At left, State Parks lifeguards keep an eye on the ocean off arpinteria’s coastline on ednesday arpinteria eaches and most eaches across anta ar ara ounty were closed for most of ednesday after the ational eather er ice issued a tsunami warning uesday e ening in response to an earth ua e off the coast of etropa lo s amchat a in ussia he warned those along the alifornia coast that tsunami wa es are ery different than general surf height and told them to eep out of the water and away from eaches and waterways ead more on pg of this wee ’s print
Bostrom’s Bosses: Haru Massage & Spa
Jr. Guards wrap up summer
Museum talks avocado history
Meet Santa Cruz Island’s Lemonade Berry Foxes
KARLSSON PHOTOS
BRIEFLY
COMPILED BY EVELYN SPENCE AND JEN WON
Men’s onge ity roup returns
The city of Carpinteria’s AgeWell Men’s Longevity Group —aimed at helping men live healthier and longer lives —returns next month.
The series, for older adults, came onto the scene earlier this year in February, with four sessions led by Dr. John Cervantes, a retired physician, and Scott Barash, LCSW. Both men are returning in August to lead the classes, which will be held every Wednesday, 5:30–6:45 p.m., at the Veterans Hall Meeting Room in Carpinteria, 941 Walnut Ave.
According to a press release sent out by the city of Carpinteria’s AgeWell division, Dr. Cervantes and arash will tackle the real benefits and myths around supplements and herbal remedies, understanding personality and temperament differences to reduce con ict and stress, simple acupressure techniques for managing anxiety, and more.
rom left r ohn er antes a retired physician and cott arash
Newcomers are welcome. Participants can attend as many sessions as they’d like.
“It’s been inspiring to watch our participants apply what they’ve learned and begin making positive changes in their lives,” Dr. Cervantes said. “What I love most is seeing the men support one another as we all strive to become better and healthier versions of ourselves.”
Barash added: “We aim to bring relevant, entertaining, and often unexpected insights to the group. There’s so much to learn, and participants leave with real-life strategies they can use right away—whether it’s improving sleep, managing stress, or just feeling better overall.”
Learn more online at carpinteriaca.gov/agewell or call (805) 881–1279.
Meet local police firefighters at uesday’s ational ight ut
City residents can meet local first responders, city staff and nonprofit employees at Carpinteria’s National Night Out, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 5, 5–7 p.m. at Linden Field.
National Night Out — celebrated across the United States — encourages community members to get to know their first responders, with the goal of promoting police community partnerships. amily friendly acti ities will be offered.
Participating agencies and groups in Carpinteria include the California Highway Patrol, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, Carpinteria Community Library, Girls Inc., Carpinteria Children’s Project, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, American Red Cross, Community Emergency Response Team of Carpinteria, and others.
e are looking forward to a fun and meaningful e ent where residents and first responders can connect outside of emergency situations,” Carpinteria Police Chief Rich Brittingham said in a press release sent out last week. “National Night Out is a great way to strengthen trust, encourage dialogue, and build lasting partnerships in our community.”
The event is free. Learn more online at carpinteriaca.gov/join-us-at-nationalnight-out.
KARLSSON FILE PHOTO
oe roc gets her fingerprints ta en y technician Melissa ando al at the ational ight ut
avocado harvest in Carpinteria, 1982.
e
t wee ’s
al al ac spea er series to center on avocados
The next Carpinteria Valley Museum of History’s Talk & Talkback series — scheduled for Friday, Aug. 8, 5–6 p.m. — will focus on how avocados made their way to America and became popular in California, per a press release sent out by the museum last week. The talk will be led by Rob Crisell, author of “California Avocados: A Delicious History.”
“Rob Crisell is an avocado historian and enthusiast,” said Jayme Yahr, the museum’s director. “The museum looks forward to a fun, informative, and locally important talk on all things avocado.”
The talk is free for museum members and $10 for visitors. The museum is located at 956 Maple Ave. Learn more by calling (805) 684-3112, emailing info@carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org, or visiting carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org.
A townhome project proposed for 6380 Via Real, also known as the agunitas parcel was re iewed y city odies in March of this year
ity launches proposed housing pro ects we site
The city of Carpinteria has launched a housing projects website so the community can stay informed on ongoing proposed projects.
The page (carpinteriaca.gov/city-hall/community-development/housing) lists housing projects that have 25 or more units, as well as documents related to the city’s 2023-2031 Housing Element.
As of Tuesday, proposed projects on the page included the Via Real Townhomes at 6380 Via Real, with plans for 97 for-sale townhomes, 10 of which would be income restricted for moderate income households, and two for above-moderate income households; a 94-unit townhome and 97-detached single-family dwellings project, proposed for Carpinteria e., the ee ime ractice Center on the bluffs and a 130-unit multifamily residential building proposed for 5115 Ogan Road, with 26 units set aside of low-income households. The latter is a builder’s remedy project, meaning the applicant can bypass certain city objective design standards in exchange for offering low income housing.
rts raft aire ugust
arpinteria’s own ornerstone will headline the
esti al on aturday ug
urf n’ uds returns ne t wee
Carpinteria’s beer festival, Surf ‘n’ Suds, returns next week on Saturday, Aug. 9. er breweries offering beer, selt ers, ciders, kombucha and wine will set up on Linden Field. Food trucks, vendors and lawn games will also be on site, and DJ arco, 0s abie and Cornerstone will pro ide tunes. ttendees must be . VIP entry starts at 11:30 a.m., and general entry begins at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $70 for VIP and $60 for general admission; at-the-door prices go to $80 for VIP and $70 for general admission. Designated drivers’ tickets are $20.
urf n uds also offers a ump on the rew us shuttle ser ice from anta arbara and Goleta, for an additional $25. Those bringing bicycles can park their bicycles for free.
roceeds benefit the oung and ra e oundation, a nonprofit that helps kids battling cancer. Learn more online at surfbeerfest.com.
CARPINTERIA COMMUNITY RELIEF FUND
Supporting Children and Families
Impacted by Immigration Enforcement
is new fund will deliver urgent relief by supporting Carpinteria nonpro ts addressing vital needs such as food, education, mental health and housing.
Donate
Local Kim Korinke is the featured artist at this month’s Arts and Craft Faire, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center. Korinke creates jewelry, shadow boxes and more from sea glass and other items found in nature. She will be joined by more than 20 local artists presenting works across various mediums, such as paper, resin art, 3-D printed vessels and more. Entertainment will be provided by The Ukulele Jammers in the morning and the Americana Cats in the afternoon. Learn more online at carpinteriaartscenter.org/marketplace.
Starkey
Make checks payable to: Morning Rotary of Carpinteria
Carpinteria Community Relief Fund P.O. Box 703
Carpinteria, CA 93014
Now oundation a
Givebutter platform: O R
COURTESY PHOTO
Carl Joos,
COURTESY GRAPHIC
KARLSSON 2024 FILE PHOTO
urf n’ uds eer
Kim Korinke
CITY BEAT
City Council responds to ICE activity Council establishes ad hoc committee, supports state and
BY LIV KLEIN
The Carpinteria City Council on Monday offered its continued support of the city s undocumented and immigrant communities amid ongoing mmigration and Customs nforcement C opera tions in anta arbara County, establish ing an ad hoc committee and directing staff to send letters supporting state and federal legislation that tackles C reform and other related issues.
n the aftermath of the uly 0 C raid of lass ouse arms, when ten undocu mented farmworkers were detained, and protesters and omeland ecurity agents clashed on oothill oad, community members asked the city to protect its immigrant community.
he council, at a special meeting on uly 0, set aside $ 0,000 in urgent fund ing to nonprofits which are helping local immigrants nonprofits can also apply for $ 0,000 in additional community grant funding, which will be a ailable later this fall.
lso on uly 0, the council appro ed a statement reaffirming the city s com mitment to all of its residents and passed a proclamation supporting immigrant communities and denouncing aggressi e immigration enforcement tactics.
he recommendation to form an ad hoc committee that would ad ise the city on how to respond to C acti ity first came to the council during that uly 0 special meeting. n onday, ice ayor ni ca ol r ano and Councilmember ulia ayer were appointed to the committee by unanimous ote both cited their acti e
federal legislation
Councilmember Julia Mayer, at left, with Vice Mayor Mónica Solórzano at the July 10 special city meeting addressing Immigration and Enforcement (ICE) concerns. Both councilmembers were assigned to an ad hoc committee on Monday that will focus on addressing ICE activity and supporting the city’s undocumented and immigrant communities
participation and presence in the commu nity as reasons they would be good fits for the ad hoc committee.
he ad hoc committee will be responsi ble for researching and recommending to the council how the city should respond to C acti ity to ensure community safety. o hit the ground running, staff already recommended topics for the com mittee to begin in estigating, including better understanding the anta arbara County heriff s ffice C raid response procedures, how to effecti ely coordinate community response with local organi ations and members of the public, and
supporting proposed state and federal legislation regarding C acti ities.
ne of the benefits of ad hoc com mittees is that they can be con ened ery nimbly, so if something were to occur, we could ha e a oom call within two hours, the city s legal counsel ena hoaf cos told the council. formal city council meeting re uires more ad anced notice to the public and would take more time to set up, staff e plained.
cos clarified that as an ad isory com mittee, all proposed actions will come back to the Council, gi ing members of the public an opportunity to weigh in with public comment, but the committee will ha e the freedom to meet as uickly as possible if needed.
a ing two ad hoc committee mem bers that can be nimble and go out into the community without ha ing to notice a meeting will also allow those members to hopefully do more outreach, City anager ichael amire said.
he council also directed staff to sub mit letters in support of fi e pending state and federal bills o ecret olice ct , the o igilantes ct 0 , C ecurity eform ct ederal ill . . , the L ct, and the o ecret olice ct ederal ill that aim to promote law enforcement transparency and accountability, especial ly within the scope of C officials.
he bills tackle law enforcement impersonation a growing issue, as C agents sometimes do not identify them sel es or wear isible identification and prohibit bounty hunters from engaging in immigration enforcement.
he bills also ban law enforcement at the local, state, and federal le els from using face co erings or disguise, re uire officers to wear uniforms and badges to clearly mark their identification, increase penalties of law enforcement imperson ation and mandate that endors erify a buyer s affiliation before selling official uniforms or badges.
ccording to cos, duplicati e pur poses are normal at this stage of the legislation process. hile it is likely that not all of the bills will get passed, some may be combined to reduce repetition.
he Carpinteria mmigrant ights Co alition C C co founder ecki orton urged the council to not wait for state and federal legislation to pass before taking action.
C C is here tonight to encourage the council to consider additional actions that are realistic, locally implementable, and that are already being adopted by cities across California and the nited tates, orton told the council. here is no need to wait to see if the state and federal bills pass we can act locally and preempti ely.
n behalf of C C, she offered se er al recommendations re uiring federal agents to wear isible identification and ban the use of masks or disguises during their immigration operations in the city of Carpinteria re uiring local law enforcement to erify the identity of federal agents when they are in ol ed in the mmigration nforcement within the city s limits restricting immigration enforcement within sensiti e locations like schools, churches, shelters and rallies and protests e pand know your rights efforts into a full scale public awareness campaign and creating an emergency response infrastructure to assist families impacted by C separation.
would like to see orton s points addressed as soon as the ad hoc commit tee meets. think it s an important action to take she s done a lot of research
See COUNCIL continued on page 5
SPENCE FILE PHOTO
Council approves city strategic plan for s a years
On Monday night, the Carpinteria City Council unanimously approved the city’s new trategic lan for fiscal years 0 with no questions or concerns.
Back in March, the council established its goals and priorities for fiscal years 0 to help guide strategic planning and align with the city’s two-year budget.
Then, on June 9, the council received and filed the draft strategic plan based on those priorities. he finali ed plan is organi ed around the council’s four primary goals and aligns with the city’s adopted Two-Year udget for fiscal years 0 . t will be implemented throughout the city’s
General Government, Administrative Services, Public Works, Community Development and Parks, Recreation and Community Engagement departments.
Copies of the strategic plan will be available on the city’s website, on display at City Hall, and in a translatable format to ensure broad community access.
––Liv Klein
City formalizes State of the City plans
On Monday night, the Carpinteria City Council approved an updated local State of the City format, largely focusing on inclusivity and accessibility to ensure maximum community engagement and participation. The council also set a date: ept. .
The purpose of a State of the City event is to increase transparency and accountability between city staff and residents, strengthen civic engagement in the development of the city’s goals and priorities, outline future priorities, announce new initiatives, and set the tone for the coming year, staff said.
State of the City events can also be used to generate goodwill, celebrate community achie ements, and recogni e outstanding individuals or groups.
“This public-facing event is intended to be welcoming, engaging, and informati e, offering the city a clear iew of where the city has been and where we are going, rogram anager uli a riones said on Monday.
Back in April, the Carpinteria City Council directed city staff to mo e forward with the planning of a local State of the City event. After receiving feedback from the city’s Public Engagement Committee, staff de eloped a format for the event that has been determined as best suited for Carpinteria’s local needs in terms of accessibility, cost and timing. s a result, staff determined that the event should be held as a special city council meeting, which will allow full council participation and public comment while ensuring compliance with
COUNCIL:
continued from page 4
on it and she’s currently our expert in the local region,” Councilmember Wade Nomura said.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors earlier this month also made directives to increase transparency with ICE, requesting detailed records on ICE activity and arrests within Santa Barbara County from ICE and other federal agencies.
“We want to know exactly when and where ICE raids and arrests have happened in the entire county, we are asking for the names of the people that have been detained and the specific reasons why they were picked up and we want to see the rules and policies that federal agents are following during these raids — especially how they identify themselves and what guidelines they are supposed to follow,” Daisy Weber, a representative from County First istrict uper isor oy Lee s office, told the council on Monday.
The Board of Supervisors directed staff to look into an ordinance prohibiting voluntary sharing of personal, identifying or locational information with ICE unless compelled by a judicial order and appointed the chair to request ICE to appear before the supervisors at a public hearing to answer questions.
“This public-facing event is intended to be welcoming, engaging, and informative, offerin t e city a clear ie o ere t e city as een an ere e are oin
—Program Manager Juliza Briones
the Brown Act. It has been scheduled for onday, ept. , 0 p.m., at the eterans Memorial Building.
The meeting will begin with a welcome from Mayor Natalia Alarcon followed by a presentation from the City Manager and department heads highlighting Carpinteria s 0 year history alongside future plans. Next, the meeting will flow into a public comment period and Q&A section, attending to both pre-submitted and live questions.
After the meeting concludes, attendees will be invited to visit city services and programs tabling outside to learn more about local offerings. nly city programs and services will be featured in the tabling area to keep the event streamlined and focused, per staff.
For the record...
n C , ol. o. 44, chool board drops down to monthly meetings,” Jay Hotchner is misquoted. His corrected quote is: “Now the community gets to watch CUSD officials demonstrate their penchant, your penchant, to approve this board policy which stands as a stellar example of ‘do as I say and not as I do’ leadership.”
To increase accessibility, the event will be livestreamed on YouTube, with in-person and Zoom participation options also available. Spanish interpretation services will also be provided.
taff also discussed in onday night s meeting possible plans to include on-site childcare to further eliminate any barriers for public attendance.
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Obituary
Carolyn Towne
11/02/1945 — 05/26/2025
Carolyn Towne, age 79, of Hotchkiss, Colorado, passed away peacefully on Memorial Day, May 26, 2025, in Grand Junction, Colorado, surrounded by her loving family.
Born on Nov. 2, 1945, in California, Carol was the beloved daughter of William and Marjorie Towne and sister to Clay Towne (Kyle) of Piedmont, California. She spent her childhood enjoying the beaches of Piedmont, where she developed a lifelong love for the outdoors, animals, and above all her family and friends.
Carol lived a vibrant, adventurous life. She split her time between two places she dearly loved: summers in Hotchkiss, Colorado, and winters in Carpinteria, California. She adored her dogs, cherished long walks, and found joy both by the ocean and in the mountains. She treasured time with loved ones and never turned down a good game of Spite and Malice. In her younger years, she was an avid tennis player and enjoyed reading, camping, hiking, gardening and traveling the world.
Carol welcomed every child into her home with open arms and abundant lo e. er house was filled with laughter, playfulness, and only a few rules — one of which was wearing underwear to the dinner table!
She is survived by her devoted spouse, Larry Sanders; her daughters, Lisa Houghton (Rowland) of Whitewater, Colorado, and Kimberly Houghton (Black) of Grand Junction, Colorado; and her stepsons, Kipp Sanders and Dane and his wife Michelle Sanders of Brighton, Colorado. She was a proud and loving grandmother to seven grandchildren: Cale Black and Sloan Black (children of Kimberly and Mike Black); Chelsi Rowland (Peetoom), Kasey Rowland, and Clay Rowland (children of Lisa Rowland); and Tarn and Jarrah Sanders (children of Dane and Michelle Sanders).
Carol was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren: Seth, Zander, and Keaton Rowland (children of Kasey Rowland); Maesyn and Birklie Peetoom (children of Chelsi and Andrew Peetoom); Allison and Alexander Rowland (children of Clay and Emma Rowland); and Xiah Black (child of Sloan Black).
Carolyn Towne will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her warmth, adventurous spirit, and unconditional love will live on in the hearts of the many lives she touched.
Solving the wrong problem regarding the “housing crisis”
Statements about there being a “housing crisis” feel true — housing is expensi e and beyond affordability not only for low-income workers, but even for many two-income professionals.
But the term “housing crisis” is misleadingly broad. We are not short of $10+ million estates; Montecito, Santa Barbara and Hope Ranch have a healthy inventory of them. We are not hurting for 4000-square-foot houses with a pool and cabana. Take a look at Google Maps satellite view and scroll around the South Coast to find more than you imagined existed.
Our actual crisis is that we have a shortage of housing that is affordable to most people who pay their rent or mortgage with their paychecks without the benefit of additional wealth.
What if I said we have a “shortage of buildings”? That statement is sort of true since reasonably priced apartments, townhomes, condominiums and houses are all buildings. But so are car dealerships, department stores, shopping centers, fast food joints and tourist souvenir shops. If we want to identify housing that is affordable as lacking, it is not helpful to say we have a “shortage of buildings.”
For the same reason, trying to express our lack of housing that is affordable to most people by speaking of a “housing shortage” or “housing crisis” is misleading and ultimately dangerous. Why is it dangerous? Quite simply, it causes us to identify “solutions” that don’t actually help solve the problem, and may make the real problem even worse.
The details of this situation were starkly documented in the Land Inventory Summary table of the City of Carpinteria’s recently updated Housing Element (tinyurl.com/HE-carp). That table shows the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for the city which states how many new housing units the city needs to meet the needs of different income categories (very low, low, moderate, and above moderate). It then shows how many units remain in those categories after accounting for completed, approved, and pending building projects.
Here’s the important point: 415 out 639 (65%) of the housing units we need are for low and very low-income categories. But locally, even moderate-income households cannot afford market rate housing, so 550 out of 639 (86%) of the units we are short must be below-market.
That is the most important thing to remember: of the total number of housing units we need in Carpinteria, 86% of them
CVN
MIKE WONDOLOWSKI THE LAY OF THE LAND
are needed by people who cannot afford housing at market-rate prices!
In the past few years, invoking the “housing crisis,” California has passed an avalanche of new laws that reduce obstacles to building housing — obstacles like full environmental review, local zoning restrictions, and land-use policies including things like height limits, parking requirements, and setbacks. These so-called “obstacles” to addressing the “housing crisis” are more often considered “good planning practices.” In the name of solving the “housing crisis,” these critical tools for creating wellplanned communities are considered less important.
If what we get out of this short-cut process truly addresses what we need — housing affordable to most people this tradeoff might be worth it. ut it turns out this “solution” is not addressing the right problem.
One of the key features that allows a project to take advantage of some of these new laws and short-cuts is for the project to set the price below-market on a certain fraction (for example, 15%) of the total units to make them meet certain afford ability standards. The remaining units can all be rented or sold at market rate, which we know is typically a stunningly high price.
So a project that builds 100 total units might have 15 of those units rented or sold below-market and therefore be affordable for most people. But the price on each of the remaining 85 units can be whatever the market will bear. Such a project is a pretty large project, but only a small part of it is relevant to our actual problem — a shortage of housing that is affordable to most people.
To make matters worse, building 100 units of housing creates new demand for jobs to provide services to those units, and the people in those jobs need to live somewhere. An analysis of this effect concluded that for 100 high-density rental units, 19 new below-market units are required to house these workers, and for 100 for-sale units, over 30 new
Our actual crisis is that we have a shortage of housing t at is affor a le to most people who pay their rent or mortgage with their paychecks without t e ene t o additional wealth.
below-market units are required. (For details on this study, see my March 2, 2023 column: tinyurl.com/housing-demand, and see the actual study here: tinyurl. com/demand-study.)
So the example 100-unit project described above that has 15 affordable units would create new demand for 19 affordable units if it is a rental pro ect, and over 30 units if it is a for-sale project. Either way, the end result is this project makes our actual housing problem (lack of affordable housing worse, not better ddressing a shortage of affordable housing by building mostly market-rate housing ust at out misses the point. Remember: in Carpinteria we need at least 86% of new housing units to be below-market. It does us no good to implement a “solution” that not only addresses the wrong problem, but makes the real problem even worse.
Remembering this important point is critical for all of us as we make decisions about the future of our community.
Mike Wondolowski is president of the Carpinteria Valley Association (facebook. com/carpinteriavalleyassociation), a local organization dedicated to maintaining the small beach town nature of our community. In over 35 years of involvement in planning issues, he has witnessed visionary successes, as well as decisions that were later widely regretted. When not stuck indoors, he can often be found enjoying Carpinteria’s treasures including kayaking and snorkeling along the coast, runnin or ikin on t e luffs or t e Franklin Trail, or “vacationing” as a tent camper at the State Beach.
CVA stands with local families
The Carpinteria Valley Association (CVA), founded in 1964, is dedicated to preserving our city’s small town character and our valley’s agricultural heritage. Integral to our success in keeping Carpinteria a desirable place to live are the contributions of our work force, including immigrants from around the world, some arriving more than a century ago, and others more recently.
While we have always focused on local matters, the CVA decries the current federal strategy of indiscriminate deportation of workers — productive, contributing members of society, some of whose only offense is ust looking like they might be undocumented. As well as ripping families apart and damaging our local economy, ICE is creating an atmosphere of fear. e ob ect to masked, militarized kidnapping squads “disappearing” our neighbors!
We applaud the legislation introduced this week by our Congressman Salud Carba al and others, called the ignity ct, a bipartisan immigration reform bill, as well as the recent statements made by our own Carpinteria City Council members. The ample turnout at recent demonstrations is heartening. Only by coming together and raising our voices in unison can we counter the governmental terror tactics that history shows lead only to disaster.
Jim Taylor Carpinteria
Legal residents more likely to commit crimes
Legal residents of the U.S. are over four times more likely to commit a crime than people here illegally (MT Light et al. , 0 0 . f C had ust focused on legal residents last July 10, they’d likely have gotten a much better haul of 56. Leanne Rose’s list of criminals (Vol. 31, No. 45) would have taken up the entire page 7 and half of page 8 of last week’s Coastal View News
Maybe Rose’s family immigrated here long ago, no doubt “the right way.” Of course, back then (to become) legal, it didn’t take 50 years (policy analysis No. 873, CATO Institute, 2019). I sincerely hope she’ll get to know her immigrant neighbors better because she d find that they’re much like her in important ways (they love their families, work hard, and try to do the right thing). Only they’re much less likely to commit a crime.
Jacqueline Wiley Carpinteria
What happened to us?
Lately I’ve been out on the sidewalks of Carpinteria and Santa Barbara, holding a protest sign. Some folks honk or wave. thers scowl, ip me off, or shout something sharp from a passing car. t first, felt defensi e. hat s wrong with you? But as I walked and became more present, the question softened. It became: What happened to you? Not in udgment, but in wonder. hat weight are they carrying that I can’t see? There’s an old gospel phrase: see beyond the fault to the need. That kind of seeing takes imagination — and courage. It’s not a weakness to imagine the inner life of another. In fact, I think it’s one of the strongest things we can do right now. ot to ustify cruelty or back down from truth in any way, but to stay grounded in our shared humanity.
In times like these, it’s easy to see “the other” as a threat. The alternative? think about r. artin Luther ing Jr. and John Lewis, who faced deep anger
LETTERS
“While we have always focused on local matters, the CVA decries the current federal strategy of indiscriminate deportation of workers — productive, contributing members o society, some o ose only offense is ust looking like they might be undocumented.”
—Jim Taylor
in a hardened world. To meet anger with presence. To imagine the pain beneath the shout. To keep choosing love — not as weakness, but as a refusal to let go of our shared humanity.
Andy Patrick Carpinteria
Outdoor Fitness Center needs repair
and violence, but chose nonviolence — not ust in action, but in language. hey held fast to the power of love and dignity, even when others shouted hate. There’s something in that choice we need to remember now.
That’s the invitation: not to ignore real harm, but to counter it. To become people who see past the fault, through the hurt, and into the heart of one another.
Maybe the real protest isn’t the sign I’m holding, but the willingness to stay tender
The Outdoor Fitness Center in Carpinteria — tucked between the Linden Field and the beach — is a public space that once offered a simple, accessible way for people to stay active. It didn’t need bells and whistles, ust basic e uipment and a little care. Now it sits rusting and neglected, overgrown and forgotten. For a town that values wellness, nature, and community, it’s frustrating to see such a resource fall into disrepair. A little maintenance could bring it back to life. I hope State Parks takes notice — and takes action.
Rowan Williams Carpinteria
ity epart ents rap up the s a year with largely positive quarterly reports
BY LIV KLEIN
This week, the city of Carpinteria’s departments — including General Government, Administrative Services, Community Development, Public Works and Parks, Recreation and Community Services — wrapped up the 2024/25 fiscal year with a fourth and final round of quarterly reports.
All departments reported largely positive and on-track progress going into the new fiscal year.
General Government
The General Government Department reported various achievements from the fourth fiscal uarter, most notably
drafting the city’s Strategic Plan for fiscal years 0 , onboarding 4 new city employees and supporting various law enforcement efforts and partnering with police departments to help arrange events.
This includes the upcoming National Night Out on Aug. 5, a nationwide celebrated event aimed at promoting strong law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.
While the department finished the quarter with overall positive productivity, some pree isting challenges remain, according to City Manager Michael Ramirez.
“We did have some challenges… staff capacity, budget constraints and competing priorities continue to be the three things we are constantly ad usting to whether its acancies, in uries or posi tions that ha en t been able to be filled, Ramirez said.
tion of the city’s Housing Element zoning amendments in quarter four; the department’s release of the complete public draft of the city’s General Plan update in June; and the successful recruitment and hiring of Bret McNulty as the new city principal planner.
obroff cited one ma or concern from the quarter regarding the increase in permit processing.
“We’ve really seen a big uptick in the amount of permits we are processing. A 34% increase from the prior year is a huge ump for a small staff which e plains why we e felt so busy, obroff said.
Additionally, a vacancy in the Code Compliance team remains a challenge.
o ma or e penditures or financial concerns were reported from quarter four.
plish, but we are not in the clear entirely,” obroff e plained.
Public Works Department
Following the fourth quarter trend, the Public Works Department reported positive progress and met several key accomplishments to conclude the fiscal year.
The department was awarded $226,563 through a South Coast Measure A Cycle 6 Program. The department also repaired a restroom in the Carpinteria Community Library; drafted and issue the RFP for consulting design services related to the Li ing horeline ro ect and in ited bids for the Carpinteria High School Area Crosswalk afety mpro ements ro ect and the Linden enue mpro ements ro ect.
SALE PENDING FOR SALE
The department outlined its upcoming goals for the ne t fiscal year, which in clude plans to e plore new city re enue streams, continuing to develop community emergency preparedness and risk management and conducting a city-wide classification and compensation study to ensure that the city stays competitive and maintains the talent that has helped move work efforts forward.
The department reported several priorities for the upcoming fiscal year including updating business license applications, awarding the contract for the new online permitting platform vendor, releasing the request for proposals (RFP) and selecting the consultant for the building permit master fee program study, continuing the city’s Housing Element program implementation, and kicking off the n ironmental mpact eport for the city’s General Plan update.
Concha Loma 3 bd/2 bath lovely floor plan with 2 fireplaces and a detached art studio 2,395,000.
NEW LISTING 2 bd/1 bath Townhome at Casitas Village. Completely remodeled with ocean view. $695,000
NEW LISTING 2 bd/1 bath and completely remodeled, Casitas Village Condo. 710,000
Unique home on 10 acres off of Highway 150 halfway between Carpinteria and Ojai. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a den with vaulted ceilings and beautiful views. Listed at 2,650,000.
Stunning 1 bd/1 bath top floor Polo field condo with vaulted ceilings. Beautiful views overlooking the polo fields. PRICE REDUCED 829,000
Large lot with existing house. Both CPD and residential zoning. Room for a house and ADU. Stunning estuary views. 1,350,000
2BD Home in Sandpiper Village #145 - $525,000! 1 to 3 PM
Expansive 5 bd / 3 bath haven boasts over 2000 sq. ft. Perfect for families, entertaining or those seeking a peaceful getaway. PRICE REDUCED 1,795,000
Buildable lot on golf course on the 12th hole of the Mission Club Golf Course in Lompoc, .47 acre. Sight plans, lot & house plans included. Price reduction NOW 299,000 Owner will carry financing, for qualified buyer.
SOLD
2 bedroom / 2 bath Franciscan Village Condo in excellent condition. Second floor condo with vaulted ceilings, beautiful windows and tree top views. 795,000
While the department reported no ma or financial challenges or concerns, it did designate a ma or e penditure of $30,000 in quarter four towards revenue generation costs.
Administrative Services
n the final uarter of the fiscal year, the Administrative Services Department completed two ma or milestones the city’s adoption of the Two-Year Budget for Fiscal Years 2025-27 and updating and adopting the Master Fee Schedule with applied in ation factors.
he department had no ma or e pen ditures or challenges to report from this quarter.
Vice Mayor Mónica Solórzano asked staff to clarify the oning amendment package for the city’s Housing Element.
n order to meet state housing needs, the city must rezone several properties for housing.
Those rezones have been divided in phase one and phase two. The phase one categorized sites for rezoning were selected based on their likeness to pass and move forward quickly; the phase two categorized sites carry more procedural or political difficulties.
A great opportunity for a quali ed buyer!
Some of the department’s most notable goals for the ne t fiscal year include com pleting the annual audit in coordination with the city s e ternal auditors and preparing the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
Community Development Department
The Community Development Department remained busy in the fourth fiscal uarter, reporting se eral key ac complishments.
Of these accomplishments, Community e elopment irector ick obroff highlighted the department s final adop
The council already approved phase one rezones to get the city’s Housing Element certified quickly. With a certified ousing lement, the city is not ulnerable to builder s remedy pro ects, which bypass a city’s design standards in e change for offering affordable housing.
“The issue is, while on paper we have enough sites to meet our housing shortfall, in reality we can’t count on all these properties that were rezoned to actually come in with housing developments… at the affordability targets that we would like them to, obroff e plained.
f the city does not recei e enough housing de elopment pro ects or fewer affordable housing units than anticipated, then more sites will eventually have to be rezoned.
t s unfortunately not a one and done e ercise. e bought oursel es some time, we got certified with the state and those are important and great things to accom-
he department reported two ma or e penditures from the fourth uarter $670,903 for the East Via Real Stormwater ro ect and $ , for the Carpinteria Community Library Restroom Repair & Remodel.
No financial concerns or variances were indicated.
The department continues to report challenges with language barriers, staff said.
While the department implements bilingual hand-outs and signs, it struggles with filling a bilingual role within staff. The department head shared that they will continue to work on their translatable materials and resources, but e pressed they would like to hire a bilingual candidate for the department.
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department Program Manager Torrie Cutbirth said the department enhanced community engagement, strengthened internal systems and advanced key program initiatives. ey achie ements included onboard ing the new city librarian, Eric Castro; launching the 2025 Library Summer Reading Program; maintaining full occupancy in the Community Garden and e panded school nonprofit out reach; hosting diverse AgeWell events, including Spanish language and intergenerational programs; launching the unior Lifeguards 0 session with 0 participants and completing; and presenting the Community Pool Facility Needs Assessment to the council.
SALE PENDING
Sweet 1 bd / 1 bath, loft condo at Sandpiper, just 1/2 block to the beach. 220 Elm Ave. #10, in Carpinteria 698,000
SALE PENDING
Cute 1965 mobile home at San Roque Mobile Park. Must be a cash sale due to age of home. 225,000.
CARPINTERIA SHORES
SUMMER AVAILABILITY
Week of Aug. 2 - #211, #301
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A rare chance to enjoy this mountain view plus the bene ts of home ownership. This mobilehome will be an excellent value for a buyer with some trade skills and some cash. Straight talk here: It’s a small home, it needs a new roof and other repairs (info available), it has “good bones” and it’s in a unique view spot in one of Carpinteria’s better parks. It’s priced with all this in mind, the purchase is nanceable with a 25% down payment, and the space rent is under Carp’s rent control ordinance. IN
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3
Cutbirth cited two ma or challenges from the quarter that both pertained to staffing. he department was unable to develop and launch a library e-newsletter due to limited staffing and is currently without a community garden coordinator.
he department ended the fiscal year on track with no ma or e penditures. eginning ne t fiscal uarter, the department plans to focus on finali ing a taff olicy rocedures andbook across divisions; finalizing department-wide cancellation and refund policies; drafting a “Sponsorship, Donation, and Fundraising” policy; and hire a new community garden coordinator.
he ational eather er ice first issued a tsunami watch on uesday night efore upgrading it to a tsunami ad isory shortly after
Santa Barbara attorney Beatriz Pimentel Flores was interviewed by Carpinteria videographer Larry Nimmer for his “Everyone Has a Story” series.
City beaches closed Wednesday morning due to tsunami advisory
Videographer records stories about immigrants living in Carpinteria
BY EVELYN SPENCE
tsunami wa es are ery different than general surf.
Carpinteria videographer Larry Nimmer’s new series “Everyone Has a Story” has pivoted to focus on stories from locals about immigrants and immigration, amid growing concerns about the presence of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Santa Barbara County.
City of Carpinteria beaches were closed on Wednesday morning as a tsunami ad isory, first issued uesday night, continued into the ne t day. hey reopened around 3 p.m. on Wednesday after the National Weather Service (NWS) lifted the advisory.
Most beaches in Santa Barbara County, including all beaches with waterfront parking lots and Sterns Wharf in Santa Barbara, also remained closed throughout most of Wednesday, with the county warning that “rogue, higher than normal waves” were being seen. Evacuations were not issued.
“Everyone Has a Story” has been an ongoing project for Nimmer, but he said he switched his focus to stories about and from immigrants and undocumented locals after hearing people speak out at the special meeting tackling immigration enforcement concerns held by the Carpinteria City Council on July 10.
he first issued a tsunami warn ing for the coastal areas of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska from the California/Mexico border to Chignik ay, laska on uesday night after 8.8 earthquake occurred 80 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk Kamchatka in ussia. he upgraded the warning to a tsunami advisory shortly after.
The meeting was held after three sightings of ICE the week of July 7. At least thirteen Carpinteria residents or workers were arrested.
The series — done in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon — has 25 entries so far, Nimmer said, with interviews ranging from a few minutes to over an hour. Clips of these interviews are posted to the “Everyone Has a Story” YouTube channel. Nimmer interviewed
Around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the NWS lifted the tsunami advisory for Ventura through San Diego counties, but kept it in place for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. It was lifted for the California coast entirely later Wednesday afternoon.
Although Santa Barbara County was expected to see tsunami waves less than one foot in height, the NWS warned that
Center has announced the addition of Monica Thomas and Karina Kulangara to its board.
new chair, and Annalee Salcedo Power the board’s vice-chair.
to have these two quality community members join our governing board to help us in creating a vibrant community through the arts,” Murphy said in a press release.
subjects at protests, such as the “ICE out of Carp” protest on July 12, or at local events such as concerts or the St. Joseph Church Festival, which took place from July 11 to July 13.
One of these interviews was with Santa Barbara attorney Beatriz Pimentel Flores.
tsunami wa e is ery different than a general surf height, since the wave is so deep a one foot wave can have an incredible amount of energy. hey cause issues similar to large tides and large storm surge, i.e., coastal ooding and dramatic water level changes in harbors,” the NWS wrote on social media platform X (formerly known as witter on ednesday.
“I support immigrant rights because everybody has a right to dignity and respect, irrespective of their status,” Flores said in her interview. “We need immigrant rights. We need them here, we need (immigrants) working, because it helps them and it helps us. It enriches both sides.”
Residents were warned to stay away from the water and keep away from beaches and waterways. Sea water surges in the harbors, as well as dangerous currents and waves, are possible during tsunami activity.
“Main thing to stress is that currents will be very strong across all coastal waters today,” the NWS said on Wednesday. “People should stay out of the water and avoid harbors all along the SoCal coast.” his includes coasts not under a tsunami advisory.
Nimmer has been working on the “Everyone Has a Story” series for more than 10 years, he said, and has recorded more than 600 stories. “I like giving people a platform to tell stories,” Nimmer said.
Those interested in learning more or submitting their stories may reach out to Nimmer at larry@nimmer.net. The Rotary Club of Carpinteria is also accepting donations to boost the series online.
— Jun Starkey
he city of Carpinteria also mo ed its Junior Lifeguards program — a popular summer lifeguard program for Carpinteria kids off the beach and onto Linden ield. he program s swim paddle run triathlon was also rescheduled for another date this week, to be determined.
Arts center welcomes new board members, announces new chairs
“Our team, in coordination with the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, is actively monitoring ocean conditions due to the current tsunami advisory,” the city said on social media on Wednesday.
directors.
Carpinteria nified chool istrict for 16 years, serving at both Carpinteria Middle School and Carpinteria High School. For the past seven years, she served as the executive assistant to the superintendent. She was born and raised in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara.
Kulangara has been with Agilent Technologies for more than 10 years. She is currently responsible for research, development and the launch of cancer diagnostic devices. She holds a master’s degree in immunology from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, a PhD degree in neuroscience from the Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland, and worked in biomedical engineering at Duke University, in North Carolina.
— Jun Starkey
COURTESY PHOTO
NWS GRAPHIC
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY GRAPHIC
he alifornia coast was under a tsunami ad isory earlier this wee
Halos& Pitchforks
Santa ia her stolen by Polo deputies.
A reader sends a halo to Ryan Moore for bringing dirt back to Carpinteria.
Standing with families in Carpinteria
A reader sends a halo to everyone who supported the Playa Del Sur 4-H this year. he members are looking forward to another successful year.
A reader sends a halo to Valerie, the new olunteer at the riends of the Library Bookstore, for cleaning and reorganizing the self-help section.
CVN
A reader sends a halo to their new neighbors. “We welcome you to our neighborhood. However, we kindly request that you refrain from blasting karaoke in your backyard. e find the sound of the ocean much more pleasant than awful singing.”
A reader sends a halo to Burlene for making the Carpinteria Lumberyard Nursery area a joy to visit. “Her outgoing personality (Southern style), friendly conversation and plant knowledge make it a pleasure to visit and shop.”
A reader sends a halo to the generous person for paying for the reader’s gas when she forgot her ATM card at the gas station. “I’m sorry I chose the most expensive oil, I’d love to reimburse you, and thank you. I’m deeply moved by your generosity.”
A reader sends a halo to Bill at Rockwell Printing for rescuing her from a PDF nightmare. “I’m looking forward to reciprocating his kindness!”
A reader sends a halo to Sean and Dayna for being wonderful neighbors and helping the reader through another frazzled mom situation.
A reader sends a halo to the 93013 Fund, Uncle Chen Restaurant and Marybeth Carty for the surprise delivery of a delicious dinner complete with a fortune cookie, candy bar and painted rock. “Wonderful kindness and quite a thrill!”
A reader sends a halo to the anonymous person who left a $100 donation in the L of Carpinteria office mail slot this past week. hank you for your kindness.
A reader sends a halo to the staff of Jack’s Bistro for staying open during Covid-19. “Always a smile no matter how busy. A great way to start the day.”
A reader sends a halo to Paul and Cheryl Wright, owners of Island Brewing Company, for promoting and being a major donation center for food and supplies for those in need, and ensuring that the supplies were taken to the appropriate distribution centers during these challenging times.
A reader sends a halo to the Daykas for always being there to help with anything and never complaining. “Many thanks to the best neighbors ever. We love you all dearly.”
A reader sends a halo to his “honey bunny” for the best 52 years of his life. “The number 28 has been special for us, and this July was no exception.”
A reader sends a halo to Mayor Wade Nomura for the city s beautiful ower wreath at the Carpinteria Cemetery for the Memorial Day program.
A reader sends a halo to Tami and John at Robitaille’s for their constant smiles and o er the top customer ser ice. he wedding fa ors were lo ed by all and brought a bit of Carpinteria to the Seattle wedding!”
A reader sends a halo to those who acknowledge people with disabilities. “When you encounter a person in a wheelchair or walking with a walker, please smile and say hello to that person.”
A reader sends a halo to Walter, the bartender at the Island Brewing Company, for being such positive, helpful and friendly person. “You are much appreciated!”
A reader sends a halo to Lance Lawhon at the Carpinteria Sanitation District for helping Kim’s Market.
A reader sends a pitchfork to a local business for not being wheelchair accessible.
A reader sends a halo to the Carpinteria Beautiful lady picking up trash in a neighborhood near the beach. “Thank you! We need all the help we can get keeping trash picked up in the neighborhoods on the beach-side of the tracks.”
A reader sends a halo to Kassandra Quintero at he pot. hen the roof top ag was twisted and lodged in the rain gutter, Quintero jumped into action and climbed up to the roof and untangled it so that it could wave freely. Way to show patriotism!”
A reader sends a pitchfork to the oma ho mpe e tra to drop off books and was ery curt to the reader s grandson for being on the sidewalk. “Next time look at yourself and your sense of entitlement!”
A reader sends a halo to Emma and Justin. “It was a wonderful wedding, great food, spectacular location and great people! It was moving and wonderful.”
A reader sends a halo to Carpinterians who put out boxes in front of their homes full of surplus oranges, avocados, etc. from their trees. “Thank you for sharing your abundance.”
A reader sends a pitchfork to whoever spilled paint on Linden Avenue on Friday and didn’t clean it up. “I’m sure I’m not the only one who now has white paint splattered on the side of my car after driving over it.”
A reader sends a halo to all the beach community residents. “Thank you for parking in front of your home with your permit.”
A reader sends a halo to Nikki at Culinary. went to my first class this week end with my sister, who has been to four so far. I had the best time! Someone get this girl a show, she should be on the ood etwork already.
A reader sends a halo to Diana, a caregiver at Carpinteria Senior Lodge for nearly three years.
A reader sends a halo to Tom Sweeney for going out on Elm Avenue by the beach to clean up plastic bottles, bags, dirty gloves and masks.
HARU
A reader sends a halo to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the local vet for working diligently to save the Rincon Beach bear. “It’s a terrible shame to lose one of these magnificent creatures howe er, wouldn t want it to suffer to a miserable death.”
MASSAGE & SPA
A reader sends a pitchfork to the new parking zones. “All the “no parking/two hour” signs just made people park in my neighborhood. Seventh and the neighboring streets are a packed parking lot.”
A reader sends a halo to Bill and Rosana Swing for spending their Saturday taking photos for unior arriors ootball. e appreciate all you do for our families, play ers and program. You rock!”
A reader sends a pitchfork to those who lied on their FAFSA and took scholarships away from kids who need it.
A reader sends a halo to DJ Hecktic for coming out early Saturday morning to support the Junior Warriors. “It made the kids so happy to hear you say their names—you’re a local celebrity to them!”
Submit Halos & Pitchforks online at coastalview.com.
All submissions are subject to editing.
a m u lic nto ication ailard enue
A reader sends a halo to , Superintendent of schools, and Debra Herrick, director of Boys & Girls Club, for remo ing the to ic uphorbia fire sticks from the pots and landscape.
truck and both were extremely intoxicated with open containers of alcohol observed in the vehicle. One man was not being the most cooperative, but once he was convinced to exit the vehicle, a pat down search of his person was conducted. Deputies located a collapsible baton in the man’s front waistband. He was cited and both were released to a sober friend.
Friday, May 22
he found a small baggie containing a white powdery substance underneath the driver’s seat of his recently purchased vehicle. The man stated he purchased the ehicle three weeks ago but didn t find the small baggie until he’d removed the dri er s seat to fi the reclining mecha nism. The incident was documented, and the baggie was booked into Santa Barbara heriff s ffice property for destruction.
ehicle about Sandand vehicle The not was possearch located, meth. violations. contacted as by a probashowed container felon pepper in the wanted ownership vehicle reported to Department. A was stolen, the on the only a actual pulled the car, motel they, for and will obtained alm regisviolation his displayrecords was suspended. The man was cited, and his vehicle was released to a licensed driver.
Meet Ari, a two-year-old, 10-pound chihuahua who was found as a stray and now is in the care of Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS).
Deputies responded after a woman reported her residence was burglarized the prior night. The woman stated a cartoon of almond milk and tools were taken from her garage. She told the reporting deputy that the tools belonged to her daughter’s boyfriend. The deputy attempted to contact the man via telephone multiple times with no response. The woman stated her garage door was unlocked during the night and is in the process of getting a new lock. She did not have any suspect information at the time. The incident was documented, and patrol will follow-up for further details of the stolen items.
SBCAS volunteers said Ari recently got a break from the shelter for a few weeks and was able to decompress in a home, where he showed that he loves squeaky toys, belly rubs, and cuddles. He also loves to hike, is house trained, rides well in a car and sleeps well through the night.
Deputies responded to a motel on Via Real for a report of a domestic violence incident. Upon arrival, a deputy contacted a man and woman in the parking lot. After contacting both subjects, there were visible injuries on both parties. Due to con icting statements regarding their mutual altercation and obvious injuries, both parties were arrested for corporal injury on a spouse.
a m it and un ameo and asitas ass roads
“He loves squeaky toys, play bows, uses his paw to get your attention, will stand up on his back legs, enjoys belly rubs and walks nicely on a leash,” volunteers said. “Ari is shy with new people, but once he is comfortable with someone and the en ironment, he is e tremely affectionate and very sweet. Ari is amazing and deserves a home!”
p m ound rugs
Deputies responded to a report a of a black sedan crashing into a parked water truck. While en route, it was also reported the male sub ect dri ing the sedan ed the scene on foot. Upon arrival, deputies observed the sedan abandoned in the middle Cameo Road with major damage to the front right passenger wheel
Interested in adopting Ari? He’s at the SBCAS shelter in Goleta at 5473 Overpass Road. The shelter is open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Learn more by emailing animalservicesdirector@sbcphd.org or sbcassouthfostercoordinator@gmail.com.
loc acaranda a A man was contacted after reporting
A reader sends a halo to Desiree, the new masseuse at he Gym e t oor. he could have coasted through it, but she worked really hard to relieve my back pain. I never experienced such a great massage.”
COFFEE, CAREER AND KIDDOS
A reader sends a halo to whoever left a sign telling people to pick up their dog-waste bags and stop leaving them on Casitas Pass Road.
A reader sends a pitchfork to whoever has been leaving bags of dog waste on the ground along Casitas Pass Road. “Yes, it’s frustrating that the trash cans are gone, but is that really your best way of handling the situation?”
TERESA ALVAREZ
A reader sends a pitchfork to the person who hit the reader’s pickup in front of the reader’s house and didn’t stop. “Shame on you, and I hope you have karma insurance.”
A reader sends a pitchfork to the bicycle events on oothill Road. urposely host ing huge rides that take up the whole road is irresponsible. here are countless bike lanes that were put in with our tax dollars to avoid this problem.”
I randomly get the urge to cry, sometimes at work, other times at home, most times while talking about how inhumanely people are being treated. I think I’m still processing the attacks on our immigrant community from a few weeks ago. Attacks that left families in fear, children in distress, and neighbors uncertain about what comes next.
In the wake of recent immigration enforcement activity, our team immediately mobilized. We opened our doors and extended our hands to t e amilies affecte — some directly, some indirectly, all impacted by the fear and uncertainty now hanging over our town.
A reader sends a pitchfork to the lifeguards braiding hair while swimmers are in the pool. “Not professional!”
A reader sends a pitchfork to the employees of the newer businesses on the Carpinteria Bluffs. Learn to share the bike walking path with locals here will be four to fi e of you walking together and not a single one will scoot o er ust a tad to let a local pass through?”
A reader sends a pitchfork to the Linden planters. “All the mushrooms growing there indicate too much water. Nice weed farm.”
A reader sends a pitchfork to a restaurant owner for parking his vehicle in the spots right out front of his establishment. “Shouldn’t he leave those parking spots available for his paying customers?”
It was one of those moments that draws a clear line between before and after — before the military vehicles and broken car windows, before the flash bangs, before the goodbyes; and after, when children are left wondering when their parent will come home, and when families must figure out how to sur i e both emotionally and financially without a primary breadwinner.
needed. The outpouring of support was overwhelming in the most beautiful way. During the span of a couple of weeks we started the Helping Hand Fund, hosted a volunteer coalition meeting (now 76 members strong) and turned our auditorium stage into a pantry. We also hosted a community training that brought more than 125 people together in our auditorium to learn how they could help their neighbors during this horrific time.
A reader sends a pitchfork to the City of Carpinteria for letting the bluffs turn into an e er increasing dirt parking lot. hat is not what the bluffs were purchased for. Post No Parking signs immediately!”
Two of the men detained were former CCP parents. Their children attended early education programming, and both couples attended parenting class. They are dedicated to helping their children succeed. They are not criminals — they are fathers working tirelessly to give their children a better life.
A reader sends a pitchfork to the sheriff’s deputy using his radar gun the other morning in front of city hall. “Why don’t you go by one of the schools and catch all the speeders there in morning, and keep our children safe while walking to school.”
At Carpinteria Children’s Project, we work every day to ensure that children are getting the best possible start to their educational journey, but we cannot address early education without discussing the family. Right now parents are stressed, saddened by the state of the world, perhaps empowered but exhausted; I know I am, and I know what impact that has on my children. In moments like these, our mission becomes even more urgent.
In the wake of recent immigration enforcement activity, our team immediately mobilized. We opened our doors and extended our hands to the families affected some directly, some indirectly, all impacted by the fear and uncertainty now hanging over our town. We immediately began receiving donations, both monetary and in-kind. People were reaching out to offer help in any way
In addition to those activities, we are supporting local families with groceries and other essential items, and with greater financial support for things like rent and utilities. But just as importantly, we are making space for emotional healing. e are offering mental health support in partnership with local therapists who ha e offered their ser ices pro bono to both children and adults, helping them begin to process what has happened and what they need to feel whole again. The community will need to heal as well and we are working with partners to dream up some activities to begin that process. We are so grateful to this community for standing with families, by not turning away from their fear, and by believing that every child, regardless of their immigration status, or their parent’s birthplace, deserves stability, dignity, and a future. We cannot undo what happened a few weeks ago. But we can make sure that families are not alone in the aftermath.
At Carpinteria Children’s Project, we are committed to walking with them, through crisis, through healing, and toward a future where all families in Carpinteria feel they belong.
El pueblo salva al pueblo (the community saves the community)! It’s up to us, so if you or someone you know needs support, or if you want to help, please reach out to us at info@carpchildren.org. You can also volunteer with 805Undocufund and the Carpinteria Immigrants Rights Coalition. In moments like these, community is everything.
Teresa Alvarez is the executive director of the Carpinteria Children’s Project. She has over a eca e o e perience in t e nonpro t el and a passion for helping children and families. Teresa was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and moved to the U.S. with her parents at age two. Growing up as an undocumented student, she learned the importance of having mentors, a strong work ethic, and the value of education. Teresa holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UCSB and a master’s degree in psychology from Antioch Santa Barbara. She currently serves on the Future Leaders of America board and is a founding member of the Santa Barbara Latino Giving Circle. Teresa loves to travel, read and chase after her two boys.
Car • PET • teria
Noon Rotary, Morning Rotary presidents promise future club collaborations
Carpinteria’s Rotary chapters — the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning and the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon — have begun a more collaborative relationship under their new respective presidents, Stephen Gerteis and David Powdrell.
Historically, the Rotary chapters of Carpinteria would meet and host their own e ents, with each taking on different roles in the community. There were previously three Rotary chapters, until the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Sunset disbanded at the end of 2024.
Powdrell said there had been “minor collaborations” between the chapters in the past, but there hasn’t been a concerted effort to bring the groups together.
“We have done some collaboration previously, but we’re doubling down on it,” Gerteis said.
Gerteis’ presidential message for his term is “Better together,” he told Coastal View News
“The international message ended up being ‘Unite for Good’ which is the same mindset… It’s a good guidepost when you’re looking at how you’re doing things. I try to talk to my board, and say, ‘If (you’re) ever doing something alone, you’re probably not doing it right.’”
Gerteis’ and Powdrell’s presidential terms began on July 1. Since then, the pair have held some events for both club chapters to participate in, including a beach clean-up following the Fourth of July Weekend, which yielded seven large trash bags full of garbage.
Gerteis said the cleanup turned into a social event for the club members.
“I think Rotary is the answer to a lot of our social ills,” Gerteis said. “We have a real loneliness epidemic in the country right now, and I think Rotary provides an opportunity to connect with people you wouldn’t otherwise connect with.”
Both chapters also recruit students each year for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Program, a leadership camp that encourages networking and teambuilding. Both chapters also sponsor the Interact Club at Carpinteria High School, which functions as a sort of “mini Rotary club,” Gerteis said.
A potential future project, in its infant stage, is a long bike ride from Goleta to Carpinteria, Powdrell said, which would be a collaboration between the Carpinteria, Goleta and Santa Barbara Rotary chapters. Participants would ride their bikes from Goleta to Carpinteria and hop on the train to head home after.
Rotary Noon and Morning members have also volunteered with the Carpinteria Children’s Project, shopping for groceries, packing and delivering them to local families impacted by raids and arrests carried out by Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE). Gerteis said the Rotary club is “not political or religious” and is not “taking a stand” regarding the actions of ICE.
The Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning has also established the Carpinteria Community Relief Fund, which would pro ide money to local nonprofits, on a quarterly basis, that are working directly with families in need.
“There’s an urgent need in our community right now,” Gerteis said. Powdrell added: “We’re trying to make the world a better place.”
— Jun Starkey
WADE NOMURA
From left, Rotary Noon President David Powdrell, Rotary District Governor Mike Dutra and Rotary Morning President Stephen Gerteis at a Rotary convention in Los Angeles.
Working out the knots with Haru Massage and Spa
BOSSES BY BOSTROM
INGRID BOSTROM
Haru Massage and Spa —located at 901 Linden Ave., Suite B —opened in the winter of this year, and their exclusively fi e star re iews and customer base are building.
e found aru massage while on a family acation in Carpinteria. hey take walk ins and my party of three had no wait time for foot massages. he foot massage had was incredibly rela ing, medium pressure and great chairs and a heating pad. y family members got massages here afterward and said they were ama ing and that the massage ther apist was a pro. eryone talked to left feeling released and rela ed. he space is clean and comfortable, they offer drinks afterward. his is a must do in Carp hank you aru massage first time customer egan lrod ra ed.
wner ai Cheng spoke with Coastal View News about opening the rela ation
and body care business with his wife.
CVN: How did you prepare for opening your business re you both trained at massage ow many massage therapists work with you
Fai Cheng: e did some market research and Carpinteria doesn t ha e many mas sage places. f people can t get a massage here, they need to go to anta arbara or entura and if traffic is hea y, they may spend more than 4 minutes dri ing. o we wanted to bring professional, high uality massage to Carpinteria.
y wife was trained by a blind mas sage therapist in China and she learned well. he is also a California certified massage therapist. am the receptionist, answering phone calls and uestions. e ha e at least two massage therapists e ery day, but sometimes we ha e three massage therapists.
What are some examples of your offerings?
e do body massage, foot massage and cupping therapy. o enhance the effect of the foot massage e perience, we offer Chinese herbal or rose and milk soak. Cupping therapy is an ancient healing techni ue, often used to relie e conditions that cause pain.
What are you most proud of about your business?
eople lea ing with a smile and com ing back, because this is a recognition of our hard work.
What is the best way to book a treatment? hone call or te t message to 0 . f we are busy and miss your call, please send a te t message or we will call back as soon as possible.
How do you personally like to relax
PIZZA DEAL
when you aren’t working? itting on the beach and listening to music.
Ingrid Bostrom is a photographer, drawn to open space and stories told in each new face. Send ideas of impactful Carpinterian bosses to ingrid@ingridbostromphotography.com.
Haru Massage and Spa owners Fengyu Yan, left, and Fai Cheng
CLUB SCENE
Noon Rotary hears from retired Los Angeles EMT
he first meeting of the otary Club of Carpinteria oon under new president a id owdrell featured guest speaker l aeole, a retired with the Los ngeles Fire Department.
l had an e tensi e career with the L and shared many life sa ing measures that could be taken in a crisis situation,” said club member Karen Graf. aeole discussed his work as an , and his e perience performing life sa ing procedures. He spoke to club members about techniques to help stroke victims and those suffering from cardiac arrest. e also handed out arcan, which can be administered to someone experiencing a drug overdose. raf said aeole encouraged all members to take a C class whene er offered, to be ready to assist in a life-or-death situation.
—Jun Starkey
Three truck loads of trash taken off streets
Carpinteria’s Reality Church and Carpinteria Beautiful cleaned up roughly three truck loads of trash —including auto parts and furniture —at a communitywide cleanup at Viola Fields on Saturday, July 19. Carpinteria Beautiful President Bryan Mootz said future collaborations between the two groups are planned because that weekend’s cleanup was so successful.
Above, Pastor Adam Church talks to volunteers; below, Carpinteria Beautiful resident oot shows off the third round of trash picked up.
COURTESY PHOTO
From left, Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon President-elect Alec Hardy, former Los Angeles Fire Department EMT Al Naeole, Rotary club member Roland Rotz and club President David Powdrell.
I arrived in Carpinteria three-and-a-half years ago during a pandemic a er having an epiphany to visit my sister and family in Montecito. I thought, “Why not take a leap of faith, sell my home and nd a home that can enhance this ‘Encore Chapter’ of my life?”
of Ingrid Bostrom Through the lens...
Carpinteria is a town of effortless beauty with shining seas, streets lined with riendly palms, and ma estic mountain views. Community care and action are also radiantly beauti ul. y photos represent organic and intentional acets that make Carpinteria a lovely place to live.
—Ingrid Bostrom
was so grate ul to isa and en Price or renting me their cute mother in-law suite while I looked in a very “hot” market. As the months went by in a hot housing market, one thing was certain: I had to make Carpinteria my home, and with that, the vision was realized.
What is amazing to me is the “giving spirit” of Carpinteria. I was so welcomed by everyone, and so in return, I give back in any way I can to this beauti ul community.
I am also a passionate volunteer for Santa Barbara Wildlife Care etwork and assist Channel slands arine ildli e nstitute C . My passion is with all wildlife, but raptors are my absolute favorite. I also recently joined the board of Ojai Raptor Center.
I believe my photography of birds and marine animals has taken on a new life since I started rescuing precious wildlife around Santa Barbara. t is one thing to photograph these beauti ul birds, but it is another to rescue them. I feel something special while looking at them now through a camera lens.
lmost any day o the week you can nd me at Rincon, Padaro Beach or trekking the Mesas and preserves of Carpinteria and our central coast assisting in rescues or capturing images o the beauty around us.
–Susie Clothier
Sunny side up blossoms
Tern With An Appetizer | Padaro Beach, 2024 Black Crown Night Heron | Tar Pits,
My Beach Boy Haden | Padaro Beach, July 2024 Rincon Skies | October 2023
Willits Racing | Santa Claus Beach, June 2024
Surf Scoter Padaro Beach,
Golden untamed space at the Carpinteria Bluffs.
Foggy mountain views
ature’s lace
Peaceful outcry to militarized dominance on July 10.
Boardwalk beauty
This summer, Coastal View News asked local photographers a uestion Where do you see beauty in Carpinteria hrough ugust , flip open the center o each week s print to see Carpinteria through their eyes.
Breezy palms
The “ICE out of Carp” protest drew a passionate crowd advocating for immigrant rights.
4.30 3-Month 6-Month 9-Month
Aaron P Crocker Financial Advisor
1145 Eugenia Place Suite 203 Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-566-1828
CALENDAR
Thursday, July 31
English Language Conversation Group Grupo de Conversación en Inglés Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 8:30–10 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Dungeons Dragons Club Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3–4:45 p.m. Full. carpinterialibrary. org, (805) 684-4314
World’s Safest Bingo! Main Beach at Linden Avenue. 6–7 p.m. Free. All ages. Held Thursdays through Aug. 28. Sponsored by Carpinteria Community Library. WorldsSafestBingo@gmail.com
Friday, Aug. 1
Friday Fun Day Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10–11:30 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Pickleball Free Play Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road. 8–10 a.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Live Music: Jacob and the Good Vibes Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 7–10 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400
Movies in the Park: “Inside Out” Linden Field. Movies start at sunset. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. carpedfoundation.org
Saturday, Aug. 2
Clase de Ingles Para Principiantes Clase Gratuita Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9:30 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Salt Marsh Nature Park Docent Tours Meet at the entrance across from the corner of Sandyland and Ash Avenue. 10 a.m. noon. Free. (805) 886-4382
Arts Craft Faire Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, 865 Linden Ave. 10 a.m. p.m. Twenty-two artists expected. info@carpinteriaartscenter.org, (805) 684-7789, carpinteriaartscenter. org/marketplace
Carpinteria Indivisible march: ICE Out Of 805 Meet at the Seal Fountain in front of Smart Final. 10 a.m. Route: up Linden Avenue to Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria Avenue to Palm Avenue, Palm Avenue to Boardwalk at State Park, across Boardwalk then back up to Linden Avenue. carpindivisible@gmail.com
Meeting: Seniors Inc. Carpinteria Community Church, 1111 Vallecito Road. 1:30 p.m. All welcome for bingo and games.
Maker Space for Teens Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3–4 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Live Music: Carlos Tornes from Flip Flop Revival Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 4–6 p.m. corktreecellars.com,
End of Summer Touch Down! ¡Aterrizaje del Programa de Verano! Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 11 a.m. noon. Bilingual music concert by Nathalia / concierto de música bilingüe presentado por Nathalia. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Saturday Excursion, Puppy Park Picnic El Carro Park, 5300 El Carro Lane. 11 a.m. 1 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Meeting: Carpinteria Valley Republi
can Club Rancho Granada Mobile Home Clubhouse, 5750 Via Real. 11:30 a.m.
1:30 p.m. Get to know congressional candidates Bob Smith (running for 24th congressional district) and Samuel Gallucci (running for the 26th congressional district). RSVP to Delcie Feller, (661) 3334133, text preferred. Main dish provided, side dish or monetary donation welcome. Live Music: ‘60s Mania, The Beat Goes On The Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. 7:30–10 p.m. Tickets: $20. thealcazar.org, (805) 684-6380
Sunday, Aug. 3
Open Mic Nite with Brandon Kinalele Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 6–9 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400
Monday, Aug. 4
Preschool Story Time Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10–10:30 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Music Mondays Sing Along Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 10:30–11:30 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Monday Mahjong All levels of play. 1 p.m. (805) 729-1310
AgeWell Senior Program: Mind Games Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 2–3 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Tuesday, Aug. 5
AgeWell Senior Program: Walking Club Meet at Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279
Carpinteria Writers Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10 a.m. noon. (202) 997-0429
Bridge Group Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 1–4 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Spanish Conversation Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 2–3 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Summer Spanish Conversation for Teens Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 2–3 p.m. For immediate and advanced learners; native speakers welcome. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Carpinteria Songwriters Circle Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 4–5:30 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
National Night Out Linden Field. 5–7 p.m. Hosted by city of Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County Sheriff s ffice. Participating groups: California Highway Patrol, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, Carpinteria Community Library, Girls Inc., Carpinteria Children’s Project, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, American Red Cross, Community Emergency Response Team of Carpinteria, others. Free.
Carpinteria Improv Classes The Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. 7–9 p.m. Tuesdays, weekly. $10 at the door. thealcazar.org, (805) 684-6380
Wednesday, Aug. 6
AgeWell Senior Program: Pickleball for Beginners Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road. 8–10 a.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
AgeWell Senior Program: Veterans Morning Coffee Meet Up Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 8:30–9:30 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Senior Arts Crafts Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, 865 Linden Ave. Wednesdays, 9–11 a.m. Free. info@ carpinteriaartscenter.org, (805) 684-7789
Babies Are The Best Carpinteria Library Community Room, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9-10 a.m. (805) 886-4382
Art Sensory For Little Hands
Carpinteria Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10–11 a.m. Sensory exploration, art crafts, and hands-on play that builds fine motor skills and supports early STEM learning. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Carpinteria Knitters Group Carpinteria Library Community Room, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 1–3 p.m. Free. (805) 886-4382
Senior Nutrition Program Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. Monday–Friday, 12:15 p.m. No cost for seniors ages 60+. (805) 925-9554, meals@centralcoastseniors.org
Email event listings to news@coastalview.com
SURF ‘N’ SUDS BEER FEST
Arlyn Honey Hedden Hauck
Arlyn Honey Hedden Hauck was born on July 21, 2025, to Laurel Hauck and Donnie Hedden of Carpinteria at home in a tub with Donnie and two midwives present. She arrived at six pounds, nine ounces, and 18.5 inches long.
Her grandparents are Kerri and Don Hedden of Summerland and Deb and Rex Hauck of Lafayette, Colorado.
ON THE ROAD
CVN sees wildlife in Wyoming
The Overgaag family from Carpinteria spent some time in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, grabbing a photo together outside the park with their copy of Coastal View News. “We saw elk, bison, and Wesley was lucky enough to see a grizzly bear!” Kandie Overgaag told Coastal View News
CVN in Legoland
Last month, Coastal View News photographer Robin Karlsson brought her grandchildren, Sven and Zoe Brock, on a summer trip to Legoland California. Sven holds a copy of Coastal View News as the trio snap a photo together outside the park.
GOING ON THE ROAD?
Snap a photo with your Coastal View News in hand and email it to news@coastalview.com. Tell us about your trip!
DUNCAN’S REEL DEAL
MATT DUNCAN
Like so many Disney/Pixar children, Elio (Yonas Kibreab) is an orphan. His parents died, and his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana) took him in. She wasn’t exactly set up for it. She had no kids of her own, and she was pretty career-oriented, rising through the literal ranks in the United States Air Force. Now she’s got another job to juggle.
Olga is trying her best. But Elio is sad. And he feels alone. He’s also 11, in the thick of middle school, and we all know how much that can suck.
ne day, lio wanders off from lga to a space exhibit in which he hears the narrator suggest that there may be alien life out there, that we may not be alone. This strikes a chord in Elio.
A major chord. He becomes obsessed with aliens. nd not ust because he finds them fascinating. Not because he’s afraid of them — of being abducted by little green men. In fact, he wants to be abducted. That’s his dream: to get beamed up, taken away to a distant galaxy, with a new community, a new family.
This doesn’t win him many friends. It also causes friction with Olga. Which just makes him all the more eager to y off to a faraway place.
And, wouldn’t you know it, his dream comes true. Right in the middle of a low point, with bullies about to pounce on him, Elio is scooped up into a wormhole and transported to the Communiverse. Sounds warm and fuzzy, right? It is! It’s an alien utopia out in the middle of space, where alien species from all over the universe meet to commune, share ideas, drink fancy bright-colored drinks, and work out how to be all peaceful and such.
Each race has an ambassador. That’s why they grabbed Elio. The aliens in the Communiverse misinterpreted one of Elio’s messages — which he sent to incite abduction — and think he’s the leader of Earth. So, they want him to be Earth’s ambassador.
Elio is a middle schooler. I’m not even sure they teach civics in middle school anymore. Anyway, he’s no leader of Earth. But he wants to stay. Desperately. o he fibs.
Unfortunately, the timing isn’t great. Another would-be ambassador, Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), who is an awful warlord alien, has his candidacy rejected, and he s all pissed off and threatens to conquer the Communiverse. This spooks e eryone, and they decide to ee and not take on any new members, including Elio. The only way Elio can convince them to keep him around is by promising to negotiate peace with Grigon.
It’s tricky. Elio reads up on negotiation tactics — luckily the Communiverse has a repository of all the possible knowledge in the universe — but it’s still a shot in the dark.
He’s desperate, though. His negoti-
ation education causes him to realize that what he needs is a bargaining chip. Luckily, he pretty literally falls into one: Grigon’s son, Glordon (Remy Edgerly). Glordon looks like a cross between a slug and a manatee, but he’s all right. He’s sweet and peaceful (to the dismay of his dad), and he and Elio have a lot in common. hey hit it off. lordon agrees to be Elio’s bargaining chip, and he heads back to the Communiverse as Elio’s “captive.” Grigon is never not pissed, but he’s really pissed now. However, he vows to go away and never come back if they return his son. Sounds like a good deal, except now Elio and Glordon are buds. Elio doesn’t want to lose his friend, and Glordon doesn’t want to go back to his dad just to become heir to the family business of warlording.
Also, Olga is looking for Elio, and the citizens of Earth have gotten wind of the aliens’ presence. What looked like a simple con ict resolution turns out to be a hot mess.
Woven into this fairly standard plot are a few gems. The relationship between Elio and Glordon is sweet. “Elio” also has a few of those magical Pixar moments where real emotion is expressed, real humanity (or whatever the alien counterpart of that is) is revealed, and genuine love comes jumping out of the screen at you.
The setup isn’t perfect. I get why Elio would feel lonely after his parents died, but I don’t quite get why that would make him feel alien. If he was comforted by the thought that there is other life in the universe, why wouldn’t he be comforted by the thought that there is other life on his planet? Seems like a stretch to me. There must be better ways to draw out these themes about feeling out of place.
But whatever. They’re good themes! We all feel alone sometimes. We all feel out of place — like we don’t belong. And it can hurt. “Elio” provides a compelling reminder of the power of community, care, support, understanding, and love to bind, if not heal, those wounds.
Pixar has been a bit hit or miss lately. t s hard to call this one an un ualified hit, especially given the pantheon of Pixar greats. But it’s no miss.
“Elio” is rated PG for some action/ peril and thematic elements.
Matt Duncan, a former Coastal View News editor, is now a philosophy professor at Rhode Island College. In his free time from philosophizing, Duncan enjoys chasing his kids around, watching movies, and playing the mandolin.
“We make sure it works out for you”
UNPREDICTABLE WILDERNESS
CHUCK GRAHAM
Last April I followed an adult male island fox from the bottom of Scorpion Canyon on the southeast end of Santa Cruz Island. I was hopeful it was leading me to where it might be denning before rearing its incoming pups.
The smallest fox species in North America traversed a broad side canyon, weaving its way through an array of island ora island ha ardia, island paintbrush, island buckwheat and coyote bush cloak the windswept slopes. Once I caught up to the four-pound island fox, it loped toward a massive cluster of lemonade berries (Rhus integrifolia). It clung to the edge of the dense shrubs before vanishing into the low-lying undergrowth.
Lemonade berries have sticky fruit that taste like sour candy. The island foxes enjoy it and sleep beneath it at night. Once that adult island fox disappeared into the lemonade berry, that’s as far as I went. However, by mid-May, two island fox pups emerged from the lemonade berry, but for whatever reason only an adult island fox could explain, the parents moved the pups down by the pier after they were just two weeks old.
he busiest, most trafficked place on Santa Cruz Island (the main hub of the Channel Islands National Park) was now where the pups were frolicking and being nursed. Before any of us knew it, people coming and going to and from the island were now hovering over the fuzzy island fox pups like umbrellas. It became unhealthy for them as their parents had to work harder to reach their hungry, needy pups.
Lemonade lounge
After several days of visitors gawking over the pups, their mom and dad moved them into a steep gully near where they were originally born. The terrain was difficult, the grasses slick, and the rock ery crumbly. Decent footing was a luxury. However, the pups loved their new digs. Lots of cover but with plenty of small, open spaces for mom and dad to spend time with their pups. Island fox mothers nurse standing up, and those open spaces gave her room to feed her two baby foxes unencumbered.
Over the next several weeks, the pups grew up and bound up and down the steep hill with utter aplomb. They weaved their way through the maze of lemonade berry that covered the lower section of Scorpion Canyon. Everything became a play toy. Some of their enter-
Lemonade berry foxes
tainment they discovered on their own like an unlucky gopher snake, part of a dead pelican, sticks, chalky diatomaceous earth, mice, lizards and each other’s stubby tails.
he capper though, was the fresh fish their mom stole from a camper. The two visitors walked up the canyon at midday with a string of fish they caught on the southeast side of Scorpion Rock. It hadn’t been an hour before momma fox came trotting down the canyon away from the campground with a foot long fish dangling from both sides of her jaw. She carried the fish up the steep slope where her hungry pups enjoyed fresh seafood and a healthy shot of protein.
Boundless energy
I’ve spent lots of time with many island fox families, and seen many pups grow up in Scorpion Canyon, but I can’t remember two pups that displayed as much energy as these two lemonade berry pups. They have also been the toughest to photograph. The terrain hasn’t helped, steep and rocky with lots of cover. As soon as the pups start roughhousing, they pounce on each other and then roll downward into the grass or lemonade berry.
Their speed has been impressive too. here s a pictures ue diatomaceous bluff above the old corral where we keep a lot of our kayaking gear. It’s wide open, and a great place to watch the island foxes come and go. The pups, though, have been using the chalky ledges as a downhill ramp. It takes them just a couple of seconds to bound down it, one island fox pup hot on the heels of the other.
Tree climbing has always been a great physical attribute of island foxes, but these weeks-old pups have already ripped up and down Monterey cypress
and fig trees and clambered up and down sheer craggy terrain on the sides of Scorpion Canyon. It’s also been the first time e seen island fo pups at the water’s edge, foraging in the cobble for little invertebrates appearing like they’ve been doing it for years.
Growing pains
Their mother has been very attentive, and is still nursing them regularly, but she’s also beginning to grow impatient with them. Now, after nursing them, she wants her alone time, yet she still spends time with them as they love climbing all over her. She’s tolerant to a point, and then she isn’t.
Still, their mom is also vigilant about her territory. Two of last year’s pups, now two male adults with lingering puppy tendencies, have their territory just southeast of mom and her sevenweek-old pups. Last year’s pups recently
and probably accidentally crossed the line that was clearly unacceptable to the mom. She stalked them and then charged right into them. It was a proper roll up of two young, inexperienced island foxes, a urry of sil er and cinnamon tufts of fur wafting down the canyon with the howling northwest winds.
Once free of her foxy wrath, the two, year-old island foxes sprinted back up their lichen-covered territory with their tails between their legs. Safe once again, they immediately went back to being playful and pup-like, jostling with each other without a care within their island realm.
Adventure and travel writer Chuck Graham lives in Carpinteria and contributes his writing and photography to publications far and wide. For more wildlife photos, visit chuckgrahamphoto.com or follow Graham on Instagram at @chuckgrahamphoto.
CHUCK GRAHAM PHOTOS
A days-old island fox pup near the pier at Scorpion Canyon, Santa Cruz Island.
Lemonade berry island fox pups nuzzle with their dad.
A backlit island fox pup.
Lemonade Berry pups clamber over each other. All wrapped up and snoozing the afternoon away.
by Margie E. Burke
E. Burke
Margie E. Burke
Thursday, March 14
Library preschooler story time, 10:30 a.m., Carpinteria ibrary, 5141 Carpinteria Ave., 684-4314
Rotary Club of Carpinteria meeting, 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., ions Park Community Building, 6197 Casitas Pass Road, non-members RSVP to 566-1906 Bingo, 1 p.m., Veterans Building, 941 Walnut Ave. Farmers Market and Arts Crafts Fair, 3-6:30 p.m., inden Ave. downtown, Craft fair: 684-2770
Free Stress Relief Veteran’s Acupuncture Clinic, 6-7 p.m. drop in, 4690 Carpinteria Ave. Ste. A, 684-5012
Karaoke, 8 p.m., Carpinteria Linden Pub, 4954 Carpinteria inden Ave. Dusty Jugz Country Night, 9 p.m., The Palms, 701 inden Ave., 684-3811
Friday, March 15
CVCC Lunch Learn, noon-1 p.m., Curious Cup, 929 Linden Ave., 684-5479 x10. The Peace Vigil, 5-6 p.m., corner of Linden Carpinteria Ave. Music in our Schools Month Concert, 7:30 p.m., CHS cafeteria, 4810 Foothill Road, 684-4701
Back Track, 9 p.m., The Palms, 701 inden Ave., 684-3811
Saturday, March 16
Carpinteria Salt Marsh docent led tours, 10 a.m., free walks start from the park sign, 684-8077
Magicarp Pokemon League, 11 a.m., Curious Cup, 929 Linden Ave., (619) 972-3467 Energy Balancing, 2-4 p.m., Curious Cup, 929 inden Ave., Free “The Quiet Man,” 8 p.m., Plaza Playhouse Theater, 4916 Carpinteria Ave., $5 The Groovie Line, 9 p.m., The Palms, 701 inden Ave., 684-3811
Monday, March 18
Women of Inspiration, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road, $70, 684-6364
Basic Bridge, 1 p.m., Sandpiper Mobile Village clubhouse, 3950 Via Real, 684-5921 Mah Jongg, 1 p.m., Sandpiper Mobile Village clubhouse, 3950 Via Real, 729-1310 Bingo, 1 p.m., Veterans Building, 941 Walnut Ave.
Michael Fisher Fish art show, Corktree Cellars, 910 inden Ave., 684-1400
Liz Brady art show, Porch, 3823 Santa Claus Lane, 684-0300
Arturo Tello art show, Friends of the Library sed Bookstore, 5103 Carpinteria Ave., 566-0033
“SPACE” exhibit, 855 At The Arts Gallery, 855 inden Ave., 684-7789 Carpinteria Plein Air Painters
Monday, July 21
COMMANDER’S RECAP
hrs roperty ound loc asitas ass oad
A motorcycle, stolen out of Santa Barbara, was located abandoned on the 7200 block of Casitas Pass Road. The vehicle had stolen registration tabs, and a helmet left behind which did not belong to the victim. The motorcycle’s owner was contacted and responded to recover the vehicle.
hindsight
veered too close to shore and likely struck a rock in front of Carpinteria State Beach.
com or 2 . e re happy to take a contemporary photo raph of your house to pair with the slice of history you ha e.
Wednesday, July 23
hrs ncident ighway and inden enue
hrs roperty ound arpinteria ree i e ath
A power bike was found abandoned in an encampment. The bike was taken in for safekeeping.
traffic stop was conducted for light ing equipment, and the vehicle failed to yield. Eventually the vehicle yielded at Cramer Circle and Via Real. The driver was unlicensed and arrested. An open container of alcohol was found in his vehicle, and an EBT card that did not belong to him was found on his person. The driver was arrested for the above listed violations and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail.
MUSEUM OF
This spot’s reserved
hrs ssault loc asitas ass oad
RY uring the school district’s era of segregation most of liso chool’s students li ed in ld own arpinteria in the neigh orhood surrounding liso
Thursday, July 24
hrs istur ance ahlia Court
Serenity offered at El Sereno
The last ice age
CARPINTERIA VALLEY MUSEUM OF HISTORY
A subject was contacted in the courtyard of Dahlia Court causing a disturbance. The subject was found to be publicly intoxicated and arrested. While at the jail, he became combative and attempted to kick out the windows of the patrol car.
El Sereno Motel at 3250 Via Real once offered pleasant accommodations for travelers passing through town or stopping over for a polo match at the adjacent Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. Years ago, the motel was converted into apartments, and now the property is targeted for a residential development. The developer aims to build a 40-unit mixture of condos and single family dwellings on 11.48 acres that includes the old El Sereno Motel property and other nearby parcels.
When the City of Carpinteria’s 50 th anniversary started appearing in the news, it prompted ony artida to unearth an old picture of Carpinteria s first mayor and longtime city manager Allan Coates. In addition to his city duties, Coates served as a colonel in the Army Reserves 425 th Civil Affair Company. Pictured above turned right to face the camera, Coates addressed his company in 1977. Partida, who served from 1973 to 1993 as a staff sergeant, can be seen in the back, third to the right of Coates. Carpinteria High School alumni might also recognize longtime math teacher Bob Segesman, who was a major in the reserves, pictured second to the right of Coates. Members of the company, which was headquartered in Santa Barbara on the corner of Las Positas and State Street, trained for one weekend each month.
Carpinteria Community Church saw a temperature change of about 50 degrees and a time change of about 70 years between these two photos. Built in 1940 by Joe Hendy, the church was baptized in ice during an anomalous snowstorm in 1949.
As the nation gears up for March Madness (starting March 19), CVN thought it would be appropriate to stoke the fire of excitement with an image of Carpinteria’s version of highly competitive basketball. Sports rivals Carpinteria and Bishop Diego high schools vie for a piece of the ball at this Feb. 7, 1978 game.
An unknown suspect walked inside a local restaurant through the rear service entrance and demanded cash from the two store owners who were closing the shop. The suspect was armed with a screwdriver and wearing a ski mask. The male victim pushed the suspect out of the store but was unable to close the door shut. The suspect reentered the store and struck the male victim twice on the left side of the head with the tip of the screwdriver. Deputies canvased the area and found clothing and a makeshift ski mask inside a dumpster nearby. A deputy and his canine partner tracked for about one mile from the scene of the robbery to a local elementary school. The suspect was described as a male in his early thirties, skinny and average height. The case will be referred to the criminal investigation department.
He said, she said Bring on the funny!
Tuesday, July 22
To learn more about Carpinteria’s unique and interesting past, visit the Carpinteria Val ley Museum of History, open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at 956 Maple Ave.
Send us your best caption for this photo by Monday, March 25. Coastal View News is ready to get a little silly with Carpinteria history, and we’d like readers to join us by coming up with clever captions for photos from the past. At the end of each month we’ll publish our favorite caption submissions from readers.
hrs essel in istress arpinteria tate each Deputies responded to assist Carpinteria State Beach with a vessel in distress. A sailboat, solely occupied by the captain,
hrs u lic nto ication loc arpinteria enue hile obser ing east and west traffic on the intersection of Carpinteria Avenue and Holly Avenue, a deputy observed a subject crossing the intersection. The subject was stumbling across the crosswalk, and having trouble maintaining his balance. As he crossed, he stopped in the middle of the intersection for about 10 seconds before continuing to walk forward and making it across the sidewalk. When contacted, his speech was slurred, his eyes were glossy, he was unable to maintain his balance, and the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath. The subject was arrested and transported to the Santa Barbara County Main Jail where he was booked for public intoxication.
To learn more about Carpinteria s uni ue and interestin past, isit the Carpinteria Valley
publication will receive the follow ing grand prizes: bragging rights, name in lights (well, black ink) and a free copy of Coastal View News from any rack in Carpinteria Valley.
To learn more about Carpinteria’s unique and interesting past,
Civic
Thursday, March 14
Monday,
City of Carpinteria Architectural Review Board meeting bers, City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave., 684-5405 Friday, March 15
Tuesday, March 19
MAG CARP
The Summer Issue Has Arrived! Sneak Peek inside…
CARP KITCHEN
For some COVID was a recipe for disaster, but it made Carp Kitchen what it is today in a making lemons from lemonade sort of way. The pandemic served as the catalyst for the business’s retail grocery emporium, the deli and bakery cases, and its grab-n-go menu. “We never wanted to be a restaurant,” says Debra Goldman, the high energy and quickwith-a-smile co-partner and co-founder of the popular Carpinteria Avenue eatery and its sister business Savory Thyme, a catering company. “We envisioned a catering kitchen for the space.”
STROLLING THE SESPE
The last time I saw Carpinterian Solomon Nahooikaika he was bounding down the scenic Sespe River well before sunrise. The night before, winter solstice, he’d told me he wanted to play soccer at Viola Fields at noon the next day. He’d need to get an early start to catch his ride in Fillmore and make his kickoff time on the Carpinteria Bluffs. Between sunrise and Fillmore lay some hard, boulder-filled miles. I thought to myself, “Oh, to be 24 years old again.”
SEIZE THE DIAL
Carpinteria Valley Radio is a new take on an old thing. Local radio pros Dennis Mitchell and Peter Bie are among an ensemble of hosts on the 3-year-old station who see the recent surge in podcast popularity as evidence of audience rebellion against the soul-sucking consolidation endangering traditional radio stations and their DJs. Listeners want to turn back the clock to when radio represented a more democratic and edgy sound for the people, by the people.
FROM THE ORCHARD
Our relationship with avocados began with our childhood in Carpinteria and led to our collaboration on a recently published book, “Green Gold: The Avocado’s Remarkable Journey from Humble Superfood to Toast of a Nation.” Our friendship stretches back to the 1970s when we were third-graders at Main School and created vivid childhood memories of adventures among the avocados. We remember climbing trees together on the Parsons’ ranch and picking up perfectly ripe fruit from the orchard floor. Sarah ran in the city’s first road race, “The Big Avocado,” and recalls buying bags of fresh avocados, twelve for a dollar, in front of Jordano’s in Casitas Plaza. When we moved East for college, however, avocados rarely crossed our paths.
A “Wicked” night at Linden Field
PHOTOS BY ROBIN KARLSSON
A large crowd turned out for last week’s showing of “Wicked” (2024) at Linden Field to watch the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Glinda blossom. he musical fantasy film was one of se eral mo ies shown this summer in Carpinteria as part of the Mo ies in he ark series ne t up is nside Out” (2025) on Aug. 1 and “Minecraft” on Aug. 15.
Diane and Mike Wondolowski
Katarina, Alexandra, Nik and Konrad Thierjung
From left, Gayle Ramsey, Chris Curcuru, Ron Kvale and Theresa Smith.
From left, Warriors cheerleaders Kaylee Camacho, Jade Ornelas, Emily Hayman, Alanni Navarro and Atlanta Bartholic.
From left, Gigi, Paul Jr., Vivi and Lilly Cortez.
The crowd waits for darkness so “Wicked” can begin.
Carpinteria High School AVID students Caleb Bahera, Ariana Cruz, Jaqueline Guadian and Santiago Velazquez.
Jax Jarmie gets the hang of blowing bubbles.
Gianna Perez and her friend Zoe brought their coziest outfits for the outdoor movie showing.
JULY 31, 2025
Carpinteria football prepares for 2025 season
Warriors lineman, skill players compete in July offseason tournaments
BY RYAN P. CRUZ
Carpinteria’s football team has been working hard this summer, preparing for the upcoming season and building team chemistry by competing in summer tournaments together.
Earlier this month, the Warriors football team traveled to Fillmore High School to compete in the second annual Route 126 Invitational Tournament.
The regional tournament attracted some of the best talent in the Ventura and Los Angeles region, with separate competitions for the skill players and lineman from each participating team.
Carpinteria’s skill players (quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs and tight ends) competed in seven-on-seven passing games against teams from Fillmore, race rethren and ordhoff.
The Warriors had a strong showing in the passing games, with a lot of up-and-coming talent earning some much-needed experience ahead of the season. This year’s roster has just a few returning upperclassmen, including senior wide receiver Drew Filippini, senior running back/linebacker Chris Jaimes, and junior wide receiver/defensive back Isaac Neri.
he offensi e and defensi e linemen
competed in the Route 126 lineman challenge, where the players competed in strength and agility drills, including the bench press, tractor tire ip, trap bar carry, punt catch and obstacle course. After competing in all the strength and agility drills, Carpinteria’s crew of linemen entered the final e ent the tug of war and ranked in the top spot out of all eight schools in the tournament. The Warriors linemen, anchored by seniors Samuel Lopez and Corey Blackman, won the championship challenge, building up strong momentum together as a unit with less than fi e weeks to go before Carpinteria’s season opener.
Students interested in joining the team still have time to sign up before the 2025 season begins. his year s coaching staff is led by head coaches Van Latham and Henry Gonzales, with help from assistant coaches Gary Feramisco, Noah Gilbert, Rick Candaele, Chris Schneider and Bryan Shamblin. he arriors will officially begin the season on the road against Santa Clara on riday, ept. . Carpinteria s first home game is scheduled for the following week on Friday, Sept. 12, when the Warriors host San Gabriel at Carpinteria Valley Memorial Stadium.
Junior Guards of the Week: Final Week
BY RYAN P. CRUZ
After each week of the summer program, Carpinteria’s Junior Lifeguards instructors select two guards from each group who display great sportsmanship and attitude. Below are the best on the beach for the sixth and final week of summer guards.
The standouts for the Mini Group were Dylan Pierce and Lennox Vennable. Group instructors said Pierce hit the ground running after getting a late start with the Junior Guards Program. She overcame some early struggles with swimming and improved immensely over the past few weeks, eagerly jumping in the water when her group had the opportunity to prove their skills with a swim to the buoy and back.
Vennable has been able to strike the perfect balance between fun and competitiveness. Instructors said Vennable attacks every day of the summer program with a smile on his face and is never afraid to complete exercises as a member of the group’s paddle team, flags team, and run relay.
The best of the C-Group during week six were Agnes Rankin and Aaron Flores. Rankin has stepped up to compete in every event without hesitation. Group instructors said even when the water is cold and she’s shivering, she is determined to improve each day and just jumps right in.
lores has made a splash in his first year with the C-Group. He has already proven himself as an exceptional swimmer and ualified in the regional competition in the run-swim-run, long swim, and swim relay events.
Instructors selected Mark Donahue and Remy Rankin as the best on the beach in the B-Group. Donahue was described as a strong competitor in both the distance run and run relay events, who has emerged as the fastest distance runner in the summer program.
Rankin has shown an eagerness to compete anytime his name has been called. He performed well in the paddle relay during the regional competition in Los Angeles last weekend, and even when the competition got intense, Rankin always kept a smile for his fellow teammates.
And the two standout guards from the A-Group were Ellie-Lou Olvera and Carson Weber. Group instructors said Olvera crushed the competition at regionals, competing in both the long swim and swim relay. She has kept a positive attitude every day, and has made a mark as one of the top returning guards year after year.
Weber’s fun and outgoing personality helped set the tone for the younger guards, and instructors said that, with her willingness to lead by example, they wouldn’t be surprised to see her pursue a career as a lifeguard in the future.
COURTESY PHOTO
Junior Guards of the Week, back row, from left: Carson Weber, Lennox Vennable, Dylan Pierce and Aaron Flores; and front row, from left, Agnes Rankin and Remy Rankin. Not pictured: Mark Donahue and Ellie-Lou Olvera.
he arriors will officially egin the season on the road against anta lara on riday ept
COURTESY PHOTO
PUBLIC NOTICE
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT. The following Entity(ies) is/are doing business as reid world travel at 1533 jay street, carpinteria, CA 93013. Full name of registrant(s): helen c reid at same address as above. This business is conducted by an Individual. This statement was filed with the County on 07/25/2025. The registrant began transacting business on N/A. Signed: helen reid, owner. In accordance with subdivision (a) of section 17920, a fictitious name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new fictitious business name must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or common law (see section 1441 Et Seq., Business and Professions code). I hereby certify this copy is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk-Recorder (SEAL) fbn2025-0001771.
Publish: July 31, August 7, 14, 21, 2025
Sports between the pages
CRUZ ON SPORTS
RYAN P. CRUZ
My love for sports and the written word are both so deeply embedded in my personality, it’s hard to narrow down which came into my life first.
Even before I could read, I’d been surrounded by the language of sports. y first word was ball, and as long as e been watching games on TV I’ve been fascinated by the dynamic language of legendary play-by-play announcers like Brent Musburger, Vin Scully, Dick Vitale and ohn adden.
When I learned to read, some of my favorite picture books were those that showed me all I wanted to know about my fa orite sports. learned about the history and mythology of baseball in ette ao Lord s n the ear of the oar and ackie obinson which follows a young Chinese girl named Shirley Temple Wong, who became obsessed with the Brooklyn Dodgers after migrating to the . . with her family in the aftermath of orld ar .
Matthew hristopher was a prolific author of children’s sports oo s with hundreds of titles that captured the imaginations of sports lo ing youth across the world
I became enamored with Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s dramatic baseball poem Casey at the at, written in but reprinted for kids with illustrations by C. . ayne nearly a century later. would ip through my copy of the book o er and over again, hoping that time around it wouldn t end with mighty Casey striking out.
When I discovered my school library’s collection of sports related books it opened up a new world to e plore. d grab a stack of books by Matthew Chris-
topher, a prolific author who penned hundreds of chapter books for children, and imagine myself as he id ho it nly omers or the captain of he eam hat Couldn t Lose.
Christopher’s books were such an inspiration to me at the time that I wrote my own book when was 0 years old, which called he itcher ith o eakness. The book, which my mom keeps as a memory of one of my earliest attempts at writing, was about a Little League pitcher who had to face his best friend in the crosstown championship game. When I outgrew the children’s section, mo ed o er to sports biographies. read about my favorite athletes such as en riffey r., eion anders and ichael ordan. heir stories spoke to me, and after reading about how the players were inspired by their coaches, I began to search out books written by these great coaches.
The words of coaches such as John ooden and hil ackson taught me some of life s biggest lessons. s ooden says d ersity is the state in which man most easily becomes ac uainted with himself on t let yesterday take up too much of today and my personal fa orite, rink deeply from good books.
I try to live by that last gem from Coach Wooden, expanding outside my comfort one in my reading choices. er the years, this has helped me rediscover literary classics, historical nonfiction, and contemporary authors who offer new perspecti es on old ideas.
But I will always be a sucker for a good sports book. can t help but be romantic about baseball after reading hoeless oe by insella the source no el for the film ield of reams . can t resist the joy of reading journalistic giant Jimmy Breslin unleash his bombastic writing style while co ering the ew ork ets worst season in Can t nybody ere lay his ame, or e periencing . . Bissinger’s non-fiction deep-dive into e as high school football with riday ight Lights.
These books have helped shape me into the writer and reader I am today, and each step of my reading life, I’ve found a new way to appreciate sports through literature. m fore er grateful to the writers who shared their work, and I can’t wait to see what I pick up in the sports section on my ne t trip to the bookstore.
Ryan P. Cruz is the sports editor for Coastal iew ews. This is the latest installment of a monthly column where he explores local sports, sports history, and what’s in store for the future of Carpinteria sports. Have an idea, tip, or sports story? Email him at sports@ coastalview.com.
THROWBACK CVN THURSDAY
52 years ago: Introducing the new Boys Club
Ground broke for a new Carpinteria Boys Club site on Foothill Road on Aug. 1, 1973 after a grant from Santa Barbara Foundation provided the funding to move the club out of an Aliso School classroom and into its own facility. Newly hired director, Rich Medel, worked out of a real estate office in downtown Carpinteria while the foundation was poured and the building took shape. Looking back on his first year as director, Medel said that activities for kids during construction included camping trips out of town and sports on local fields.
In August of 1974, the games room was complete, and kids were provided with a new, safe environment to shoot pool and hang out after school. Safeway was being remodeled concurrently and donated lights to the new club. In 1978, the gym was added thanks to a huge community fundraising effort that secured $400,000, and improvements have continued since then. In 1983, the Carpinteria Boys Club became the Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club and inducted its first female members.
The club now boasts an arts and crafts center, a resource center, a playground and a teen center.
you ha e an old photo of your home that we can share, please contact ea at lea coastal iew. com or 2 . e re happy to take a contemporary photo raph of your house to pair with the slice of history you ha e.
This Sept. 1973 Carpinteria Herald photo shows Tom Cundith of the Lions Club of Carpinteria handing a $100 check to Rich Medel of the Carpinteria Boys Club. The sign to notify the community of the new construction includes a mis-spelling of Medel’s first name as well as the incorrect address.
Editor’s note: Longtime Carpinterian Lou Panizzon recently discovered a copy of a 1940 Directory of Carpinteria Valley and Summerland online and forwarded it to Coastal View News. Published by the Carpinteria Herald, Coastal View News’ predecessor, the 30-page book includes addresses—no phone numbers—for every family listed. Also included is a “Historical sketch” about Carpinteria Valley that will be reprinted here in sections over the next few weeks. The first two installments, published in the July 13 and 20 CVN, can be found at coastalview.com.
Seascape Realty
45 years ago: Introducing the new Boys Club
Ground broke for a new Carpinteria Boys Club site on Foothill Road on Aug. 1, 1973 after a grant from Santa Barbara Foundation provided the funding to move the club out of an Aliso School classroom and into its own facility. Newly hired director, Rich Medel, worked out of a real estate office in downtown Carpinteria while the foundation was poured and the building took shape. Looking back on his first year as director, Medel said that activities for kids during construction included camping trips out of town and sports on local fields.
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irector of arpinteria alle and ummerland istorical etch continued
The Ogan transplant
Carpinteria was laid out as a townsite in 1887, what is now known as Old Town having carried the name given by the Spanish soldiers up to that time. The town, always dependent on the prosperity and demands of the ranchers, grew in population gradually up to a few years ago, when the rapid development in the lemon industry has made possible a fair-sized village. Although it has the population necessary, the residents have never taken a step towards incorporation, but have established the necessary special districts by which are furnished all the conveniences of cities.
Lemon Industry
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The Ogan family may be best known now for the lovely tree-lined road named in its honor, but its contribution to Carpinteria traces to the town’s earliest days. The Ogans’ arrival stretches back to 1869, when James Simeral and Elizabeth Ogan led their ox teams into the valley. James Simeral’s son James Washington Ogan built a house near today’s Carpinteria Community Church in 1878. His wife, Ada, delivered all six of her children in the house. Later in James W.’s life, the building was removed from its foundation and relocated near Linden Avenue. A few years after that, it was moved again, about 150 feet, to its current location, just steps away from Ogan Road (which did not exist at the time). And that’s where the house still stands today.
At the present time, the two main industries are lemon and avocado culture with the former far in advance in point of importance. While the avocado is grown very successfully here, the output is small compared with the lemon industry and in point of labor involved there is no comparison.
In August of 1974, the games room was complete, and kids were provided with a new, safe environment to shoot pool and hang out after school. Safeway was being remodeled concurrently and donated lights to the new club. In 1978, the gym was added thanks to a huge community fundraising effort that secured $400,000, and improvements have continued since then. In 1983, the Carpinteria Boys Club became the Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club and inducted its first female members. The club now boasts an arts and crafts center, a resource center, a playground and a teen center. Its membership has ballooned as well, rising from 100 members in the early years to over 600 today.
To learn more about Carpinteria’s unique and interesting past, visit the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at 956 Maple Ave.
BEAUTIFUL VISTA DE SANTA BARBARA SENIOR COMMUNITY. Manufactured in 2012, featuring vaulted ceilings and lots of closet space throughout. The living room is open to the dining area and large kitchen with a walk-in pantry and breakfast bar. There are mountain views from the living room and kitchen. The laundry room has washer, dryer and storage space. There is a two car covered carport and a large storage shed. Owners may have two pets. Park amenities include a Pool, Jacuzzi, and Clubhouse. There are walking areas and greenbelts throughout the park. Vista de Santa Barbara is within walking distance to the bluffs, beach, seal sanctuary, bike trails, and bus.
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Please call Shirley Kimberlin at 805-886-0228
he lemon industry has grown from a few carloads in to between fifteen hundred and two thousand carloads per year at the present time. The two large packing houses handle about two-thirds of the product of the valley and furnish practically all of the labor offered. Each packing house has a large picking crew with the necessary implements and vehicles, while in each house there are about one hundred packers, washers and warehousemen. Only a comparatively few acres were devoted to lemon culture thirty years ago, while at the present time practically all of the tillable land of the valley has been set to lemons. Thirty years ago, the same could advisedly be said of walnut trees, but all those trees have been taken out and the land planted to lemons.
To learn more about Carpinteria’s unique and interesting past, visit the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at 956 Maple Ave.
storage sheds. Rancho Granada is located near the bluffs, beach, bike trails, bus, and downtown Carpinteria with shopping, restaurants, and more!
Please call Shirley Kimberlin at 805-886-0228
To learn more about Carpinteria’s unique and interesting past, visit the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at 956 Maple Ave.
