Business Archive:

Family members of those with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) often raise questions about their own risk of developing the disease. Fortunately, the vast majority of cases of Alzheimer’s are not inheritable, or genetically predetermined. If one has a rare family member who developed the condition in their late 70s or 80s, there is little cause for personal c

Indo-China Market—food from home
9/12/03
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

The customers at Goleta’s Indo-China Market come from all over the world. Students from India find the Indian breads and spices they have been missing, cooks from Vietnam and China find the noodles and sauces they want, and the many British residents of Golet

Hispanic Chamber president to represent California’s Latino-owned businesses
9/12/03
Alex Rodriguez, president of the Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SBHCC), was elected secretary of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC) at the organization’s 24th annual conference in San Diego last month.

Rodriguez, 39, will begin his two-year term 30 days after the election, which took place on August 23. He is CEO of VirtualHispanic (www.VirtualHispanic.com), a Hispa

Globalizing economy? Not so fast
9/19/03
Setbacks in Sweden and Mexico, and anger over US job losses, reflect new opposition.
By Peter Grier and Faye Bowers, Special to the Voice

The movement toward greater economic integration of nations – one of the most profound global trends of the age – hit trouble this week.

In Sweden voters said "no, thanks" to adopting the single currency of the European Union. In Cancún, Mexico, global tr

True Ames Fins: Goleta company supplies surfboard fins for an exploding industry
9/26/03
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

True Ames Fins makes the sturdy fiberglass fins that keep surfboards under control from Goleta to Australia to France. Surfing is going through one of its periodic booms, with more than a thousand new boards being manufactured each day worldwide. Most have three fin

Solar Energy forum plugs the present, outlines the future
9/26/03
By Ted Mills, Special to the Voice

It was a mixture of science and commerce on Sept. 16 when the Santa Barbara Energy Alliance brought a series of guest speakers to educate the public on solar energy. Getting off the grid, existing on pure sun-generated power has been the dream for many since the 1970s, but as every year brings new developments, so the reality seems to remain just slightly out o

Titan aims to make fuller athletes
10/3/03
Recently opened workout facility trains athletes smarter, not just harder
By Richard Block, Voice Associate Editor

The workout of the future may be here in Goleta.

Since June, Titan Sports Performance has offered a high-tech, scientifically sound alternative, says company co-founder and Director of Athletic Performance Robb Bolton. He said that the company’s methods and machines offe

Foundation buys office building to house nonprofits
10/10/03
By Richard Block, Voice Associate Editor

The Hutton Foundation has purchased a Goleta office building that it will rent to local nonprofit groups at reduced rates.

During the next six to eight months, the foundation will figure out how to divide the three-story, 26,000-square-foot building at 5638 Hollister Ave. between prospective tenants. During that time, the building will begin to fill up.

At Spike’s, golfers can now buy actual spikes - the kind they wear on their feet
10/10/03
The building that used to house the popular bar is now the main pro shop of Twin Lakes Golf Course, on whose grounds it stands. "We’re occupying it presently," said head golf professional Trevor Broesamle. "We have room to grow in here now."

About a month and a half ago, the golf course demolished the old pro shop across the parking lot - which Broesamle playfully called "that old eyesore."

"I

A patch of tradition in the valley
10/10/03
By Sonia Fernandez, Special to the Voice

The Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch on the corner of Hollister and Walnut has begun its celebration of another harvest season.

"It’s a feeling of fall," says Ruth Lane, co-owner of the pumpkin patch. "We want to give everybody a sense of the changing season."

The

Dust kicks up over Hollister ag land
10/10/03
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With California leaders getting back to business as usual, issues on the backburner are expected to roil up once again.

One hotbed topic centers on housing mandates. The state wants local jurisdictions to adequately zone for future demands on residential units regardless of community compatibility.

Insiders say the push will soon be on to put more teeth in

Trustees mull construction, longer kindergarten day
10/10/03
By Martha Lannan, Voice Staff Reporter

Trustees of Goleta’s elementary school district are in a position most districts around the state would envy: They are still deciding how to spend at least part of $1.2 million in the district’s coffers that is currently unallocated.

Extending the kindergarten day by one hour, effective January 2004, is high on the list of options, but negotiations with

The trouble with silence at work
10/17/03
A Harvard professor details how companies suffer when managers and workers avoid tough issues
By Stacy A. Teicher, Special to the Voice

We’re all susceptible. Perhaps we’ve fumed about a co-worker but avoided a face-to-face discussion with the individual. Or we’ve glossed over an impor

Chimney sweeps gear up for busiest time of year
10/24/2003
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While many people are enjoying the last days of daylight savings time in the area’s great outdoors, others are gearing up for the colder days of late fall and winter.

Lowell Dubbels, the owner of Dubbels Chimney Sweeping, said he’s been busy booking appointments for several weeks.

"There are a lot of homes with fireplaces around and people love to use the

The Computer Guy: AutoText and AutoComplete functions in Microsoft Word for Windows
10/24/2003
By Tim Johnson, Special to the Voice

You can use these functions to automatically complete and insert anything from a single word or today’s date to a complete paragraph or even a letter heading.

When you want to insert an AutoText entry, you can select it from a list of entries on the AutoText toolbar or on the AutoText tab (Insert menu, AutoText submenu, AutoText command). Or you can use the

Strictly Legal: Planning for the future — your power of attorney
10-24-2003
By Heather Georgakis, Special to the Voice

Think ahead to a time when, because of age or accident, you cannot handle your financial affairs. In a less likely scenario, imagine that you win the lottery and spend six months each year on your own tropical island. Who will do your banking, monitor your investments or sign tax returns? Will that person have the legal authority to act?

Without prope

New look for an old building: Renovation turning Hollister eyesore into modern delight
10/31/2003
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

The old Applied Magnetics building at 6300 Hollister Ave. has been sitting empty and neglected for more than three years. A visible eyesore on the area’s busiest roadway, it has become a symbol to many of what needs fixing in Goleta. Now it is getting fixed,

Lobo Media funded for 13 Imax features
10/31/2003
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Goleta’s Lobo Media Productions has announced that funding of about $100 million has been secured for the production of 13 feature films in the Imax format. Investment capital is being provided by a private group of European businessmen.

Lobo & Associates, owned by Kathy and Mal Wolfe, has more than 10,000 square feet of facilities on Ward Drive, and em

I.V. Co-op sees boom times during strike
11/7/03
By Richard Block, Voice Associated Editor

The Isla Vista Food Cooperative was in a post-lunch lull Tuesday afternoon, and general manager David Montano took a break while the Palm Pilot-based bar-code scanners synchronized with the co-op’s computer.

The co-op’s been busy, said Montano, sitting on the wooden ledge outside the store. Since the Southern California grocery strike began Oct. 11, bu

Pediatric Corner: The scoop on poop
11/7/03
By Daniel R. Brennan, M.D., FAAP, C.L.C., Special to the Voice

There are plenty of colorful ways to describe a bowel movement: Number two, log rolling, sinkers and floaters. For some kids, though, this normal bodily function can be anything but a smooth move.

Constipation has many different meanings, but is generally defined as infrequent or abnormally hard bowel movements. Some infants may

Business Briefs
11/7/03
Community Volkswagen gets new general sales manager

Community Volkswagen of Santa Maria has hired Pedro Apolinar as general sales manager for its Community Automotive Group. Apolinar has recently moved to Santa Maria with his family from the Sacramento area. He has a background in foreign luxury automobiles and finance.

Community Volkswagen is now located at a new dealership. The Santa

A bit of Santa Barbara in the heart of Goleta
11/14/03
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

In order to get from one place to another in the city of Goleta it is sometimes necessary to drive through a part of the city of Santa Barbara. The airport area, including some 95 acres on the mountain side of Hollister Avenue, has been in the hands of Santa Barbar

Girsh Park space to become Rotary Room
11/14/03
The community room at Girsh Park will become the Rotary Room in a dedication ceremony Nov. 18 at 3:30 p.m. at the park.

The naming of the room recognizes the contributions of local Rotary clubs that raised more than $50,000 for the Fields Forever Campaign for Girsh Park

That campaign resulted in the purchase of 13 acres of developed land adjacent to the park on which the Dos Pueblos Little Lea

Indigo applies infrared technology to consumer market
11/14/03
By Richard Block, Voice Associate Editor

Your house is burning. You lie on the ground in a dark, smoke-filled room, and you hear firefighters coming to rescue you. But rather than grope blindly toward the sound of your voice, they come straight for you — because, despite the smoke, they can see you.<

To Your Health: Management of diabetes
11/14/03
By Erno S. Daniel, M.D., Special to the Voice

Diabetes mellitus is known in medical history as the sweet urine disease. In fact, the true problem in patients with diabetes is excessive sugar in the blood. During the last 15 years it became clear that diabetic problems that affect the kidneys, eyes, nerves and circulation are not an inevitable consequence of the disease. Rather, these problems a

Old Man Mountain rides surge in adventure biking
11/21/03
Goleta company fills global niche with high-end bike racks
By Richard Block, Voice Associate Editor

A stone’s throw from Highway 101 and the Fairview Avenue overpass, Old Man Mountain builds a unique type of bicycle rack and sells it to customers all over the world.

The company started in

Old Town firm hits bull’s eye
11/28/2003
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

When Bill Jopson finished an economics degree at UCSB in 1970, he wasn’t quite sure what career path to follow. He was certain, however, of his fondness for hunting, fishing and hiking in the great outdoors.

Just how to turn his hobbies into a business venture

Historic Delco property prepares for building
12/5/03
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

The owners of the 92-acre parcel once known as the Delco Property are slowly moving forward with their plans to develop the historic site. Russ Goodman and Steve Fedde of the Sares-Regis Group purchased the land in 1997, and immediately began working with the count

Pediatric Corner: Influenza: ‘Tis the season to be snotty
12/5/03
By Daniel R. Brennan, M.D., FAAP, C.L.C., Special to the Voice

Your nose is red like Rudolph’s, head spinning like a dreidel and you’re feeling as congested as holiday traffic. One moment you are chillin’ like Frosty and the next you are as warm as a chestnut roasting on an open fire. Either you drank too much eggnog or , ate too many latkes, or flu season has arrived.

Common symptoms

A pennywise addition out Goleta's way
12/5/03
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The Alpha Thrift Store on State Street is searching for a good deal. Business is brisk, and operators want to add a new spot to shop.

"We've been desperately looking for a location to open a retail store in Goleta the past eight months," said Sean Dunn, the directo

The fine art of being crafty
12/12/03
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Although Craft Essentials in the Turnpike shopping center opened on Halloween, there were no tricks up the sleeve of co-owner Cary Dixon.

Dixon was delighted, however, at what area residents had in store for him and the crew.

"We opened the doors 15 minutes e

Where the wild things are cared for
12/12/03
By Margo Kline, Voice Associate Editor

Often, when someone finds an injured bird or small mammal, the first reaction is panic — how can the helpless creature be saved?

The answer, fortunately, is just a phone call away. The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network stands ready, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet the crisis.

At present, that means evaluating the creature and, if it’s a bir

Have your Beach and eat there too!
12/19/03
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Winter, spring, summer or fall, area residents enjoy a leisurely stroll along the grassy knolls or tide lines at Goleta Beach. Dolphins, whales and brown pelicans provide plenty of entertainment in the Pacific waters.

One of Goleta’s favorite eateri

Strictly Legal: Can your doctor withhold your medical records?
12/19/03
By Heather Georgakis, Special to the Voice

When you switch doctors, can you insist that your former doctor hand over your medical records? California law clearly spells out your rights to inspect and obtain copies of your records. A doctor (or hospital, HMO, or other health care provider) must allow you to inspect your records within five working days after receipt of a written request, although

Goleta-based company Inogen launches its first product
12-26-2003
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

It won’t be long before chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients will be breathing a little easier.

That’s because Goleta company Inogen, founded by UCSB students just two years ago, has invented a backpack-sized device that filters the oxygen fr

UCSB grad stamps mark in Old Town
1/9/2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While Dale Wilson and his family careened down Mammoth’s ski slopes last week, it’s doubtful the Old Town business owner was paying much heed to Federal Express’s announcement that it will buy Kinko’s.

Wilson put in many hours at the fledgling Kinko’s cop

Registers ring, are you listenin’?
1-16-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Early indicators point to a solid holiday retail season in Goleta, particularly for outlets in the Camino Real Marketplace. Mark Ingalls, the shopping center’s general manager, was especially enthusiastic over initial reports.

"We had a great year over

Strictly Legal: Get action with an effective demand letter
1-16-2004
By Heather Georgakis, Special to the Voice

In a perfect world, every dispute could be resolved with a quick visit or phone call. In reality, you may need to send a demand letter to get the attention your problem deserves. Why? Because a letter tells the other party that you mean business. Unlike a phone call, a letter provides tangible evidence that you intend to vindicate your rights. It is muc

Li’l Toot — the water ferry that could
1/23/04
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Now people wanting to get from Stearns Wharf to the Santa Barbara Harbor can do it in ten minutes, thanks to a small yellow boat named "Lil’ Toot." Owned and operated by Capt. Fred Hershman, Lil’ Toot debuted last year in October, and has quickly become a pa

To Your Health : Runny nose may be more than allergy or a cold
1/23/04
By Erno S. Daniel, M.D., Special to the Voice

By the time we pass childhood, most of us are familiar with having a runny nose. Those who grow up in places where the winters are cold are familiar with coming inside and having the nose run for a short while, or noticing the same after having a bowl of hot soup. Others know the runny nose and flushing of the face after eating hot, spicy foods such

Find health benefits in martial arts
1/23/04
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Literally, the term "martial arts" refers to the art of combat. However, martial arts is more than just learning how to throw a punch or kick an opponent. For those unafraid of physical contact, martial arts can provide physical conditioning, mental clar

Goleta’s 2004 space odyssey: Pacific Design Technologies helped get the rovers to the Red Planet
1/30/04
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The world is still awed by pictures from the late-1960s moon landing.

Now, the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity are providing images that are just as captivating, if not more so – and local viewers might be interested to know that a Goleta firm played a ke

Fairview Center lands local tenants
2/6/04
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch is on its way to Goleta. St. Paul Cleaners has already inked a deal. Vons is closing in on reopening with nearly double its previous space.

And as the Fairview Shopping Center approaches the end of a huge remodeling phase, one of the

Pediatric Corner : Make room for baby
2/6/04
By Daniel R. Brennan, MD, FAAP, CLC, Special to the Voice

With 24 weeks down and 16 to go until the new baby was to arrive, my wife and I made our much-anticipated pilgrimage to the mother of all baby stores. With a burst of energy, Yael headed straight for the Babies R Us registry desk. After receiving instructions on how to use the registry gun, I must have appeared completely clueless, becaus

Diverticulosis: a common condition of the bowels
2/6/04
By Erno S. Daniel, M.D., Special to the Voice

The human body is built for survival, and one of the most basic survival functions is nourishment and the digestion of food. Most of us take for granted that when we eat something, it will be appropriately processed in our intestinal tract for our benefit. In fact, these days most of us worry about overnourishment rather than undernourishment. Howeve

Eye surgeon offers a view of freedom
2-13-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Some patients run over their glasses in the driveway. Others gleefully swoop up an armful of solution, cleaners and plastic contact-lens cases on a final journey from the bathroom to the trash can.

With more than 6,000 laser eye surgeries in the last eight year

The Computer Guy: Some methods to control spam
2-13-2004
By Tim Johnson, Special to the Voice

You can write some rules in Outlook and Outlook Express for Windows to delete spam automatically. Try this:

In Outlook Express,
- Click on Message in the top menu bar, then "Create Rule from message."
- In Box No. 1 check the appropriate box (i.e. "Where the message body contains the specific words").
- In Box No. 2 select "Delete It."
- In Bo

VALENTINE’S DAY ISSUE: Virtues of dark chocolate unveiled
2-13-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With Valentine’s Day in the offing, Dr. John La Puma is pleased to relay a message many patients long to hear.

"It’s fun to be able to tell people to eat dark chocolate," said La Puma, a doctor of internal medicine on staff at Cottage Hospital. "It’s also

Hollister Center lands high-tech tenants
2-20-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Asylum Research has inked a 5-year lease with the SARES-REGIS Group in the newly renovated Hollister Center. Founded by former employees of Digital Instruments, Asylum is set to join Wyatt Technology Corporation in the 106,000-square foot property.

Asy

Strictly Legal
2-20-2004
The duty to maintain sidewalks
By Heather Georgakis, Special to the Voice

To avoid being tripped up by legal requirements, a prudent landowner has good reason to pay close attention to the condition of sidewalks adjacent to his or her property. The same holds true for "parkways," those little strips of land sometimes found between the sidewalk and street.

Although sidewalks and parkw

Life is a beach at Bellyboards
2-27-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Bellyboards joined a long line of prestigious South Coast eateries under one umbrella company just six months ago, but the Calle Real Center restaurant has already made quite a splash.

"The reception we’ve had in Goleta has been really great," said Bell

Pet sitting – a labor of love
3-5-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Even as they prepare to celebrate the 10th annual National Professional Pet Sitters Week next week, the members of Pet Sitters International know they still have many cozy corners yet to create in front of local fireplaces.

"There’s a huge demand in t

Deckers stomps sales records
3-12-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Workers at Deckers Outdoor Corp. in Goleta barely had time to relish record-breaking sales figures from last year.

Just as the shoe powerhouse, which owns the Simple, Ugg and Teva brands, posted $121 million, the chief financial officer and others at the

Target still possible
3-12-2004
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

The future of a Target store in Goleta or elsewhere nearby is still in doubt, but developer Andrew Bermant is determined to make it happen. Now he and his supporters have created a Web site to spread the idea. "We want to bring it to the people," he told the Voice.

Last month Goleta and Santa Barbara were both surprised when Bermant announced that he was talk

I.V. company surfs into spring and summer
3-19-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While university students prepare for a break between academic quarters, the Isla Vista Surf Company is gearing up for a continual wave of new boards, accessories and seasonal beach wear.

Store manager David Kim has worked his way through a double major in b

LADIES FIRST: Power of the purse
3-19-2004
Women may soon rule the financial world.
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

According to data from the American Bankers Association, women are leading an entrepreneurial trend in the US, and will control 50 to 60 percent of personal wealth by 2010. To quote an article in the Association’s ABA Banking Journal, "Women’s monogamous tendencies extend to money: They stick by their investmen

LADIES FIRST: Magazine helps promote local women
3-19-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Barbara Lanz-Mateo is no stranger to print media. She completed the journalism program at Santa Barbara City College a decade ago and went on to become the managing editor of the Valley Voice in Goleta.

She was working for a technology publication when it

Strictly Legal
3-19-2004
Dangerous sidewalks
By Heather Georgakis, Special to the Voice

Enough already, I can hear you groan. What more is there to say on the subject of sidewalks, after last month’s column on the statutory duty a landowner (or legal possessor) owes to the City or County to maintain the sidewalk area? Mercifully, just enough to fulfill last month’s promise to discuss civil liability for sidewa

Festool touts its Teutonic precision
3-26-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Festool’s saw blades cut through a piece of dense hardwood as if it were bakery butter.

And they should. The Stuttgart-based manufacturing firm of precision craft tools, which has its American distribution and marketing headquarters on Los Carneros Way

Goleta bread makers find recipe for success
4-2-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A Dos Pueblos High and Goleta Valley Junior High graduate from the 1980s is on the verge of breaking bread with the big boys.

Under the name Able Farms, Kevin Flint already has managed to get shelf space for a low-carb, organic whole wheat loaf in 40 he

Couple living their dream
4-9-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While doubling as KTYD’s music director and mid-day disc jockey at the studios on Hollister Avenue, Jim St. John became a frequent customer of the nearby Hanson’s Wine and Delicatessen.

Darlene, a 1981 San Marcos High School graduate, was the store’s manag

Mission City honored by Goleta Valley Beautiful
4-16-2004
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Mission City Sales and Leasing owner John Mullins has had a long-standing concern for the visual appeal of Goleta, and he has set the bar high with the landscaping at his business, the first thing drivers see when they exit southbound Highway 217 ont

HOME IMPROVEMENT: ‘Green’ products allow for happier, healthier homes and homeowners
4-16-2004
By Jessica R. Holmes, Special to the Voice

Whether your latest home improvement project consists of completely remodeling the living room or simply sprucing up an existing area with a fresh coat of paint, choosing building materials, supplies, and accessories that are environmentally friendl

The woman who cleaned up
4-23-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Silvia Narbais has swept, dusted and mopped her way to a home-cleaning empire in the Goleta Valley and beyond.

With ample help from Silvia’s husband, Carlos, on the domestic and business fronts, the Narbais family from Argentina now boasts a fleet of ve

Spreading the Habit
4-30-2004
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Brent Reicherd was 16 years old in 1976. He worked at a hamburger stand on Hollister Avenue called the Habit, flipping burgers and serving soft drinks. Little did he know that almost 30 years later, he would be the president and CEO of a popular chain of r

Patrons find café a Turkish delight
5-7-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Many locals come here from big cities, bringing with them their traditions and cuisine. Seyma Basbuyuk is one of them. She grew up in a city of 12 million — but unlike a lot of out-of-town transplants, she’s not from Los Angeles. She comes from Istanb

Ounces of prevention, pounds of cure
5-14-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The mysterious aromas of hong hua, chi shao and dan shen fill the Old Town office of Xiangjun David Yang. The Chinese herbs may be difficult to pronounce, but patients say they go down with ease if properly prepared in warm water.

Yang combines acupunctur

Giving back to the community, year-round
5-21-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A TV station and two grocery chains’ drive to feed less-fortunate county residents is finished, and thanks to the donations of caring locals, it was a success.

The goal of the KCOY-TV Spring Food Drive was to help stock depleted Foodbank shelves at a time other

Well suited for the summer
5-28-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The Mickey Mouse show had begun to fade away but Mouseketeer Annette Funicello was
coming on strong. "Beach Blanket Bingo," "Endless Summer" and other surf flicks were making waves from Australia and Hawaii to Hendry’s Beach. That suited Donna Farris

A very, very, very fine House
6-4-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A young mother entertained her 16-month-old while toting the child in the crook of an arm. Freshly planted trees budded with life in the medians of the remodeled Magnolia Shopping Center.

This late spring afternoon, the good vibes spread throughout the q

All that glitters comes from Old Town
6-11-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Jon Hazeltine and Alejandro Cardenas braved the desert heat driving from Goleta to Las Vegas this past weekend. As they arrived in Baker at 11 p.m., a service station thermometer read 104 degrees.

For the co-owners of four jewelry stores, including the

Focus stays keen at Mentor Corp.
6-18-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Spring bees buzz by the exploding purple and yellow flowers outside Mentor’s headquarters, on the ocean side of Hollister near Patterson.

Masking the intensity indoors, water gently cascades up one side and down the other of the rectangular fountain outside

There’s a new neighbor in Goleta
6-18-2004
By Margo Kline, Voice Associate Editor

The imposing new building at 430 S. Fairview Ave. in Goleta doesn’t have a sign out front yet, but it is definitely open for business.

Software company Yardi Systems Inc. is its occupant. The high-tech company, until recently, was quartered in eight differ

Alpha Thrift opens Goleta location
6-25-2004
By Jeff Jones,Voice Staff Reporter

The neon lights dimmed to alert stragglers the Alpha Thrift Store in Old Town was about to close. But an emotional Yvonne Scolari could hardly drag herself away.

She pointed to the framed paintings perched around the entryway of the store’s new location.

"Th

Fairview salon styles its way through center facelift
07-02-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While hairstyles have come, gone, and come back again, Shear Artistry has remained a permanent fixture in the Fairview Shopping Center.

The center is completing a facelift, the main attraction being an expanded Vons opening this week. Shear Artistry owner and G

Ex-supervisor tends the four-footed crowd
07-09-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

On a bustling Saturday this past holiday weekend, veterinarian Bill Wallace was doing what he does best. He was tending to pets and to their owners — giving both hope.

Lara Davis had driven all the way from the Mesa out to the Airport Animal Hospita

Londoner serves up authentic Indian cuisine
07-16-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Moving from the heart of London to residential Goleta has meant some cultural adjustment for the Pujji family. Running Spice Avenue, an authentic Indian restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara, has provided more challenges in the last two years.

Sunny Pujj

Camille fuses spa and salon
07-16-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Camille the Day Spa was opened a decade ago to smooth life’s rough edges, and just recently, has expanded to include a mobile salon.

The spa’s proprietor has been around for much longer than that, though — she’s a native Goletan.

The Stonebridge housing tract on Cathedral Oaks Road was Goleta’s first marketed residential area in the 1960s. Featuring two

Goleta market specializes in Seoul food
07-23-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Shortly after the hallway bell begins the first day of class at Dos Pueblos High this fall, Rebekah Kim turns 14 years old. She made many friends at La Colina Junior High, and looks forward to joining them her freshman year.

But even her closest confidant

Journey from Central America ends happily
07-30-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Phil Sandoval is a Goleta appliance dealer, a Lompoc homeowner, a husband and father — and that’s only part of the story.

He is also a proud American citizen, who made a harrowing journey to this country from his native Guatemala when he was a youth. He came ov

Helene Glassman seeks the picture-perfect
08-06-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Whether she’s off to a convention in Las Vegas, attending a seminar in Europe, or snapping a toddler’s portrait on the Goleta Beach pier, Helene Glassman is always ready for lights, camera and action.

The owner of Old Town’s Imagery Photography on Mandarin

A splash of safety
08-13-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With the summer Olympics in plain view, and August’s heat and humidity upon us, South Coast residents of all ages are likely to be seeking local waters to cool off.

Wendy Fereday, Goleta resident since 1976 and a swim instructor since 1974, is trying to make s

East meets West on the skewer
08-20-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Near the intersection where Hollister and Modoc meet, East meets West at Jake’s Steak & Kabob restaurant.

Koobideh skewers, New York Strips with chive butter, mesmerizing belly dancers and an aromatic hooka bar may well entice patrons from all over the South C

Locks are his trade, but racing’s his life
08-27-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

If you need someone to pick your lock, call Mike Young. He’s been at it since attending Goleta Valley Junior High and spending summers with his older sister and her husband in the far reaches of Colorado.

Mike wasn’t doing penance for breaking and entering. In

Dal Pozzo owners never tire of serving the South Coast
09-03-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

When the phone rings at Dal Pozzo Tire on Pine Street in downtown Goleta, Rudy or Randy will usually pick up the phone. Bring your car down for some tires, and they’ll probably be there to greet you. And while you wait for new wheels to go on, you can grab a hot

Goleta bank changes its name
09-03-2004

New signs grace the exterior of the branch of the former Goleta National Bank, now known as Community West Bank, in Old Town

Until recently, visitors to Goleta.com were greeted with the familiar Goleta National Bank logo. But as of Wednesday, the home page had changed, and it now proclaims:"Wel

The color of satisfaction
9-10-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Before Eddie Anderson was of legal age to drive, he was pounding out dents and painting cars alongside his older brother Tony in downtown Santa Barbara.

The teenage duo, both of whom attended Goleta Valley Junior High and Dos Pueblos High in the late ’

Strictly Legal: Is your vehicle street-legal?
9-10-2004
By Heather Georgakis, Special to the Voice

You don’t have to drive a souped-up hot rod to run afoul of the California Vehicle Code. Even a simple after-market enhancement, like a license plate cover or dangling air freshener, can trigger a fix-it citation or even a fine. In most cases, it isn’t against the law for your local auto supply dealer to stock these items, so don’t equate availability w

Pizza Real
09-07-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The Govenders spend long days and nights passing one another on the way to and from a pizza oven that hits a sizzling 500 degrees, and they will look you straight in the eye, smile, and say it’s all worth the sacrifice.

While red, white and green balloons bobbe

Starting up a Chicken Ranch in Goleta
09-24-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Tyler Benko turns 10 years old today, and he might ask his parents to spend the day away from the Ranch. But even if the Benkos aren’t there, the mesquite-charcoal will be running hot, and the meat cooked to perfection, at the new Goleta location of Santa Barbara

Little extra touches set print shops apart
10-1-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Phebe Mansur almost made it to a movie one night this past weekend with her boyfriend Joe, but a last-minute rush project pre-empted a night on the town.

With the turn-around time of the job close at hand, Phebe spelled out an intangible aspect of owning two s

What the well-dressed fan is wearing
10-08-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With the major league playoffs burning up the base paths, pro football in full swing and NBA hoops close to tipping off, this is a winning fall season for sports enthusiasts.

And the timing couldn’t be better for the Sports Fan, which opened a week ago Monday a

A big slice of the pie
10-15-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With free delivery, a Kid’s Meal and fresh ingredients prepared at the crack of dawn, aficionados of Gina’s Pizza & Pastaria are shouting the praises of the Marketplace eatery from Refugio Canyon to Turnpike Road and beyond.

"They have some screaming good dea

Working his way back to the South Coast
10-22-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Justin Hong will never forget his first experiences after moving to the West Coast from his native Seoul, Korea.

In his second year of interior design at A-ju University, Hong had hopes of continuing his professional studies in the United States. He encount

Shopping center likes to party
10-29-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

This afternoon, the Calle Real Center will conjure up a magical mix of Spidermen, Cinderellas, Hulks and perhaps a youthful President or two.

Blend in pony rides, jumpers and a miniature train loop, and Halloween will be off to a bewitching early beginnin

It’s a boy
10-29-2004
Congratulations to the Amyx family! Kristen Amyx, CEO of the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce, just gave birth to her second child, Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh was born on Oct. 22 at Santa Barbara Cottage hospital, and weighed about seven and a half pounds.


The high art of pampering
11-5-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A few weeks ago, Jesse Gallup was out and about getting acquainted with a new neighborhood after moving up from Orange County.

The systems engineering specialist window-shopped in the nearby Calle Real Center when he caught a reflection of himself in a clea

Canadians join the pita club
11-12-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Not far from where a funky 1960s falafel stand once catered to Isla Vista’s first flower children, a new restaurant has taken over the Mediterranean cuisine with a mainstream fare and flair on the downtown Loop.

A couple of twenty-somethings are cashing in

‘Crimson’ tide rises again at La Cumbre
11-19-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Nestled between the sweet aromas of See’s Candies and the fresh-brewed coffee at Starbucks in La Cumbre Plaza, Crimson is open once again just in time for the holidays.

Riding high off its first late fall and early winter in the mall last year, a group of G

Store connects Goleta to eBay
11-26-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

If you’re looking for some extra cash this holiday season, a little auction action may be just the ticket.

A store called iSOLD It on eBay is up and running in the Calle Real Center, and word is traveling fast. Laurie and Michael Marans opened the store jus

Steppin’ up in his Tux and Tails
12-3-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Jorge Larin has come a long way since walking to work in his native country, El Salvador. While a young man, part of his family left his hometown of Santa Ana for a better life in America.

He moved to the capital city, San Salvador, where he landed a tailoring

It's good to land your clients in hot water
12-10-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With early snow falling on ski slopes, and a cold snap continuing on the South Coast, the steamy waters of the aquatic pools at Hayashida & Associates physical therapy are proving welcome havens for those with blown-out knees and torn ligaments, and those re

HOLIDAYS: Protect yourself from Internet thieves
12-10-2004
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and that means many of us are headed to our computers to find that perfect present. The Internet is a great way to get a jump on our shopping lists without the frustration of crowds and lines.
With more people using the internet to shop, however, many online merchants are not able to be very vigilant, as th

Partners take up the challenge of 5392 Hollister
12-17-2004

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While the sun snapped the cold spell bewitching the South Coast late last week, sisters Silvia Olivares and Maggie Constant had plenty of reasons to put on happy faces.

For some time, they had pondered going into business together. They both have artist

Two wheels and a cuppa Joe
12-24-2004
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

It’s full speed ahead when owner John Martin opens the doors of the Java Station before the first peak of dawn near the fork at Hollister and Modoc Road.

Martin may pull up in his truck, or screech to a halt on his bicycle. He doesn’t need a jolt of Red Eye co

Valentino's makes it, you bake it
1-7-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The newly wedded owners of Valentino’s restaurant, which serves pizza, calzones, salads and subs, will make your Super Bowl party or the end of any day at the office a smashing success.

The place operates without a pizza oven. You might be exposed as a n

Keeping the world in the right shoes
1-14-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A few short weeks ago, Calvin Broadus and Killick Datta got together a little west of Old Town Goleta. Broadus, aka Snoop Dogg, and Datta were sewing up the final arrangements to launch a new line of shoes.

From the headquarters of Global Brand Marketing, Inc

Stranded? Smitty’s is on the way
1-21-2005

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Goleta towing service defies the deluge.

Years ago, when he was a mere employee, Greg Voigt enjoyed pulling Smitty’s chain about one day buying his company and a venerable old tow truck.

But it was Smitty who eventually approached Voigt, accordi

A life devoted to fine print
1-28-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With low-tech equipment and the will to make it in the business world, Andrew Ochsner started out in the printing industry in Santa Barbara a decade ago.

He would make the daily round-trip from the Santa Ynez Valley, where he lived. By day, he rustled u

Pressing their advantage
02-04-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With Valentine’s Day less than two weeks away, lots of Goletans are intent on making their romantic candlelight moments run as smooth as silk.

The staff and owner of Santa Barbara Cleaners are ready to help with one crucial part of any Valentine’s plans. Th

New ‘Bamboo House’ opens in Goleta
02-11-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Fresh off their first week in business, the youthful owners of Takenoya restaurant on Calle Real admit to being both excited and nervous.

After all, it’s not every day that three friends get to see a dream unfold before their very eyes, while at the same ti

Style on wheels
02-18-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

For a memorable downtown night’s celebration, a trip to San Francisco, a Las Vegas extravaganza or a drop-off at LAX, a stretch limousine is only one call.

Mix in three 15-inch flat panel viewing screens, a strobe laser light show, seven ice chests and four

A touch of Guanajuato in Magnolia center
02-25-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

For a few moments, the clouds seemed stacked one on another as if making a giant, double-dipped ice cream cone. During a brief break in the rain last weekend, Good Land residents edged ever closer to spring and summer holidays.

But every day was a vacation for

Buffing up for springtime
03-04-05
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While the onslaught of recent storms has dampened local spirits a bit, it won’t be long before the sun is out in full form. And with Daylight Savings only a month away, pools, rivers, and sandy shores will soon be prime-time destinations.

Designers at a

Women's Supplement: Spitfire owner is flying high
03-11-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Andrea Read rose up through the ranks of undergraduate work in sociology at UCSB, earning a degree in 1993. Waiting tables and bartending, Read went to on to the management level at Baker’s Square restaurant in Goleta.
She’s now at the top her game with six ye

Framing beauty in the home
03-18-2005
Framing beauty in the home

By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

When Goleta Valley resident Greg Ballou pulls up to the curb in front of your home or business, you can bet he’s about to unveil a treasure chest of great works.

Ballou makes custom framing up close and personal as he brings his ow

Beauty secrets from India flower in Goleta
03-25-2005
By Jeff Jones , Voice Staff Reporter

On the warmer winds of spring, soothing scents of familiar flowers are rising from the basin of the Goleta Valley. And the fragrant oils and treatments at Spa Concepts have been generating a heat all their own since Dee Oza took over at the beginning of the mont

Monica's Flowers bedeck Old Town
04-01-2005
By Jeff Jones , Voice Staff Reporter. Translation by Alma Cortez-Lara

While Monica’s Flowers sets the tone for a holiday celebration almost any day of the week, some regular customers are expressing concerns that manager Maribel Porras has taken on too much celebrity status.

After all, it was on

Goleta’s custom-car paradise
04-08-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While they were classmates at Carpinteria High School in the early 1990s, Jack Watanartkul and Memo Lopez became fast friends, helping fix up each other’s cars.

Memo wanted to personalize his new Honda Civic, while Jack had invested 1,300 hard-earned dollars fr

Weddings worth remembering
04-15-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Organizing large and small fetes all over the county is a dream come true for Goleta resident Elizabeth Kempf. But before christening her Enchanting Galas business with a cold bottle of bubbly two years ago, she saw a little of the potential for celebratory meltdown.

Several years ago, when the young entrepreneur was 24, she pitched in helping a friend put t

‘Dish’ runs away with accolades
04-22-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Another Santa Barbara-based restaurant will soon serve up fine food in Goleta, adding to a growing list of fine eateries in the Good Land.

On the wings of high praise at its downtown location, Dish Café is swooping into the former Sonny’s Fish Market in the Cal

Business is always growing at La Sumida
04-29-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The grass is always greener and the petunias always pinker at the Goleta branch of La Sumida Nursery.

The Good Land spring is shaping up so well, in fact, that manager Bernd
Schroeter is even promising rose gardens.

But there are some strings attached.

“This is a great time right now to set up your garden,” Schroeter said. “We won’t do the work but

Classic coolers from Carvel
05-06-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

From Carvelanches to classic sundaes and a whole lot of milkshakes in between, a cascading wave of ice cream treats is coming soon to the Fairview Shopping Center near you.
Your host and the big dipper is Rajni Patel, who is crossing his fingers and tapping hi

Made-over Fairview Center nears capacity
05-13-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

After its recent radical makeover, Fairview Center - Goleta’s oldest shopping center - is on the verge of hanging out the “No Vacancy” sign. Two more tenants and the center will be fully booked.
By fall, the Center will boast 32 various occupants. Some have su

Fairview Theaters get a major remake
05-20-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While the Force was with fans during a quest for a good seat at the opening of Star Wars’ latest chapter, moviegoers in Goleta need to be patient only a little longer for another Big Screen mystery to unfold.
David Corwin, the president of Metropolitan Theater

Good old days again at Goleta Barbers
06-10-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Goleta Barbers is buzzing with the laughter of big, small and 40-year-old children. Barber Pedro “Pete” Jimenez is at his best bringing out the youngster in everyone.

But this month will be a time for the patrons of Goleta Barbers to take their hats off to Pet

Glass on the move
06-17-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With so many postcard perfect vistas on the South Coast, more and more homeowners are seeking a peek at the sights from 360-degree vantage points.

And the owners of La Cumbre Glass are ready to roll up in a new white truck to help you with skylights, panoramic pane glass, windbreaks and even heavy-duty shower doors to open up the views.

The hope at the fa

Goleta Valley Gun & Supply
06-24-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With the start of local deer season a month-and-a-half away, gun store owner Rick Helfrich expects the usual run on rifles and ammunition soon. But as is also typical at this time of year, getting a license isn’t always a walk in the park.

Helfrich, who owned a

Goletan talks to the world
07-01-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The next time you see a service technician scurrying up a telephone pole - whether in Denver, Des Moines or Dublin - that worker just may be hauling around a piece of telecommunications equipment straight out of Goleta.

American Communications on Castillan

Some things improve over time
07-08-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Clarice Treiber celebrated a milestone birthday last week, and she’s decided to let the Goleta Valley and beyond join in the festivities.

A big sale will continue all month long at Better Than New Furniture and Antiques, between El Mercado Plaza and the big tr

Found in translation: Fabled Cuisine
07-15-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Zaffron is shaking, shimmering and sizzling its way to the forefront of South Coast cuisine. While many local restaurants boast of preparing and serving up authentic fare from a certain culture, this eatery is the real deal.

From tonight’s belly dancing to the

Definitely ‘hair’ to stay
07-22-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Two hair stylists are carving out a niche of local history in a red farmhouse near the Fairview Shopping Center. In what was once a home to a long line of Goleta Valley descendants, it’s one large happy family for the mix of businesses now in residence there.

“

A nano-science makes mega progress
07-29-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A win-win collaborative agreement between a Goleta technology company and one in Palo Alto could double the number of employees locally.

Asylum Research off Hollister Avenue, which develops atomic force microscopes, will pool talents and expertise with Agil

California Hobbies
08-05-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Jim Ruckle is right at home behind the counter of California Hobbies. He’s surrounded by planes, trains and automobiles, and the big ship within his reach keeps the affable hobbyist well anchored in his work.
The sea-worthy cruiser is called “Gin’s” - affectio

Wootton Printing accents ‘service’
08-12-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Gerry Raack stands well more than six feet tall. He also knows that the tall shadow of one of the oldest businesses on the South Coast will always loom over him.

But the San Marcos High graduate and his wife Mai are up for the challenge. They’ve embraced the fa

Pascucci arrives
8-19-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Laura Knight has done it. Starting with a seven-table diner in the early 1990s, the restaurateur has opened her second successful Pascucci restaurant, in Goleta’s Camino Real Marketplace.
Local restaurants have fallen more quickly and easily than fly balls in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfield. Flapper Alley is gone. Jasper’s is gone. Hobey Baker’s is gone.

La Esmerelda says 'adios'
08-26-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

One of the longest running businesses on the entire South Coast is about to close its doors. La Esmeralda Market is in the heart of downtown Goleta, and the many long-time customers of the shop have been stopping by to say a heartfelt good-bye.

Although 77-yea

There’s something for every sports fan
09-02-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

When Greg Vance brought Dan Buxton on board as a part-time employee at Play It Again Sports, back in the middle of the 1990s, little did Vance know they’d end up on the same team for so long.

The two UCSB graduates are now the co-owners of Play It Again Sports

Dr. Annie guides kids to happy teeth
09-09-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

After 12 months of planning and construction, Dr. Annie is ready to improve your kids' smiles.
Her children’s dental practice opened its doors to a mother and two-year-old last Friday, and the Harvard graduate is rarin’ to go in the Good Land near the Fairvie

For FLIR, the future is now
09-16-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While lights, camera and action take center stage elsewhere, it continues to be all business for the 230 employees at FLIR Systems’ Indigo in Goleta.

Jim Knight, a founding principal at Indigo said he’s proud of the staff’s progress since the company first

Small, swift wheels are their trade
09-23-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With public schools and all four South Coast colleges geared up for classes, local traffic once again is reaching critical gridlock. Factor in $3 a gallon for gas and the difficulty of finding parking spots, and you have drivers looking at serious relief.

“We’v

SB Martial Arts Academy finds home in Goleta
09-30- 2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Another business — a martial arts academy — has closed up shop in Santa Barbara’s high-rent district and moved out to the friendly confines of Goleta.
Paul Rawate, the owner and Taekwondo Master of Santa Barbara Martial Arts Academymade the switch from De La V

Fun and games, for bright kids
10-07-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Whiz Kidz Fun, Games and Learning has only been open since the middle of August, but owner Paige Shields is certain she did the right thing locating in Turnpike Shopping Center.

It seems that kids, teens and parents all want to play over and over again, in the

‘After 5’ aims for the cocktail crowd
10-14-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While some jet setters and hardy partiers may rationalize that it’s always happy hour somewhere, out in Goleta 43 hard working employees are determined to remind everyone it’s equally always "after five o’clock."

"After 5" is the catchy title of a mail order catalogue which enjoys poking a little fun at the items the company sells all over the United States.

Kidde Dual Spectrum
10-21-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The Santa Ana winds recently whipped fires down Topanga Canyon and threatened to cross Highway 101. Residents in Malibu braced for an inevitable evacuation in the event the devastation was unstoppable.

Out in Goleta, the 65 employees of Kidde Dual Spectrum

Calle Real braces for Ghost and Ghouls
10-28-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While area parents have finally caught up with the laundry after all the meringue from the Lemon Festival, here comes the stickiest, most ghoulish day of all.

And if 40 to 50 local merchants have their way, the annual kids’ Halloween party in the Calle Real Center promises to be more fun than ever for the youngest Trick or Treaters.

Business owners are cro

Domingo’s Cafe caters to Old Town
11-04-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While costumed revelers whirled through downtown Goleta to and from Halloween gatherings last weekend, Sifuentez family members calmly prepared for a celebration of their own.

They had invited 125 guests over to blow out the candles on an 80th birthday party ca

Len’s will brighten up any home’s interior with a new floor covering
11-11-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While many area residents continue to keep Good Land homes in the immediate family, quality businesses associated with remodeling projects are clipping along at a steady pace.

And customers dealing with Len’s professional floor covering - now in Old Town - feel

New Goleta business aims to be a shoe-in
11-18-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

When Bernd Jablonka uses the phrase beginning with “if the shoe fits,” he’s probably referring to the floor space in your closet.

But the president of Global Comfort International is so excited about a new brand of women’s shoes the company is rolling out this

New art tours draw locals, visitors
11-25-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Art lovers Dorothy Dearman and Jane Litchfield have opened a gallery on Overpass Road off of Patterson Avenue near the La Sumida Nursery. The trouble is, it’s not open to the public — unless you ask to be invited.

It’s not that Dearman and Litchfield are snooty

MedCenter comes to Fairview
12-02-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While residents have missed a family clinic since the conversion of Sansum’s facility on Patterson to work-related services only, the wait is over in Goleta for that comforting bedside manner.

And although the MedCenter doctors at the newly opened offices in th

Goleta has a new horn of plenty
12-09-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

If you overhear your neighbors raving about a Kellogg’s Breakfast and a Humboldt Fog, they’re not talking about a cool B & B retreat in the redwood forests of Northern California.

But they are talking food, namely Tutti Frutti Farms, Goleta’s new red-hot regional produce market. As of now, Kellogg’s heirloom tomato has run its course for the season at the st

See an old-fashioned Yule at Lane farms
12-16-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Boasting five generations of farming experience in rural Goleta, Lane Farms family members have known how to put together a regionally renowned Pumpkin Patch for more than a quarter century.

But with last years’ initial venture into the Christmas tree side of

Come to ‘Mr. Burkholder’s Neighborhood’
12-23-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Dave Burkholder is an easy-going guy, but he’s revved up this winter, cleaning and painting, cooking up a storm, all for a new venture near City College.

Dave and his wife, Leah Larson, are the proud, if hard working, proprietors of The Neighborhood, a “working class” bar next door to their café, the Blue Collar Bistro.

The two are both dedicated to operat

Business
12-30-2005

Domingo Sifuentez and daughter/manager Monica Scafidi, left, of Domingo’s restaurant in Old Town, and Lisa Walsh, longtime dance teacher at her Goleta studio, Dance Unlimited.


Dave Johnson savors life and surf
01-06-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While surfers were getting out the wax and readying their boards for the monster swells that rolled in recently, Goleta surfer Dave Johnson was far from the action.

"On the first day, I was in Mammoth skiing," he recalled. "It’s always crowded in the beginning.

Sushi is his calling
01-13-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

No matter how much he endures in the competitive trenches of the restaurant business, Toshio Sato is justifiably proud.
The owner of the new Kampai restaurant in El Mercado Plaza has a broad smile when he says, “I was the first sushi chef in Santa Barbara in

Counting all the Beanie Babies
01-20-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Vernon Moore, the co-owner of Bennett’s educational materials and toys, still shakes his head when he recalls the frenzy created during the public’s anticipation of Beanie Babies.

“The line went out the door and down the sidewalk,” said Moore, holding up a cuddly critter from a well-stocked shelf in the Magnolia Center store. “Many things have changed while

Counting all the Beanie Babies
01-20-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Vernon Moore, the co-owner of Bennett’s educational materials and toys, still shakes his head when he recalls the frenzy created during the public’s anticipation of Beanie Babies.

“The line went out the door and down the sidewalk,” said Moore, holding up a cudd

Aqua Nail takes care of business
01-27-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Claudia Papa can definitely say she’s putting her college years to good use. With a degree in international business, the entrepreneur is making her mark locally as the owner of the Aqua Nail Bar & Boutique.

Those who knew the former Hollister School student wa

Smile maintenance at Fairview
02-03-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Calvin Kim has a lot in common with other new tenants in the Fairview Center. He, like many, copes with unexpected challenges every day.

But he’s the only who will brag about moving his family from the vaunted heights of Montecito to the open spaces of Goleta.

Heavenly Angl heads for Goleta
02-10-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A heavenly unveiling of the latest in female fashion is set for next week, when Angl (pronounced "Angel") opens in the Camino Real Marketplace.

For frequenters of one of the hottest shops in downtown Santa Barbara, there is now plenty to get revved up about here in Goleta.

"We will have trendy clothes and basics, like in Paseo Nuevo, but we have plent

Swinks move chiropractic practice to Fairview Center
02-17-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The husband and wife owners of Swink Chiropractic in the Fairview Center had some explaining to do when they recently opened their doors.

Sandy Swink, who manages the office, said it has been tough since finding out they had to uproot the business after ne

Island Seed and Feed
02-24-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While raindrops tap-danced on the metal roof of Island Seed and Feed, owners Brenton Kelly and Matt Buckmaster shuffled through the aisles helping their regulars wade through a wet weekend.

Chatting among the stacks of garden and pet supplies, all said the weat

Prototype Source
03-03-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Although Dorian Duke, a parent at Hollister School, often lends a hand organizing school events, his PTA colleagues may be surprised with his other behind-the-scenes role.

At Prototype Source in Santa Barbara, Duke and his partner Bruce Brackman are involved wi

Youngsters enjoy Kids Cuts
03-10-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Sandwiched between Ye Olde Butcher Shop and Eller’s Donuts is a business bursting with youthful energy. But Kids Cuts is not for the faint of heart. Unless you’re a mom or dad smart enough to call an electric razor a “tickler.”

“Kids are a lot like adults,” sai

Making Dollars Out of Donuts
03-17-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Before Rapee Israchanpanich could even start going to La Colina Junior High he had to learn some very basic English. It was a long leap in most ways from his native Thailand to the South Coast.

But like his mother, father and sister, he was determined to do wel

Cal Coast Locksmiths
03-24-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Carl Young is a Good Land pioneer. Like others who came before him, he moved out west in search of a better life. It helped that the Goleta Valley reminded him of home.

“I was a farm boy, born and raised in Tennessee,” he said from his locksmith shop in Old Tow

Noah’s Cat Resort
03-31-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

With lingering spring breakers and an influx of vacationers making their way into the area, it comes as little surprise local favorite overnight hotels are filling up fast.

But another place with equally limited spaces is attracting another breed of visi

Tow Time’s Owner Loves His Work
04-07-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Although it would have meant a lot to Joe Martinez and his father, also called Joe, the name “Joe’s Towing” just didn’t have quite the zing of “Tow Time.”

And when it’s time for a tow, more locals than ever are calling the younger of the two Joes.

“My father

LA Weight Loss arrives in Goleta
04-14-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

In one stroke, the innovative weight loss organization LA Weight Loss Centers has opened three new outlets, in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria and on Hollister Avenue in Goleta.

“This was absolutely planned this way,” explained administrative representative an

Quizno’s lights up Calle Real
04-21-2006

By Jeff Jones Voice Staff Reporter

Fans of Quizno’s subs may get a chuckle out of the diminutive television commercial character named Bob, the infant who constantly yearns for an adult-sized sandwich - in his adult-sized, irritating voice.
But like the catchy marketing strategies of Jack-

Zodo’s goes back to the future
04-28-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Goletans who remember Italia Pizzeria with fondness can take comfort in the fact that many of their old favorites are available at Zodo’s Bowling & Beyond on Calle Real.

Steve Davis, who operated the pizzeria with his wife, Terri, brought recipes from the

The plate lunch has landed
05-05-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Laugh all you want, but L & L Hawaiian Barbecue features a Spam and egg burger, grilled Spam and even Spam musubi.

Don’t get too giddy, though. Goleta’s newest eatery also serves up some of the tastiest beef, short ribs, chicken and other combination plates th

Surf’s up at Sundance Beach
05-12-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Judy Bartlett touches her heart every Feb. 4. On that day in 1988 she gave birth to her son Andrew and closed the deal to purchase Sundance Ocean Sports.

After several incarnations, but never a complete reinvention, Sundance Beach is now a hot spot in the Camin

Teen beauty line set to go
05-19-2006
By Margo Kline, Voice Staff Writer

Two local women with successful track records as entrepreneurs are poised to launch a new business venture that’s off the beaten track — but very much on the teenage wavelength.

Susan Shand and Shari Poe will introduce TESS, which stands for Teen Everyday Ski

A gentle approach to training horses
05-26-2006
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

When Lisa Kay was 16 and worked as a horse groomer in Santa Ynez, she realized there had to be a better way.

“Some of the things I saw up there were just appalling,” she said, recalling that trainers whipped their horses’ front legs until the beasts went d

Where the center faces the east
06-02-2006

The Maharishi Enlightenment Center has a home after nearly a year of searching. The holdup: It needed the proper orientation.

Now, with its front door facing east and the morning sun, the center just off Hollister Avenue is opening this weekend.

“The first rays of the morning sun have a big

Pressed of success
06-09-2006
A Goleta couple dives into the tiny but growing artisan olive oil market

By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

When Goletans Janet Benner and Norman Russell bought acreage in Butte County, out in California’s Central Valley, they were mostly thinking of investing the money they got from

The art of the deal
06-23-2006
With Paint Jamming, partners let clients get in touch with their creative sides

By India Allen, Voice Correspondent

Jana Brody and Agnes Effron are in the business of creativity. Together they inspire others with their company, Paint Jamming, a kind of catering service for art parties.

Moms keep it Adorably Local
06-30-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

If you’re looking for a unique gift for a local new baby or toddler or one whose family has moved from the area, Adorably Local has some excellent options. The company is unquestionably local — it was created in and operates in Goleta. And judging by the way the business is taking off, plenty of customers think its products are adorable and appealing.

E

Small Company Secrets: The best advice - seek good advice
06-30-2006
By Paul Burri

One of the best pieces of business advice I ever got was to form an
Advisory Board of experienced business people — some active, some retired — who could give me the advice I would need to be successful.

Most people who are starting a business rarely consider this invaluable source of information, advice and support. Forming such a board of local business people — particular

Small company secrets: Writing a business plan
07-14-2006
By Paul Burri

It’s now time to write a business plan. Or is it? For the past several years, writing a business plan is something that most new entrepreneurs think they must do — especially if they plan to go to a bank for a loan.

Sadly, that’s the worst reason for writing one. The truth is this: probably no bank will grant you a loan without a business plan. But the truth also is that with or

An Antique Treasure Trove
07-21-2006

By India Allen, Voice Intern

While garage sales and thrift stores are commonplace in Goleta, one local, all-female family is putting a young face on an old business – that of selling or recycling previously owned goods.

In the heart of Goleta’s Old Town, Emily’s & Emilio’s, owned by Zoila Agu

Small Business Secrets: A funny thing happened on the way to work
07-21-2006
by Paul Burri

I was teaching an evening business class and we started talking about some of the problems that seem to pop up almost daily in a business. One older gentleman in the front row raised his hand and asked me, “When do you get to the point where you don’t have any more problems?”

From his demeanor I had to assume that he was serious, but it was such a naive question that I had to str

Tax hike the run in Measure D discussion
07-28-2006
Goleta’s business leaders held their fourth in a series of roundtable discussions on Measure D 2006, the transportation sales tax measure to be voted on later this year. The purpose of the meeting was to decide whether the Goleta Chamber of Commerce should back the measure or not.

Present at the discussion were roundtable committee members, as well as representatives from the Santa Barbara Count

Right in time with his customers
08-04-2006
Pendulum Faire’s owner has built a loyal following

By India Allen

When Roman Wernio moved his business, Pendulum Faire, from downtown Santa Barbara to South Patterson Avenue, his customers f

Right in time with his customers
08-04-2006
Pendulum Faire’s owner has built a loyal following

By India Allen

When Roman Wernio moved his business, Pendulum Faire, from downtown Santa Barbara to South Patterson Avenue, his customers f