September 5, 2024
News Roundup
The Debate Over Rent Control in Santa Barbara
Other recent news: A rise in stolen checks; vintage shop updates; Lucidity Festival is shutting down for good; Goleta likely to lower speed limits; Platform Holly has been plugged; the county's agricultural enterprise ordinance moves forward; Eric Goode's huge Ojai spread; positive feedback for the proposed Tri-County Produce project; SBCC wants a bond extension; the Surfliner Inn's slow progress. 31
August 29, 2024
August 22, 2024
Opening Date for the Santa Barbara Public Library Plaza
Other recent news: The eight-story building proposed near the Mission; a bit of intel on the buyers of the former St. Anthony's Seminary complex; President Biden and his family are vacationing in the Santa Ynez Valley; feedback on the plaza to replace Franceschi House; Moody Sisters cottages istreated; the new Tilly Timms souvenir store; California Highway Patrol issued a ton of speeding tickets; driver crashes car and flees on skateboard. 5
August 15, 2024
A Chilly Reception for the Biltmore’s Family Pool Complex
Other recent news: The arrogance of the U.S. Space Force; beach grooming debate; UCSB chancellor Henry Yang will step down; the candidates for Santa Barbara's city council; the men behind the street names near the airport; questions about the Lobero Theatre's proposed expansion; downtown condo owners caught in the new Community Benefit Improvement District; Refugio State Beach reopened; dreaming big about the former U.S. Bank branch on State Street. 5
August 1, 2024
Will a Hotel Ban Fix Santa Barbara’s Housing Problem?
Other recent news: Discussion over county agritourism changes; Santa Ynez Valley radio station now part of KCLU; the heads of Cottage Health and Direct Relief are retiring; Gaviota Coast Conservancy and El Capitan Canyon campground come to an agreement. 11
July 25, 2024
Aggressive Invasive Ants Discovered in Montecito
Other recent news: Santa Barbara is thinking about spending money on an economic development plan; downtown building could become apartments; Mesa residents are concerned about Elings Park fire risk; Carpinteria's Soap store is closing; the tree of the month; push to turn Carpinteria's former Rite Aid into a community center; miserable Casa Dorinda resident Renée Templeraud. 14
July 18, 2024
The State Street Advisory Committee Can’t Reach a Consensus
Other recent news: Progress on containing the Lake Fire; popular campgrounds suffered little fire damage; Santa Barbara and Goleta working together on airport noise; back-in angled parking in Old Town Goleta; this year's Fiesta celebration won't include a carnival; the folks hoping to build on Hot Springs Trail share their point of view. 25
July 11, 2024
The Vons Store in Turnpike Center Might Close
Other recent news: An update on the Lake Fire; the Ukrainian corner in San Roque; how SpaceX gets its way with government agencies; Parma Park's new trails; the county Planning Commission finally insisted on carbon scrubbers; the wildlife crossing under construction in Agoura Hills. 3
June 27, 2024
Inching Toward a Decision on the State Street Promenade
Other recent news: A business improvement district for downtown Santa Barbara; apartment complexes proposed for the Lower Riviera and near Cottage Hospital; Refugio State Beach should reopen early this summer; the Waterman hotel in the Funk Zone has been rebranded; update on the Las Alturas house falling down the hillside; hidden camera found in landscaping; the tree of the month. 11
June 19, 2024
Refugio State Beach Is Closed Indefinitely
Other recent news: Professional soccer team to play at UCSB stadium; Santa Barbara Unified School District teachers' strike tentatively averted; county supervisors wrestle with the cannabis tax mess; Highway 101 construction above Ventura is done; seed money to try and buy Carpinteria Bluffs land slated for development; Santa Cruz Market sold; new hat shop in Carpinteria. 2
Burning Questions
- What Are Those Old Buildings at the Corner of Castillo and Montecito Streets?
- When Will the Coast Village Road Medians Be Completed?
- What’s This Scaffold Structure on Las Positas Road?
- Why Does Street Striping Take So Long to Happen?
- Why Do Rocket Launches Look the Way They Do?
- How Is the San Ysidro Debris Basin Designed to Work?
- What’s This Building on Helena Avenue?
Recent Comments
Does the Après Ski party include a lift ticket? — Heidi Smith
Bravo, Music Academy of the West! — Deborah David
Santa Barbara Museum of Art gift shop has moved upstairs. Still a great place to shop with lots of Impressionist merchandise to match the GREAT… — LG
This is the box outside of Ca’ Dario at the corner of Anacapa and Victoria. — Mike
Renaming the post office and spending $500 k to do it. Is another great example tax payers money being wasted. — Dan Kolodziejski
Hallelujah! The return of that Southbound on-ramp is long overdue — Tammy
You've done a great thing for the hapless men of Santa Barbara with this series. Stopping by half of these stores. — Andy
The post office renaming will cost roughly $500,000 paid for by the USPS internal funds from stamps and fees. — Derek
Thank you, Erik, for reminding your readers to support local businesses; it is one of the critical ways to help our communities thrive. (I laughed… — Pat
I agree about the skimpy wine pour. However, we loved the shared entrees (chicken and salmon) with their special rice. Yes there were leftovers but… — ElizabethW