••• As of Monday, an unspecified amount of The Independent‘s website will be behind a paywall, with an annual subscription rate of $30. The print edition will remain free, but you have to put up with cover stories like this week’s about an astrologer.
••• The Santa Barbara News-Press ran a wildly overwrought apology for its poor delivery service of late. Just put the paper out of its misery already.
••• Southern California Gas wants to install “nine Data Collection Units throughout Montecito, which may be located on new utility poles.” New advanced gas meters would then be able to transmit data to the utility, “eliminating the need for meter readers on foot.” —Montecito Journal
••• A nugget worth remembering if you’re voting in the county supervisor primary election: Current county supervisor Das Williams “accepted about $60,000 in donations from members of the CARP Growers, officially the Cannabis Association for Responsible Producers, while the county was writing its regulations for cannabis cultivation.” —Noozhawk
••• The latest on Paseo Nuevo’s construction: the mall “hopes to complete the renovation by the summer to formally celebrate the 30th anniversary of the mall. It also plans to introduce three new public art installations, a light-based projection experience in the Center Court, an interactive educational exhibit in the South Court and a large-scale ceramic mural in the lower level of the North Court.” —Noozhawk
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