••• Macy’s will close around 65 stores by the end of January. The locations have yet to be announced; don’t be surprised if the La Cumbre Plaza one is on the list. —Fast Company
••• “Congress pushed forward legislation that notes space launch noise effects on nearby residents and calls for the Department of Defense to mitigate the impact of sonic booms and other disturbances,” reports Noozhawk. “Rep. Salud Carbajal […] sought the language amid a boost in SpaceX launches from Vandenberg and complaints about the noise. […] The lawmakers simply noted the impact and offers a suggestion but stops short of requiring action.” It’s a start. My issue is not living near a Space Force base, but the way that the military is providing cover for a private business, allowing it to run roughshod over the California Coastal Commission—and, even worse, refusing to engage with the community. Something of this magnitude, and this disruptive, needs guardrails, especially when SpaceX is talking about a launch every three or four days. What’s to stop the company from doing it every day? (By the way, J. suggested I remind people that you can sign up for alerts about upcoming launches—although, she said, “some of the SpaceX launches are not ‘alerted’ until until afterwards, which I don’t think was the case a year ago.”
••• Meanwhile, “the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife announced […] that it will be holding three public in-person meetings this January regarding the ever-expanding launch ‘cadences’ now taking place at Vandenberg. These meetings will be held January 14-16, 5-8 p.m., first in Ventura, then at the Westside Neighborhood Committee in Santa Barbara, and last at the Dick DeWees Community Center in Lompoc. In addition, a fourth hearing will be held virtually on January 23. At issue is the scope of the environmental impact statement that Fish & Wildlife has taken upon itself to prepare: in other words, what issues need to be addressed and what impacts and mitigations should be considered.” —Independent (the article is also a good overview of the Vandenberg/SpaceX situation)
••• Union Pacific says that one recent instance of railroad-crossing arms failing to rise was due to vandals (likely stealing copper); whether that’s the case for other failures is unclear. —Noozhawk
••• “Surfliner Inn Wins Preliminary Approval from Carpinteria Architectural Review Board […] Next steps include an environmental impact report and review by the city’s Planning Commission.” —Noozhawk
••• A profile of The Horse Project Santa Barbara, a “Santa Barbara–based nonprofit organization [that] has devoted itself to bettering the lives of abandoned, abused, and neglected horses.” —Independent
••• From a press release on Noozhawk: “Non-emergency offices in the city of Santa Barbara will be closed in observance of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, Monday, December 23, through Sunday, January 5.” Nice work if you can get it. UPDATE: Meredith says it’s a furlough without pay, which changes things….
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Love your “noisy SpaceX run by Trump ally” needs to “curtail its nuisance associated launches” followed by brief about trains- remember when people used to moan about them? They’re still riding the rails. Planes still taking off & landing. What about the new helicopter tours? How are they getting by without upsetting folks? Good luck!
Why do I get the feeling that if Musk stayed a Democrat we’d see articles here about the benefits of what he’s putting into space and the massive technological improvements his company(ies) have made? But no, we’d rather stifle these benefits in as much red-tape as possible because of his politics.
Why do you get the feeling? Because simpletons need simple answers. So they make one up…
Or it was gas? Ask your ex-wife.
Either way, Musk didnt become a Republican for policy or ideology. Nope. He saw a opportunity to buy the POTUS and manipulate his way to Mars via the most easily swayed, corrupted and idiotic man (men) in American political history.
It’s all a part of the most glaring and open corruption in American history. And people like you cheer for it, with an exclamation point.
If you only knew…
It might benefit you to cut back on the tin foil useage bro! Merry Christmas!
You really have to have your head deep into the sand to believe what you just wrote. If you only knew…
I don’t know, man, maybe it’s you that has his head in the sand. No doubt Elon Musk is a genius at innovation who has brought tremendous products into the world, and he deserves credit for that. But he and his money now have undue influence over our government. He single-handedly killed the funding bill two days ago, and now you have multiple members of Congress saying that he (an unelected tech bro) should be Speaker of the House, second-in-line to the presidency. But hey, the price of eggs, am I right?
Planes have a schedule that doesn’t affect people’s sleep! These sonic booms are often in the middle of the night. They disrupt everyone
The county office closure is a furlough, so all the employees being affected are given a forced leave without pay during the holidays, not exactly a vacation. https://www.noozhawk.com/state-budget-cuts-force-furloughs-reduced-court-clerk-office-hours/
Yeah “Nice work if you can get it”? This website just recycles other websites reporting, not exactly groundbreaking work being done here.
Last I checked the intent of Siteline is to be a clever perspective on all things Santa Barbara…from news to noshes and in between. As far as I can tell, at no point did Erik purport to be the Edward R Murrow of the American Riviera. I for one thoroughly enjoy his discerning eye and take on happenings from the silly to the sublime.
Thanks for pointing that out—I added a note to the post.
The link provided by Meredith is referring to County Court offices, not city of SB. I don’t know where I read this but the article said city employees can take unused PTO and vacation days so they will still be getting paid for the two weeks off.
I’m sure people complained just the same about trains, cars, and planes when they became commonplace as well.
Ultimately, there have been rocket launches from Vandenberg since the 1950s. One thing I can say for sure is that the space force base won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. I think it’s probably a safe bet to assume theyll be launching daily or even more frequently in the near future.
My take is that I’m fine being woken up at 3 am for national security launches. We live near one of the two good launch sites in the country. As some rightly point out, we chose to live here and Vandenberg was here long before me.
I’m less ok with an increase from what was maybe 3 national security or space superiority launches a year historically to twice a week or every day, with the majority being to bolster a private company’s bottom line. I’d vote to ban launches during nighttime hours for purely private for-profit purposes. As far as I’m concerned, shareholders can wait for a daytime launch window. Not trying to debate it, just saying which way my vote would go.
Whether Starlink would be used exclusively for the purposes of US and allies’ defense in a conflict is an important question I wish we knew the answer to.
I’m genuinely curious. For those who are against any restrictions. Imagine one or more launches every night – and not just Elon. Let’s say they’re coming from 10 companies and competing satellite networks or whatever. Maybe Cox is putting one up. Whichever billionaire you hate the most has their own company now too… Soros. There are multiple sonic booms at 3 am every week. I think it would really affect my ability to work during the day. For those who are ok with it, help me get it. Are you in an area where you can hear them, and would bring woken up at 3 am not affect your job performance and overall sanity?
I can see why someone who isn’t affected would take the “screw you I don’t care” position, but hard to see how anyone in my neighborhood wouldn’t think this’ll be a problem if it reaches the hypothetical point I describe. I’ve heard the “I’m getting enjoyment out of all you whiners’ anguish” argument, I’m really trying to get from someone who’s actually affected why we should be ok with this profiteering waking us up every night, if it comes to that.
I also admit that two nighttime wake ups does not a crisis make. But you can see where it could go eventually. We can cross the bridge when we get there I suppose.
Well said, I was sleeping lightly at 3:40-ish this morning when I heard a rumbling sound, then some minutes later by a muffled BOOM. Not nearly as loud as the 5am blast from last week.
I’ve lived here for four decades and I have loved watching every launch that occurred just after sunset. I’ll take 100 of those over these nighttime launches that only Elon gets richer by.
I agree, it is BS they have to launch in the middle of the night. I was woken up by this last launch too, and the sonic boom with re-entry sounded like the wicked witch landed on top of my tile roof. Launch in the wake time hours!!!
As Prez Musk is moving his busisnesses (X and SpaceX’s headquarters ) out of CA to TX in reaction to Newsome’s law regarding Transgender children make him take the rocket launches with him or tax the sh*t out of it.
Have your Mom proofread your posts hon, she has a few moments free after writing the checks for your rent, your groceries, your utilities and your past faux pas #vivaislavista
Pony – a coffee shop trying for upscale dining. Overpriced. And now they charge you for a coffee refill- that must cost them 10 cents but charges me $2.70 for half a cup refill.
Time will tell- I haven’t been in there for years as I love The Baker’s Table, so my coffee/baked good/eats are covered. I imagine the huge numbers of “hill people” ( those who do not cook for themselves) in the SYV will take to this immediately, and should the fickle crew not like it, we’ll see changes occur in the menu/pricing
Christine, with the exclamation point!!, I’m responding you comment above, “Have your Mom proofread your posts hon, . . ”
It’s almost Christmas, why the negativity? How about the Nativity?