Author Archive | Editor

Santa Barbara View is closing in on another milestone, 5,000 Facebook Friends! The Facebook page is incredibly active with additional comments, likes and custom content; so, if you’re not, be sure to follow the County’s fastest-growing social media page by clicking the like button below. And, to the person who becomes Friend number 5,000, Santa Barbara View will giveaway two tickets to Thursday’s Downtown Art & Wine Tour.

David Landecker, the former Santa Barbara City Councilman who was forced to resign from the Council after he was caught stealing from the Home Improvement Center, is back. Not only is Mr. Landecker back, but he is being endorsed by the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County. According to the questionable endorsement…

David Landecker

“David Landecker was chosen for endorsement due to his broad and deep experience in the matters of most concern to the City of Santa Barbara and the Democratic Women. In addition to his successful careers as a lawyer and businessman, David has a wealth of expertise in city planning, environmental protection, financial and non-profit management, housing, health care and growth control. Among his diverse community activities, David has volunteered for more than twenty years as an attorney and board member for the Citizens Planning Association, and has recently retired as Executive Director from the Environmental Defense Center. David has a proven track record in standing strong on women’s issues. Of special interest to the Democratic Women was his work as CEO of the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics where he spearheaded construction of the Eastside Medical and Dental Clinics and other major improvements, including creating two regional Health Program Centers to address issues of women’s and family health.”
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By Nancy McCradie

I write this to rebut the article that Sharon Byrne has written about the AB5 Civil Rights Bill for the Homeless. Sharon and I are great friends. We love each other’s company, have super great debates on the issues of homelessness and other aspects of political life. I have to disagree with her issues of the AB5 bill, however. I have been on the recipient end of all the ordinances that are in place to “quell homelessness.” Sharon has not had the priviledge to be tormented by them.

Throughout the years our elected officials have had to design ordinances to criminalize poverty because it looks bad.The Anti-Okie laws being some of them. Unconstitutional as some may be they are passed to make it easier for our police officers to bring out the tools given to them in the guise of these City ordinances to chase people out of our townships. In AB5 it gives a new breath of ideas to work with within the Cities of California to provide housing, alternative types alongside of conventional types.

Wow! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see a low cost motor housing park designed to bring the people who reside in their vehicles temporarily while waiting for low cost conventional housing off the streets? It would be a win win situation for both the people who find themselves in a poverty situation and who have to turn to vehicular dwelling for their safety and the Cities who struggle with this on a day to day basis.
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The 2013 Old Spanish Days-Fiesta poster and pin were unveiled last night at the La Primavera party, both pictured below. The commissioned poster art by Lorna Dillon who is known for painting horses, depicts Si and Karen Jenkins, the parents of this year’s El Presidente. Both items reflect this year’s theme Vaqueros y Vaqueras… Art critics?

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Santa Barbara’s gang injunction was initiated by the City of Santa Barbara along with the District Attorney. It has been in the judicial system from a substantial amount of time without updates to the public about its status. It is also a topic of public controversy. Helene Schneider has asked for an update to be given tomorrow at the Santa Barbara City Council meeting, which leads to the poll question of the week:

It comes as no surprise that the Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee has endorsed incumbents Helene Schneider for Mayor and Bendy White for City Council, but two additional names have received endorsements from the Committee:

Megan Diaz Alley was born and raised in Crown Point, Indiana and achieved a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism, from Columbia College Chicago. Following graduation, Megan worked behind the scenes in the film industry, handling multi-million-dollar budgets as an Art Department Coordinator on film productions in Southern California.

Her passion for the environment on the central coast, led Megan to the Santa Barbara area, where she has worked for several non-profit organizations, including the Community Environmental Council (CEC) where she educated community leaders and the public on climate change and our dependency on finite resources such as fossil fuels. Megan also served as a producer and host of Nonprofit Spotlight, a program that highlights the proactive work of our region’s nonprofits.

Currently, Megan is the Development and Public Relations Coordinator for the local nonprofit Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International, which in addition to its global mission of restoring sight and preventing blindness to disadvantaged individuals worldwide, is the parent of the Santa Barbara Vision Care Program (SBVCP), which provides comprehensive eye exams, eyeglasses, medications, and eye surgery at no cost to qualified patients who reside in Santa Barbara County.
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WildFire Action Plan

Last week’s red flag warnings and the 3,000-acre wildfire that is burning in the Los Padres National Forest are good reminders to revisit your own plan in the event of a wildfire. The City of Santa Barbara has developed this READY! SET! GO! program plan, PDF left, and Santa Barbara View will add it to the local links, because It’s never too late to be prepared.

Poem by Doug Miller, a Common Ground SB volunteer. 

What of the poor and weary worn soul,

The life-long tenant of misery and woe,

Who searches for calm in bushes or hole,

Whose mansion is tent and soiled torn roll,

Crying for sleep midst the law’s sharpened hoe,

‘Til rest finally comes ‘neath a rugged crossed pole?

“The rising homeless population near City College has resulted in a higher rate of campus crime,” writes Brooke Holland of Channels. “During the school week, around 5:45 a.m., Security Officer Martin Hernandez wakes up the individuals sleeping outside the park’s restrooms and softball field. Hernandez attempts to remove the group of transients before the rush of students arrive on campus. While working, he has received verbal threats and observed individuals urinate on buildings. According to Hernandez, more than 90 percent of the time, the disruptive individuals on campus are intoxicated.”

I wouldn’t want my children walking through Pershing Park,” Hernandez says in the piece. “It can be a danger zone.

Multiple homeowners across the street said two weekly volunteer groups attract large groups of transients that contribute to the disturbances in the area. Reverend Hank Drowst hosts a free meal for the homeless every Sunday where he also provides ministry. Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., the Santa Barbara Seventh-day Adventist Church offers another chance for a free meal to needy members of the community.

Currently, more than 1,450 people live on Santa Barbara streets and many are regularly found on City College Campus. According to the Common Ground Santa Barbara Homeless Advocacy Project, the number of homeless people in Santa Barbara has decreased by 10 percent since 2011.

The story concludes, “being homeless is not a crime, but some acts of public behavior are illegal and encouraged to be reported. Campus security recommends students to report any bizarre behavior from the homeless such as; loitering, being intoxicated, trespassing, panhandling, urinating and defecating in public, people camping or sleeping on campus, littering, or behaving in a threatening manner. For immediate response, please contact campus security at 730-4064.”