••• Newsmakers shared an update from Ben Romo, “a partner in a philanthropic effort to secure and preserve the archives of the Santa Barbara News-Press for community benefit,” which ended up going to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. “We inadvertently also ended up owning the assets necessary to restart the News-Press as a business: the trademark, domains, social media accounts, and copyrights to the digital archives.” So they decided to “donate the News-Press as a business to […] a relatively new nonprofit organization called Newswell, which is affiliated with Arizona State University” (and appears to be pronounced “news well,” not “new swell”). “Newswell will provide administrative and strategic support, but the News-Press will be led by local editors, reporters, and staff.” The new News-Press will be online only (so no more classic front pages like the one pictured above), and how/if the content will differ from Noozhawk and the Independent is unclear.
••• “Author and Historian Erin Graffy, Santa Barbara’s ‘Society Lady,’ Dies of Cancer [….] Longtime resident and Noozhawk columnist is remembered for her sense of humor, especially in her ‘How to Santa Barbara’ book series.” —Noozhawk
••• “New Trash Bins, Curbside Pickup on the Way for Santa Barbara […] Beginning July 1, MarBorg will begin automated pickup, and residents will be required to place containers at the curb [….] That change will include customers who were not previously required to take their trash to the curb for service. In-place pickup will be available for an additional fee, and there will be waivers for elderly and disabled customers. Anyone who wants to apply for those waivers can reach out to MarBorg directly.” Customers in the county are now charged a huge fee for non-curbside service. Noozhawk‘s article doesn’t say what the fee in the city will be.
••• “Possible Federal Designation of [Bungalow Haven as a] Santa Barbara Historic District Divides Neighbors […] Homeowners withdraw their application after discord erupts over potential effects on insurance and future development.” —Noozhawk
••• “After 2 Wet Years, Drought Conditions Resurface in Santa Barbara County.” —Noozhawk
••• “The Isla Vista Food Co-op is facing a financial crisis that could result in closed doors unless it sees a 10-15% increase in sales, or raises $200,000 over the next few weeks.” —Noozhawk
••• The Independent and Noozhawk covered the Air Force’s recent meetings about the effects of rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, especially in regard to the possibility of the number allowed doubling to 100 per year. From the Independent: “The proposed action is to increase the launch limit from Vandenberg to 100 and allow for both the reusable Falcon 9 and new Falcon Heavy—like a Falcon 9 rocket but with two extra boosters—to be launched from the base. When the boosters from the Falcon Heavy land back at Vandenberg, there would be two simultaneous sonic booms, primarily affecting adjacent communities.” And you can also submit comments via [email protected] or an online comment form before January 27.
••• The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments announced “its proposal for a new Metrolink service that would leave Ventura at 7:12 a.m. and arrive in Santa Barbara at 7:51 a.m.” It’s slated to start in October. —Independent
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Sad to see Erin passed. RIP.
Falcon Heavy launches here on the west coast, bring it! That would be awesome.
” The Falcon Heavy rocket was planned to launch from VAFB in 2013 but the launch was delayed and instead made from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Falcon rocket first flew from VAFB on September 29, 2013- from launch Complex4E”
The Heavy’s are best viewed on a clear, brisk am!
Loved hearing News-Press is back,and it’s a loss that Erin has passed. I was always fascinated by the quality and dedication of/in her work. I live in Lompoc and waiting on the sonic boom is like waiting on a firecracker as a child..lol..
The trash bin law is bizarre. First, trash bin colors are not something we need statewide laws about. C’mon. And second, why is MarBorg replacing them all at once? What a waste, and we’re all paying for it somehow. Under the law – dumb as it is – they have until 2036 to replace them. Why not replace them as they wear out?
Imagine the legislative and staff man-hours spent on the trash bin law. Apparently our State thinks it’s already solved all our important issues so we they have free time to spend making laws about the standard color of trash cans throughout the state. I’ll never understand why people in our state think our government needs to make and control every little mundane decision. ESPCAILLY, when we’re fumbling housing, education, homelessness, infrastructure, and fire preparedness.
Amen