Recent Comments

Amidst all the fake news out there, thanks, Erik, for reporting the real stuff. It takes people like you out there with real eyes and ears, keen editorial judgment, copy-editing and fact-checking skills, and hard work pounding the pavement to keep us informed. It's not an easy task, and you do it so well.

"Then greedy property owners were happy to leave spaces vacant until they got their absurd asking rates." - you know not of what you speak apzer.

Enjoyed the Garcia loop article where I saw my childhood piano teacher's house, my Ford Think mechanic's house, and others I've admired over the years. I hope to someday see articles about your travels on different parts of the Westside , home to many delightful homes and stories.

Jeff…… are you seriously proposing that the city get involved deciding if someone can open a business?? You are so wrong and the thought of anyone believing that’s a good idea is ridiculous. R.

I had gone to this Indian restaurant near an entrance to Victoria Court right after it opened. I told them, I'm new to the Cuisine. I said, I would like a dish for lunch, and to go. I dam near fainted, when I was handed a check for over $50.00. Of course, they are out of business! Maybe the City should get involved, with making sure, aspiring wannabe entrepreneur's, possess at the least, a viable business plan. It could eventually limit the many vacant store fronts downtown. And one other thing: Call off this 5-year experiment, and open State Street back-up to normal traffic.

So over Jeannine’s! We need a solid breakfast place that actually offers quality coffee. Not sure who provides them with their coffee but it’s terrible! You can do better Jeannine’s!

Not too surprised about Namaste, there were 5 Indian restaurants just on lower state (Bibi Ji across the street and Indian Tandori Kitchen less than 2 blocks away)

Would you refresh our memories regarding the Upper Manning Park tennis court demo-what’s the plan? Thank you

Don’t throw stones… you misspelled some above - “Could it be Tesla turned them off for sone unknown purpose.”

Juice Ranch also sells the yummy Super Mallows.

I would dispute much of what you posted. For 21 years I've lived right down the street from the tree but my first time seeing it was in 1981. The tree is in perfect health and location to live happily for decades to come. Unlike the tree in LA that you linked to. That tree was in a plaza, most likely surrounded by pavement, not wood chips and lawn like our tree. The trees on Milpas are not Morton Bay fig trees, they are commonly known as Indian Laurel, yes both are Ficus, but not the same. And since you brought it up I've also noticed the amount of abuse the Milpas trees suffer. Entire branches torn off by trucks over the years and the trees don't seem to mind. They are planted in the most awful location on sidewalks surrounded by pavement. Again, they seem perfectly happy and in no danger from Ecoterrorism. . . I believe. You could drive a truck into the side of the Morton Bay fig and it would be fine, the truck, not so much. I would prefer no fence of any kind around the tree, like it used to be. Some people like to go to church and worship, I like to walk under and sit between the giant raised roots. It's more my kind of church. It should be open at all times.

‘Decorative’ for the purpose of this proposed fence means a security protective fence for the HISTORIC TREE to prevent willful or negligent ecoterrorism. It would be a shame to lose the 120+ year old tree and the largest of its kind in the USA. Last week the city started removing these trees along Milpas because they could not manage the related infrastructure costs around its large root expansion. In 2019 a similarly aged tree fell in Los Angeles, we want to protect the tree quickly, not waste time and energy deliberating the style of fencing. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-pueblo-tree-falls-20190309-story.html If you spend any time along that block of Montecito Street there is a hobo camp feel to it. The park managed by the City Parks dept is known simply as ‘Moreton Bay Fig Tree’. It welcomes the Amtrak travelers to downtown Santa Barbara. No doubt the area should be cleaned up and the tree should be protected, but please consider the cities need for security around the ‘tree protection zone’ and promptness to this important historical and heritage tree and it’s proximity to both a high traffic and high vagrancy area. It’s sad the city has come to this where it can’t afford to continue to protect and maintain its many parks (or house its own people)-let alone valuable historical assets. The fence as proposed is an immediate improvement to the rental temporary chain link fence which has been used in the past. In November our new city manager Kelly Macadoo responded quickly to those who wanted to see the temporary fence removed, this proposal shows a willingness to address problems quickly and effectively and should not be punted back to design brainstorming at risk of losing the tree for the reasons and rationale originally stated to fence off the area-which is still not addressed: homeless parking and encampments in the west beach neighborhood. (https://keyt.com/lifestyle/community/2024/11/13/park-setting-next-to-the-famous-santa-barbara-fig-tree-reopens/) Please don’t let design perfection prevent prudent progress for a city department that is already overstretched financially. PS Is Shelton the only creative/designer (or iron/metal worker) in Santa Barbara you can think of? We have many contributing artists and craftspeople here in our community.