County News Archive: Spencer Hartfeld - National Cycling Champion
07-29-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

A June high school graduate, Spencer Hartfeld is not relaxing in the sun and sleeping in like many of his peers.

Hartfeld, a track racer with Echelon Santa Barbara cycling club, just won the national championship in the 17-18 Men’s Kilometer Time Tria

Brooks and Dave talk the County split
07-29-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Santa Maria resident David Cross and 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone clashed last Friday in the first area debate about the proposed creation of Mission County.

Cross is a staunch supporter of a county split, and Firestone vehemently opposes the change. The two were guests of the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara, which hosted the program at the Do

News briefs
07-29-2005

Schools reject pesticides

Goleta schools will be pesticide-free, after a 4-1 vote by the school board this week to have weeds, gophers and other pests eliminated without resorting to chemicals.

The board approved the plan, to be implemented immediately, at an estimated annual cost of $38,900. This will fund hiring of a groundskeeper to trap gophers and pull weeds. The cost of pestic

PUEBLO turns 5
07-29-2005

Legendary United Farm Workers organizer Dolores Huerta (right) is pictured with Cruz Phillips at the fifth birthday celebration of PUEBLO on Sunday at Casa de la Raza. Huerta, 75, and the late Cesar Chavez organized UFW In the 60s, and Phillips is a local organizer who has trained staff for PUEBLO.

Horse dies of West Nile Virus
07-29-2005

A horse that died in June was infected with West Nile Virus and is the first equine in Santa Barbara County to succumb to the disease, authorities announced.

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announced the death on Wednesday. The horse was kept in the Santa Barbara 93105 zip code and reportedly had not been vaccinated against West Nile.

So far this year, West Nile Virus has

Sheriff's blotter
07-29-2005

Napping dad roused from bushes

“I’m taking a nap,” a man arrested for public intoxication explained after deputies roused him from his slumber in bushes near the 5800 block of Hollister Avenue. Patrolling deputies spotted the sleeping man just after 9 a.m., July 19, adjacent to a convenience store. The 58-year-old man from San Luis Obispo said he had come to the Goleta area to visit h

Goleta’s Turnbull to lead Santa Barbara High
07-29-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Paul Turnbull, principal of Goleta Valley Junior High School, was appointed principal of Santa Barbara High School, effective immediately, by the Santa Barbara School Districts Board of Trustees earlier this week. Santa Barbara High School (SBHS), locate

State to audit Devereux
08-05-2005
Complaints lodged by parents, staff

By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Devereux Santa Barbara, a residential campus for children and adults with emotional, developmental and educational disabilities just west of UCSB, is preparing for an audit in the near future by the state’s Department of

News briefs
08-05-2005

Anderson to lead convention workshop

R. Lane Anderson, a local leader of Veterans For Peace and Vietnam Veterans Against the War, is attending the National Convention of Veterans For Peace in Dallas, moderating a workshop today on accountability and impeachment. The convention will continue through Sunday.

Anderson traveled to Dallas in 1971 as a delegate to another convention to end

Fire off Hwy 154
08-05-2005

Major resources were committed July 29 by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and U.S. Forest Service to a potentially serious fire just off of Hwy. 154, shortly before 10 a.m,, above a residential community at the intersection of San Antonio Creek Road and Hwy 154, a 5-ton dump truck became

Back to School Guide: Backpack donations sought
08-05-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

For the next three weeks, a major drive to collect new backpacks and other school supplies is being conducted by two UCSB groups so the materials can be distributed to low income elementary students before school starts. UCSB’s Community Affairs Board an

Sheriff's blotter
08-05-2005
Granny sobers up and has major sunburn

After receiving numerous calls concerning an older intoxicated female in the Marketplace Drive area just after 4:30 p.m., July 29, deputies finally found her lying on a public bench with an empty vodka bottle near her feet.

Before the woman, 62, could be transported to county jail for public intoxication, she had to be treated for sunburn and dehy

UCSB, Isla Vista work on coexistence
08-12-2005
By Delia Csipkay, Special to the Voice

Town and gown - in this case, Isla Vista and UCSB - are engaged in a balancing act that engages the hearts and minds of all concerned.

The Isla Vista Commission for the University of California at Santa Barbara was established as a permanent policy-setting body

Eight units coming to Ellwood : First affordable housing complex approved by city of Goleta
08-12-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

If all goes as planned, a tall mound of earth and a yellow tractor currently filling the empty lot at 360 Ellwood Beach Dr. will be replaced by an attractive and affordable eight-unit complex before school starts next year.

Goleta Mayor Jean Blois a

News Briefs
08-12-2005
Chumash, County clash anew

The County Board of Supervisors is protesting to the Bureau of Indian Affairs a proposal by Chumash Indians to annex nearly six acres of land to their reservation.

Calling the tribe "one of the more aggressive developers in the Santa Ynez Valley," the supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a letter protesting the proposed annexation. The letter will say

The good stuff
08-12-2005

A perpetual Fiesta favorite, the mercado at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Nopal Street is well known for its outstanding food during Old Spanish Days. Sister Lydia Parada, center, is flanked by co-workers Margarita Olivas, left and Mariana Munoz before the crowds arrived Saturday. Church membe

Young drinkers: the size of the problem
08-12-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

If you have had the sense lately that teen-aged alcohol abuse has been on the rise, you may be right, although heightened official and public awareness are also factors.

The Santa Barbara Secondary School District has just received a $400,000 grant from the United States Department of Education to produce, over a three-year period, a statistical pi

Electronics:Obsolescence and Recycling
08-12-2005
By Karen Gumtow, Environmental Specialist, City of Santa Barbara

What do mice, bluejays, salamanders, and bats have in common? All of them have a longer lifespan than the average computer. To avoid burying California under a mountain of obsolete plastic, metal, and hazardous waste, the State of California enacted the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003.

A study conducted by the Cali

Sheriff's blotter
08-12-2005
Raincoat mystery solved, sort of

A local, walking along Stagecoach Road, August 3, alerted authorities after finding a raincoat covered in blood on the side of the road. Using a K-9 unit, deputies were led to a mass of decomposing tissue matter later identified as a dead deer. The K-9 used to solve the mystery, “Zeus,” stopped and sat (the trained indicator) when he found the scent he was

Perseid shower opens to rave reviews
08-19-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

Luck was with our amateur astronomers for this year’s installment of the Perseid meteor shower. The marine layer was gone and the cloudless night sky yielded images of astonishing and dramatic clarity.

The Perseid shower is so-called because the me

Summit High - School for teens in recovery comes together
08-19-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

On the first day of school, Summit High will welcome students in grades 9-12 for the first time. Summit High is a small, public school for adolescents determined to maintain sobriety, in recovery from alcohol and other drug abuse.

Created through the efforts of the Santa Barbara County Education Office, the Daniel Bryant Youth and Family Treatment Cente

News briefs
08-19-2005

Man killed running across 101

A man attempting to run across Highway 101 near Salinas Street was struck and killed Saturday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP spokesman Officer Donald Clotworthy said the man has been identified as Thomas Edward Brophy, 47, of Olympia, WA. He was struck by a car being driven southbound on 101 by Greg Crump, 49, of Carlsbad, CA.

Los Padres drilling proposed, decried
08-19-2005
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor

Conservationists and the federal government are locked in a new struggle over oil and gas development, this time in the Los Padres National Forest that stretches from here to Big Sur.

The U.S. Forest Service late last month approved opening up more than 52,000 a

Iraq war casualties, as of July 20, 2005
08-19-2005

U.S. troop deaths 1,858
U.S. troops wounded 13,877
Coalition troop deaths 194

Iraqi civilian deaths 23,589-26,705 (estimated)

Iraqi military and insurgent deaths - 4,895-6,370 (Estimated as of 4/28/04; more recent total unavailable)

Statistics pulled from the following sources: U.S. Department of Defense, www.lunaville.com, www.iraqbodycount.net, Associated Press

Men's Guide: Gentlemen -take charge of your health!
08-19-2005
By Erno S. Daniel, M.D., Special to the Voice

There is a medical saying that dates back to the time of Rome: “Medicus Curat, Natura Sanat” The doctor treats, but nature heals.

It is mostly nature, and not the doctor, that is our best friend in maintaining our health. For the most part, nature does very well if we give it a chance.

However, since not all of us have perfect health habits, a

UCSB to host Ornithologists
08-19-2005

Once-Extinct woodpecker major focus of meeting

By Matthew Bassin
Contributions by Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

UCSB will host the oldest and largest organization devoted to the scientific study of birds, the American Ornithologist Union (AOU), Tuesday throug

Sheriff's blotter
08-19-2005

Shopping madness

A shopping cart collision inside a North Fairview Avenue grocery store escalated when the suspect, 59, pulled a knife on the victim in a threatening manner. Deputies called to the scene just before 11 a.m., August 13, were told the suspect had subsequently left the store after brandishing the weapon. According to the 55-year-old victim, he was reaching for a can off

The 'Big Sphere" Dance - Goleta, Santa Barbara square off
08-26-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

The Local Agency Formation Commission, in a just released report, did not approve an application, filed by Committee for One, requesting to change the Sphere of Influence of the unincorporated part of Goleta Valley from that of the County to that of the Cit

Parks and Fire, reducing fire danger, together
08-26-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Children playing with matches touched off a fire recently that burned approximately four acres behind homes on Via Regina, off of San Marcos Road on the north side of Cathedral Oaks Road. The blaze started on County Parks Dept. open space and burned up a

News briefs
08-26-2005

Women's Equality Day

A Great American Write-In, celebrating Women's Equality Day with a letter-writing campaign supporting reproductive freedom, will take place tomorrow at Center Stage Theater in the Paseo Neuvo Mall from 2-4 p.m. The Santa Barbara Pro-Choice Coalition, comprised of 24 local organizations, is working to collect a minimum of 1,500 letters to forward to President Bush,

Eastern Goleta Valley and Sphere of Influence
08-26-2005

The Local Agency Formation Commission will consider the future the eastern Goleta Valley at its meeting Thursday, at 2 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room of the Santa Barbara County Administration Building, 105 E. Anapamu St. The Commission will respond to a request filed by Committee for One, for a change in status for the unincorporated Goleta Valley, moving it from the Sphere of

Sheriff's Blotter
08-26-2005
By Rebecca Carroll, Special to the Voice

Shades of grey

In a commercial burglary that occurred at a Goleta optometric center, July 22, two complete display cases that were stolen went unaccounted for. The 75 pairs of glasses, worth $5,000, were mostly Ray-Ban and Persol brands. The shop owner called authorities, August 11, when he realized the oversight during the earlier investigation.

Hydrogen won’t soon replace petroleum
09-02-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editoral Director

The hydrogen molecule has many present and potential uses in industry and in science, but it will not - in the foreseeable future - become our main transportation fuel.

That is the well-sifted opinion of Dr. Eric McFarland, Professor of Chemical En

Granada gets $6 million boost
09-02-2005
By Matthew Bassin, Special to the Voice

The Granada Theatre, which has been sitting $9 million short of its 2005 goal of $32 million, received a giant boost Tuesday from philanthropists Morris and Irma Jurkowitz.

The Jurkowitzes, one-time owners of the theater and the Granada Building that hous

News briefs
09-02-2005
‘Katrina’ deaths may total thousands

The beloved city of New Orleans began to close down late Wednesday, as looters roamed the flooded streets and deaths from Hurricane Katrina were estimated possibly in the thousands.

More than one million residents on America’s Gulf Coast struggled with

Hurricane Relief - How to Give
09-02-2005
The nation’s relief agencies swung into action when the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina became apparent. Following are some options for those wishing to contribute.

American Red Cross: call 1-800-HELP-NOW.

Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles emergency fund, call 1-323-761-8200 or visit JewishLA.org.
Direct Relief International, headquartered in Goleta: visit www.directrelief.org.

Cath

Locals follow their hearts - south
09-09-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

South Coast residents are donating their time, their money, and their skills to help the people of the Gulf Coast recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Emblematic of the grass roots relief efforts getting up to speed around the county, there is the departure tomorrow of a bus full of volunteers and supplies under the sponsorship o

News briefs
09-09-2005
CHP boosts school zone safety

With the beginning of the school term, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has stepped up its program of enforcement in school zones.

“The public needs to be aware that school is back in session and to slow down when passing schools when children are present,” said officer Don Clotworthy of the Santa Barbara CHP office. “Our primary concern is the safety of

Train causes fires, endangers firefighter
09-09-2005

Three separate brush fires were ignited by a northbound freight train last Friday between the 4100 block of State Street and Turnpike Road, said Keith Cullom, public information officer for the county’s fire department. The two areas of greatest concern burned between the railroad track and Hwy

Sheriff's blotter
09-09-2005
Accidental drug user

Two days after “accidentally” swallowing an unknown quantity of methamphetamines, a 22-year-old male was pulled over for making unsafe lane changes along Hollister Avenue. A patrolling deputy stopped the unsafe driver at 11:45 p.m., August 23, and arrested him after noticing the driver’s uneven pupils.

The self-admitted habitual drug user, who had an outstanding wa

Teaching American History in Goleta
09-16-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

What students are taught about the history of the United States is determined by the State of California. What they learn from studying American history is determined mostly by the students themselves, but the teachers can and do make a tremendous dif

Survival supplies at home
09-16-2005

The American Red Cross maintains a Website with disaster information, including detailed guidelines on what households should keep on hand at all times. Below is a summary of Red Cross recommendations.

Six basics to be stocked are: water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies, and special items. A handy containers could be a large, covered trash containe

News briefs
09-16-2005

Young dad needs transplant

Friends and family are asking for contributions to assist a young Goleta man in obtaining a desperately needed liver transplant.

Dennis Donald Bush, Jr., is a father of two small children, and is presently at the top of the national donor list. A fund has been established at Santa Barbara Bank and Trust to accept donations in his behalf. The funds will be

Iraq war casualties as of September 14, 2005
09-16-2005

U.S. troop deaths 1,897
U.S. troops wounded 14,362
Coalition troops deaths 197

Iraqi civilian deaths 24,712-27,963 (estimated)

Iraqi insurgent and military deaths 4,895-6,370 (Estimated as of 4/28/04-current total not available)

Statistics pulled from the following sources: U.S. Department of Defense, www.lunaville.com, www.iraqbodycount.net, Associated Press

Goleta kids are good ‘counselors’
09-16-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Future advocates for the homeless, enthusiastic champions of worldwide civil rights and a new crop of public school teachers are getting a head start on career commitments in the Goleta Valley.

While community service hours are a dreaded graduation requirement for some teenage students, other classmates are taking full advantage of the opportunity and ca

Sheriff’s blotter
09-16-2005

Valuables stolenoutside bar

A woman who left her purse unattended, September 6, on the seat of an open convertible after dark along the 4400 block of Hollister Avenue returned to find her bag missing. Aside from $900 in cash, the purse also contained a real estate security box key. The victim valued her missing belongings over $2,000.

Looking for the lads

A property ma

Custom suitcases for thousands
09-23-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

“Operation Fill-a-Suitcase” for victims of hurricane Katrina began when one person decided she could and would make a difference.

As of Wednesday, the suitcase project, as it has been nicknamed, had mushroomed to the point that enough clothing, suitcas

Cemetery a tranquil island, despite scandal
09-23-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

The beautiful Goleta Cemetery is the gift of a more gracious age.

Nowadays, it is hard to imagine an owner of this gently rounded hilltop, with its remote peacefulness and its spectacular view of the Goleta Valley, donating free and in perpetuity s

Cemetery Superintendent investigated
09-23-2005

In his last year as superintendent of the Goleta Cemetery District, Carroll E. Brown doubled his salary by cashing in his accumulated unused sick leave, according to County records.

Although there is a district policy prohibiting employees from cashing in unused sick leave, the Board of Trustees of the Cemetery District signed off on paying him for some 2,200 hours of unused sick time, accor

News briefs
09-23-2005
New Orleans pumped dry - for now

As Hurricane Rita swept from the Florida Keys across the Gulf of Mexico, the city of New Orleans reported Wednesday that it has been pumped dry, well ahead of schedule.

New Orleans took the brunt of Hurricane Katrina and is still reeling from the effects, with few residents back in the city after evacuation. The Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesda

Lemonfest coming soon
09-23-2005

It’s kickoff time for Goleta’s California Lemon Festival, and members of the Goleta Chamber of Commerce board of directors celebrated the event Wednesday with the unveiling of this year’s Lemon Festival poster and other details of the popular, annual two-day celebration.

At the Chamber’s m

From Goleta to Katrina’s front lines - and back
09-23-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Tell Ken Ardry he’s a hero and he’ll just shake his head.

“You don’t think of yourself as a hero when you’re going down there just to help people. I did what I could,” he said.

Ardry is one of more than one hundred such heroes from the Santa Barb

Old oil pier demolished; new platforms going up
09-23-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Despite protests from the Goleta City Council and the Board of Supervisors, BP (British Petroleum) America, Inc., owner of the derelict oil pier PRC-421 in the waters just off of Sandpiper golf course, began demolition of the structure Tuesday. The Cali

Creative Incentives Can Relieve Highway 101 Congestion
09-23-2005
By Dr. Kalon L. Kelley
Sierra Club

An observer of congestion on Highway 101 south of Milpas during commuting hours (northbound in the morning, southbound in the afternoon) would be struck by the large number of single occupant vehicles - over 70 percent. And perhaps that observer would hear the argument that people can’t be persuaded to carpool and that there is no alternative to spend

Sheriff's blotter
09-23-2005
DUI Checkpoint: Hollister Avenue at Kinman Avenue

A September 10 D.U.I. Checkpoint, located westbound on Hollister Avenue, wrapped up around 4 a.m. after deputies spent over eight hours actively checking drivers for driving while impaired. It was noted in the report, there has been a high volume of D.U.I. arrests in this area; mostly area college students driving back to Isla Vista after

Los Compadres: Guiding teens to make right choices
09-30-2005
By Jeff Jones, Staff Reporter

Teaching teens to act responsibly and accept the consequences of their choices is the goal of many parents and teachers, who know there are many ways to run outside accepted societal norms.

One group of comrades is organized to stand beside at-risk youths.

$1M grant gets I.V. soccer field going
09-30-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

A recent grant of $1 million from the California State Parks Dept. will help fund a soccer field in Estero Park in Isla Vista. Plans for the 8-acre park also include a basketball court and a skate park, both of which are in the planning stages, said Der

DP swimming pool
09-30-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editoral Director

After recent criticism of the project by school board member Robert Noel, Aquatic Center supporters and community activists have rallied to support the replacement of Dos Pueblos High School’s swimming pool.

In fact, the public and official consensus

Rash of fatal crashes kills four
09-30-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Alan Witcher, 55, of Santa Barbara, succumbed to injuries he suffered as a result of a single-vehicle crash Sunday on Hwy. 154.

Officer Don Clotworthy, an accident investigation officer for the California Highway Patrol (CHP), said that Witcher, riding a BMW motorcycle, was traveling eastbound on State Route 154, east of East Camino Cielo, when he f

News briefs
09-30-2005
Gaviota Yanked from South Coast

Simmering resentments between the South and North Counties flared this week after the Board of Supervisors voted to yoke the Gaviota Coast in a design district with the Santa Ynez Valley.

Third District Supervisor Brooks Firestone, who owns a winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, voted for the pairing, along with the other North County supervisors - Joni Grey

Young leaders learning
09-30-2005

Teens from all corners of the county came together Sunday at Westmont College for a leadership conference organized to enhance the young people’s skills as drug- and alcohol-free leaders and advocates, public speakers and event planners in their communities.

About 80 students in grades seve

Sheriff’s blotter
09-30-2005
Compiled by Rebecca Carroll

Mom’s poor judgment and child’s emergency

A 36-year-old mother of two was cited for child abuse, September 14, outside a Hollister Avenue store after leaving her two children, ages 8 months and 18 months, locked in her Chevy Suburban for twenty minutes while she used the bathroom facilities. When the woman returned to her vehicle just before 1:30 p.m. she fou

It’s Lemon Festival Time!
10-07-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

The Lemon Festival has risen to the top of pop culture fame to the extent that even Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are gracing the big stage next weekend.

Well, the knock-off band “Imagine” may not exactly be straight out of Liverpool, but the same atmosphere and oohs and aahs will resurrect a feeling of Flower and Lemon Power at Girsh Park on Oct. 15 and 16

Kids aren’t just playing games here
10-07-2005
By Leslie Dinaberg, Special to the Voice

Watching kids of all ages “shake their moneymakers” to the tunes of the Dance Revolution games in the arcade at Luigi’s Restaurant or the lobby of Camino Real Marketplace Theatre may be amusing to some, but it’s serious business to Dr. Debra Lieberma

News briefs
10-07-2005

Channel guardians to be honored

Ship’s Captain Fred Benko is among the honorees expected at the 25th anniversary dinner of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) tonight (Friday).

The Foundation will honor him, along with Congressmember Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and civic leaders Barry and Jean Schuyler, with oceanographer J

Ellwood plans garner honors
10-07-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

After only three years of incorporation, the City of Goleta was awarded last Thursday with the prestigious Helen Putnam Award for Excellence for the City’s successful preservation of the Ellwood Mesa, now known as Sperling Reserve.

“The preservation of E

25 Years and Counting
10-07-2005
By Chuck Graham, Special to the Voice

Both the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and the Channel Islands National Park are celebrating their 25th anniversaries this year.

An area of national significance because of its exceptional natural beauty and resources, the Sanctuary enco

Patagonia takes the green road to success
10-14-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Not very many of us stop to think about where our clothes come from, let alone how they were made and what chemicals doused the fibers before the fabric was woven.

In fact, many clothing manufacturers have taken pains not to openly reveal their source

News briefs
10-14-2005

Thousands die in Pakistan quake

Bitter cold, hunger and rain beset thousands who survived a massive earthquake in Pakistan, with estimates of the dead at 23,000 and expected to grow.

Some 2.5 million Pakistanis were left homeless by the quake, which leveled whole villages in the northern part of the country. An early estimate of the injured stood at 60,000. Relief teams poured into

Kids in court get support from CASA
10-14-2005
By Leslie Dinaberg, Special to the Voice

"When I started I expected nothing for myself," said Doris Becker, recalling her ten years as a volunteer CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), working on behalf of children who are involved in the court system. The program was just starting out in Santa B

Sheriff's blotter
10-14-2005

Walk off

A college student awoke, September 30, to discover her television missing. The victim told investigators she did not hear any noise as the burglar entered her Isla Vista apartment between 1:30 and 9 a.m. through a window screen in her living room. Along with her television, the unknown burglar stole the victim’s eclectic DVD collection including movies like "Zoolander," "Blac

Winchester Canyon gets a touch-up
10-21-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Although an expert in complicated equations in the Math department of Goleta Valley Junior High, teacher Lauren Gleason admitted to having no immediate solution for a troubling situation in her neighborhood.

Most everyday, as she drove home along the eucal

News briefs
10-21-2005
Supervisors approve new growth plan funding

In a 4-1 vote, the Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to update the community plan for the unincorporated area between the City of Santa Barbara and the City of Goleta.

The decision was a notable victory for residents of the eastern Goleta Valley, who have worked for years to get the county to fund just such an update. Many have testified the

Fire destroys mobile home
10-21-2005

A blaze at the Blue Skies Mobile Home Park in the 4200 block of Calle Real destroyed one mobile home and damaged another about 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Three engines and one truck from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and one Santa Barbara City engine company responded and contained the spread of

Lemon Festival
10-21-2005

A very young Lemon Festival attendee gets his first exposure to firefighting tools used by members of the County Fire Department’s fuels crew at Girsh Park last weekend.

Voters ponder propositions
10-28-2005
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor & Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

California’s voters will have the final say Nov. 8 about eight propositions - several of them emotionally charged issues - in the special election called by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The most controversial proposition may be the first one on the ballot, Prop. 73, requiring notification of parents wh

Halloween Holiday Happenings...
10-28-2005
By Martha Lannan. Voice Community Editor

Through Oct. 30

Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch

Hayrides, farm animals, tractors, a maze through growing cornstalks, horse-drawn wagon rides, a talking scarecrow, gourds, corn and pounds and pounds of pumpkins can all be found at Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch on Walnut Lane off of Hollister Avenue, near the Magnolia Shopping Center. For more informatio

News briefs
10-28-2005

U.S. deaths in Iraq top 2,000,/b>

The number of U.S. service men and women who have died in the Iraqi war topped 2,000 this week, and President Bush warned the American public to expect even more casualties.

“No one should underestimate the difficulties ahead,” Bush told a Joint Armed Forces Officers’ Wives’ luncheon in Washington. The U.S. Senate observed a moment of silence in honor o

Curtain rising on DP's Performing Arts Center
10-28-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

The hard hats and shovels came out last week at Dos Pueblos High School for the groundbreaking to initiate construction of the first-ever auditorium on the 40-year old campus.

With the help of bulldozers and school district officials wielding shovels, and es

Driver escapes before train crushes car
10-28-2005

A driver who had pulled off the road in the El Capitan area escaped injury Tuesday morning when his car became stuck on railroad tracks and was demolished by a northbound Union Pacific freight train.

The County Fire Dept. responded to the scene with three engines, one truck and a Battalion Chie

Relief crews face greater challenges
10-28-2005
By Natasha De Silva, Special to the Voice

Victims of catastrophe and the organizations that helped them face a new challenge, as the proportion of those in need and those who help undergo more crises.

Yet another destructive natural disaster struck recently in the form of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake near the India-Pakistan border in early October.

It left tens of thousands more lives in disa

Merchants caught in sales to kids
11-04-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

The tobacco license of one merchant in the Goleta area has been suspended, and five other merchants in the Goleta Valley face suspension of licenses because they sold tobacco products to minors.

They are charged with selling to youths under the age of 18 at least twice since the County Health Dept. stepped up efforts two years ago to keep tobacco away f

News briefs
11-04-2005
Democratic Senators force closed session

In a rare but not unprecedented action, the Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday forced the chamber into a closed session. The closed session was devoted to the indictment of vice presidential Chief of Staff I. Lewis Libby and the Bush Administration’s handling of pre-war intelligence. Closing a session does not require a vote. Senat

Partial closures on Santa Cruz Island
11-04-2005
By Chuck Graham, Special to the Voice

The Channel Islands National Park will take advantage of the approaching winter and low visitation at Scorpion Anchorage to eradicate the feral pig population from the National Park portion of Santa Cruz Island.

This means partial and temporary closures wit

Sheriff's blotter
11-04-2005
Hey man, your head’s on fire

Oblivious of the lit cigarette smoldering in his wig as he staggered along Del Playa Road in Isla Vista, the young man stumbled aimlessly through the crowded streets during Halloween weekend. Patrolling deputies caught up with the Carpinteria resident at 1:20 a.m., October 30, after he nearly fell-twice. Obviously unable to care for his own safety, and after t

Shrinking the no-otter zone
11-11-2005
By Chuck Graham, Special to the Voice

The transmission was loud and clear on the VHF radio, “Hey, I saw an otter in the kelp bed off Summerland.” As I listened in on the conversation, I couldn’t believe it. An otter this far down in the no-otter zone?

A few days later, while kayaking out to an

Farmers Speak Up for Water
11-11-2005
By John Bury, Voice Staff Reporter

Goleta farmers spoke with a unanimous voice on Tuesday night, telling the board members of the Goleta Water District that they will not be able to continue farming if water rates are increased.

Most of the approximately 30 people speaking at the crowded heari

News briefs
11-11-2005
All 8 propositions lose

All eight propositions on Tuesday’s ballot - four of them championed by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger - were defeated in California’s costliest election ever.

Schwarzenegger promoted the four propositions as needed to circumvent the Democratic-controlled Legislature and “reform” state government. The GOP-sponsored measures were:

° Prop. 74, requiring a

Raining? Turn on lights
11-11-2005

When the rain began pelting hard Wednesday morning, the California Highway Patrol sent notice to the media: “Drivers should remember to turn on their headlights or risk a ticket.”

Officer Don Clotworthy an sent e-mail to media noting a state law mandating the use of headlights during rainstorms went into effect on July 1. “California Highway Patrol officers have been keeping an eye out for w

Granada Restoration
11-11-2005

Dozens of local arts supporters and civic officials celebrated the destruction of the interior of the Granada Theatre as it moved into the next phase of restoration last week.

The Granada will eventually be transformed into a regional performing arts center large enough to accommodate the Sa

Sheriff's blotter
11-11-2005
No ifs, ands, or butts

A 20-year-old University student arrested for sexual battery after patrolling deputies witnessed the young man grab the posterior of a passing, costumed, young woman tried to justify his actions. Referring to the large fluffy dress the female Halloween participant was parading around the streets of Isla Vista, he argued, “I wanted to see what it felt like.” Adding,

Susan Rose won’t run again
11-18-2005
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor

Second District Supervisor Susan Rose announced Wednesday that she will not run for a third term, citing a wish to “spend more time with my husband and family.”

In her announcement, Rose added that she has “decided that it is time to move on to other goals and

News briefs
11-18-2005
CEC sells Mesa center

The Community Environmental Council this week announced it has sold its Mesa headquarters to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care and will relocate to downtown Santa Barbara.

The announcement came not long after Bob Ferris, CEC’s executive director, announced that he has left his job and will look into other environment-related work.

A statement issued by the Environme

Iraq war casualties, as of Nov. 16, 2005
11-18-2005

U.S. troop deaths 2,079
U.S. troops wounded 15,477
Coalition troops deaths 200

Iraqi civilian deaths 26,982-30,380 (estimated)

Iraqi insurgent
and military deaths 4,895-6,370 (Estimated as of 4/28/04-current total not available)

Statistics pulled from the following sources: U.S. Department of Defense, www.lunaville.com, www.iraqbodycount.net, Associated

Feasibility study arouses neighborhood concern
11-18-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editoral Director

The Nov. 8 Santa Barbara School Board meeting was a crowded affair, with the audience eager to hear results of a $150,000 study by a Maryland company on ways to make money from some 23 acres owned by the districts.

The company, UniDev LLC, analyzed

Foodbank issues “early bird” call
11-18-2005

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is issuing a call for “early birds” - specifically, 4,000 turkeys by tomorrow (Saturday).
It’s the Foodbank’s annual Turkey Drive, in order to provide Thanksgiving bounty for families who otherwise wouldn’t have any.

“We have extended our hours in order to help accommodate donors who wish to deliver turkeys directly to the Foodbank,” said executive directo

Glen Annie Golf Club - deep in the red
11-18-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Glen Annie Golf Club, a spread of 156 green acres in the rolling hills north of Cathedral Oaks Road at Glen Annie Road, will remain a golf course four more years at most.

According to Mike Dingman, a senior vice president of ValleyCrest Companies of C

Backcountry ‘hot spot’ puzzles scientists
11-18-2005
By Chuck Graham, Special to the Voice

A hot spot that started a brushfire on August 23rd of 2004 is still puzzling scientists nation-wide.

In the remote, far eastern region of the Dick Smith Wilderness, in the Los Padres National Forest, the hot spot - located in the middle of a landslide - was

Second District hopefuls near to taking the plunge
11-25-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

Anything can happen before the June 6 California Pr

News briefs
11-25-2005

Holiday bad check program on tap

The office of the District Attorney (D.A.) is preparing for the holiday rush of bad checks, and encourages all merchants and residents in the county to send their non-sufficient funds (NSF) checks directly to the Bad Check Program.

Individuals who have written bad checks will be contacted and required to pay for the amount of the check plus bank fee

Rehab Institute — 50 years of caring
11-25-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Spend half an hour at the busiest rehab center on the Central Coast, and you’ll come away with half acentury of reasons to give thanks this and every other week.

Tales of near death experiences, from accidents or illness, continually bind both clients and clini

Doulas and the birth experience
11-25-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Birthing is a stressful time for everyone, but with the help of a doula, it can be the beautiful experience that it’s meant to be.

“It’s such an honor to be there at such a special time in a woman’s life,” said Nikole Paulos of Central Coast Doula Associat

‘World AIDS Day’ to be marked
11-25-2005

The 18th annual “World AIDS Day” will be observed worldwide, including in Santa Barbara, next Thursday, with the theme “Action Makes a Difference.”

According to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Dept., this year is dedicated to “education, motivation and fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

According to a United Nations update, more than 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV. T

UC Santa Barbara News
11-25-2005
By Martha Lannan. Voice Community Editor

Autism Center receives major gift

UCSB’s Autism Research and Training Center received a $2.35 million gift from local residents Brian and Patricia Kelly, which will help create a new “home” for the center on campus and make it possible to expand ser

Sheriff's blotter
11-25-2005
Wheelchair abandonment

Wheelchairs, sitting deserted in two separate locations, prompted concerned citizens to contact authorities reporting wheelchair abandonment. The first wheelchair, a black Tracer, was sitting in the middle of the Fortuna Road and Camino Lindo intersection. Similarly, the second, an electric Action Arrow, was abandoned in the driveway leading to an Isla Vista apartme

San Marcos Preserve is underway
12-02-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

After five years of contention between environmentalists and a development group, the wheels are finally in motion for the Preserve at San Marcos project to move forward.
The Board of Supervisors turned back appeals and unanimously cleared the way last week f

Rancho Embarcadero challenges developers
12-02-2005
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Though not on the radar of most county voters last month, the election of three members to the board of the Embarcadero Municipal Improvement District had substantial implications for owners of the 150 or more homes on large lots in the community

News briefs
12-02-2005
Cunningham ‘Guilty,’ resigns

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Rancho Santa Fe, has resigned from the United States Congress, after pleading guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes and to evading taxes.

"I broke the law, concealed my conduct and disgraced my high office," the 63-year-old Cunningham told reporters outside the federal courthouse in San Diego on Monday. He had pleaded gui

‘Heirloom Seeds’ promotes purity and diversity
12-02-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Staff Reporter

"Heirloom seeds are old-time varieties," said William Martin, who founded Heirloom Seeds from Around the World, on Ellwood Canyon Road, about two years ago. "They’re open pollinated, which means they are not crossed or hybrids. They exist in their natural form

Airport woes persist
12-02-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

In a setback for the City of Goleta and Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper, a District Court has denied an appeal of Santa Barbara Airport’s planned expansion over sensitive slough wetlands.

Denial of the appeal in a District Court in Ventura makes way for the airport to build over 14 acres of the Goleta Slough, as well as 11 acres of upland habitat.

"Everyb

Sheriff's blotter
12-02-2005

Those rowdy kickball players

A kick ball game between two UCSB fraternities turned sour when, after hours of bantering, one player physically attacked a fan of the opposing team. According to witnesses, the suspect was rounding third base at the Sea Lookout Park game when, instead of heading for home plate, he darted into the crowd and struck the "booing" fan. The suspect fled the sce

State of the City: Of mayors, planes, planning commissions
12-09-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Wallis is Mayor

Jonny Wallis was officially elected Mayor of Goleta last Monday evening, the result of a unanimous vote by the other members of the City Council.

"I really want to express my heartfelt thanks for allowing me to serve as Goleta’s Mayor," said Wallis. "As the fifth mayor of the City of Goleta, I am in a position at once comfo

Food Bank’s need is now, and ongoing
12-09-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Thanks to office drives and a flurry of eleventh-hour community support, the Food Bank had enough turkeys and trimmings to make this year’s Thanksgiving a memorable one for many of the South Coast’s working poor.

But Christmas and beyond is heralding leaner times. Originally facing a need for 4,000 turkeys, the Food Bank received requests for a thousand more

Brown to join Planning Commission
12-09-2005

Second District Supervisor Susan Rose has announced that Goleta Valley resident Cecilia Brown has been selected to serve as Second District Planning Commissioner.
The current planning commissioner, Marc McGinnes, is stepping down to enjoy extensive overseas travel.

Brown is a past pr

News briefs
12-09-2005

Air marshals kill passenger

Federal air marshals shot and killed a jetliner passenger at Miami International Airport Wednesday after the man claimed to have a bomb, then refused to surrender.

The man was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 924, which was traveling from Medellin, Colombia, to Orlando, Florida. The plane had made a scheduled stop at Miami to offload some passenger

Pearl Harbor remembered
12-09-2005

The monument commemorating the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 was the scene of memorial services on Wednesday, Pearl Harbor Day. The monument sits above the sunken U.S.S. Arizona, in which 1,177 service personnel are entombed.

U.S. Department of Defense photo by Petty Officer 3d

Sheriff's blotter
12-09-2005

In search of a pink bowling ball

A pink bowling ball was among the items missing from a car burglarized, November 26, along San Rossano Drive. The victim failed to lock the vehicle after returning from an out-of-town trip. When she returned the following morning, the bowling ball, a cell phone, and two credit cards had been stolen.

Raider’s fan fumbles tickets

A residen

Computers enhance families’ lives
12-09-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

”Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. Our requirements for world leadership, our hopes for economic growth, and the demands of citizenship itself in an era such as this all require the maximum development of every young Am

The Next Wave
12-16-2005
By Chuck Graham, Special to the Voice

What with a steep, washed-out backcountry road, a 40-pound pack on my back, and my crusted mountain bike, I’m sure my face showed the strain, sweat streaming down over my brow. However, when I finally reached Condor Ridge, the reward was evident.

"You have i

Santa Rosa Island in peril?
12-16-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

If California GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) has his way, Santa Rosa Island could become off-limits to the public.

At approximately 53,000 acres, Santa Rosa Island is the second largest in the Channel Island chain, located about 40 miles off of the Santa Barbara coast. It was purchased by the National Park Service in 1986, and has become popular fo

Monkey see, human do — it's in the genes
12-16-2005
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor

Every person who’s snuggled up to a member of the opposite sex and thought "Vive la difference" is celebrating something hard-wired in all higher primates.

And anyone who ever cracked an anthropology textbook knows that the familial resemblance among hominids (us and monkeys and apes and the like) is acute.
It turns out that sex roles also remain consi

News briefs
12-16-2005
New North County jail ok’d

The County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved more than $2 million for a new jail in the North County.

The Board voted unanimously to set aside the money to buy 232 acres of land west of Santa Maria. The vote also mandates hiring a polling firm to find out whether the public would approve a half-cent sales tax to pay for the project. The entire cost of t

Rose’s ‘Inventory’ a lasting legacy
12-16-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

When 2nd District Supervisor Susan Rose leaves office at the end of next year, her constituents and the County in general will retain tangible evidence of her tenure.
One of the most meaningful legacies she will leave is an extensive document cal

Holidays: a time for feeding the hungry
12-23-2005
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Our community’s shelters and food distribution sites are focusing their annual Yuletide efforts on making the holidays special for those going through a spell of hard times.

But local administrators also hope this is the season many more generous folks will ma

Pope Benedict XVI recognizes local Goletans
12-23-2005
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Two Goleta locals received rare honors recently, when they were given Papal Awards by Pope Benedict XVI.

Harold “Fritz” Cahill and Carlos Valenzuela, both of Saint Raphael’s parish, were honored for their dedication to their communities, an expression

News briefs
12-23-2005
No Alaska drilling — for now

A Bush administration attempt to allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was blocked in the Senate Wednesday, after Republicans failed to thwart a Democratic filibuster.

Senate Republicans fell four votes short of the 60 needed to avoid the filibuster, spelling an end to the Arctic drilling provision for the present. It had been attached to

Violent playthings: ‘Just say no’
12-23-2005
By Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools

These are trying and stressful times on a global level. The continuing war in Iraq creates news coverage and daily conversations that include more allusions to violence than is usually the case.

Because holiday season generally means time to buy toys for our children, it’s worth noting that this year’s menu of toys, videos, and gam

Direct Relief tallies 2005 giving
12-23-2005
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Eitorial Director

From last April 1, when its fiscal year began, to Nov. 1, Direct Relief International (DRI) provided humanitarian aid around the world, valued at more than $103 million.

DRI made 325 shipments of medical supplies to 44 countries, with a wholesale value of $103,883,691.68, which brought aid to 14,281,367 people in areas stricken by some kind of disas

Christmas for all creatures
12-23-2005
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor

While humans happily celebrate Christmas and New Year’s in their own way, holidays can also be joyous for their four-footed friends.

The Santa Barbara Humane Society has issued a set of holiday suggestions from the Goleta shelter the organization operates at 5

Sheriff's blotter
12-23-2005

Self-inflicted accident

After shooting herself in the ankle before midnight, December 14, the self-described “depressed” female was discovered by deputies sitting in the doorway of a small trailer near a popular Hollister Avenue bar. With a bloodied paper towel against her foot, the injured 38-year-old was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment. After surgery to r

News, from near and far
12-30-2005



Man against nature
12-30-2005

Left, apartment buildings collapsed in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and a county fire department helicopter drops fire retardant on a dangerous blaze in the Goleta foothills abo

Staying a step ahead of energy crunch
01-06-2006
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor

After 35 years in public service, Dave Davis was ready to retire and work on the two books he’s writing - but the coming energy crisis got in the way.

That energy crisis, according to the longtime head of Santa Barbara’s Planning Dept., is right on the nation

News briefs
01-06-2006

Raytheon gives $100,000 to Computers for Families

Civic and education leaders will join representatives from Raytheon at Isla Vista School this morning for the announcement of a $100,000 contribution from Raytheon to the Computers for Families Sustainability Fund.

Dignitaries on hand for the event will include Congresswoman Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, and County Superintendent of S

Vision for children, 2006
01-06-2006
By Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools

I always think it’s important to start a new year by taking stock and sharing visions for the year that is beginning. Especially at a time when the world appears to be in turmoil and the country remains divided, it is important to articulate a unifying vision for children in Santa Barbara County that will help direct our efforts lo

Taking the measure of Measure D
01-06-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Local civic leaders and activists, including those in the City of Goleta, are taking a look at Measure D to see how well it is serving the public in allocating sales taxes to transportation requirements.

Measure D, a sales tax of one-half a percent approved in 1989 for a period of 20 years, funds transportation projects throughout Santa Barbara County.

'Educated Vegetable' could change your life
01-06-2006
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Eitorial Director

"I love food," says Micah Elconin, the founder and sole proprietor of The Educated Vegetable. "I love every aspect of it, the garden, the market, the kitchen, the dinner table, potlucks with friends."

It is no coincidence, then, that Elconin’s new bu

City holds to housing ratios
01-06-2006
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Goleta’s Planning Agency members might have found themselves between a rock and a hard place as it tries to balance its inclusionary housing policy with housing market expectations.

Currently, its policy reflects the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation, which calls for 2388 units to be planned for by 2008. So far, the City

Sheriff's blotter
01-06-2006

Stating the obvious

With eight different types of medication in her pocket, the 42-year-old woman who was causing a disturbance in a Goleta hospital was arrested for public intoxication. "Take me to jail," she urged authorities, "I’m drunk." She was arrested just after midnight, December 25, after admitted drinking one pint of vodka.

A little peace and quiet stolen while visi

Wolf, Secord join Supervisors race
01-13-2006
By Margo Kline, Voice Managing Editor

Former Goleta School Board member Janet Wolf and Santa Barbara City Councilmember Dan Secord this week officially entered the race for the Santa Barbara County

News briefs
01-13-2006
Day care provider charged

The proprietor of a Foothill Road day care facility has been charged with felony child abuse, accused of locking three of her adopted children in cages in the home.

After pleading not guilty on Monday in Santa Barbara Superior Court, Sylvia Jovanna Vasquez, 50, was ordered to appear for a bail hearing later this week. At the hearing, the district attorney's off

Goleta hospital revs up for a rebuild
01-13-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

While major construction continues on schedule at Cottage Hospital downtown, preliminary plans are underway for a multi-million dollar rebuilding of the Goleta Valley healthcare facility.

Also, with last week’s escrow closing on 9.5 acres of prime Good Land prop

Christmas trees pose extreme danger
01-13-2006
Children at Foothill School on Ribera Drive received a vivid, frightening lesson Tuesday morning on the flammable danger of Christmas trees, after they witnessed the explosive speed with which one can burn.

Two young men working on a vehicle in front of their home at 720 Ribera had placed a roa

Sheriff's blotter
01-13-2006
Life begins at 50

Kicked out of his parents’ home, a 50-year-old man was picked up for public intoxication by patrolling deputies. Deputies spotted the man at 10:45 p.m. stumbling along El Sueno Road.

Loud and clear

A Goleta resident returned home after an extended vacation, December 29, to find an obscene insult spray-painted in red along the interior of his backyard fence. W

Hazard Extraction
01-13-2006

Circular caissons of concrete and rusted metal are being removed this winter from the sand at Goleta Beach, where they have been a hazard for swimmers and beach walkers for decades. Several clusters of the objects dot the sand for a half mile east of the slough mouth at the Santa Barbara end of

Locke to lead hospital foundation board
01-13-2006

Robert Locke is the new chair of the Board of Trustees of the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation. Locke, a local attorney, has been a member of the Board for more than fourteen years.

As a 28-year resident of the Goleta Valley, Locke has served on a number of other not-for-profit boards a

Vandalism, damage at Girsh Park
01-20-2006

Girsh Park suffered yet more damage over the weekend, according to Lisa Fricano, park operations manager.

The park, near Camino Real Marketplace, has been the site of informal “partying” after hours by individuals for some time. The unidentified miscreants are believed responsible for repeated

News briefs
01-20-2006

Fire in Goleta claims life

A two-alarm fire in a Goleta residence Wednesday night claimed the life of the occupant at 6098 Covington Way. Keith Cullom, public information officer for the County Fire Department, stated that multiple calls alerted firefighters to the blaze, which was well established by the time the first trucks arrived.

A search and rescue operation was initiated imm

Goletans crashing less often
01-20-2006
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

Sgt. Greg Nordyke couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice when he said that “we have seen a pretty dang good decrease” in the vehicle crash rate since the Sheriff’s department took over the law enforcement for the City of Goleta.

The numbers are impressive. Since they officially contracted with the City in July of 2002, the monthly accident rate w

New Orleans: down but not out

By Steve Beisner, Special to the Voice

I delayed my return to Louisiana after Katrina. My friends and family were safe, and I’d already loaned my house in relatively dry Pointe Coupee Parish to a family of evacuees. I got Katrina’s story the same way most Americans did: media images, stories, and

Sheriff's blotter
01-20-2006

Homeless Alpacas

When a woman, caring for a family of Alpacas, attempted to return the animals to their rightful owner, she was dismayed when the owner refused to take them back. After hosting the animals for five months while their owner said he was building a permanent pen, the woman thought it only fair for the owner to reclaim the animals. However, when the woman made contact with

'Big Toy' alights at Ellwood
01-27-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Ellwood School's kindergartners and pre-schoolers are looking forward to recess with even more energy this week, after bouncing around with exuberance while a work crew put up a new Big Toy on the playground.

"The kids are so excited," said kindergarten tea

News briefs
01-27-2006

Supervisors weaken oak protections

Santa Barbara County supervisors on Tuesday voted 3-2 to weaken an oak tree protection law in response to protests from farmers and ranchers.

The Supervisors made several changes to the 2003 ordinance, exempting from protection all new trees that sprout naturally on more than 600,000 acres of private grazing land. The revisions were proposed by 3rd

Second District Candidates Speak Out
01-27-2006
By Sonia Fernandez & Martha Lannan

Citizens packed the Goleta Valley Community Center last week to hear what the four contenders for the 2nd District supervisorial seat had to say about a variety of subjects, most related to land use, development and quality of life. Not only was the auditor

Report details pollution in Goleta Slough
01-27-2006
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

The water in the Goleta Slough contains excessive levels of nitrate, phosphates, bacteria, and other pollutants. That is the overall conclusion of a report just released by Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper, based on a three-year monitoring of the Slough and

Sheriff’s blotter
01-27-2006

Girdle-wearin' granny arrested

In addition to the six cans of stolen baby formula, the 65-year-old woman arrested for commercial burglary, January 21, had also concealed a box of Alka-Seltzer inside her girdle. The woman, who was contacted outside the Fairview Avenue market at 1:15 p.m. by store security, admitted her guilt. "I take them to sell because I don't have a job right now. I

Blood Bank
02-03-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

A Valentine’s partnership with See’s Candies is helping the Blood Bank pull out from a critical holiday shortage. But the continued ability to meet specific hospital orders can make the difference between life and death.

“Our platelets are used for patients

News briefs
02-03-2006
Goleta tragedy update

Several community and official sources announced plans to help in the aftermath of the shooting tragedy at the U.S. Postal Service in Goleta.

° Hospice of Santa Barbara and Community West Bank have established the Goleta Post Office Memorial Fund.
Donations can be taken to the Goleta office of Community West Bank, 5827 Hollister Ave., or the bank’s other offices

Sheriff’s blotter
02-03-2006

Those eyes

A cosmetology student contacted authorities after $300 worth of makeup went missing from her locker. The victim said it is customary for students to leave their cosmetic training cases at the Hollister Avenue cosmetology school despite the fact that the lockers are easily defeated. The cosmetic bandit remains unknown.

The Lost Sister

Unable to maintain her ba

Hearts thrive on others' generosity
02-10-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

In the aftermath of last week's shooting rampage in Goleta, Stow Canyon Road residents Tracy and Tove Montee say they are reminded over and over to be grateful for compassionate neighbors.

Only too recently, the husband and wife were holding hands tightly during the life-and-death battle Tracy waged on the sixth floor of Cottage Hospital.

"I had fallen fac

Radon: how dangerous is it?
02-10-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Radon is still a risk in many homes, according to the American Lung Association, which recently distributed information on the South Coast offering free radon detection kits to local residents.

Radon, a naturally occurring colorless, tasteless, and odorle

News briefs
02-10-2006
Muslim cartoon rage flares

The violence over cartoons satirizing the prophet Muhammad has highlighted often-inconsistent rules in Europe governing free speech, tolerance, and the boundaries of public expression.

Muslims in particular charge that hate-speech laws are implemented unfairly. Many countries, they say, do not abide anti-Semitic outbursts, but will tolerate cartoons that to ma

Bright ideas
02-10-2006

County Superintendent of Education Bill Cirone, center, accepts a rebate check for $3,150 from Frank Mateo, left, and Tim Mahoney, representatives of South California Gas Co., at a recent meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Education. The check was part of a Rebate and Incentive P

Sheriff’s blotter
02-10-2006

My, what pretty teeth you have,/b>

Six teeth with gold fillings stored in a jewelry box were among the small valuables stolen when a burglar ransacked a Raddue Avenue home. After a brief outing, the victim returned to find his home looted and the sliding door leading into his house ajar. The victim, 67, told authorities the suspect must have been searching for easily moveable items becaus

Ye Olde Butcher Shop has staying power
02-17-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Two palms grow tall in front of Ye Olde Butcher Shop, which some might say represent the adjoining communities of Santa Barbara and the Goleta Valley.

Others could say the trees mark the resolve of the team that rebuilt the business after the Painted Cave Fi

Mars at the Maritime Museum
02-17-2006

At the Maritime Museum, students from Ellwood School participated recently in a live telecast question and answer session with Argonauts in a field setting. They were exploring the science content of the exploration of Mars, which is ongoing.

The program featured Kobie Boykins of Pasadena’s Jet

News briefs
02-17-2006
Veep says it was one of his 'worst days’

Vice-President Dick Cheney went on Fox television this week to acknowledge that when he shot his friend while hunting, it was “one of the worst days of my life.”

Cheney made the statement after criticism of the shooting - and the delay in reporting it - created a storm of controversy in Washington political and media circles.

The shooting took

City Council honors students, Earth, with proclamation
02-17-2006

Goleta Family School students accepted a proclamation last week from the Goleta City Council declaring April 29 Goleta Earth Day. Pictured above with the proclamation are, from left in front, Heather Stultz-McCue, Macy Broesamle, McKensey Nadler and Zac Garza. In back, from left, are Dillon Na

Sleep deprivation: a way of life
02-17-2006
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

Think you’re sleep deprived? Join the club.

“I estimate that 75 per cent of the adult population and 100 per cent of the teenage population are sleep deprived,” said Dr. Andrew Binder, of the Sleep Disorders Center of Santa Barbara.

“The thing is, in our caffeine-driven everyday lives as students, shift workers, multiple job holders, parents of small

Sheriff's blotter
02-17-2006
Ms. MacGyver wears stilettos

Using a pink rhinestone-studded spike-heeled shoe (stiletto), a 19-year-old female broke out a window gaining access to the Isla Vista home where she was staying. After leaving her host at a party before 2 a.m., the keyless San Diego visitor broke into the house using her sparkly high heel shoe before locking herself in a bathroom. When the host arrived home -

News briefs
02-24-2006

Storm over Bush port policy

President Bush’s standing with Congress and the American people took another hit this week with revelations about the sale of control over U.S. ports to an Arab-owned corporation.

Republican leaders, newspapers and members of the public all took aim at two factors in the situation:

l A company headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) bought out t

Goleta is safe, says police chief
02-24-2006
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

“The Post Office shootings were an anomaly in every sense of the word,” says Goleta’s Police Chief, Lt. Chris Pappas of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.

“But the incident did, however, underscore our ability to respond with an incredib

Sheriff's blotter
02-24-2006
Two fer’

Encumbered by their purses, two UCSB females decided to ditch their bags in some bushes before heading into a large college party in Isla Vista. Unfortunately, when they returned for their belongings after some unburdened fun, their stash had been stolen. The young women, both 18, reported the theft just after midnight. Totaling over $800 in losses, the list of stolen items incl

San Marcos Teens Triumph in Court
03-03-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

The criminal case of a television producer charged with killing a TV star (also her husband) went to trial last weekend at the County Court House, and San Marcos High School’s Red Team emerged victorious.

The county’s Mock Trial competition culminated

News briefs
03-03-2006

St. Athanasius Gets Go-Ahead

St. Athanasius Antiochian Orthodox Church received permission Wednesday to build a new complex at 5441 Hollister Ave. on a Goleta site historically used for agriculture.

In a 5-0 vote, the County Planning Commission approved the congregation’s proposal to build a new church complex. The project, years in preparation, gained the okay after a period of neg

Visioning Committee forms, rejects ‘site selection’
03-03-2006
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

The Visioning Committee of the Goleta Valley, after a brief struggle with County supervisors over its function, is now working on its original mission - planning for the unincorporated Goleta area.

Appointed by 2nd District Supervisor Susan Rose,

Sheriff's blotter
03-03-2006

Duping for drugs

Dressed in a medical uniform, a middle-aged woman duped a Calle Real pharmacy to obtain prescription narcotics. She is now wanted for theft. Pretending to pick-up a prescription for her “client,” the woman with shoulder length hair walked away with the victim’s pain relieving narcotic, Vicodin. The mistake was realized when the 81-year-old victim entered the pharmacy

Arthritis sufferers should take a load off
03-10-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

Improving fitness and losing weight: sound familiar as personal goals?

For millions, it would be a healthy move to increase their fitness and lose weight, and for anyone with arthritis, it could be especially beneficial, according to the Arthritis Foun

News briefs
03-10-2006
La Patera Principal Let Go

The principal of La Patera Elementary School, Sonia Schultz, has been informed by the Goleta Union School District that her contract, which expires June 30, will not be renewed. Schultz, principal for five years, was offered a position as a teacher in the district in the same letter that officially notified her of the board’s decision, reached in closed session

Happy trails for everyone
03-10-2006
By Sonia Fernandez, Voice Staff Reporter

For those who like to travel, nothing beats the excitement of stepping off the plane in a new country, the anticipation of a trip to a favorite destination or the delight and wonder of broadened horizons.

As far as Dee Duncan is concerned, there is really no

A day of service
03-10-2006

Members of the Goleta Rotary Club pulled weeds, cultivated and planted, working to beautify the campus of Goleta Valley Junior High School recently on "Rotary World Community Service Day." Pictured are, left to right, Dave Giorgi, Walt Ware and Jerry Kutchey. The Club purchased plants and provi

Planting trees for tomorrow
03-10-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Six short years ago, the medians around town were a disaster. Candy and potato chip wrappers, cigarette butts and shards of aluminum from soda cans were mixed in among the weeds.

But along came the enthusiastic volunteers of the Goleta Median Landscape Project.

Sheriff's blotter
03-10-2006

Yeah, right

“I use this hammer for detailing at a car shop,” the 20-year-old subject said, defending the need for the hand tool altered to look like an ice pick. With one of the hammer’s claws removed and a green bandana tied around its handle, the hand tool, with the uncanny resemblance of a deadly weapon, was booked into evidence. Deputies found the weapon during a routine car searc

Dying of Embarrassment
03-17-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

It could be said that between 50,000 and 60,000 Americans die each year of embarrassment. These people die from colorectal cancer, a largely preventable disease.

Research has shown that one of the primary reasons women and men do not get the recommended colonoscopy at or after age 50, and thus prevent progression of any colon cancer that may exist, is

Farmland Water Rates on Hold, for Now
03-17-2006
By Martha Lannan, Voice Community Editor

The board of the Goleta Water District appears to be moving away from taking action on various proposals it put forward over the last 18 months to increase water rates for agricultural users.

In a draft of a letter intended for agricultural customers, the District indicated its board expects to make no change at this time in current agricultural polici

Olauson Prepares for A New Stage
03-17-2006
By Gerald Carpenter, Voice Editorial Director

After 30 years teaching acting and directing plays at UCSB, Judith Olauson will retire at the end of Spring Quarter.
Her last UCSB production as a director was the recent production of Marina Carr’s Irish drama, “By the Bog of Cats” (reviewed last

News briefs
03-17-2006
Feingold Seeks Bush Censure

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wisconsin, has loosed a political storm with the introduction of legislation censuring President George W. Bush for illegally spying on U.S. citizens.

Feingold on Monday introduced the resolution censuring the president because, among other things, Bush authorized “an illegal program to spy on American citizens on American soil, and t

Sheriff's blotter
03-17-2006

Would-be burglar?
When a woman, 29, caught a male acquaintance, 57, breaking into her home through a locked window, she immediately questioned his intentions. “I was just trying to get some money because I needed a fix,” he tried explaining to her. The victim called authorities at 10 a.m. to have the man arrested. When deputies arrived on the scene, they found the subject standing i

Ticktockers pitch in
03-17-2006

Girls from the local chapter of the National Charity League celebrated their annual All Tictocker Day recently by working on projects for several local non-profit organizations at the Goleta warehouse of Direct Relief International. The teens, in grades 7-12, compiled dental packs for Direc

Goleta’s General Plan
03-24-2006

After three years of meetings, workshops, and an extensive rewrite, the Public Hearing Draft of Goleta’s General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan was released Monday.

“This is a milestone for our young City,” said Mayor Jonny Wallis. “The completion of the draft General Plan is a huge undertaking.”

The General Plan will guide Goleta’s future growth, development and land use. Aside from the regula

Fish Catching On with Seniors
03-24-2006
By Jeff Jones, Voice Staff Reporter

Restaurants all over town may soon be touting the Catch of the Day over Early Bird specials to lure in the area’s growing senior population. And while fish was previously dubbed “brain food,” there is now more merit to that claim - especially when a Middle E