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Hey Big Spender…

Weekly Column by Loretta Redd Leave it to LA to try and outdo everyone in California.  This time, it’s not Rodeo Drive’s couturier and jewels, nor Hollywood’s glam and paparazzi taking the headlines.  It’s election spending. By last Saturday, our neighbors to the south had set a less than enviable record of over $33 million ... Read More

5,000 Friends of Santa Barbara View on Facebook

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 ... Read More

David Landecker Endorsed for SB City Council

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 was ... Read More

RE: AB5 Civil Rights Bill for the Homeless

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 ... Read More

History of the City of Santa Barbara: Part VII

According to the General Plan, Santa Barbara has had ten major historical periods. Over the last months, Santa Barbara View is posting the History of the City… ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES (1925 – 1939) One of the most significant catalysts for the architectural development of Santa Barbara was a massive earthquake which struck at 6:42 a.m. on ... Read More

Remodeling of the Historic Lobero Theatre

By on May 14, 2013 in News

An Open Letter to the members of the Lobero Foundation by Kellam de Forest

The Lobero Theatre is a landmark and is so designated by the State and the City.  Your board is currently engaged in a fund raising campaign to fund extensive remodeling to this historic building. As your Encore Lobero brochure explains the current theater lacks heating and air conditioning, modern seating and adequate restroom facilities.  Such modernization is commendable and deserves community support.

Artist Rendering of Esplanade

As you are surely aware through letters and blogs that many object to your plans for a walled level terrace called an esplanade.  Such a major alteration will destroy the historic character defining. 1924 entrance designed by George Washington Smith with landscaping by Lockwood de Forest. Continue Reading →

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Fighting Crime with Caffeine

By on May 14, 2013 in Loretta Redd

Office Kasi Beutel at Coffee with a Cop

I attended the Coffee With A Cop last week at Good Cup on Wednesday afternoon.  I’m pleased first to report that I didn’t see a single donut amongst them. My two questions to Public Information Officer Riley Harwood, my beat coordinator and other local officers was this:

What can we do to assist you in your work?”

They seemed rather shocked by the question, but it led to some interesting exchanges.

They each referenced the heinous decade-long kidnapping in Cleveland, reminding us that there are two incredibly important steps to take as a resident:  first, get to know your neighbors.  Secondly, when something doesn’t seem ‘right’ take the time to call the authorities and report it.  Likely more times than not, it will turn out to be unfounded, but two things will result regardless: you’ll become more familiar with the police department, and they will be alerted to potential crimes or multiple calls for service in an area.

How many of us do know our neighbors?  In some cases, you may not want to…but you should at least know their names and maybe share a contact number.

Fortunately, Santa Barbara has a long tradition of friendliness and integration.  We haven’t replicated the obligatory prison-like gates, high walls and hedges of Montecito where status begins with insular exclusivity.  We don’t measure our importance by how difficult we are to speak to, or how little we participate in our community.

Block parties used to be a great way to get to know your neighbors.  But they now require a litany of permits, driven by America’s obsession to find employment for every attorney by regulating every aspect of life.  When my partner and I moved into a neighborhood, I placed a note in the mailbox of the surrounding neighbors (illegal, I know, but I waited until the mail had been delivered) introducing ourselves, and issuing an invitation to stop by for a visit.

As much as I believe in ‘foot patrols’ for beat cops, the economic reality is that they probably aren’t coming back.  That’s too bad, because when an officer gets out of a car, or off of a motorcycle or even bicycle, the world slows down and you begin to notice details and changes easily missed from a moving vehicle.  Plus, you can build relationship without buying coffee.

We have a multi-week program in town called the Citizens Police academy which I highly recommend.  It used to be English only, but with our changing demographics, they began including Spanish speaking classes as well.  Plus, when they moved the location from the Police headquarters to the Franklin Center, the enrollment shot through the roof.

Now the police are embarking on a cutting  edge adaptation, aimed at bringing our residents together regardless of cultural background.  They’re going to utilize ‘real time’ translation software, so that both English and Spanish speakers can be in the same class, sharing their thoughts and concerns about their neighborhoods and police response,  while they learn about all aspects of the different police divisions and departments.

Just last week, four drug dealers were apprehended on the basis of a citizen’s complaint…a drug house within 200 feet of an elementary school, no doubt.
Continue Reading →

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Do You Want a Gang Injunction in Santa Barbara?

By on May 13, 2013 in News

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:

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Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee Official Endorsements

By on May 13, 2013 in News

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.
Continue Reading →

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History of the City of Santa Barbara: Part VI

By on May 13, 2013 in News, SB History

According to the General Plan, Santa Barbara has had ten major historical periods. Over the next few months, Santa Barbara View will post the History of the City…

Design Review Origins (1902 – 1925)

Like many communities throughout the country, Santa Barbara became interested in city improvement and beautification. In March of 1902, the City Council appointed the first Board of Park Commissioners. Within two years, the Board added two important parks (Oak Park and East Beach Park, now known as Chase Palm Park) to the city’s park system. In Oak Park more than 100 oak trees and other species were planted to give the park its natural, arcadian setting. Because of continued tree planting and maintenance throughout the city, Santa Barbara was officially designated a “Tree City USA” in 1980. It has retained that designation ever since. During this time period (and through at least 1931), various civic organizations purchased much of the Santa Barbara waterfront with the intention of assuring that it would be preserved in perpetuity for public use.

By the turn of the 20th Century, Santa Barbara had become a well-established destination for people from the Midwest and the East trying to escape the harsh winter months. In 1902, the 600-room Potter Hotel was constructed near West Beach. In 1911, this was followed by the completion of the equally grand new Mission Revival-style Arlington Hotel on State Street at Victoria which covered an entire city block. Both hotels were subsequently destroyed, the Potter by fire in 1921 and the Arlington, demolished in 1926 because of extensive damage from the 1925 earthquake.

In 1901, the long-awaited railroad link to San Francisco was completed. In 1905 a new Mission Revival-style train station was opened to travelers. During this time, the City’s streetcar system was expanded with lines running from the beach to the Mission, and in 1913, up to the State Normal School campus located on the Riviera. At that time, the Riviera Development Company bought about 300 acres of land on Mission Ridge and built the roads, sandstone retaining walls, underground utilities, and planted hundreds of oak trees. This was one of the first subdivisions designed to have a cohesive visual appearance both in its landscaping and layout. Additionally, there were architectural standards requiring that lot owners build “Riviera style” houses featuring white stucco walls with red tile roofs and costing at least $4,000, a significant amount for the time.

Santa Barbara’s Pearl

Shortly after the conclusion of World War I, Santa Barbara began to revamp its visual and cultural image. The nationally recognized architect Bertram G. Goodhue was hired to plan a new commercial streetscape (unbuilt) of Hispanic design. It was in the 1920’s that the idea of protecting and furthering the city’s Hispanic heritage was enthusiastically embraced. Civic leaders Bernhard Hoffmann and Pearl Chase of the Plans and Planting Committee, formed in 1922 as part of the Community Arts Association formed in 1919, were the driving force behind the movement to return Santa Barbara to its roots as a city reflecting its Hispanic heritage.
Continue Reading →

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Santa Barbara Business Beat

By on May 12, 2013 in Business by Ray Estrada

South Coast Firm’s Infra-Red System in Audis, BMWs

A Goleta-based company’s infra-red system, which specializes in spotting animals in the dark, soon will be featured in some of the world’s most popular luxury cars.

Autoliv has been making auto safety devices for some 60 years, including seatbelts and airbags. The $8.3 billion company employs 41 workers in Goleta where the camera for the new system is manufactured in a Fairview Avenue facility. Worldwide, Autoliv employs some 51,000 workers.

The system, which borrows the infra-red device made by another South Coast firm, FLIR, includes a grill-mounted camera in some Audis, Mercedes and BMWs.

Years of research have gone into the new system, which detects the movements of particular animals such as deer. Car collisions with deer cost an annual $3.5 billion, said Autoliv Managing Director Stuart Klapper.

He said since 2007 research has been conducted on safaris and deer farms to develop the system, which includes a moving spot light that tracks animal movements. A strobe light also is incorporated in the system because deer will stop in their tracks if a beam is shone directly at them, Klapper said.

The system adds up to $2,000 to the cost of the luxury cars that come equipped with them, Autoliv officials said. However, they said, less expensive cars such as Hondas may carry them in the future, which would lower the cost of installing the systems at the factory.

Granada Books Sets Thursday Dramatic Reading

Granada Books and its nonprofit arm, Pomegranate Arts, will host libations and light bites for the community at the Marquee Lounge, 1212 State St., for the fourth in a series of “First Edition” events from 5 to 7 p.m. May 16, featuring a live actor’s recitation from the play “Freud’s Last Session.”

Walking tours from the Marquee to the site of Granada Books at 1224 State St. will occur throughout Thursday night as attendees witness the bookstores progress. The store, first of its kind in 22 years, is set to open June 20.

In keeping in the mission of Pomegranate Arts, actor Ed Giron on Thursday will perform in character at the Marquee and recite excerpts from the play “Freud’s Last Session,” by Mark St. Germain. Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, and C. S. Lewis, author of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” meet in this fictionalized account as the two great thinkers convene at the invitation of Freud and the sparks fly.

Freud meets Lewis in his study at the onset of World War II, and two weeks before Freud takes his own life. The religious Lewis and the atheist Freud debate, relate and analyze each other in both comedic and dramatic exchanges. Lewis is as strong in his beliefs as Freud is in his non-beliefs as Lewis gives Freud a reasoned analysis for his beliefs, not without humor and irony.

“Freud’s Last Session” explores belief, sex, faith, life, death and philosophy in a “session” that is entertaining and insightful.
Continue Reading →

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Quinoa Strawberry Salad: A Fruity Summer Delight

By on May 12, 2013 in Green & Garden

Recipes by Santa Barbara resident and natural food chef, Melissa Costello.

Quinoa and strawberries come together for a delicious, protein-packed, fruity delight. It’s a wonderful dish to take to a Memorial Day party, summer picnic or potluck soiree.

Bursting with flavor and texture, and using seasonal, Central-Coast strawberries, this light and satisfying salad will be a crowd pleaser. The zippy lime vinaigrette brightens the nuttiness of the quinoa and pops out the flavor of the juicy strawberries.

Feel free to substitute the jicama for a yellow or orange bell pepper. You also can use any kind of nuts you like, other than pistachios, but I do love buying the pistachios from Santa Barbara Pistachio Farm. They have so many wonderful uses, such as; on salads, in pesto and even my coconut based, vegan pistachio ice cream (that recipe will come at a later time, so keep your eyes out for it.)

Quinoa Strawberry Salad
Yield: six to eight servings
Full Recipe below… Continue Reading →

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Cachuma Lake Sunset Colors

By on May 12, 2013 in SB Photos

Santa Barbara photo of the week by Bill Heller, click to enlarge photo.

Cachuma Lake is a beautiful place to spend the day. Even more so at this time of day. The sun was able to peek under the clouds the last few moments before sunset and light up the mountains. – Bill Heller

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EcoFacts: Pesticide Exposure in Children

By on May 11, 2013 in Green & Garden

The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics recently published a detailed policy statement on pesticide exposure in children. The term pesticides here also includes herbicides (weed killers), fumigants, and fungicides (for controlling molds). Following are some excerpts.

Children encounter pesticides daily in air, food, dust, and soil and on surfaces through home and public lawn or garden application, household insecticide use, application to pets, and agricultural product residues.”

The past decade has seen an expansion of the epidemiologic evidence base supporting adverse effects…The evidence base is most robust for associations to pediatric cancer and adverse neuro-development.”

For many children, diet may be the most influential source, as illustrated by an intervention study that placed children on an organic diet (produced without pesticide) and observed drastic and immediate decrease in urinary excretion of pesticide metabolites.”
Continue Reading →

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Do You Have a Wildfire Action Plan?

By on May 10, 2013 in News

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.

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Feel the Euphoria with these Chocolate-y Nuggets

By on May 10, 2013 in Food & Wine, News

Recipes by Santa Barbara resident and natural food chef, Melissa Costello.

This is the first dessert type recipe I am sharing with you here at SB View and I think it’s one you will love. A few reasons why:

1. They are fun to make with your kids, or the kid inside of you
2. They are delicioso and simple to make
3. You won’t even know they are good for you, that’s how good they taste!

My Chocolate Euphoria Nuggets, do just that, bring an overall sense of well-being as they chocolate-y goodness dissolves on your tongue. And you really only need to eat one to experience that serene state of bliss that comes with chocolate perfection..

They make a great after workout snack or a healthy treat for your kid’s school lunch box. Make a batch and take them to a potluck and you will be the most popular one at the party.

Euphoria Nuggets
1 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
½ cup raw almonds
⅓ cup pitted dates
⅓ cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
3–5 tablespoons raw cacao powder
Pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Continue Reading →

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Pill Culture in Santa Barbara

By on May 10, 2013 in News, Sharon Byrne

Weekly Friday column by Sharon Byrne

Those little prescription containers in your bathroom don’t seem all that threatening. But prescription drug abuse is indeed on the rise, and with it, overdoses and death.

It seems odd that anyone could abuse something that is prescribed by a doctor, and dispensed by a pharmacy. Those two steps would seem to provide barriers that would make this category of drug abuse less likely than others. If it’s harder to simply get something, isn’t it harder to abuse it?

Dr. Julio Diaz in handcuffs

Au contraire. Last year, Dr. Diaz was arrested on Milpas by the DEA for distributing controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and without legitimate medical purpose. Local law enforcement and doctors working the emergency room at Cottage dealt with multiple prescription drug overdoses, 11 of them fatal, all of them patients of Diaz. Two brave doctors at Cottage realized Diaz was not following the oath to ‘do no harm’, and pursued a complaint with the Medical Board of California, whose job is to license doctors and investigate physician misconduct.

The complaint disappeared down a black hole. That same board is now coming under fire for failing to discipline doctors who recklessly overprescribe. Seems they won’t police their own, so the state is looking to hand that job to the Attorney General.

The Attorney General has her own struggles. The database used to track prescriptions and doctors, CURES, is under-funded, and pretty much defunct.

Some pharmacies refused to fill Dr. Diaz’ prescriptions. But apparently not all…

The SBPD and Sheriff’s Office contacted the DEA, who ultimately arrested and prosecuted Diaz, also known as “The Candy Man”. He was charged with 12 counts of over-prescribing prescription drugs, and stripped of his license to practice medicine.

So clearly people do abuse prescription drugs, with the complicit aid of a doctor, but legitimate users are also dying. They combine pills without understanding that some combinations can be lethal. Your doctor is supposed to advise, but with so many pills flooding the market, how could the average doctor possibly know every single effect from what must be thousands of unique possible combinations?

No one has that vast bio-chemical knowledge and if they did, the odds of them also being your GP are astronomically low.

Then there are pharm parties, where teens raid medicine cabinets at home, dump pills into a big bowl, everything from painkillers to blood thinners to arthritis medications, and scoop out a handful, and down them. The point is to get high without knowing what you’re high on. You get a different high at every party.

The overdose and lethal combination potential isn’t even registering in teen consciousness. A doctor prescribed it, so it’s gotta’ be safe, right?

To me, the major culprit in prescription drug abuse is the creation of pill culture, courtesy of big pharmaceutical companies via enormous marketing campaigns. Watch any TV station with a target-rich audience; Spike, OWN, Fox, and you’ll be bombarded with commercials that promise pills for any condition:
Need to lose weight?
Or not bulked up enough?
Low energy?
Or need to dial it down so you can sleep?
Got a kid with ADHD?
Is your sexual appetite waning?
Need something to protect against pregnancy when your mate is on sexual stimulant pills?
Got mysterious pains?
Feeling down?

Well, hey – we’ve got a pill for that!

Continue Reading →

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Homeless in Santa Barbara, California

By on May 9, 2013 in News

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?

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Santa Barbara Homeless Population Affecting Santa Barbara City College

By on May 9, 2013 in News

“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.”

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