting, La Fiesta, added artistic flair before being raffled and finding a new home with Sally LeonTondro in the afternoon drawing. Hattie continued her engaging presentation, revealing how decades of summer “flower” parades and 4th of July festivals gradually evolved into our beloved Fiesta. Guests were reminded that going back as far as the 1886 centennial parade for the Old Mission, like most things worthwhile, “Old Spanish Miscellany Page 354 Miscellany (Continued from 8)
by Elizabeth Stewart
me a chunky, handcarved wooden sculpture of a powerfully built male figure with an amputated left leg below the knee. He is shown in a direct, full-frontal pose, seated upon a plinth and supporting his head, upper body, and posture with a heavy staff. His body is muscular; his face and skull are almost simian; his hands and remaining foot are masterfully carved, yet disproportionately massive for the size of his body. The figure is boldly “chipped” from a solid block of hard, dark wood in an effort to imitate the marks of a cooper’s hand hammer. Turning the piece around, the carving of his back reveals a knobby misalignment of the spine, perhaps suggesting scoliosis or a pronounced hunchback. The work portrays a simple peasant in spirit and costume: he wears a simple smock and short breeches.
This figure asks me to answer a broader question: how has mobility impairment been portrayed throughout art history? Curiously, I find no precedent for this exact figure in imagery, but I do find ancient gods, fairy-tale characters, and figures from the Brothers Grimm portrayed with staffs, limps, or disfigured legs and feet.
Questions arise. What era is meant to be evoked? If the figure is intended as a medieval peasant, portraying nobility in the face of adversity, why is his defining characteristic an amputated leg?
This work of art has “found” me as I face a fifth hip replacement and have not walked without a cane for over a year. It made me wonder: what did people do before titanium joints and modern prosthetic surgery? More importantly, what has the image of an impaired body meant throughout history?
Staffs, sticks, canes, crutches, corrective devices, and artificial limbs have been part of daily life since classical antiquity. In that world they were often seen not as symbols of weakness but as emblems of empowerment. A staff, for example, is a universal symbol of power, survival, stability, and wisdom. It may signify either authority or humility. Likewise, the image of a missing limb or physical deformity often became the defining characteristic of an individual who had overcome loss and survived adversity.
On early Greek red-figure and black-figure pottery, warriors and elderly scholars are depicted using T, L, or J-shaped walking staffs with crossbars.
Archaeological burials occasionally yield preserved examples made of gold, silver, or ivory. Perhaps the best-known figure is the lame god of the forge, Hephaestus, who fashioned Achilles’ armor, and created what we might today call assistive technology: animated servants, mechanical devices, winged chariots, and other inventions that rose above physical limitation. Like JS’s sculpture, these impairments were portrayed not as weakness but as sources of creativity, ingenuity, and strength.
Two fascinating expressions may even derive from such portrayals. The caretakers of an impaired nobleman were known collectively as his “staff,” a term we still use today. Another apocryphal legend tells us that after a Greek named Dorian had his cumbersome prosthetic footwear stolen, he cursed the thief with the words, “If the shoe fits, wear it!”
A fantasy, I know, but I wondered whether the sitter for this sculpture might himself have had access to a false limb, assuming he portrays a figure from a distant time and place. Archaeology suggests that possibility. A famous Roman prosthetic leg, now in the Wellcome Collection, consisted of a wooden core covered with bronze sheeting and secured by bronze fittings and leather straps, enabling its owner to walk with the aid of a staff. Other burials dating from the second through the sixth centuries have revealed skeletal wear consistent with long-term use of artificial limbs, corrective footwear, or crutches. Bronze replacement toes have even been recovered from ancient graves.
In the seventh century, the remains of a Frankish soldier buried in Germany were found with a wooden and bronze below-the-knee prosthesis. JS’s sculpture, therefore, may not represent medieval fantasy as much as medieval reality. Thus the remarkable strength of this sculpture lies not only in the massive body of its subject but in the staff upon which he rests – both physically and metaphorically. Like the staff of a king, it becomes a symbol of endurance, authority, and survival. I have searched for an artist working in this style to no avail, but I believe the piece dates from the early twentieth century, reflecting the powerful directness associated with early twentieth-century German Expressionism. The sculpture possesses a compelling dignity that reaches far beyond its modest scale – not a bad find from the Boys & Girls Club Thrift Store in Ventura!
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by Steven Libowitz
No introduction to speak of. No words of explanation from the musicians. No mentioning which paintings or sculptures inspired them to choose their piece(s) to perform. Just a few words from the Music Academy staff before and after the first of three events in the galleries of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, dubbed, with apparent appropriateness, “Beyond Conversation: Dialogues in Music through Art.”
The fellows picked works that spoke to them after viewing SBMA’s current exhibition, As if in a Dream: History, Fantasy, Future, curated by James Glisson, chief curator at the museum. The exhibit is a collection that explores unconscious thoughts, dreams, and imagination across two expansive galleries. The mini-concerts left it up to the listener to figure out those connections, although folks were welcome to approach the musicians to talk about it afterward.
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The laudable idea went off swimmingly last Friday afternoon, July 24, although the security guards had their hands full keeping the scores of visitors clear of the artwork, especially as they roamed between the expansive galleries to get up close to the players, who performed in front of the works that had inspired them.
“We toured the exhibition and let the art inspire us in picking the repertoire,” explained violinist Megan Lin, who played a solo piece by Katherine Balch called “Iaspis.”
The final two events in the “Beyond Conversation” series take place this week, with all-new fellows featured on July 30, save for harpist Raquel Nisi, the sole such fellow on campus this summer, who I stood behind for last week’s performance, getting an up-close view at the workings of the pedals. She’ll play “La Madone, Op. 43,” by Caroline Lizotte, a Québécoise harpist and composer, while cellist Corinne Turgeon will play her pianist-composer mother Anne LouiseTurgeon’s “Snow Domi,” with pieces by Kaija Saariaho and Arvo Pärt also on the decidedly international program.
The series concludes August 4 with two works by Ravel along with ones by Telemann and Carl Engel. It’s a bold new idea that went over very well last Friday, with the audience applauding long enough to delay the start of the final piece. The “dreaming” takes place at noon each day, free with regular museum admission until each event’s limited capacity has been met.
The other two free Music Academy events this week, which taken together are in many ways among the most fascinating
of the season, have the exact same repertoire, with the location serving as the only variable. It’s the West Coast premiere of Guest Composer Christopher Cerrone’s “The Only Way Is Through,” which just had its world premiere on July 19 with Sandbox Percussion and members of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. That world premiere took place outdoors at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, NY, about an hour north of the city.
The MAW performances on campus will feature the percussion fellows and members of the Sing! children’s choir. “The Only Way Is Through” will be conducted by Erin McKibben, who has known Cerrone for years through her own role as flutist and singer with Wild Up. McKibben readily agreed to conduct when the composer suggested the upcoming local performances. As was the world premiere, these performances will also be enjoyed outdoors, at the lush Anne’s Garden on campus July 31, and on August 1 at the Michael Towbes Library Plaza in front of the Santa Barbara Public Library, a decidedly urban environment.
Cerrone, who claimed his first Grammy earlier this year, shared on his website that the piece takes its title from Robert Frost’s “A Servant to Servants,” but was inspired by his first year of fatherhood, when he was “obsessed with the daily challenges of sleep, food, the basics.”
He wrote “In a sense, I’m saturated… I zoomed out and tried to connect that, conceptually, to the saturation everyone seems to be experiencing now – one moment of chaos into the next, political instability worldwide, a pandemic. I wanted to write something that moves forward rather than back.”
The forward movement is literal, too, as the piece opens as a processional with
the percussion quartet moving through a line of the choir. The work is meant to come across as an interactive exploration of the fundamental human process of learning to exist in the world.
The kids who comprise the chorus may not understand that existential question, but they’re enthusiastically taking on their roles, despite – for a long period of time – only singing the single word “Through” for a large section of the piece, which grew out of Cerrone’s system of self-soothing by whispering the word to himself late at night when he felt overwhelmed.
At another point, the choir is simply making “shushing” sounds, a vocal form of percussion, McKibben said.
Eleven of the singers are also tasked with playing harmonicas in a textural context that also evolves and changes over time, she said.
“I perform a lot of new music with Wild Up but it’s a totally different thing than any of them have ever done before,” she said. “It’s a whole new world where we get to look at these little melodic or rhythmic cells and the importance of the musical materials that are very different from Mozart. It evolves over a long period of time but they seem to be enjoying it.”
The percussion quartet play chimes, pipes, glockenspiels and the like, both for textural and auditory opportunities, McKibben said.
“I think he wanted to have instruments that sounded like children’s toys and would be able to be heard outdoors, as they’re standing in four different corners of the space after the procession,” she said.
How the piece evolves – particularly between the garden and the plaza – will be among the fascinating and illustrative portions of the events. Admission is free, but once again, seating is limited. Get there early.
Thursday, July 30: Mosher Guest Artist Stephanie Blythe, the renowned, mega-versatile mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist, begins her MAW residency by running the vocal master class, where perhaps we’ll hear a preview of some of the selections a few fellows will be performing in an all-American program of pop tunes of the 1930s on Tuesday. Or perhaps it will be an entirely different repertoire. (3:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10)… Guest Composer Christopher Cerrone also
The Salon Series featuring instrumental fellows in the MAW main house returns this Wednesday, August 5 (courtesy photo)
makes his MAW residency debut tonight when his chamber sextet work “Why Was I Born Between Mirrors?” – which features Camerata Pacifica cellist Ani Aznavoorian in her second year as an MAW teaching artist – opens the x2 Series concert titled “Mirrors, Mars & Eternity.” The fascinatingly ethereal/existential program that pairs faculty with fellows also includes Ian Venables’ “Songs of Eternity and Sorrow, Op. 36”; Joel Thompson’s “On Mars” for mezzo-soprano, viola and piano (with faculty pianist Tamar Sanikidze, who played the January 2025 premiere in Atlanta, reprising her role), and Brahms’ more earthbound “Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56b,” for two pianos, with a total of 18 musicians playing over the evening. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10-$65)
Friday, July 31: The afternoon brings the West Coast Premiere of Cerrone’s “The Only Way Is Through” at Anne’s Garden on campus at 1:30 pm (see above for more)… With only one week left in the season, it’s a packed Picnic Concert program tonight, with 19 different fellows foraying into works by Poulenc, Mozart, Prokofiev, Hindemith, Brahms and Jacob Gade’s “Tango Fantasia” arranged by Toke Lund Christiansen. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10-$65)
Saturday, August 1: “The Only Way Is Through” gets a second free performance at Santa Barbara Public Library’s Michael Towbes Plaza at 2 pm (see above)… Now that the opera is over, the full-fledged Academy Festival Orchestra returns to the Granada with an exciting appetizer perhaps serving as the pièce de résistance.
“No Such Spring,” by Samuel (son of John) Adams, features longtime faculty
artist Conor Hanick – who has added Piano Department Chair and Creative and Artistic Advisor to his roles at MAW – as the soloist. The “Piano Concerto” was written for Hanick, who premiered it with the San Francisco Symphony in 2023. Sibelius’ sumptuous “Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 39,” closes out the night, likely receiving a superior Scandinavian reading as Finnish countryman Hannu Lintu is the conductor of the piece which features Finnish folk tunes in the finale. (7:30 pm; Granada Theatre; $10-$125)
Sunday, August 2: An All-American Fanfare is the theme for the sophomore Brass @ the Bandshell concert at the recently-refurbished Plaza del Mar Band Shell across from Santa Barbara Sea Landing. The 15 brass fellows will perform an array of works anchored by American composers in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary summer in the historic site, with activities including food trucks, an instrument exploration station and games for family and friends to enjoy. (12 noon; 131 Castillo St.; free)
Monday, August 3: Both Brahms (“Sonata for Violin” and “Piano No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100”) and Hindemith (“Sonata for Alto Horn and Piano”) are back, along with a sonata by Strauss (“Violin and Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 18”), as the three pillars of the new-
for-2026, fellows-powered Sonata Nights program. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10-$50)
Tuesday, August 4: Noon brings the second of the three-concert series Beyond Conversation: Dialogues in Music Through Art at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, where select Music Academy fellows play pieces inspired by the new exhibition. See above for details… Tonight, Blythe is back at Hahn to perform with select vocal and vocal piano fellows in an evening billed as “Dreams of America,” starting with another nod to democracy at the nation’s 250th birthday with Alan Louis Smith’s “Vignettes: Ellis Island.” The piece is followed by a bunch of tunes from the Great American Songbook and Tin Pan Alley, including “It Had to Be You,” “Ain’t We Got Fun?,” “You’re the Cream in My Coffee,” and “Button Up Your Overcoat,” among others, in the closest event since the elegant Cabaret fundraiser that used to close out the summer festival moved on. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10-$80)
Wednesday, August 5: André Caplet’s “Conte fantastique” for string quartet plus harp, and Elgar’s “Piano Quintet in A Minor, Op. 84,” comprise the program for tonight’s Salon Series concert featuring instrumental fellows...following a glass of wine in the MAW main house, of course. (7:30 pm; Lehmann Hall; $10-$65).
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by Steven Libowitz
Meghan Bush, who was appointed the Miller McCune executive director of UCSB Arts & Lectures just over a year ago, is understandably excited about the “Word of Mouth” series in the upcoming 2026-27 season, the part that makes up the bulk of the latter half of the A&L moniker.
“We have very high standards and fortunately we’ve been able to attract very interesting and elite speakers, some of the great thinkers and writers of the world, for a long time,” she said. “I think it’s the strongest since Roman Baratiak, who was an exceptional programmer, retired six years ago. It was a concerted choice by our team as we put the season together.”
Bush pointed to Scott Galloway, who kicks off the series on September 25 with a talk at the Arlington Theatre based on his No. 1 bestseller Notes on Being a Man. “I can’t think of anybody who shows up in people’s (social media) feeds with more opinions more frequently. And I love what he’s talking about, which is, frankly, how to be an empathetic male, which is pretty darn important right now.”
Even more politically pointed are Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum (January 31, Granada) whose books include Autocracy, Inc., and who Bush called “an institution.”
“There may not be another author who’s been more prescient about the state of the world we’re living in right
maintenance practices have not kept pace with changing weather patterns or increasingly intense storm events.
Flood Control officials said the county already performs annual inspections and maintenance within the limits of its permits. Crews identify problem areas each spring before beginning seasonal work in August, and officials encouraged residents to continue reporting new concerns as they arise. They also noted that maintenance is governed by environmental regulations and endangered species protections that limit how much material can be removed from creek channels.
Officials acknowledged that a longer-term solution is already being planned. As part of the Montecito Master Plan, the county intends to realign San Ysidro Creek beneath the railroad crossing to eliminate two sharp 90-degree bends that currently slow water and create bottlenecks. However, the project remains in the planning and permitting stages, with no construction timeline established because funding and regulatory approvals are still pending.
For many residents, that timeline offers little reassurance ahead of the coming winter.
Several homeowners described repeated flooding over the years, including water entering homes, washing through private roads and threatening access to Crane Country Day School. Others pointed to islands of gravel, vegetation, and large boulders that they believe have reduced the creek’s capacity and could worsen flooding if another series of intense storms arrives. Residents also raised concerns about King Tides coinciding with heavy rainfall, saying tidal conditions could further restrict water flowing toward the ocean.
The meeting also explored potential solutions beyond the current maintenance program. Chupack suggested creating a local assessment district that could generate dedicated funding for creek maintenance, while others asked whether regulatory agencies such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife could be brought into future discussions. Flood Control representatives said environmental permitting remains one of the primary constraints on creek work and encouraged continued dialogue as planning moves forward.
Supervisor Lee’s office committed to organizing a follow-up meeting that would include Caltrans, Flood Control and state resource agencies to discuss next steps and potential improvements before the rainy season. Lee’s staff said the supervisor’s office would take the lead in coordinating the discussions and keep residents informed as they progress.
Following the meeting, Chupack said residents appreciated how quickly Supervisor Lee’s office responded by arranging the on-site discussion and expressed cautious optimism that additional coordination between agencies could produce meaningful action. Still, several neighbors stressed that they hope preventative work can occur before another major storm tests the creek’s capacity.
now,” she said. “She is an absolute authority on world affairs and has a lot of wisdom to share.”
Also on tap: Christopher Wray, the former FBI director, who will talk about geopolitics and national security at Campbell Hall on February 16; Kara Swisher (April 8, Granada), who will discuss the promises, pitfalls, and profound questions surrounding the pursuit of longevity in her talk titled “Technology and the Future of Being Human”; and Hakeem Oluseyi (May 5, Campbell), an astrophysicist and inventor who will draw on his book Why Do We Exist for his talk, rounding out the Word of Mouth series.
Then there’s the Speaking with Pico series that is truly unique to Arts & Lectures as the ever curious and insightful author and essayist lives part time in Santa Barbara, and never fails to draw surprising connections in his intimate conversations with the collection of compelling voices in contemporary culture who populate the events. Among those guests are multiple returnee Michael Pollan (February 19, Granada), this time talking about his journey into consciousness as reported in his latest book A World Appears, and literary prize collector Margaret Atwood (April 23, Arlington), whose prolific prose includes The Handmaid’s Tale and many other bestsellers. Iyer will also be investigating beyond the obvious with tennis star turned cultural icon John McEnroe (May 7, Arlington), and author Yiyun Li (January 26, Campbell Hall), whose Things in Nature Merely Grow – a memoir that explores life after losing both her sons to suicide, finding meaning through writing, gardening, and philosophy – received the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Memoir.
“They’re all exciting names who we really put a lot of muscle behind acquiring for our program this year. Curating spoken word events with the same energy and care we apply to the performing arts helps to set us apart from other universities and performing arts centers,” Bush said. “We want people to remember that we’re really good at this.”
Subscriptions for both Word of Mouth and Speaking with Pico, like all of A&L’s series, are available at 20 percent off the single ticket prices, and now is the time to act if you want to take advantage of the deal with premier seating. Otherwise, single tickets go on sale at 10 am on August 7.
Jane Hulse, former city editor at the Santa Barbara News-Press, discusses Spanktown Papers, the latest novel in her American Revolution series, at 3 pm on Saturday, August 1, at Tecolote Book Shop, 2470 E. Valley Road in Montecito. The story takes place in Philadelphia, the heartbeat of America’s founding, where young journalist Sarah Barrett, not surprisingly, is working at a newspaper.
When a dashing coffeehouse proprietor is murdered, Sarah dives into the mystery and becomes entangled in a scandal that rocked the city where 20 Quaker pacifists were rounded up, jailed, and banished to the wilds of Virginia for eight months for refusing to back the war for independence. We imagine the revival of the News-Press as an online nonprofit might also get mentioned.
Mario T. García’s book Rupert García: The Making of an American Artist, a Testimonio, the first biography of the renowned American Chicano visual artist and activist Rupert García, draws on 50 hours of interviews conducted over 30 years and accompanied by 80 images. The in-depth oral history gives an unparalleled look at García’s life and work, tracing his evolution as an artist and the political upheavals that shaped his life and worldview. Talk and book signing with author García, UCSB professor of Chicano studies and history, takes place on Tuesday, August 4. Jann Winford’s novel Dating Under the Influence of Estrogen has been described as a rom-com with a dash of memoir, a no-holds-barred, laughtill-you-snort adventure of returning to the riotous and hilarious dating scene that may – MAY – lead her to finding her Mr. Right. Talk and signing on Wednesday, August 12. Chaucer’s Books is located at 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza Shopping Center. Visit www.chaucersbooks.com
Sissy Taran and Tiffany Howard, authors of We Are Resilient, an emotional, conversational journey through the meaning of resilience with inspirational characters of varied life experiences, are joined by contributing authors Grace Fisher, Emma Solano, and Andy Gilliland in the sharing of personal reflections on resilience and the experiences that have shaped their stories in a special event at the Central Library. Book signing and refreshments will follow the 5:30 pm talk on Thursday, August 13, in the Faulkner Gallery, where an exhibit of Grace Fisher’s artwork will be on display through the month of August.
Steven Libowitz has covered a plethora of topics for the Journal since 1997, and now leads our extensive arts and entertainment coverage
by MJ Staff
Natalie Sanderson, executive director & head of curation for Casa del Herrero, announced that starting July 31, Casa del Herrero will be hosting public docent-led tours of the Main House and Workshop now on Fridays, in addition to their regular Saturday times at 10 am and 2 pm. And starting on August 6, every Thursday forward they will host a docent-led tour of the gardens and the recently restored south exedra in the lower acres of the property. All visitors must register via their website. 411: www.casadelherrero.com/visit
A mosaic honoring the courage of Santa Barbara County firefighters and the resilience of wildfire survivors is looking for a new place to call home. Created by local mosaic artist Betsy Gallery following the devastating Tea and Jesusita fires, the 4-by-8-foot mural incorporates ceramic shards, melted metal, glass, and other fire-scarred artifacts collected from the burn areas, along with donated firefighting equipment including helmets, badges, patches, a hose, and an ax. The work was commissioned through a City of Santa Barbara Community Arts Grant as a tribute to both first responders and the community’s recovery.
For years, the mosaic greeted visitors in the lobby of Santa Barbara County Fire Headquarters on Cathedral Oaks Road. Following a lobby remodel, it was placed into temporary storage while officials searched for a permanent public display location. Those with ideas for a suitable home are encouraged to contact Santa Barbara County Fire at (805) 896-6334.
As humanitarian needs continue to mount following a devastating earthquake in Venezuela, ShelterBox USA has deployed Senior Response Manager Brian Glenn to help coordinate relief efforts and assess the needs of displaced families. Traveling across some of the country’s hardest-hit communities, Glenn reports widespread destruction, with countless homes deemed unsafe and many residents forced to shelter under worn tarps or in makeshift camps while aftershocks continue.
ShelterBox is working alongside Rotary clubs throughout Venezuela to deliver emergency supplies and establish 1,000 temporary shelters. The response includes UN-specification emergency tents, shelter kits, mosquito nets, blankets, sleeping mats, solar lights, kitchen sets, and the tools needed to construct safe temporary housing. Glenn noted that even obtaining basic construction supplies has been challenging, with the cost of common tools far exceeding U.S. prices.
The scale of the disaster has transformed everyday gathering places into refugee settlements. Glenn described visiting a
neighborhood baseball field now occupied by roughly 100 families, where an elderly woman oversees the informal camp from a shipping container. Families share a single working toilet, walk several blocks to reach a shower, prepare meals in communal cooking areas, and use damaged vehicles covered with tarps to protect their remaining belongings from the elements.
A veteran of 10 international disaster responses, Glenn joined ShelterBox full time in 2025 after serving for 33 years with the Denton, Texas, Fire Department. He praised Venezuela’s Rotary network for providing critical logistical support, from securing visas and transportation to coordinating assessments and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid where it is needed most.
Hospice of Santa Barbara has appointed longtime volunteer and community advocate Mindy Denson to its Board of Directors, recognizing her decades of service to the organization and her extensive professional background. A Santa Barbara resident for more than 30 years, Denson began her career as a substance abuse counselor before moving into retail leadership with CHANEL, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Louis Vuitton.
Denson has supported Hospice of Santa Barbara since 2005, serving as an ambassador alongside her husband, Chris, helping organize fundraising events, contributing to the Heroes of Hospice auction, and volunteering with the nonprofit’s Light Up a Life committee. She said her years as a counselor reinforced the importance of compassionate care for people facing grief and serious illness, making board service a natural extension of her commitment to the organization.
Opera Santa Barbara has welcomed longtime arts advocate and Public Relations Executive Melody Ellison to its Board of Directors. Ellison has spent more than three decades supporting Santa Barbara’s cultural community through leadership, volunteerism, fundraising, and community engagement. She is the founder and principal of The Halo Group, a boutique public relations and special events firm specializing in lifestyle brands, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. Ellison has already played a significant role with Opera Santa Barbara, most recently serving as chair of the company’s annual gala, which became the best-attended and highest-grossing fundraiser in the organization’s history. She will return as gala chair for the upcoming season while also serving on the board, where she hopes to strengthen philanthropic support, expand educational opportunities, and further the company’s mission.
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria has appointed Das Williams, Ashley Smith Fraser, and Danielle Bordenave to its Board of Directors, effective July 2026. Executive Director Jamie Collins announced the additions, highlighting the diverse experience each brings to the organization.
A Girls Inc. parent and Carpinteria resident, Das Williams offers a background in public service and clean energy, along with firsthand insight into the impact of the organization’s programs. Ashley Smith Fraser, a pediatric dermatology nurse practitioner serving Ventura and Oxnard, also serves on the board of the Society of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners and brings healthcare expertise to the nonprofit. Danielle Bordenave, owner of SPARK45 Physical Therapy, has long supported Girls Inc.’s Eureka! college and career readiness program by hosting student externships. Her experience in fitness, wellness, and community engagement further strengthens the board.
Saturday & Sunday, August 8 & 9: Legends Futbol Academy U14 girls team and their families in raising money for equipment and more for their team
Saturday, August 15, Montecito youth and friends raising funds for the Dream Foundation
Saturday/Sunday August 22 & 23: Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
To sign up your organization, visit www.montecitocountrymart.com
With the success of their outdoor large-scale monitor in the center courtyard, the Montecito Country Mart announced that they will start Friday movie nights again this year. Start time is 6 pm.
September 4: Toy Story; September 11: Finding Nemo; September 18: Up; September 25: Lucca
Both La Ligne’s store manager and her assistant informed me they were fine and are rescheduling the opening for a later date. I met with Montecito Fire Department Battalion Chief Ben Hauser for the details. Hauser, “We have a vehicle in the toy shop, we had one individual that was injured and not transported. The driver was uninjured, everyone inside Toy Crazy at the time was uninjured, no one was transported from the scene. We have one issue with the structural members [of the building] being destroyed, so the SB Building Department is coming out to let us know if we need to shore that, and we have the ladder truck team who will be the ones to do that.”
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE
(Notice pursuant UCC Sec. 6105)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a bulk sale is about to be made
The name(s) and business address of the seller(s) is/are: VIA REAL PHYSICAL THERAPY INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION DBA CARP PHYSIO, 5432 CARPINTERIA AVE, CARPINTERIA, CA 93013
Doing Business as: CARP PHYSIO
All other business name(s) and address(es) used by the seller(s) within the past three years, as stated by the seller(s) is/ are: VIA REAL PHYSICAL THERAPY / CARP PHYSIO
The location in California of the chief executive office of the seller(s) is: SAME
The name(s) and address(es) of the buyer(s) is/are: PRECISION REHABILITATION & ORTHOPEDIC THERAPY, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, 701 W. CENTER AVE, VISALIA, CA 93291
The assets being sold are generally described as: FURNITURE, FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT, STOCK IN TRADE and are located at: 5432 CARPINTERIA AVE, CARPINTERIA, CA 93013
The bulk sale is intended to be consummated at the office of: STEWART TITLE OF CALIFORNIA, INC, 1200 CALIFORNIA ST, STE #120, REDLANDS, CA 92374 and the anticipated sale date is AUGUST 10, 2026
The bulk sale is subject to California Uniform Commercial Code Section 6106.2.
The name and address of the person with whom claims may be filed is: STEWART TITLE OF CALIFORNIA, INC, 1200 CALIFORNIA ST, STE #120, REDLANDS, CA 92374 ATTN: MARISOL VELASQUEZ, Escrow No.: 2965477 and the last day to file claims by any creditor shall be AUGUST 7, 2026 which is the business day prior to the anticipated sale date specified above. Dated: JULY 9, 2026
Buyer(s): PRECISION REHABILITATION & ORTHOPEDIC THERAPY, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
5326992-PP MONTECITO JOURNAL
7/23/26
JAC. Was James Rosenfield, the owner of the Montecito Country Mart, contacted? Hauser. His two onsite employees are here getting insurance statements, looking at the building, and contacting one of the contractors in order to close up the area where the store’s glass was that got destroyed.
JAC. Do we know at this time how the crash happened? Any question of substance abuse?
Hauser. We do not know at this time how it happened. I did see a video of the person pulling into the parking spot and then accelerating into the building. The person was evaluated for substances and talked to by SBPD. I didn’t see any outcome from that so my assumption would be no.
I next went to talk with third generation barber Tim Sanchez ,whose father founded Montecito Barbers (MB), and his fellow barber Steven. Both were busy with haircuts. Their shop is next door to the left of Toy Crazy. When I asked for their statement, they first pointed to a black and white photo from 1982 on their wall, showing a car having crashed into the shop. They said, “Because of that, metal poles were installed in front of the shops to prevent cars from crashing into the stores.”
JAC. Did you see the crash happen, where were you and your customers?
MB. It was kind of wild to watch. The car is a Lucid EV, so it’s one of those electrical vehicles and the torque on it is insane. The driver came into the parking space at a bad angle, and then she kind of corrected herself, and the torque and power from those electrical vehicles, it takes nothing, so she didn’t need any momentum, and she went through the protective metal pillar, and then the wooden pillar to the building, and went straight through into the toy shop. It’s a brand-new electric vehicle and you don’t need a lot of momentum,
the acceleration on those things goes faster. After it happened, I went outside and saw there was a gentleman on the ground inside the toy store. He was fine, and his little 4-or-5-year-old girl was on the other side of the store, completely fine. I walked him back through here, he was still pretty shaky, so I had him come in here with some A/C and put some cartoons on for him. He was fine with minor bumps and bruises on his legs. The woman driving the car with, I believe, her husband who was in the passenger seat, are outside right now. They are physically fine but obviously upset. The crash took out one of our vintage chairs from the 1970s and our exterior wooden barbershop pole got hit and tossed to the other side. There were people here inside waiting to get their hair cut, which they did and left. No disappointments, we are here to cut hair. We just want to say we are glad everyone is alright.
Next I talked a bit with Toy Crazy store employee Brooke who told me she was behind the counter when it happened, and the store manager, Melissa Moore was on vacation and returning home for the arrival of her daughter’s new baby, and now this news.
JAC. What happened?
Brooke. It was scary and everyone is safe and I think even the driver is safe. It’s sad that some toys are damaged but
it’s just toys. It’s going to be a hassle, but Melissa is strong and she knows what she’s doing. When it was happening I was shaken up for sure.
JAC. Was the car going fast?
Brooke. Yes. And there’s a lot of stuff outside that is pretty damaged, too. They knocked down that large pole and a metal pole, too. I heard, like, kind of a crash outside and then nothing happened, then like five seconds later the car was in the store. But everyone is safe, nobody was hit by the car. I don’t know how that was even possible. There were customers in the store, none by the front door or window.
Responding to the accident were Santa Barbara City Police, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Montecito Fire Department and the Santa Barbara City Building Inspector, along with Bob Holzer towing to remove the vehicle once all data points and photographs were taken by respective emergency teams. See the video at https://tinyurl.com/MJ-ToyCar-Removal
Still pending at the time of this report are statements from James Rosenfield and the SBPD, who deferred to their Public Information Officer. The driver of the vehicle was seated outside by the barber shop with what appeared to be family members and did not wish to comment on the incident.
MONTECITO FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOARD
The MONTECITO FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT has a vacancy on its Board of Directors. Persons interested in applying to fill the vacancy should know the following:
▪ An applicant must reside within the boundaries of the Montecito Fire Protection District and be a registered voter of the District. The district boundaries map can be found at montecitofire.com/district-boundariesmap
▪ The appointee must run in the General Elections in November 2026 to retain the appointed seat, and preference will be given to those willing to run.
▪ Regular Board of Directors meetings are held on the fourth Monday of every month beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Fire Station 91 located at 595 San Ysidro Road, Montecito, CA 93108. Directors are expected to be faithful in attendance.
▪ Directors are encouraged to serve on at least one Board Committee that meets monthly and may need to represent the District at other meetings.
▪ Education and experience in finance, business, strategic planning, or related fields are desirable.
▪ Interested persons should submit a cover letter with a detailed resume to the Montecito Fire Protection District at Station 91 no later than August 10, 2026 by 4:00 p.m.
▪ Interviews for the position will be conducted by the Board of Directors at a public meeting on August 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., with the appointment being made no later than September 7, 2026.
▪ Cover letters, resumes/statements of qualifications and requests for further information should be addressed to:
Brian Fallon, Fire Chief Montecito Fire Protection District 595 San Ysidro Road Montecito, CA 93108 (805) 969–2537
Documents can also be emailed to: cgodlis@montecitofire.com
Published July 16 and 30, 2026 // Montecito Journal
ORDER FOR PUBLICATION OF SUMMONS OR CITATION: CASE No. 26CV03632. Notice to Defendant: THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF MARIA ANTONIA LATAILLADE, DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF CAESAR E. LATAILLADE, DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF ORESTES J. ORENA, DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF ACACIA TERESA ORENA RICKARD, DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF DARIO ORENA, DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF ARTURO G. ORENA, DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; THE TESTATE AND INTESTATE SUCCESSORS OF SERENA ORENA DE KOCH,
DECEASED, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, OR UNDER SUCH DECEDENT; AND ALL PERSONS KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN THE GAP AREA DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT; and DOES 1 through 100, Inclusive, DEFENDANTS. You are being sued by Plaintiff: SABINO FAMILY RANCH LLC. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons is served on you to file a written response at the Superior Court of California, Santa Barbara, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default. If you lose, the court can order that your wages, money, or property be taken to pay this claim. Bring witnesses, receipts, and any evidence you need to prove your case. Name and address of the court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93121-1107 Filed July 21, 2026 by ROBERT MENDEZ, Deputy Clerk. Published July 30, August 6, 13, 20, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MI FIESTA LIQUOR & BEVERAGES, 833 N Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CALIFO 93103. YOBE-HANNA, 833 N Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CALIFO, 93103. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 13, 2026. 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. 2026-0001779. Published July 30, August 6, 13, 20, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MULTI-FAITH HARMONY COALITION, 1129 STATE STREET, 15, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. INTERFAITH INITIATIVE OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, 1129 STATE STREET 15, SANTA BARBARA, CA, 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 16, 2026. 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. 2026-0001824. Published July 23, 30, & August 6, 13, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOLETA AIRPORT PET HOSPITAL, 300 STORKE, GOLETA, CA 93117. PETVET CARE CENTERS (CALIFORNIA), INC, ONE GORHAM ISLAND, SUITE 300, WESTPORT, CT, 06880. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 13, 2026. 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. 2026-0001775. Published July 23, 30, & August 6, 13, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN ROQUE PET HOSPITAL, 3034 STATE STREET, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93105. PETVET CARE CENTERS (CALIFORNIA), INC, ONE GORHAM ISLAND, SUITE 300, WESTPORT, CT, 06880. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 13, 2026. 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. 2026-0001777. Published July 23, 30, & August 6, 13, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MONTECITO PET HOSPITAL, 1252 COAST VILLAGE CIRCLE, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93108.
PETVET CARE CENTERS (CALIFORNIA), INC, ONE GORHAM ISLAND, SUITE 300, WESTPORT, CT, 06880. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 13, 2026. 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. 2026-0001778. Published July 23, 30, & August 6, 13, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KARLA OVALLE DESIGN, 1255 Hager Ln, Buellton, CA 93427. CREATIVE KARLA LLC, 1255 Hager Ln, Buellton, CA 93427. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 10, 2026. 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. 2026-0001769. Published July 16, 23, 30, and August 6, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DAILY NOGIN, 16 Violet Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93117. TIFFANY S HYUN, PO BOX 6573, Santa Barbara, CA 93160. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 2, 2026. 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. 2026-0001710. Published July 9, 16, 23, 30, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MTG DIVORCE FAMILY LAW & AUTO ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS, 2058 Elise Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109. MTG LEGAL GROUP, APC, 2058 Elise Way 6573, Santa Barbara, CA 93109. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on July 6, 2026. 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. 2026-0001717. Published July 9, 16, 23, 30, 2026
ORDER FOR PUBLICATION OF SUMMONS OR CITATION: CASE No. 26CV03857. Notice to Defendant: Charlotte Frost. You are being sued by Plaintiff: Tami Chambers. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons is served on you to file a written response at the Superior Court of California, Santa Barbara, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default. If you lose, the court can order that your wages, money, or property be taken to pay this claim. Bring witnesses, receipts, and any evidence you need to prove your case. Name and address of the court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 931211107. Filed June 30, 2026 by Nicolette Barnard, Deputy Clerk. Published July 9, 16, 23, 30, 2026
Mail Theft / 600 block Olive Road
Sunday, July 12, at 10:01 hours
The reporting party called to report possible stolen packages that she saw on her walk on Olive Road. The officer located the opened packages and returned them to their rightful owners. The victims of the stolen packages did not desire prosecution. One of the victim’s security guards had noted that he had seen the suspect and his vehicle when one of the packages was stolen.
Outstanding Warrant / HWY101/Santa Claus Lane
Sunday, July 12, at 22:21 hours
Subject was stopped for speeding through a construction zone. During the stop it was discovered that he had a $60K warrant for his arrest out of Glendale. They were willing to extradite. He was arrested and booked on the outstanding warrant.
Missing Person / Montecito Inn, Coast Village Road
Sunday, July 12, at 02:15 hours
Subject was contacted in front of the Montecito Inn and during that contact it was discovered she was a missing person from SBPD. Officers called the number listed in the report, but it went to voicemail. That phone number was then texted in order to share that the subject had been found. Subject stated she wanted to go to the hospital, and an ambulance was summoned on her behalf. She was transported and she was removed from MUPS (Missing and Unidentified Persons Section) database. SBPD was notified but did not respond regarding further investigation.
Indecent Exposure / 1200 block Channel Drive
Monday, July 13, at 08:39 hours
Deputies responded to a report of subjects exposing themselves to each other on Butterfly Beach. The subjects were contacted, and three of the five contacted were found to be publicly intoxicated. The three suspects were arrested and transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail.
Theft / 700 block Buena Vista Drive
Monday, July 13, at 16:26 hours
The reporting party called to relate that his Patek Philippe watch, valued at $100,000, was stolen. The reporting party (RP) was not certain whether it had been stolen by an ex-employee or simply misplaced by RP. Due to his uncertainty, law enforcement was unable to determine whether a crime had been committed. An incident report will be written on the matter for documentation.
Beached Vessel / 1100 block Channel Drive
Tuesday, July 14, at 18:04 hours
A 30-foot sailboat, Riches to Rags, was unoccupied and anchored in the open ocean area known as “Fools Anchorage” just offshore of Butterfly Beach. Somehow the vessel broke away from its anchor and was washed to the beach by the ocean current and beached across from 1100 Blk Channel Drive in Montecito. The owner was notified and so was Harbor Patrol, Coast Guard, and Heal the Ocean. Tagging/citation of the vessel was delayed due to the high tide.
Beached Vessel / 1200 block Channel Drive
Wednesday, July 15, at 09:00 hours
Beached vessel from night shift was tagged when tides were lower. It was tagged with a trespass warning and Notice to Remove, with instructions to contact the Carpinteria Lieutenant. Coast Guard pointed out that the mast from the sailboat swayed into traffic on Channel Drive and Sgt. Green coordinated with CHP to have the area where it protruded coned off.
with Salesforce, which the college uses to manage customer data.
The team executes this integration with n8n, a workflow automation tool embedded with artificial intelligence. “AI can bridge the gap and smooth over any differences between the two software programs,” says student engineer Aaron Wu (‘27). He notes that the environment offers unprecedented networking opportunities, including access to people in the industry at Westmont’s annual Lead Where You Stand conference.
International student Heritier Kayabo (‘28), who returned for his second consecutive year managing form migrations and documentation, says the experience has been transformative.
“It gave me an idea of how the American corporate environment works,” Kayabo says. “It’s an opportunity to identify and improve on what I did last year.”
Elias Leon (‘27) navigates his first fulltime technology internship by updating older systems to faster, more efficient cloud services. “Learning different tech stacks and using AI tools helps me advance professionally,” he says.
Ryan Magnuson (‘27), a third-year veteran of the lab, works with Leon and rewrites legacy code. He credits his liberal arts background for his technical agility. “Westmont academics make you pretty multifaceted,” he said. “When you’re studying all these GEs you’ve got to adapt.”
The upcoming sixth annual Impact Conference will display the culmination of the cohort’s intense summer labor on Friday, July 31, from 7 am to 1:15 pm at Westmont’s Global Leadership Center. Keynote speakers include Alison Lee of the Rithm Project and Charles Ryu, founder of Freedom Bridge. Attendees will also hear from student innovators demonstrating the software solutions they built during the summer. For more information, please visit westmont.edu/ center-applied-technology/impact-conference
identify our strengths, discover areas we need to improve, and prepare for the season in ways you normally can’t.”
The Warriors, who stay in an Olympic Village-style compound alongside global teams, will prioritize cultural immersion over court performance alone. “That shared experience is something you really can’t explain the value of until you’re a part of it,” Leslie says. “It expands their worldview and puts them in situations where they’re uncomfortable, and that’s where tremendous growth happens.”
The overseas flight is a first for many of the players, but veteran guard Braedon Bigott competed in the BLIA Cup while a player with Midwestern State University. “My first experience in Taiwan was packed with lifelong memories,” Bigott says. He is encouraging his current teammates to try different things without hesitating. “Whether that’s the food, activities or learning a bit of their language, the best way to get the full experience is to embrace their culture,” he says.
Leslie is familiar with the tournament as well, having won two BLIA Cup championships.
“There are outstanding teams in this event, and there will be players who go on to play professionally. We want to test ourselves now so we’re prepared for the games that matter most later in the season.”
Westmont men’s basketball competes in a memorable cross-cultural athletic exchange in Taiwan from July 28 to August 2. The Warriors open the fivegame BLIA Cup tournament against teams from the Brian Kerle Basketball Academy of Australia, the University of Tsukuba in Japan, and the Hou Chon Sports Club of Macau, China.
“It’s a tremendous head start on the season,” says second-year head coach Justin Leslie. “We’ll get the opportunity to practice together and play five games against really good teams before most programs even play their first scrimmage. It gives us a chance to
Days is built on the great shoulders of many earlier events in our history.”
One million memories, now safely in good hands – and in Hattie’s stories. by
Lisa Duncan
Supporters of the Society of California Pioneers as well as Bohemian Grove members gathered last week at the Santa Barbara Club to tour the clubhouse and view the impressive California art collection.
Regional Director Keith Moore and Pioneers board member Vicki Englert welcomed guests to the Santa Barbara
Club which was founded in 1892. Former President John Doordan led a tour of the building, which is on the United States historic register. Guests flew down from the Bay Area for the week to immerse themselves in the history of our beautiful city.
Founded in 1850, the Society of California Pioneers, based in San Francisco, is comprised of those families who have resided in California since pre-statehood. The Society of California Pioneers maintain a museum for statewide scholarly research as well as presenting exhibitions on California history and regional art.
After the tour, luncheon members then were led on a private tour of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum by Moore, a former board member and docent chair. Maria McCall and
An oil portrait of Harriet Belcher MD, Santa Barbara’s first female physician. A tour participant recognized her as the great grandmother of their Bay Area friend. They said the resemblance was striking! (courtesy photo)
Beverly Cavaliere graciously hosted the lunch on Emma’s patio at the club and entertained guests with the
The Society of California Pioneers and Bohemian Grove members gathered last week at the Santa Barbara Club (courtesy photo)
history of Santa Barbara’s Fiesta which goes back over 100 years. Historic postcards were gifted to the members attending, which date back to the 1940s and depict the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, another local regional landmark. by Keith Moore
Simon Cowell and his leading lady Lauren Silverman were spotted dining alfresco on Coast Village Road last weekend, lingering over dinner as they enjoyed one of Montecito’s picture-perfect summer evenings… Meghan Markle and Martha Stewart proved that timeless style knows no age – or title. Martha was spotted wearing J.Crew’s $98 iconic rollneck sweater and Meghan chose the same classic while flower shopping this weekend, pairing it with Anine Bing jeans and Veronica Beard loafers… Rick Caruso is taking the Miramar name beyond Montecito, unveiling the first images of his glamorous new Miramar Lake Club, near Thousand Oaks, a waterfront escape where championship golf, refined dining, and luxury hospitality come together in signature Caruso style.
From Richard and Friends to all of you… Pip! Pip!
by Steven Libowitz
‘Frozen’ Melting Away – PCPA’s big-production musical for the summer recreates ice castles and snowmen on the stage of the Festival Theatre for its presentation of Broadway hit Frozen, the Musical. The story of royal sisters Elsa and Anna in the kingdom of Arendelle, with the charming Kristoff, his loyal companion Sven the Reindeer and the jolly snowman Olaf, is upgraded from the animated film with expanded music – including 10 new original songs by the film’s composers. The stage production also features deeper character psychology and some altered plot elements. Advanced digital LED screens, elaborate costumes and clever stage trickery add to the charm in this adaptation of a Scandinavian folk tale. This production of ‘Frozen’ also marks the last directing role for Mark Booher, the departing artistic director and Dean of the Pacific Conservatory Theatre, who will be succeeded by former PCPA resident artist Valerie Rachelle for the fall season and thereafter.
WHEN: 8 pm nightly through August 2
WHERE: Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd Street, Solvang COST: $25-$73
INFO: (805) 922-8313 or www.pcpa.org
Music at the Ranch – The Tuesday night concert series on the grounds of Goleta’s Stow House, aka Rancho La Patera, offers perhaps the most picturesque environs of any of the festival sites. The tree-lined and variably shaded space with lush green backdrop is adjacent to Lake Los Carneros, and boasts farm animals – at the moment a bunch of young goats eager to have their ears scratched and to be fed through the chain link fence. Blankets and chairs recommended, and food and drink can be brought in or bought at food trucks and stands. This week (8/4): The appropriately Goleta-based band known as The Nombres, who play rock, country and R&B with a Latin twist, perfect for the night before Fiesta begins. Next up
Summer Screenings in Sunken Gardens – Downtown is the destination for free Friday film buffs via UCSB Arts & Lectures’ annual series of screenings outdoors under the stars at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens. Besides the spectacular setting for picnicking, pre-screening festivities include carefully curated musical playlists, which makes sense since the theme for the 15th season is Mixtapes & Misfits, focusing on offbeat coming-of-age stories with soaring soundtracks. This week (July 31): The early Wes Anderson effort Rushmore, a sharp, offbeat comingof-age comedy in which an eccentric prep-school outsider navigates friendship, ambition, and an unlikely love triangle with wit, style, and surprising heart. Next week (August 7): On hiatus for Fiesta
WHEN: 8:30 pm
WHERE: Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens, 1100 Anacapa St.
COST: free
INFO: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu
FRIDAY,
Graceland Goes to SOhO – Tina Schlieske, the Minnesota born-andraised rocker and now a deeply ensconced Montecito resident, wears a lot of different musical hats, ranging from punk rock singer and slashing guitarist to cultured crooner of Great American Songbook favorites. Her Minneapolis Americana-rock band Tina and the B-Sides sold a lot of records back in the day, and Schlieske still heads back to the twin cities for regular gigs, while her West Coast-based band known as the Graceland Exiles are also a genre-busting, boundary crossing outfit that plays everything from classic R&B to new wave and more. That’s who she’ll be fronting at the enduring Santa Barbara restaurant/nightclub, and it must be said; a more completely enthralling live band experience you won’t find. You’ll have to wait ‘til winter for Schlieske’s softer side, including her annual holiday show at the Lobero on December 12.
WHEN: 8 pm
WHERE: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, 1221 State Street
COST: $18 in advance, $25 at the door
INFO: (805) 962-7776 or www.sohosb.com
(8/11): The Doublewide Kings, the originally Montecito-based “dad band” who now play every conceivable venue in town and rock out on the classics like nobody’s fathers I know.
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 pm
WHERE: Stow House, 304 North Los Carneros Rd.
COST: free
INFO: (805) 681-7216 or www.goletahistory.org
THURSDAY, JULY 30-SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
OPC’s Play-cation – The 29th annual Ojai Playwrights Conference New Works Festival is among the most respected play development programs in America, having nurtured numerous Broadway, off-Broadway and/or Pulitzer Prize-winning plays including the Tony-winning musical Fun Home, Other Desert Cities, and Caroline, or Change. This year’s crop of professionally staged readings is the culmination of a two-week conference that includes panel conversations with the playwrights and other events open to the public, and features three dramatic works in Jaclyn Backhaus’ The Collectivists, Keith Bunin’s The Loyal Opposition and Harrison David Rivers’ Except That It Is God plus two comedies in Mat Smart’s The Last Nun at Lake Leaf Monastery and Grace McLeod’s Closing Costs
WHEN: Today-August 2
WHERE: Milligan Center for the Performing Arts at The Thacher School, 5025 Thacher Rd., Ojai
COST: All single tickets are pay-what-you-can; passes $80-$200
INFO: www.ojaiplays.org
FRIDAY, JULY 31
Dessert with Mozart – The third installment in the periodic series – keeping the late, lamented Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra alive several years after its ultimate demise – brings another immersive musical experience; one that adds conversation, rehearsal, and Q&A (never mind the tasty treats!) to an intimate performance at the Lobero Theatre. The much-heralded longtime SBCO music director, conductor and violist Heiichiro Ohyama reteams with former Chamber Orchestra musicians Timothy Durkovic (piano), Elizabeth Hedman (violin), and Trevor Handy (cello) in the
Wish That I had… – If only pure pop joy was all that comes up about Rick Springfield, the Australian-American singer-songwriter and actor. Springfield soared to the top of the charts 45 years ago with “Jessie’s Girl,” the insanely catchy pop tune chronicling unrequited love, sexual frustration, and painful, obsessive jealousy over a friend’s significant other. But ever since seeing him rip every remotely noble notion of that song to shreds in his (admittedly hilarious) role as himself cast as a misogynistically dominating sex fiend in Californication, it’s hard to hear the song in the same, well, light. Of course, I still turn it up and sing along when it comes on the radio (yes, I still have one in my car) or Spotify playlist, and four-plus decades down the road the guy still sings the ever loving you-know-what out of “Jessie’s Girl.” We’re also sure to hear early favorites “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Love Is Alright Tonight,” and “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” as well as more recent material when Springfield, still oozing sexuality at 76, plays the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom. But those scenes from the TV show keep playing over in my head, too.
WHEN: 8 pm
WHERE: 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez
COST: $65-$80
INFO: (800) CHUMASH (248-6274) or www.chumashcasino.com
event’s first half as they prepare the first movement of Mozart’s “Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, K. 478.” Guests get to observe their trial and error as the artists dissect the score, experiment with interpretation, and uncover their collective choices in Mozart’s manuscript before engaging in a Q&A session guided by Miho Ito. During intermission dessert is served on the esplanade, sweetening the palate for the performance of all three movements of Mozart’s delectable work, with an enhanced perspective having experienced the creative preparation firsthand.
WHEN: 7 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.
COST: $45 ($75 premium tickets includes preferred seating and a pre-show reception with complimentary drinks and light bites)
INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.org
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
Flamenco Fiesta – With Santa Barbara annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta just around the corner, both SOhO and Center Stage Theatre are hosting flamenco events tonight. Flamenco! Santa Barbara’s Tablao SOhO is a fiery evening of Spanish music and dance with artists María Bermúdez – who is also artistic director, has helped to popularize the style of Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, which recently honored her with the distinction of Embajadora del Flamenco de Jerez
– along with Manuel Gutiérrez (choreography, dance), José Cortés (Gypsy singer), Andres Vadin (guitarist) and friends. More details at www.Flamencosb.org… Simultaneously, the Flamenco Arts Festival is screening Bailaora – Mis Pies Son Mi Voz, a documentary that explores the life, artistry and international career of acclaimed flamenco dancer and choreographer Siudy Garrido. The film offers a compelling look at the dedication, perseverance, and creativity behind one of today’s leading flamenco artists who will (just inidentally) perform live next weekend at the Flamenco Arts Festival Gala at the Lobero Theatre on August 7. WHEN: 8 pm both events
WHERE: Tablao: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, 1221 State Street, upstairs in Victoria Court; Bailaora: Center Stage Theatre, 751 Paseo Nuevo, second floor COST: Tablao: $40 in advance, $50 at the door; Bailaora: free INFO: 805) 962-7776/www.sohosb.com and (805) 963-0408/https://centerstagetheater.org
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
Sadako Peace Day – Sadako Sasaki was a child of two years old in Hiroshima at the time of that Japanese city’s atomic bombing. She died 10 years later from radiation-induced leukemia. Her story touched children in Japan and eventually around the world, who have been folding paper cranes as an international symbol of peace based on the Japanese legend that one’s wish will be granted upon folding 1,000 paper cranes. A statue of Sadako now stands in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where millions of paper cranes are placed every year. For more than three decades, the Santa Barbara-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has held an event on Sadako’s birthday to remember the tragic story of Sasaki and all of the other victims of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as to honor physician and nuclear abolition advocate Dr. Jimmy Hara. All are invited to this year’s Peace Day taking place at the Sadako Peace Garden at La Casa De Maria to pay tribute to the victims, reflecting on the tragedies of the past to inform and build a future free of nuclear weapons. Community paper crane folding and reflections are accompanied by live music and poetry readings dedicated to global peace and nuclear disarmament. Space is limited and RSVP by July 30 is required.
WHEN: 6 pm
WHERE: La Casa De Maria, 800 El Bosque Rd., Montecito
COST: free
INFO: www.wagingpeace.org
This entertainment calendar is a subjective sampling of arts and entertainment events taking place in the Santa Barbara area for the next seven days or so. It is by no means comprehensive. Please also see my feature stories elsewhere in this issue for more events. In order to be considered for inclusion in this calendar, please submit information – including hi-res photos –by 12 noon Wednesday eight days prior to publication date. Email: slibowitz@yahoo.com.
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Openings now available for Children & Adults. Piano Lessons in our Studio or your Home. Call or Text Kary Kramer (805) 453-3481
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3 events | Save 20% Meow Meow Feline Festive
Tue, Dec 1 / 7:30 PM / Lobero Theatre
The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O’Connor
Directed and Choreographed by Sonya Tayeh A Joyce Theater and Factory International Production
Wed, Jan 20 / 7:30 PM / Lobero Theatre
Gravity & Other Myths
Ten Thousand Hours
Sun, May 2 / 7 PM / Granada Theatre
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