Carpinteria Community Garden Coordinator Ruby Wedbush and Parks, Recreation and Community Services Program Manager Torrie Cutbirth ride through Carpinteria during Saturday s Cycle A nia community bike ride, organized by the city and VE Santa arbara County Riders learned ho to safely traverse the city by bike hile also visiting several of Carpinteria s hidden treasures Read more on pages 14 and 15 of this eek s print
A new monthly community discussion series hosted by Carpinteria City Councilmember Wade Nomura will debut later this month.
The free program, titled “Community Matters, hosted by Wade Nomura,” is intended to provide information and foster discussion on local topics through informal conversations featuring different guests and issues each month.
The inaugural meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the community room at the Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave.
During the first session, omura will speak with Jane Benefield about issues she raised in a recent letter to the editor in Coastal View News. Organizers said the discussion will provide information and answers addressing Benefield’s concerns in an open forum setting.
The event is free and open to the public. Contact Nomura at wadenomura@carpinteriaca.gov for more information.
The Carpinteria Valley Museum of History will reopen to the public and unveil its latest exhibit inspired by Carpinteria’s beaches and coastlines on riday, May 22, at 1 p.m. After this opening, the museum will continue its regular hours.
“It might be a surprise to many that the museum had little information about the beach, coastline, surfing or places like the Cerca del Mar beach club and the Thunderbowl of auto-racing fame in its exhibitions. These are the places, themes and stories that helped to make Carpinteria the place many know today, said the museum’s Executive Director Jayme ahr in a press release. We look forward to welcoming visitors again at the end of May and sharing never-before-seen objects from the museum’s collection in our redesigned galleries.
The museum’s regular hours are 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays. The museum is free to visit. Those with questions may call (805) 684-3112, email info@ carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org or visit carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org.
A Carpinteria caregiver, 28-year-old Jose Olivares-Alonso, has been arrested on multiple felony charges related to elder financial abuse, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, and detectives are currently working to identify any additional victims.
A family member of an elderly care recipient in Goleta discovered suspicious activity involving the victim’s checking account, including an unexplained cashed check and several missing checks, on April 2 . The family member reported the concerns to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives served Olivares-Alonso with a warrant on April 2 . He was booked at the Santa Barbara Main Jail for resisting arrest and multiple felony charges, including theft by a caretaker, burglary, forgery and identity theft. He has since been released. Due to the suspect’s access to vulnerable individuals through his work as a caregiver, detectives said they believe there may be additional victims associated with this case.
amilies are encouraged to routinely monitor the financial accounts and well-being of elderly or otherwise vulnerable loved ones for signs of suspicious activity, missing funds, unusual purchases or unexplained changes in banking habits, stated the sheriff’s department in a press release. Early detection and reporting can play a critical role in preventing further victimization.”
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is encouraged to contact Detective Kiesow at (805) 681-4150. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the sheriff’s office tip line at ( 0 ) 6 1-41 1 or online at SBSheriff.org.
The Carpinteria Groundwater Sustainability Agency (CGSA) has extended the deadline for well owners to register their wells and install approved flowmeters to July 31, 2026.
According to a press release from the Carpinteria Valley Water District (CVWD), the adjustment follows feedback from well owners and vendors regarding installation timelines and supply availability. All wells overlaying the Carpinteria Groundwater Basin must comply with the registration requirement, and all non-exempt wells must be equipped with approved flowmeters by July 31. Domestic well users must register to qualify for exemption from the flowmeter requirement.
Once the flowmeters are installed at the well, the CGSA will connect the flowmeter to the advanced metering infrastructure used for data collection. This process must be completed prior to September 1 to avoid higher fees and penalties.
We want to thank the many well owners who worked hard to meet the original March deadline, said Kelley Dyer, CGSA executive director. At the same time, we recognize this is a significant community-wide undertaking. Extending the deadline provides the opportunity to complete installation and registration successfully.”
Well owners within the basin including residents and ranchers in both Santa Barbara and Ventura counties can find updated information at carpgsa.org, including frequently asked questions, approved flowmeters, recommended vendors and penalties for noncompliance.
Currently, charges are based on estimated usage tied to crops and acreage. lowmeters will replace estimates with actual usage data, allowing for more accurate and equitable billing. If well owners do not install and register approved flowmeters in time, their water usage fees will be estimated at the highest crop factor per acre, equivalent to greenhouse/nursery grower usage.
Well water usage charges and applicable fees will continue to be added to property tax bills each payment period. Rates are calculated based on the amount of water drawn from the groundwater basin and the adopted fiscal year budget of the Carpinteria Groundwater Sustainability Agency. The total budget is divided by the total acre-feet pumped from the basin, and customers are charged their portion based on metered usage.
he arpinteria ions u is proud to announce this year’s
The CGSA charges fees to manage and sustain our shared groundwater resources. The Carpinteria Valley Water District also pays into CGSA for its groundwater wells that supply public drinking water.
“Our goal is to support well owners through this transition,” Dyer said. “Accurate metering is essential for fair and equitable groundwater-use fees, and this extension helps ensure everyone has a reasonable opportunity to meet the requirements.”
Monday May 25 5 10 AM
We will honor our Veterans this year with our traditional Ceremony at the Carpinteria Cemetery
White Doves will be released
Chairs areprovided; you are provided; welcome to bring your own
For
We’re proud to launch our 2026 Capital Campaign to raise $98,000, honoring The Alcazar’s 98th anniversary as Carpinteria’s home for the performing arts. Every gift plays a vital role in our mission to educate, inspire, and connect our community through the performing arts. Your support moves the story forward, ensuring The Alcazar remains vibrant, welcoming, and ready for the next generation of artists, audiences, and ideas.
You made 2025 unforgettable; let’s work together to make 2026 even more remarkable!
Your donation will help us:
Preserve the Alcazar Theatre
Support diverse programming
Cover operational expenses
Enhance facilities
Expand educational & community outreach
Continue partnerships with our local schools and nonprofit service groups What your support made possible: Carp Film Festival
Weekly Improv Classes
Playwright Festival
Summer Drama Camp
Monthly Comedy Nights
Live Theatre Performances
Sold-Out Concerts
Movie/Film Screenings
Advanced lighting, sound, and projection technology
Marianne Garrity
10/27/1954 — 05/08/2026
Marianne Garrity, beloved mother, wife, sister, aunt, nurse, leader, adventurer and matriarch of the Garrity family, passed peacefully on May 8, 2026, surrounded by the beauty of Yosemite National Park.
Born in 1954 in Woodland Hills, Marianne spent most of her formative years in the San Fernando Valley, where she developed the compassion, curiosity and strength that would define her life. She went on to earn her nursing degree from University of Southern California and began her career as a bedside nurse in downtown Los Angeles, where she quickly became known for her intelligence and leadership.
Although Marianne transitioned into management and leadership later in her career, she was always a nurse at heart. She diligently cared for loved ones during times of illness and fiercely advocated on their behalf with compassion, strength and determination.
Throughout her accomplished career, Marianne held numerous management and director-level positions, ultimately concluding her professional journey in Santa Barbara as Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services deputy director. Her dedication to healthcare and public service touched countless lives and left a lasting
impact on the communities she served.
In 2002, Marianne made Carpinteria her home, where she embraced the beauty of the California coast and continued building a life centered around family, creativity and adventure.
Marianne had a lifelong passion for travel and exploration. In her younger years, she journeyed throughout the world, always eager to experience new cultures and places. In retirement, she reignited that adventurous spirit and, last year, fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams by climbing to the top of Machu Picchu.
She also possessed an extraordinary eye for landscape and interior design and never missed an opportunity to transform a space with warmth, beauty and creativity. Whether redesigning a room, tending a garden or planning her next adventure, Marianne approached life with passion and intention.
Marianne was preceded in death by her father, Jack Garrity; her mother, Anne Garrity; and her husband, Rick Cowan.
She is survived by her loving children, Meghan Cowan and Casey Cowan; her sisters, Sean Garrity, Kelly Kite and Kerry Tuck; her cherished nieces and nephews, Max, Jackie, Martin, Kara, Chelsea and Garrett; her beloved grandnieces and grandnephews, Ellie, Bodhi, Hadley, Jack, Callan, Lucy, Parker, Luke, Bryce and Orion; her adored brother-in-law Graeme; and her best friends, Shari, Bill, Joanne and Nancy.
Marianne will be remembered for her adventurous spirit, creative soul, compassionate heart and unwavering dedication to the people she loved. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched, the family she adored and the beauty she brought into the world.
Services will be held at Carpinteria Cemetery District on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee.
published obituaries may be read online at coastalview.com
Lacey 12/15/1971 — 01/20/2026
Janet Lacey was born December 15, 1971, to Bill and Barbara Lacey. She passed away January 20 from complications from cancer.
Janet was a Carpinteria local her entire life. Her happiest was helping others, especially kids. She was a cornbread girl at the Big Yellow House (meet Hector, the ghost), a nanny, a customer service agent and a receptionist. Her smile and laugh will be missed.
She leaves behind her mother, Barbara (Colorado Springs); husband, John; and sister, Jen (Ojai). Janet was a kind soul who will be remembered.
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Timothy Ronald “Butch” Wilson
12/31/1946 — 03/11/2026
Butch passed away peacefully with his daughters Eileen and Monica and sister Pauline by his side.
Timothy Ronald Wilson “Butch” was born in Montecito, California, to Martha Romero and Paul Wilson. He grew up in Montecito and attended elementary and high school in Santa Barbara.
After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in North Carolina. He received an honorable discharge in 1972 after an accident that left him disabled. He was then cared for by his sisters and brother at different times. He lived in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, San Francisco and Long Beach, California, being his last destination.
Butch is survived by his daughters Eileen Astorga (JR) and Monica Sanchez (Marco); five grandchildren Anthony (Christina), Erika (Lia), Mikyla (Enrique), Nico and Ryan; great-grandchildren Ava, Andres, Charlotte and baby girl on the way; and sisters Pauline Duarte, Gail Gorton and Louise Conolly. Butch is preceded in death by his parents; brothers Mark, George and John; and sisters Geraldine and Barbara.
Dad, being by your side the last seven days of your life never leaving you, holding your hands and talking with you will forever be one of the hardest but most cherished week of our lives. We will miss you forever and carry you always in our hearts.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 22, 2026 at Calvary Cemetery, 199 N. Hope Ave. in Santa Barbara. A celebration of life will follow at Manning Park, 449 San Ysidro Road in Montecito.
559 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J MONTECITO, CA 93108
STEFANIE HERRINGTON ATTORNEY
STEFANIE HERRINGTON ATTORNEY
559 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J MONTECITO, CA 93108
559 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J MONTECITO, CA 93108
(805) 293-6363
559 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J MONTECITO, CA 93108
(805) 293-6363
stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com
(805) 293-6363
stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com
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(805) 293-6363
stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com
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BY DR. LISA FIRESTONE
Editor’s Note: Part 2 of 4. This Viewpoint was submitted by HopeNet of Carpinteria, a local rassroots suicide prevention nonprofit for Mental Health May.
May is Mental Health Month; a time to pause, reflect and take stock of where we are at. Whether we are cruising relatively easily through our various choices and obligations or at the taut end of a very overwhelmed and gnarly rope, there are simple actions we all can take that will elevate our mood, calm our nervous system and make space for closer relating. Here are some of the tried-over-centuries and truly effective techniques.
Practice self-compassion. Show yourself the same kindness you would a close friend. Meeting uncomfortable feelings with self-compassion curtails the judgmental and self-critical thoughts that often accompany them. Treating yourself with tenderness reminds you that your feelings are a natural part of being human. Self-compassion is an empowering process, allowing you to choose how to respond to fluctuations in your mood and freeing up space in your head for more friendly and useful pursuits.
Breathe. Simple es. Effective Heck yes. Breathing is a powerful tool for managing anxiety. One easy method is 4- - breathing. To begin, breathe in through your nose for a count of 4. Then hold your breath for a count of . Breathe out through your mouth for a count of . Make a whooshing sound when you exhale. Immediately start again, continuing through the steps a few times before returning to your normal breath. This exercise relieves stress, lowers blood pressure and even helps you fall asleep. Handy.
Connect with nature. Make time to be outdoors. Engage in an activity that connects you to nature. If you live in a city, walk down a tree-lined street or go to a park. otice the smells, sounds and textures surrounding you. Let yourself marvel at the small things, the sloweddown pace, the simplicity of it all. This helps you feel connected to your body and nurtures a sense of calm and contentment.
Take breaks from technology. While staying connected and informed are important, the intensity of our attachment to our devices takes these simple goals beyond what’s useful or healthy. The benefits of setting aside time to be away from your devices are profound. Designate a specific amount of time to be o ine each day. lay with your dog, talk to a loved one, exercise, read a book, play music or go for a walk. Whatever you do, leaving your device in another room will enhance your experience. See what joy this simple hack can bring.
Slow down to connect. Anxious moments are a good time to slow down and connect with the people who make you feel relaxed and more like yourself. It’s easy to get frazzled and reactive when you’re stressed, often pushing loved ones
These suggestions won’t change the di cult thin s that are a part of life, but they can transform the way you experience them by freeing you to feel more yourself, more resilient and more grounded.
away rather than bringing them closer. It’s a gift to yourself to press pause on whatever is going on and take time to connect to your partner, a close friend or your kids in a way that’s genuine and personal. ou can open up about how you’re feeling or just share a light-hearted moment or activity. If you notice distracting thoughts, simply bring your attention back to the person you’re with. Give yourself permission to be present. Practice daily gratitude. Research is continually showing that paying attention to what you are grateful for is a powerful way to feel happier and more fulfilled. This can be done simply by taking a few minutes a day to meditate on the things you appreciate, or by writing them down in a journal. They can include something as big as a promotion or as small as sharing a smile with someone. The positive effect of reflecting on gratitude tends to spread, becoming a calming and positive force throughout your life.
Ground yourself in the present. Even during moments that are hard to live through, regretting the past or catastrophizing the future never serves any purpose other than adding to your suffering. The only moment you can truly experience is the one you are in. ou can meet these moments with all of the practices discussed here a sense of self-compassion, a return to the breath, a connection with nature, a break from technology, a personal connection with something or someone you value and recognizing what there is to be grateful for in your life. All of these will allow you to experience and contend with the present moment with a calmer nervous system and a sturdier foundation. These suggestions won’t change the difficult things that are a part of life, but they can transform the way you experience them by freeing you to feel more yourself, more resilient and more grounded. These simple tools cost nothing but can help you reap great benefits in calming your mind, increasing your joy and generally just making your life better.
Dr. Lisa Firestone is a clinical psychologist and senior editor at psychalive.org.
Supporters of the proposed Surfliner Inn often argue that the project will help local businesses and improve the city’s budget situation. either claim should go unquestioned.
Carpinteria’s financial challenges do not stem from the absence of a 36-room hotel near the train station. Instead, they mainly result from rapidly increasing pension costs and the rising expense of the Sheriff’s contract. These are structural budget issues that cannot be resolved by cutting public parking and access downtown.
The city also has better revenue options. Increasing the transient occupancy tax on short-term rentals could generate additional income while helping preserve housing for residents.
More importantly, assuming that additional development always benefits local businesses is too simplistic. A rising development tide does not lift all boats. utbelly izza recently closed after nearby development brought in new competition. Visitor-focused development can just as easily shift spending around as it can generate it.
Carpinteria’s economic backbone has long been its residents and employees of local businesses, including lanMember, rocore and LinkedIn. However, residents are increasingly displaced by short-term rentals and rising housing costs, while many employees at the business park never fully returned after the pandemic. These are the challenges that deserve the city’s attention.
Shifting Carpinteria more toward a tourism-based economy may sound attractive during good times, but tourist economies are highly seasonal and vulnerable to recessions. Reliable parking, public access, housing stability and streamlining the reopening and reuse of empty commercial spaces matter far more to the long-term health of the community.
Reducing reliable parking and access at the train station is like shooting ourselves in the foot. Before moving forward with another project that depends heavily on shared public parking without adding meaningful capacity, the city should focus on maintaining access, supporting residents and local businesses, and tackling its fiscal challenges head-on.
Felix Schneider Carpinteria
Coastal View News welcomes your le ers
Le ers must include your name, address and phone number. Le ers are subject to editing. Le ers over 300 words will be edited in length. Submit online at coastalview.com
DIANA RIGBY
CUSD SUPERINTENDENT
Editor’s note: A copy of the Superintendent’s Report is run in print as a service for parents, students and community members ho cannot attend Carpinteria nified chool District Board of Trustee meetings. A version of this report as read aloud durin the school board’s May 12, 2026 meeting.
Grade promotions and graduation ceremonies for schools in the Carpinteria Unified School District (CUSD) are scheduled for Friday, June 5 and Wednesday, June 10.
The fifth grade promotion for Summerland Elementary School and Carpinteria amily School will take place on June 5 at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively. Canalino Elementary School will host its fifth grade promotion on June 10, at 30 a.m. Aliso Elementary School will host its fifth grade promotion on June 10, at 10 a.m. Carpinteria Middle School will host its eighth grade promotion on June 10 at 3 p.m. and Carpinteria High School will host its graduation on June 10 at 6 p.m.
on May 1 each year. The day acknowledges the valuable work performed by our principals and assistant principals. It recognizes the contributions made by frontline leaders who interact daily with students, staff, parents and community members. Thank you to Carpinteria Unified School District (CUSD) principals and assistant principals Gerardo Cornejo, Kirsten eumann and Jeremiah Sobenes at Carpinteria High School (CHS) Jamie Persoon and James Anderson at Carpinteria Middle School (CMS) Luis Quintero at Canalino Elementary and Carpinteria amily School Brett Weiberg at Aliso Elementary School and Shannon Colson, Teacher in Charge at Summerland Elementary School.
ational School urse Day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting. School urse Day was celebrated on Wednesday, May 6, and we recognize CUSD School urse Tiffany Rhodes, for her excellent health care that she provides to our students and their families.
School Lunch Hero Day is held annually on the first riday in May in honor of each person responsible for providing breakfast and lunches to millions of children across America. Each staff member responsible for making sure nutritious food is offered to students is a hero, and this day was specially designed to show appreciation for their valuable and important contributions to students’ well-being. We appreciate Chef Michelle Hernandez and her food services team.
A great opportunity for a quali ed buyer!
ational Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4- , 2026, is a week-long celebration in recognition of teachers and the contributions they make to education and society. It is held in the first full week of May of every year and provides an opportunity for the school community to show their appreciation for all the hard work done by teachers. At each school site, our teachers were honored and celebrated for their impact on students and their families.
Classified School Employee Week May 1 -23 is California School Employee Week, and we salute the important contributions of CUSD classified school employees. We appreciate all their hard work and dedication to our students.
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.
ational rincipal’s Day is celebrated
Please join me in congratulating our CUSD colleagues who were selected to receive a 202 -2026 Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) Teachers etwork Grant Jackie Knechtel, Maria Espita, Cintya Diaz, Sonia Aguila and Nicole McKenzie at Canalino; Caitlyn Damron from Aliso and Mandi DeWitte and Audrey Rogan from CHS. These teachers will be honored at the SBCEO
Education Celebration on Thursday, May 21 at the Craft House in Solvang.
Annually, CUSD administers the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments to students in Grades 3- and 11 for English Language Arts and Mathematics during May and June. The California Science Test (CAST) is required for students in Grades and and once in Grades 10, 11 or 12. The California Alternate Assessment for ELA and mathematics is for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments. The primary purpose of the California Assessment of Student erformance and rogress (CAAS ) system is to assist teachers, administrators, students and parents by promoting high-quality teaching and learning through the use of a variety of assessment approaches and item types. CAAS CalEd acts web page provides a more detailed overview of the tests.
amily Ultimate Science Exploration ( USE) is a program that helps students and their families build familiarity with science, understand its importance in education and explore exciting career opportunities. USE ight is offered twice a year at Santa Barbara Unified junior high schools and Carpinteria Middle School, where eighth grade students and their families rotate through three 30-minute, hands-on science activities in physics, chemistry and biology. These sessions are led by undergraduate and graduate students from the University of California, Santa Barbara, along with industry volunteers, who also share their academic journeys and personal interests.
CUSD recognizes that our students and families have mental health needs, and we provide robust support for students’ well-being. At every school site, the principal leads a weekly mental health team meeting with a school psychologist, counselors and school-based mental health therapists from amily Service Agency ( SA) to monitor student mental health wellness. By providing schoolbased mental health services, therapists
help students develop coping strategies, manage stress, improve self-esteem and increase academic achievement. CUSD also provides mental health confidential care providers BrightLife Kids (brightlife. kids ) and Soluna (solunaapp.com k12).
SBCEO has reported the district’s Second Interim inancial Report with a positive certification to the State Department of Education. Recommendations include rebuilding reserves should remain a priority to support long term-fiscal stability. The district’s projected reserve, 7.56%, is well below both the statewide average (24 ) and the board’s recommended minimum of 10 (B 3100).
Teresa Alvarez, director of the Carpinteria Children’s roject (CC ), expressed her gratitude for CUSD’s partnership with CC and reported on the renovation of the four outdoor yard spaces into nature-based learning environments for the 0 young children served by CC . These outdoor spaces are more than just playgrounds they are extensions of their classrooms, designed to support whole-child development through sensory play, gardening, STEM exploration and social-emotional learning. CC partnered with ature Explore to provide research-based professional development for CCP’s 15 early childhood educators throughout the year. The project will be completed by December 2026.
The installed dewatering system at the Aliso Elementary School building site continues to proceed with good results. Six 24-inch diameter holes were drilled along the foundation perimeter with turbine pumps feeding the water through a piping system to a 1,000-gallon sediment tank. The Carpinteria Sanitation District was helpful in issuing a permit to discharge the filtered water from the tank directly into the on-site sanitary sewer. The dewatering will continue, but the results to date have enabled the foundation stabilization and over-ex work to resume.
Diana Rigby is the superintendent of Carpinteria nified chool District For more information a out C D lo on to cusd net or contact Diana at drigby@cusd.net or (805) 684-4511 x222.
From left, Alicia Sanchez, Irma Arroyo, Carmen Garnica, Yureimy Manriquez, Esmeralda Barrera Sanchez, Rogelio Elizarraraz, Ana Chavez, Claudia Cardona and Antonia Gonzalez
The Quetzalcoatl mural located on Via Real on the wall above Santa Monica Creek in Carpinteria — depicting the feathered serpent of Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl, symbolizing the connection between earth and sky, as well as wisdom, learning and creation — recently received some community love.
The Bellas Artes Program instructor Alicia Sanchez headed the effort along with the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center and a group of dedicated volunteers. As a child, Sanchez participated in the first restoration of the mural in 2004, led by the painting’s original designer artist Armanda Vallejo. Created in the 1 0s with Carpinteria Beautiful’s Dick Herzog, the mural underwent a second restoration in 2016.
Special thanks go to volunteers Angeles Ordaz, Monica Solorzano, Maricela
Cardona and Juan Carlos Armendiz.
“We are grateful to the many contributors who have supported this mural project over the years, including Marty Selfridge, Katheen Lord, Bryan Mootz,
Carpinteria Beautiful and many dedicated community volunteers,” said Ivonne Zarate, program coordinator for the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center Bellas Artes Program, in a press release.
BY JUN STARKEY
A lifeguard tower on Carpinteria City Beach has been equipped with baskets for beachgoers to use for collecting trash, thanks to the efforts of local 14-year-old Elias Sprague, with help from Carpinteria Beautiful.
The station was officially unveiled on Thursday, May 7, and features a collection of bright yellow baskets, nestled in a wooden box. The signage included the city of Carpinteria’s logo, as well as the logo for Relic — a company based out of Long Island, New York — which inspired and later worked with Sprague on the project.
Sprague was inspired by the Relic’s Beach Cleanup Station program, which has installed over 100 beach cleanup stations across beaches in New York and San Diego.
One of these stations is in Del Mar, California, and was done in collaboration with the city’s local government to create the Del Mar ShoreSaver Program. A friend of Sprague’s family resides in Del Mar, and mentioned the project to him in late 2025, leading Sprague to decide that Carpinteria would benefit from a similar project.
Before moving forward, Sprague set up a meeting with Carpinteria Beautiful, to get the club’s feedback. “They thought it was a great idea,” Sprague said.
“(Working with Elias) was nothing short of a 100 pleasure and constantly being impressed with his maturity and dedication when it came to not only the ShoreSaver project, but his dedication to our coastal environment as a whole,”
Carpinteria Beautiful President Bryan Mootz told Coastal View News Sprague’s next move was reaching out to Relic. The company responded quickly, offering Sprague advice on the project, help with designing the signage and even
Fourteen-year-old Elias Sprague, pictured at center with a cast on his right arm, worked for months to orchestrate the installation of a beach cleanup station at Carpinteria City Beach, working in collaboration with Carpinteria Beautiful, Relic and the city of Carpinteria. He is joined by city council members, friends, and family to celebrate the official unveiling of the pro ect ith a ribbon cutting
sending Sprague a kit to create the station.
The project was first mentioned to the Carpinteria City Council in January 2026, when Mootz told the council that the project had the full support of Carpinteria Beautiful. He briefly explained the project and said Carpinteria Beautiful would handle the funding and maintenance for the project.
The project stalled for a few months as Sprague and Carpinteria Beautiful awaited permit approval. Once they received the proper permits, Sprague worked with Carpinteria’s Public Works Manager
Ryan Ayerle to install the station on the lifeguard tower located near Ash Avenue on Carpinteria City Beach.
Sprague said he hopes the project will spread beyond Carpinteria and that his work will inspire others to steward similar projects in their own communities.
“My ambition for this project is to spread it along the Santa Barbara coast,” he said.
“All of us at Carpinteria Beautiful were proud to help his vision come to fruition,” Mootz said. “And to be honest, we all felt this is just the beginning.”
Christi and Rob Hudson recently visited the Kilauea Volcano, located on the island of Kailua-Kona in Hawaii. The couple brought their copy of the Coastal View News along to witness the volcano’s 40th eruption.
TRACY MARCYNZSYN | COURTESY PHOTOS
Kramer, left, as Princess Winnifred and Bee Lawrence as Queen Aggravain in the CHS Muses production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
All are invited to the Carpinteria High School (CHS) Muses’ presentation of “Once Upon a Mattress.” The musical comedy reinvents the fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea,” told with “witty humor, lively songs and plenty of heart.” Performances run from Wednesday, May 20, through Saturday, May 23 at 7 p.m. in the CHS cafeteria.
Purchase general admission tickets, $8 for adults and $5 for students/seniors, at the door before showtimes, starting at 6:30 p.m. Reserved seating tickets are $10, and must be purchased in advance via email at eunruh@cusd.net.
The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center named Melinda Bendel as its Volunteer of the Month for April. As thanks for her service, Bendel received a limited-edition arts center soft shell jacket. To inquire about volunteering with the arts center, email Celeste@ carpinteriaARTScenter.org.
View artwork submitted to the Carpinteria Woman’s Club 2026 Annual Youth Art Contest by elementary and middle school students at The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center’s Robinson Family Studio at the back of their Charles Lo Bue Gallery.
Gallery hours are Thursdays-Mondays from noon to 4 p.m. Artwork by high school students will be exhibited the last week of May. On June 2, an awards reception sponsored by the Carpinteria Education Foundation will take place from 5-6 p.m. The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center is located at 865 Linden Ave. COMPILED BY
Thursday, May 14
AgeWell Senior Program: Pickleball Free Play Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road. 8-10 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
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
Bellas Artes Free Arts & Crafts Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, 865 Linden Ave. 10 a.m. — noon. carpinteriaartscenter.org, (805) 684-7789
Dementia Caregivers Support Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10:30 a.m. — noon. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Free Lunch Program Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 12:15-1 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
AgeWell Senior Program: Food Bank Food Distribution Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 1-2 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
All About Blood Pressure Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 1-2 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
City of Carpinteria Architectural Review Board Meeting City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. 4 p.m. carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 684-5405
City of Carpinteria Tree Advisory Board Meeting City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. 4 p.m. carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 684-5405
Dungeons & Dragons Club Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3:30-5:15 p.m. For ages 12-17. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Men Aging Well Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 5:30-7p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Live Music: The Sandpipers Arnie’s Rooftop Bar, 778 Linden Ave. 6-8:30 p.m. (805) 566-4840
Friday, May 15
AgeWell Senior Program: Tai Chi & Qigong Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 10-11 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Friday Fun Day Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10-11:30 a.m. For ages 3-11ish. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Free Arts & Crafts Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, 865 Linden Ave. 10 a.m. — noon. carpinteriaartscenter.org, (805) 684-7789
745-8272
Film: Mamma Mia The Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. 7-9 p.m. $10/ general $7/seniors, students. thealcazar. org, (805) 684-6380
Saturday, May 16
SOS — Save Our Seals: Training Volunteer Docents Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Artist A.L.E.S. Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 4-6 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805) 745-8272
Live Music: Cadillac Angels Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6-9 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805) 745-8272
Sunday, May 17
Live Music: The Americana Cats Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6-9 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805) 745-8272
Monday, May 18
Preschool Story Time Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10-10:30 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Carpinteria Book Club: They Call us Enemy 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
AgeWell Senior Program: Free Lunch Program Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 12:15-1 p.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. 1:30-2:30 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
AgeWell Senior Program: Floor Stretch Yoga Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 3-4 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Teen Gaming Club Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3:30-5 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Public Scoping Meeting: City’s Coastal Land Use Plan/General Plan Update City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. 5:30 p.m. Carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 684-5405
AgeWell Senior Program: Free Lunch Program Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 12:15-1 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Wild Things Talk: Stories of Hula Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 6 p.m. carpinterialibrary. org, (805) 684-4314
Tuesday, May 19
Saturday, May 30, 2026
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
AgeWell Senior Program: Mindful Meditation Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 3:15-4:30 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Peace Corner Vigil Carpinteria and Linden avenues, 5-6 p.m. carpindivisible@gmail.com
Live Music: Doran and Friends Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6-9 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805)
AgeWell Senior Program: Walking Club Meet at Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279
MomCo: Recharge for Motherhood! Carpinteria Community Church, 1111 Vallecito Road. Childcare available. RSVP: carpinteriacommunitychurch.org
Carpinteria Writers’ Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10 a.m. — noon. carpinterialibrary. org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Mind Body Balance Exercise Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 11 a.m. — noon agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279
AgeWell Senior Program: Free Lunch Program Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 12:15-1 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
AgeWell Senior Program: Bridge Group Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 1-4 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Carpinteria Songwriters Circle Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 4-5:30 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Carpinteria Sanitary District Board
Meeting District Boardroom, 5300 Sixth St., 5:30 p.m. carpsan.com, (805) 684-7214
Al-Anon Meeting Faith Lutheran Church, 1335 Vallecito Place. 6:30 p.m. Carpinteria Improv Classes The Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. 7-9 p.m. $10 at the door. thealcazar.org, (805) 684-6380
Wednesday, May 20
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: Carpinteria en’s Coffee Club Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 8:30-9:30 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
Babies Are The Best Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9-10 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Science for Teens Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 11 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. For ages 11- to 13-yearsold. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
AgeWell Senior Program: Creative Art Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 10-11:30 a.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
AgeWell Senior Program: Free Lunch Program Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 12:15-1 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279
6:30am-2pm •Sat.-Sun. 6:30am-3pm Bagelnet.com for
Carpinteria Knitters Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 1-3 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
Friends of the Carpinteria Community Library: Stories, Supper & A Red Summer with Fran Davis Carpinteria Community Church, 1111 Vallecito Road. Supper @5:30 p.m. Program @6:30 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314
FRI: GORDON CROWL UKULELE, 6-9 PM SAT: SKA DADDYZ, 6-9 PM
SUN: SANTA BARBABRA TROMBONE SOCIETY, 5-6, HOLIDAY SING ALONG, 6-8 PM
Mon.-Fri. 6:30am-2pm •Sat.-Sun.
Mon.-Fri. 6:30am-2pm •Sat.-Sun. 6:30am-3pm Bagelnet.com for Restaurant menu
Mon.-Fri. 6:30am-2pm •Sat.-Sun. 6:30am-3pm
Mon.-Fri. 6:30am-2pm •Sat.-Sun. 6:30am-3pm Bagelnet.com for Restaurant menu
Sunday, May 17
Meet Leia, a sweet senior husky with a little gray around the face, one adorably floppy ear and a heart full of love.
Reports from the Santa Barbara County heriff’s f ce
At the shelter, Leia’s lonely howl tugs at the heartstrings. But once she’s in a home, fosters say she becomes quiet, calm and completely content. It turns out Leia wasn’t asking for much — she just needed somewhere to belong.
9 4 a.m. nregistered irearm 14 block terling Avenue
Deputies responded to a call about a firearm and contacted a man who reportedly had an unregistered Kimber 1911 firearm in his possession. The firearm was taken from the man and secured into the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s ffice property department for safekeeping.
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 Betty Coffey for another bowling season and plenty more strikes to come. “Happy 99th Birthday Betty!”
A reader sends a halo to Jason and Marilyn for fixing a customer’s patio chair. ou are awesome. Many thanks for helping me.
11 44 a.m. Misdemeanor it and Run 6 block Rincon Road
Leia is looking for a simple, peaceful life. While she’d happily join you on a hike or stroll around town, she’s equally content relaxing at home beside her favorite people. She walks beautifully on leash, gets along well with other dogs and has earned glowing reviews from foster families, who describe her as an easy, well-behaved houseguest.
was recovered and booked into Santa Barbara Sheriff’s ffice property.
6 1 p.m. Theft block ia Real
A caller reported that she believes her laptop and credit cards were stolen by a female neighbor who lives at the Polo Field apartments. Follow up by deputies.
Shelter staff say Leia is a favorite for day trips because she truly shines outside the kennel environment. She’s medium-sized, mellow and wonderfully adaptable the kind of companion who fits naturally into everyday life.
Tuesday, May 19
After years of giving love, Leia is ready for a soft landing and someone to grow old with. She would do best in a home without small animals.
6 p.m. Towed Abandoned ehicle block illie Avenue
Leia is available for adoption at Santa Barbara County Animal Services, 5473 Overpass Road, in Goleta. For more information, email sbcassouthfostercoordinator gmail.com or text ( 0 ) 6 -0 .
Deputies responded to a misdemeanor hit and run call, but the male subject ed the scene traveling southbound on Rincon Road. The man continued southbound on the northbound off-ramp of Highway 101 at Rincon Road. Deputies checked the area and were unable to locate the subject.
1 p.m. arcotics 46 block Carpinteria Avenue
Deputies responded to narcotic activity and contacted a woman who had two outstanding warrants: one out of Hermosa Beach but was non-extraditable, and the other out of Santa Barbara. The woman was arrested for the outstanding warrant out of Santa Barbara County.
Deputies received complaints about an abandoned vehicle parked near Sandpiper Liquor. The vehicle was tagged and marked on Thursday, May 14. The vehicle was checked and was not moved. The vehicle was towed.
Wednesday, May 20
8 8 p.m. Meth Possession 11 block Casitas Pass
A man drove into a parking lot not wearing his seatbelt. A traffic stop was initiated, and he admitted to being in possession of a meth pipe. During a search of the vehicle, his meth pipe was located, but also a baggie with 3.7 grams of meth. The subject was cited for the violations.
p.m. 1 inden Avenue and Malibu rive
This report covers May 4 — 10, 2026
1 1 p.m. eapon and ope iolations ales ane and ia Real
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 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 Sean and Dayna for being wonderful neighbors and helping the reader through another frazzled mom situation.
A black purse was found at Linden and Malibu, then booked for safe keeping. The owner was not contacted.
Sunday, May 17
8 p.m. Trespassing block ia Real
CVN’s Seal Watch weekly report, written by Seal Watch volunteers, covers activities at the Carpinteria Harbor Seal Rookery. Several Seal Watch volunteers are winter visitors and will soon depart for other states, so please consider joining Seal Watch for the remainder of the pupping season through May. The group can be reached at carpsealwatch@gmail.com or at (805) 364-3194. The rookery is located immediately east of Casitas ier, between Carpinteria Bluffs ature reserve and Carpinteria State Beach. There is no vehicle access from Dump Road.
A caller who is renting a home on the Polo Field reported that several people forced their way into her rental home and started yelling and insulting her family. Deputies arrived and contacted six people, who admitted entering the home after they were directed to come look at the damaged caused by the caller. The caller showed cell phone video of the suspects entering the home without permission and were heard and seen yelling at the caller and her family. The husband-suspect fled across the Polo Field and did not return to the scene. A complaint will be forwarded to the DA’s office for review.
A woman and man were contacted as their vehicle was getting dropped off by a tow truck. The woman is on active probation and a search of her property showed she had meth, a meth pipe and a container of pepper spray. She is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning pepper spray. A baggie of meth was found in the center console and since no one wanted to claim it, the man was given ownership since it was his vehicle.
this week seem to be either zero or over 100. Only a few pups are still identifiable.
8 a.m. ope iolations 41 block ia Real
Seal watchers kept a watchful eye on a badly injured sea lion. The Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute coordinated with Seal Watch and were able to rescue the sea lion when no harbor seals were on the beach, therefore causing no disturbances. The sea lion was captured in a net and transferred to a cage for safe transfer. The process was done quickly, so as not to disturb the haul-out area for too long a period of time.
Some 991 visitors came to the overlook. Countries represented were China, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. States included ew ork, Washington, Virginia, Colorado, lorida, Illinois, Arizona, Wisconsin, ew Jersey, Maryland, Iowa, Minnesota, Georgia, Utah, Ohio, Indiana, Massachusetts and Ohio.
p.m. pen eer iolation inden Avenue and 9th treet
A man was cited and released for possession of an open container.
Disturbances included a jet ski, kayaks, a drone, a bicycle on the pier and two helicopters.
a.m. elfare Check 1 block rtega ill Road
The high count on Sunday, May 10, Mother’s Day, of 156 was also the day of a low count of zero due to a very low flying helicopter. At 11 a.m., 1 0 seals were counted and at 11 32 a.m., the helicopter flew over at an extremely low altitude causing most of the seals to go into the water. Volunteers were able to get some identifying information and filed a report with OAA. Many visitors were disappointed that no seals were present.
A caller reported that his girlfriend’s 27-year-old son had a bad dream and ran out of the house naked and was last seen running towards Summerland. Deputies responded and located a man walking nude on orth Jameson near Sheffield. The man claimed he smoked marijuana with friends and wanted to go to the hospital to detox. His mother drove him to the hospital.
A woman and man were in a vehicle with a stolen license plate, reported to Santa Barbara Police Department. A traffic stop was initiated, and it was determined the vehicle was not stolen, but was rented a few weeks ago by the woman. She thought the “PERM” on the Arizona license plate meant it was only a “permit” for the vehicle and not an actual license plate. So, to avoid getting pulled over, they placed a stolen plate on the car, she said. After a search of nearby motel rooms associated with the subjects, they, and the woman’s sister, were cited for possession of stolen property, meth and paraphernalia. Further investigation will be done for the fraudulently obtained EBT cards.
Thursday, May 21
8 4 a.m. riving with alse Registration Carpinteria and Palm avenues
A man was driving with a false registration tab. He was cited for the violation and allowed to park the vehicle at his mechanic shop located nearby.
Please consider honoring the Marine Mammal Protection Act by not walking the sanctuary beach all year. Do not bring dogs, bicycles or loud voices to view the seals. Harbor seals, when disturbed, may flee and become separated from their pups. Volunteers ask that dogs always remain outside the rope area.
Monday, May 18
1 41 a.m. Tossed Mail ia Real and Carpinteria Creek Mail was found scattered off a county access road by a Caltrans site. The mail
1 6 p.m.
uspended icense
ia Real and allecito Road
Carpinteria Seal Watch volunteers monitor our local seal rookery. More volunteers are always needed. Contact Seal Watch at carpsealwatch@gmail.com or call 805 364 3194 if you d like to help
A man was stopped for not displaying license plates on his truck. A records check showed his driver’s license was
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 Lorenzo Torres Martinez, a pillar of Carpinteria. “Remembering him a year after his passing, 1928-2025, if he were here, he’d still be giving.”
A reader sends a halo to the anonymous person who left a $100 donation in the HELP of Carpinteria office mail slot this past week. Thank 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 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 Councilmember Al Clark for his immediate response in dealing with the removal of poison oak covering the railing on the Carpinteria Avenue-Arbol Verde bridge. His action mitigated the danger to any adult or child using this walkway and exemplifies what keeps our town such a special place.
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 all the staff — especially the checkers — at Albertsons “Some days it is super busy, but they always manage a cheerful smile. And a big shout out to the pharmacy staff too, always so helpful. I appreciate you
A reader sends a halo to Tami and John at Robitaille’s for their constant smiles and over-the-top customer service. The wedding favors were loved 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 Dave, who the reader had never met before, and who helped install a car battery in the parking lot of apa. ou are a shoo-in for Heaven
A reader sends a halo to Lance Lawhon at the Carpinteria Sanitation District for helping Kim’s Market.
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 Westerlay Orchids for its mega-generosity toward Carpinteria Middle School. Every student who partakes in a field trip and enrichment activity has their eyes opened to new worlds of wonder thanks to Westerlay’s financial support.
A reader sends a halo to Kassandra Quintero at The Spot. When 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 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 halo to city worker Leah for consistently going above and beyond the minimum requirements when opening the Veterans Building for Jazzercise in the mornings. “Thank you for keeping the hall clean and well-stocked!”
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 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 HEAT Culinary. I went to my first class this weekend with my sister, who has been to four so far. had the best time! Someone get this girl a TV show, she should be on the Food etwork already.
A reader sends a pitchfork to the people complaining about weed being grown in Carpinteria. “It’s legal in California, and Carpinteria is an agricultural area producing avocados and weed. I’m with them on the smell; they need to do something about that, but if you go to Santa Maria it smells like broccoli everywhere.”
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.
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 however, I wouldn’t want it to suffer to a miserable death.”
A reader sends a pitchfork to Dahlia Court for not removing the recent graffiti at their main entrance. Carpinteria Beautiful and the city work hard to remove graffiti quickly from public property and have already painted over the sidewalk tagging by your property. Please show the same respect for our community!”
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 Junior Warriors Football. We appreciate all you do for our families, players and program. You rock!”
A reader sends a pitchfork to whomever doesn’t pick up their dog’s doings from the sweet little walking trail between Dorrance Way and the railroad tracks. “There are even sponsored doggie bag dispensers there, so no excuses I love walking this trail but the stinky stuff spoils 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!”
A reader sends a pitchfork to those who lied on their FAFSA and took scholarships away from kids who need it.
Submit Halos & Pitchforks online at coastalview.com.
All submissions are subject to editing.
A reader sends a halo to Diana Rigby, Superintendent of schools, and Debra Herrick , director of Boys Girls Club, for removing the toxic Euphorbia fire sticks from the pots and landscape.
A reader sends a pitchfork to the downtown grocery store for storing multiple pallets of smelling, rotting exposed food, broken shopping carts and various other large pieces of trash in the alleyway. “This has been going on for far too long.”
suspended. The man was cited, and his vehicle was released to a licensed driver.
A reader sends a pitchfork to the neighbor who uses their saw 24/7. “It’s ridiculous and to turn it on at 7:30 a.m., what are you possibly working on and going on for a month This ain’t the Texas Chainsaw’.
a.m. Public Into ication ailard Avenue
Two men were contacted in a parked truck and both were extremely intoxicated with open containers of alcohol observed in the vehicle. One man was
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 vehicle three weeks ago but didn’t find the small baggie until he’d removed the driver’s seat to fix the reclining mechanism. The incident was documented, and the baggie was booked into Santa Barbara Sheriff’s ffice property for destruction.
coastalview.com.
Friday, May 22
41 a.m. Theft block Calle Arena
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.
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.
p.m. ound rugs 6 block Jacaranda ay
A man was contacted after reporting
1 6 a.m. it and Run Cameo and Casitas Pass roads 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 subject driving 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
The Alcazar Theatre launches capital campaign to raise $98K
As the historic Alcazar Theatre approaches its 100th anniversary, the volunteers and board members behind the scenes say keeping a community theater alive takes vision, teamwork, creativity — and plenty of elbow grease.
Now in the midst of a 98th birthday capital campaign with a goal of raising $98,000 aimed at preserving and upgrading the beloved venue, The Alcazar leaders say the nearly century-old theater remains one of Carpinteria’s most important gathering places and cultural hubs.
“Reaching 100 years for any community or nonprofit theater is a major milestone,” said Board President Mike Lazaro. “It’s a testament to how important a community gathering space is to the fabric of that community.”
For Board Vice President Asa Olsson, The Alcazar’s longevity is rooted in the shared passion of the people who keep it running.
“We are a great team with the same goals and passion, to keep The Alcazar a place for all performing arts, to make the theatrical experience the best it can be for young and old,” Olsson said. “A diverse community deserves diverse programming.”
While audiences see the polished per-
formances, concerts, films and special events center stage, much of the real drama happens quietly behind the curtain.
To be a fly on the wall pre-event or even during a performance is quite the experience,” Lazaro said. “That’s where the energy and magic come from.”
He described the theater as an “amazing undertaking,” where every volunteer, board member, technician and staff member plays a role in making performances happen.
“It’s very satisfying when you see your vision come to fruition,” he added.
The Alcazar has become known for its eclectic programming — from concerts and films to youth theater productions and its growing independent film festival. Thanks to the theater’s unique layout and upgraded technology, organizers say the venue can transform quickly from one type of event to another.
“The Alcazar is exceptional in the ability to provide a variety of premier experiences,” Lazaro said. “We can host a live concert with graphics one night, roll a movie the next, then host a youth group doing theater for the first time.
The theater recently expanded its programming with the launch of the Carpinteria Film Festival and continues partnering with nonprofits, schools and community groups to bring local productions and events to the stage.
“We are constantly looking to engage and collaborate with groups to bring their vision to our stage,” Lazaro said.
But keeping a 98-year-old theater operating is not without challenges.
“The upkeep entails everything inside these walls,” Olsson said. “Painting, cleaning, updating our equipment to stay in step with the fast-developing technology of today, while not forgetting to honor The Alcazar Theatre as the historic venue it is.”
Behind the scenes, volunteers and board members juggle everything from
Board members Asa Olsson and Mike Lazaro are helping lead The Alca ar Theatre s 98 000 capital campaign as the historic community theater approaches its 100th anniversary in 2028 The fundraising effort will support ongoing preservation, maintenance and facility upgrades aimed at keeping the beloved venue thriving for future generations
maintenance and technical troubleshooting to cleaning and storage challenges. Olsson said the theater’s small backstage area even led the team to creatively convert an RV into a functional green room for performers.
“Storage is a never-ending challenge that we resolve as we go,” she said.
Lazaro added that every piece of equipment requires constant attention.
“We are in the trenches every day making sure every bit of our equipment works, that there’s a backup plan and that the backup plan has a backup plan,” he said.
And operating a nearly century-old building comes with constant financial demands.
The current capital campaign will help fund long-needed repairs, improvements and ongoing infrastructure upgrades. “It’s time to reupholster and repair our seats,” Lazaro said. “There’s also constant upkeep, painting, plumbing and other repairs.”
The board meets weekly to assess needs and strategize solutions, relying heavily on community donors, sponsors and volunteers to keep the theater moving toward its centennial celebration in 2028.
“The donors, sponsors, the supportive audience and of course our volunteers, is what helps us keep the doors open,” Olsson said.
The Alcazar’s location in the heart of downtown Carpinteria also plays a major
role in its identity.
“Carpinterians see the theater as their hub, with pride,” Olsson said. “It’s walking distance for all parts of the city — a place to hang out with friends and family for a few hours while enjoying a good concert, movies or live theater.”
She described The Alcazar as a place where neighbors reconnect, families gather and children discover a love of performing arts.
“There’s no better feeling than seeing your loved one on stage or behind the scenes,” Lazaro added. “To be able to launch careers or give kids a venue where they can be behind the camera or in front — there’s no better connection.”
Looking ahead, the board hopes to continue growing The Alcazar’s reach while preserving its historic charm and community-centered mission.
“We’re keeping The Alcazar Theatre alive for generations to come,” Olsson said, filling the house and putting this gem of a theater and all its first-class programming on the map.”
The show must go on!
As the curtain rises on The Alcazar’s next chapter, community members are encouraged to support the theater’s 98th birthday capital campaign through donations, sponsorships, volunteering or simply attending a show. To learn more about the campaign, upcoming events, classes and performances, visit thealcazar.org or follow @alcazartheatre.
Heard the buzz? We want to hear it too!
Nearly 50 riders joined the CycleMAYnia community bike ride through Carpinteria on Saturday, May 9, where riders ventured through a 5-mile bike loop featuring several “hidden treasures” in Carpinteria.
The ride was orchestrated by the city in collaboration with MOVE Santa Barbara County. The ride began and ended at El Carro Park and included stops at the Carpinteria Community Garden, the Carpinteria State Park Visitor’s Center and the Tomol Interpretive Play Area, where attendees learned about Chumash history. Riders were also given fresh produce from Fecker Farms, pizza and ice cream from Rori’s Artisanal Creamery.
Participants were also given information on how to safely travel through Carpinteria on bikes, including information about bike-accessible routes, how to traverse certain areas of town and general safety information.
NANCY BARON
On a sparkling May morning, I was putting out food for the birds on my morning rounds. For the fourth year now, we have had western bluebirds nesting in our orchard in a bluebird box. My husband Ken Weiss has built a feeding platform nearby where I leave live mealworms.
The parents have five hungry mouths to feed as well as their own. They hunt bugs, picking the orchard clean. A little supplemental food increases the chances that more of the chicks will survive. Western bluebirds are one of many bird species whose numbers are declining. Every bird counts.
The male bluebird watched for me. He flew with excitement from fruit tree to tree calling softly as I wended my way through our organic orchard towards the nest box. His blue and rust colors shimmered in the morning light.
Suddenly the roaring throb of helicopter blades shattered the morning’s serenity. Flying low overhead, it paused not far down the hill above another avocado orchard. Lifting my binoculars, I recognized that low swooping flight pattern.
“Oh no! They are spraying pesticides!” I called out to my husband Ken.
My heart sank. Our success with helping the bluebirds has been checkered. The first year, to my great excitement, a pair of bluebirds built a nest of grass in the box and laid five blue eggs. Then the parents disappeared.
Bluebirds don’t easily abandon a nest after all that investment of energy. Something happened to them. Another pair moved into the box the next spring. That male too disappeared and the female soldiered on, trying to raise the four young on her own. But one morning we came down to the orchard and found her fluttering on the ground. She was weak and unable to fly. Slowly she died, the light fading from her eyes. It’s impossible to be certain, but the dying female’s behavior was what poisoning would look like.
We took the chicks to wildlife rescuer Connie errer. Two out of the five chicks made it to the point of being released. Last year, another pair successfully
variety of insects
raised young. In the days and weeks that followed, the male flew around with his four chicks in tow, landing on the tall perch we have erected to help birds hunt pests, then sailing off again in search of food. It was a happy sight. The foursome continued to visit through the winter.
As I watched the helicopter, I contacted Sean Xiong at the Agricultural Commissioner’s office in Santa Barbara to ask what they were spraying. “The pesticides applied on May 5 are Agri-Mek SC, Sivanto Prime and NR 415 Oil,” he reported. Agri-Mek SC (abamectin) is a systemic insecticide used to control thrips. Abamectin disrupts nerve function, causing paralysis in thrips and any oth-
Green lacewings (Chrysoperla) are beneficial insects that can be spread by drones as eggs Their larvae eat thrips that scar the skin of avocados and devalue them irds eat lace ings so they benefit as ell
er insects it encounters. Bluebirds are vulnerable if they eat insects that have been sprayed.
ow while the thrips don’t affect the fruit itself, the scabby surface they leave on the skin devalues fruit from class one to class two. And growers have to make a living, which is no small feat.
I called Ed Van Wingerden who was once a conventional avocado farmer and is now organic. “I used to use abamectin,” he told me. “It’s super tough on thrips and many other things — including bees. I went organic because in the end it’s much more effective. And I did it for economic reasons — you get more money for organic avocados.” He added, “There’s a
learning curve. You use softer chemicals and augment with predacious insects that eat the problem insects — like thrips.”
Next, I phoned Christa Boerlage who was on the way to the airport to pick up a load of beneficial insects, which she sells to organic avocado farmers and greenhouses for pest control. Christa told me I should talk to Andy Sheaffer who is pioneering alternatives to harmful chemicals.
Sheaffer’s 30 acres, called Vista unta Gordo, overlook La Conchita. “We are farming about 400 acres of it, he said. We are 100 organic and just received our regenerative certificate. This means focusing on rebuilding the ecosystem’s
Sheaffer scouts his farm preparing to use his drone to spread beneficial lace ing eggs ehind him, on
is Dominic Carmassi and Christopher
soil health, water retention and biodiversity.
Sheaffer is one of those ingenious kinds of guys who pushes the boundaries of whatever he gets into. After years of heavy construction and developing a machine called the spider excavator to work on steep slopes, he was poised to take on this spectacular albeit steep property which was being farmed conventionally.
My wife developed an autoimmune condition, and I started learning about glyphosate (an herbicide sold as Roundup) and how it was linked to autoimmune conditions, he explained. We stopped using glyphosate. Our kids were young and I wanted to buffer it out of the soil. That got me interested in organic food and I thought I should farm as cleanly as possible.
Gradually he figured out how to develop new healthier practices.
Abamectin doesn’t have to be on the side of the leaf that is sprayed to work. This is my biggest problem with it. If it’s translaminar, meaning it can soak through the leaf to kill pests, it seems to me it could enter the avocado, he said. Instead, Sheaffer is using Integrated est Management (I M) treatments and dainty beneficial insects called lacewings which he purchases from Boerlage’s company. The eggs of the lacewings, which develop into larvae that eat thrips, are dispersed by drone. ow after several years of considerable expense, this spring the lacewings overwintered and are continuing to do the good work. And as a bonus lacewings are bird food.
Sheaffer encourages wildlife on his property. Bluebirds are natural pest controllers as are many birds. He knows that the more biodiversity he supports, the healthier the fabric of the whole ecosystem. It’s an idea borne out by science. In one study by a UC Berkeley ornithologist, vineyards with nest boxes for western bluebirds and other bug-eaters removed
nearly 2. times more insect larva than those without.
Sheaffer is careful not to criticize fellow growers, saying he believes they can grow avocados conventionally without heavy-duty pesticides.
My general argument is as farmers you have to be profitable, or nothing works, he says. We should be trying to grow the highest value, most nutritious food we can. The way to do that is to have healthy plants. Pests are attracted to the weakest plants.
He switched to organic growing 1 years ago. Initially, he made mistakes and took a lot of grief. But over time, he has produced a thriving orchard from the ground up, beginning with healthy soil and healthy trees that no longer required spraying for pests. It has taken a long time to figure out a system where we don’t have to spray. But I feel I have kind of figured it out, he said. And I believe you can still farm conventionally without the poisons.
I felt encouraged listening to Sheaffer talk about the biodiversity on his ranch. Every acre of an organic orchard provides food for birds in the face of their dwindling natural habitat.
This matters.
Back at our property, two of the chicks have the nest as of May and two more are mustering their courage, peeking out of the box, as if to say, Hello world
Once they leave, the parents will continue to try to help them.
As to what we can do to help, Sheaffer advises, Buy California organic, both for our own health and to support biodiversity.
I buy that.
Nancy Baron is a biologist and writer who lives in the hills above Carpinteria with her husband Ken Weiss and rescue dog Velcro. She works on conserving biodiversity here and in British Columbia. She can be reached at nancyebaron@gmail.com.
ABOVE: At this time of year, Carpinteria Valley has a lot of aerial spraying of abamectin, a pesticide that kills fruit scarring thrips and other insects It s also highly toxic to honeybees, as well as harmful to birds.
LEFT A drone disperses beneficial lacewing eggs on Punta Vista Gorda Farm as an alternative to spraying.
Baby birds are leaving the nest right now. Here’s what you can do:
• Don’t spray harmful pesticides. Let the birds help do the work for you. Keep your cats inside especially now as fledglings are highly vulnerable. Cats kill two to four billion birds a year in the U.S. alone.
Leave dead trees to provide nest cavities. A dead tree provides a nursery for more than 0 bird species (cavityconservation.com).
ut up a bluebird box. Bluebirds will try to have a second brood from May to July or later.
Buy California organic produce for your own health, as well as for the birds.
Eleven local nonprofit organizations that benefit the community received grants at The Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning’s Community onprofit Giving Awards Breakfast on May 6.
Grant recipients included Carpinteria Cultural Foundation, Carpinteria Homeless Outreach Lunch Bunch, Carpinteria Lions Community Building Association, Carpinteria Rotary Charitable oundation, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, HEL of Carpinteria, Hospice of Santa Barbara/Compassionate Care of Carpinteria, The Alcazar Theatre, United Boys Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County Carpinteria Clubhouse and Wilderness outh roject.
In addition to the 14,000 in grants awarded to the nonprofits, the club has contributed more than 3 ,000 to local organizations, programs and services during the past year.
Our goal is to create positive change in our community, and we are proud to support organizations that make a real difference, said Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning resident Stephen Gerteis, noting that supporting these organizations helps meet current needs while also building a stronger community for the future.
BY CHRISTOPHER DAVIS, CEO OF WAVECOMMSB
Special friends and supporters celebrated the work and success of Compassionate Care of Carpinteria (CCC) last week on the Garden Court Market patio, where attendees reflected on the accomplishments and free services of CCC, a program of Hospice of Santa Barbara.
As part of The Light Shines Ahead event, guests enjoyed selected local wines and delicious appetizers while emcee Tim Cohen guided the evening. Community members who have received services, along with CCC staff, shared their heartfelt stories.
The event raised 23,000 for CCC to ensure future free programs and services to help those struggling with life-threatening illness or the death of a loved one in Carpinteria.
JENA JENKINS
In this column, we celebrate the power of aging well, with four segments designed to inspire and engage.
W for Wellness: tips and insights for maintaining a healthy body and mind.
I for Inspiration: real-life tales of individuals 55 and older who are living life to the fullest.
S for Sharpen: activities and exercises to keep your brain active and sharp.
E for Education: a quick lesson or fun trivia to keep you learning and growing.
Wellness: Feeling hot, hot, hot
Want to spice up your life? Do it with chili peppers. Sure, there are plenty of ways to turn up the heat this spring — some are much better for us than others.
The Unaging website tells us that one of the best ways is through hot chilies. They state that a meta-study covering Iran, Italy, China and the U.S. found that eating hot chili peppers weekly was associated with a 13% reduction in premature death.
These little tongue torches contain a compound that gives them their spice, called capsaicin. Capsaicin is anti-inflammatory and may help protect against heart disease and cancer.
So, the next time you think about raising the temperature in ways that might get you into trouble, reach for a jalapeño instead and sizzle your way to better health.
Inspire: giving gold
This is a story about an Australian man known as the “Man with the Golden Arm,” but in my eyes, he is also the man with the golden heart.
James Harrison had blood that contained unique disease-fighting antibodies. These antibodies helped combat something called Rhesus disease. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia explains Rhesus disease as a condition in which antibodies in an Rh-negative pregnant woman’s blood destroy the red blood cells of an Rh-positive fetus, causing anemia, jaundice and potentially heart failure.
James donated blood every week for over 60 years until he retired at the age of
81, ultimately helping to save more than 2.4 million babies’ lives.
You never know what gold you have within you that is just waiting to shine.
Sharp: pick a president
Name the past president based on their résumé:
• Starred in Hollywood films and hosted “General Electric Theater” before becoming governor of California
• Charged up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War after building a reputation as a New York police commissioner and author
• Star quarterback at the University of Michigan who later became a lawyer and served in Congress
• Ran a failing haberdashery (men’s clothing store) in Missouri and later commanded an artillery unit in World War I
• Worked as a community organizer on Chicago’s South Side and later taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School
Educate It s all in the pickle
Ever wonder where the name pickleball came from? Maybe there’s a bit of a vinegar smell on the courts after several hours of intense play — but never a cucumber in sight.
Well, I decided to track it down. According to the USA Pickleball Association, this very popular sport was founded in the summer of 1965 by three men: Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Rumor has it that the sport was named after the family dog, Pickles. But the truth is, the dog was actually named after the game.
The real story is that pickleball is named after a “pickle boat.” This was a fun type of race that took place after collegiate crew competitions. The pickle boat was made up of team members who weren’t quite selected for the main crew — a bit of a ragtag group, much like how pickleball itself came together.
The game was created using a mix of a badminton net, ping-pong paddles and a plastic ball from a children’s play set. Hence the name: pickleball. Check out the AgeWell calendar for times and places to join in on our pickleball fun.
A communication specialist whose heart lies in storytelling, Jena has a knack for bringing groups together and building understanding through programming. She currently serves as the community services program coordinator assigned to AgeWell for the city of Carpinteria and is a member of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District Board of Directors. Jena holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. For more information on AgeWell and its programming, visit carpinteriaca.gov/agewell.
n Wednesday ay 13 etty ro n s family and friends celebrated her 99th birthday under the mar uee of The Alca ar Theatre She as born on Friday ay 13 1927 in Ada klahoma and has been a Carpinterian for more than 75 years ro n is a founder of irls Inc and has supported many nonprofits through the years
PHOTOS
BY
ROBIN KARLSSON
The Carpinteria chapter of California Women for Agriculture (CWA) hosted its annual Mother’s ay sale on Sunday, May 10, where do ens of locals stopped by to pick up a bouquet of owers for the mothers in their lives. The annual sale was held on the grassy front lawn of Carpinteria Middle School.
On Linden, 65 years ago
Long before food delivery apps and online shopping carts, life in Carpinteria moved at a slower — and perhaps tastier — pace. Advertisements from the 1961 editions of the Carpinteria Herald offer a nostalgic glimpse into an era when dinner might mean heading to The Palms Restaurant for prime rib, complete with all the fixings for just 2.6
Back then, families flipped through newspaper ads instead of scrolling through smartphones. Teenagers cruised Linden Avenue on pedal bikes, customers paid cash at the register and shoppers could stop into Bastian’s to pick up lingerie and pajamas long before the days of Amazon deliveries arriving on the doorstep.
That same storefront at 1 Linden Ave. would evolve with the times over the decades, most recently serving as the home of utbelly izzeria, which fired its final pizza and closed its doors last week. Sixty-five years after Bastian’s welcomed shoppers through those same front doors, the question now turns to the future: What business will next call 1 Linden Ave. home
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14, 2026
BY RYAN P. CRUZ
track and field competitors found success at the CIF Division 4 Prelims
PHOTOS BY ROSANA SWING
Carpinteria Valley Memorial Stadium was the host site for this year’s CIF Division 4 Prelims on Saturday, May 9, as the Warriors welcomed hundreds of athletes from dozens of schools representing the best of the CIF Southern Section.
After a busy day of competition, Carpinteria’s track and field athletes qualified to advance to next week’s CI inals in five different events, and at least one new school record was etched into the all-time record book.
Carpinteria’s throwing specialists, senior Marely Avalos and senior Eli Perez, were among the top finishers for the Warriors.
Avalos continued an excellent season in the throwing events, tossing a new personal record of 105’11’’ in the discus to finish in sixth place out of a field of over 40 competitors. Avalos has consistently tossed near the 100-foot mark throughout the season, working towards her best at the CIF meet.
“It was great to see her have a personal
record when it counted,” said Carpinteria coach Van Latham.
Perez also gave himself a chance to continue his stellar senior year, qualifying for the finals in the shot put with a toss of 44’ .2 ’’ in the final meet on his home turf at Carpinteria.
Freshman Caroline Cooney — who has made a splash as an all-around athlete in her first year as a Warrior qualified with a seventh-place finish in the triple jump, setting a new personal record of 33’5’’.
Cooney continues to stack up accomplishments as a freshman athlete. Earlier this year, she competed at the varsity level for both the girls tennis and soccer teams. In track and field, she won the Lion’s Club Trophy as the top-scoring athlete among all competitors at this year’s Russell Cup, winning several events including the triple jump, which she only started midway through this season.
It will be exciting to see what the freshman is capable of going forward,” coach Latham said.
Cooney is among a new generation of younger athletes who have stepped up
to help the Warriors girls track and field team this year. Freshman Lillian Van Eyck won the Citrus Coast League pole vault title earlier this year and just missed out from qualifying for the CIF Finals.
Sophomore sprinter Halleh Gahan built on a strong second season, qualifying in ninth place for the CIF Finals in the 100-meter hurdles with a new personal record time of 16.72 seconds.
“Halleh has made technical advances in her hurdling technique that has paid big dividends the last couple weeks,” coach Latham said. “The sophomore’s hard work and attention to detail has paid off this season.
The girls 4x 00 relay of Mila Martins, Cailyn Gillen, Jaqueline Guadian and Kiana Kiah also qualified for the CI inals, finishing in eighth place overall in what was the first-ever running of this particular relay in a CIF Prelim competition.
“It is satisfying that the hard work of
this group of girls is being rewarded with a trip to the finals, Latham said.
Several Warriors athletes came away with strong individual performances despite not qualifying to advance to the CIF Finals.
Senior sprinter Vivian Huskins, who has set the school records in the girls 100and 200-meter events multiple times this season, missed out on a qualifying spot but broke her own record again in the 200 meters, finishing with a new all-time best of 25.5 seconds.
Although she didn’t qualify for the finals, it doesn’t diminish the outstanding accomplishments she earned this season,” Latham said. “Vivian was the heart and soul of our girls team.”
The qualifying members of Carpinteria’s track and field team will prepare to compete at the CIF Division 4 Finals at Moorpark High School on Saturday, May 16.
BY RYAN P. CRUZ
this season.
Carpinteria boys tennis suffered a season-ending loss in the first round of the CI Division 6 playoffs, falling just short to the Garden Grove Argonauts after the teams were tied - and the match was decided by total of games won.
The Warriors had a strong season heading into the playoffs, clinching the Citrus Coast League title and securing a first-round matchup on the road at Garden Grove.
Carpinteria jumped out to a narrow 4-2 lead after the first six sets, and the Warriors held on to the two-set lead after the second round. Heading into the final two sets, Carpinteria was up - , before Garden Grove pulled out the final two wins to tie the match at - .
The final decision came down to the team that won the most games, with Garden Grove claiming the match win -66 and advancing to the next round.
It was a somber time but the boys really over-achieved this season and were so close to advancing today, said Carpinteria coach Charles Bryant. They were fighters throughout the year and always stayed positive when things went south. I am very proud of their accomplishments and how they competed today. Their reflections after the match and how they spoke about each other and the team was truly heartfelt.
The team’s senior leaders Edwin Hernandez, Servando Campuzano and Kamran Dadvar played a large role in the team’s success this season. In the CI inals, the trio picked up important set wins to keep the Warriors in the match.
Campuzano teamed up with Ethan Almgren to go 3-0 in doubles against Garden Grove. The pair has played well together all year long and were crowned as Citrus Coast League doubles champions during the league tournament on April 2 .
The Warriors got three more wins in doubles, as Dadvar paired up with Hayden ordholm to win one set, and the duo of John Morrison with Tiago El-Aaidi contributed two hard-fought wins.
Hernandez did his part in singles, sweeping all three sets and keeping his opponents off balance throughout the playoff match.
Unfortunately, it was a very tough way to lose, coach Bryant said. But it is even tougher that we will lose our three seniors Their improvement over the years and their impact on the team is next to none.
While Carpinteria is knocked out of the playoffs, at least three members of the Warriors squad will go on to compete at the CI Sectionals on May 21. Hernandez will compete in singles, and the duo of Campuzano and Almgren will compete in doubles.
Carpinteria finished the season with a 10- record overall, and the Warriors finished first in the Citrus Coast League with a -1 record against league opponents.
Friday, May 15
Carpinteria Baseball at Flintridge Prep (CIV Round 1), 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 16
Carpinteria Track & Field at CIF Finals
relay races
Carpinteria’s boys swim team capped off a successful season in the pool with multiple standout performances at the CI Division 3 Swimming Championships, hosted at Mt. San Antonio College on riday, May .
The Warriors boys competed against swimmers from more than 0 schools in the Southern Section, with Carpinteria combining to finish the day 20th place in the total points tally.
The CI competition was a chance for the Warriors athletes to prove their speed and skill against the best in the region, following a dominant regular season with both the boys and girls teams repeating as Citrus Coast League champions.
At the CI Division 3 Championships, the 200-yard medley relay team of Jake Ehlers, Stefano iccoletti, Sky Korling and Massimo Bonilla- akosek provided the highlight of the day, finishing in fifth place and setting the tone for the Warriors. Ehlers went on to finish ninth place in the highly competitive 100-yard freestyle, in a field of more than 100 swimmers Korling took 14th place in the 100-yard butterfly and the 4x100 relay team of Korling, Ehlers, Bonilla- akosek and Wyatt itterle followed up to take 16th place and earn important points for the Warriors.
The finish marked another major step forward for the Warriors program, as the team combined veteran leadership, emerging young talent and strong relay performances to secure a top-20 finish at the Division 3 championships, Carpinteria coach Jon Otsuki said.
Cate boys tennis ended its season in the second round of the CI Division 3 playoffs, putting an end to a magical season in which the Rams started with 11 straight regular season wins and claimed a Tri-Valley League championship.
The Rams began the year 11-0, and nearly finished with an undefeated record before suffering a non-league loss to Oak ark in the final match of the season on April 22.
ollowing that loss, the Rams got back on track with a 10- win over Santa Barbara
in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs on May 6.
Cate was dominant in singles against Santa Barbara, with the Rams winning seven of nine sets. Santa Barbara recovered with an advantage in doubles, although Cate was able to hold on to advance to the second round.
Cate singles standout Kakeru Hirofuji battled through broken racquets to sweep all three sets. Bruce Li and Andrew Jayich each won two sets for the Rams.
The Rams’ season came to an end in the second round, with an 11-7 loss to Webb School of Claremont.
Webb School took the advantage in both doubles and singles, though Cate had some strong play from outgoing seniors Graham Clinger and Kiy Barry.
With the loss, Cate boys tennis finishes the year with a 12-2 record overall, and a perfect 7-0 record against league opponents.
Over in the pool, Cate’s girls and boys swim teams competed over four days at the CIF Southern Section Championships at Mt. San Antonio College.
The Rams boys had an impressive showing at the Division 1 prelims, setting new Cate School records in four different events.
Junior Josiah Hansen advanced to the finals in both the 100-yard butterfly and backstroke, setting new individual school records in both events. The boys 200-medley relay and 400-freestyle medley both also set new school records to advance to the finals.
The Cate girls competed in Division 2 and had multiple qualifying times and two new school records. Junior Emi Kanda-Gleeson qualified in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke, setting new school records in both.
During the Division 2 finals, Kanda-Gleeson broke both records again, setting new all-time bests in the medley and backstroke events.
The next day, the Rams boys competed in the prestigious Division 1 Swimming Championships, where Hansen came away with 12th in the 100-yard butterfly and 14th in the 100-yard backstroke.
Cate’s boys team finished in 31st place overall, with the same points total as powerhouse programs from Fullerton and Oaks Christian, both schools with much larger student populations.
“This is the highest level Cate swimmers have ever competed at, and they performed so admirably,” said Cate swim coach Tobin White. “We enjoyed this trip and took away lessons that will allow us to be even better when we’re back at this meet next year.”
0404 hrs / Violation / 5100 blockCarpinteriaAvenue
A female was observed sleeping on a public bench with several carts full of her belongings. Subsequently, she was cited for illegal camping.
2015 hrs / Traffic Incident /Padaro Lane and Via Real
A male subject was seen operatinga motor vehicle at approximately 96 miles per hour on Highway 101 headed north. During the traffic stop it was foundthat the driver had a 16-year-old passenger which was not allowed since he had a license restriction. The subject was issued a citation.
Thursday, April 30
1504 hrs / Vehicle Incident / Carpinteria Avenue and Estero Way
Deputies responded to a victim from Redondo Beach, who hadexited the passenger seat of her Tesla while her husband turned the car around to park. The femaleattempted to hold onto the exterior of the vehicle to steady herself while it was in motion, causing her to be dragged under the vehicle. She was transported to SBCH where she underwent surgery for a collapsed lung.
2057 hrs / DUI /600 block Linden Avenue
An officer was dispatched to a report of a DUI driver, later identified as a female who had left a local restaurant after the staff had refused to serveher and her friend alcohol due to their level of intoxication. Thereporting party stated that they saw the subject get into a ToyotaTacoma and drive.The officer located the vehicle parkedon Linden Avenue with the lights on and the subject in the driver’s seat. The subject was found to be under the influence of alcohol and waswitnessed by the reportingparty to have driven her vehicle impaired. She was arrested and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where she was booked without further incident.
Friday, May 1
1007 hrs / Incident / 4800 block Foothill Road
A local school authority reported that an uninvolved student anonymously reported to her that a local adult was pos-
SunsetMonthlyCruises
w/ live music Condor Express 6 - 8 p.m. per$125ticket includes complimentary craft beer
sibly providingunspecified drugs and alcohol to students, as well aswas possibly involvedin trafficking females. A report was written and forwarded to detectives.
2025 hrs / Theft / 4500 block Del
Mar Avenue
A juvenile reported that he took his father’s kayak to the beach and left it unattended/unsecured for over two hours. Once hereturned the kayak was missing with no suspect information.
0245 hrs / Violation / 3700 block
Santa Claus Lane
A male subject was found illegally camping in his RVon Santa Claus Lane. The subject said he was the owner ofa restaurant down the road and that he was familiar withthe County’s Safe Parking program, but it was too inconvenient and he would ratherpay parking fees. The subject refused to leave/repark his vehicle and was cited for illegal camping.
0305 hrs / Violation / 3700 block
Santa Claus Lane
A male subject was found illegally camping in his vehicle. The subject was intoxicated, had an open container of alcohol inside the car, and had thrown an empty beer can out the window. He was cited for littering and the open container.
2111 hrs / Violation /1000 block
Concha Loma
An officer observed a male subject, later identified, sitting on the curb on Concha Loma Drive. The officer approached the subject and saw that he was drinking from a tall can, which was open. The officer found the can to be approximately 75% full of beer. The subject was cited.
Saturday,May 2
2226 hrs / DUI / 1100 block Casitas Pass Road
A male subject was travelling on the 101 NB from LA to Lompoc. The subject was travelling at 70 miles per hour and had equipment violations on his vehicle that led to a traffic stop. The subject was found to be on court probation for two prior DUI offenses within 10 years. The subject also had numerous open containers in his vehicle. He provided a PAS sample which resulted in 0.16% BAC. The
subject was arrested for several violations and also provided a chemical test that resulted in the same 0.16% BAC.The vehicle was towed from the scene and the subject was transported to SBCJ.
Sunday,May 3
0931 hrs / FoundPhone / 5700 Carpinteria Avenue
Someone turned in an iPhone found near a bike path. The phone was booked for safekeeping.
Monday,May 4
0835 hrs / Vehicle Incident / Carpinteria Avenue and Palm Avenue
Officers conducted a traffic stop for no front license plate. The driver of the vehicle did not have a driver’s license and was cited. His vehicle was picked up from the scene by a friend with a valid driver’s license.
1936 hrs / Public Intoxication / 5000 block Sixth Street
A male subject was contacted during a call for service and found to be heavily intoxicated. He attempted to have a friend take him home but was unsuccessful. The subject was arrested and booked into the main jail for being in violation of PC 647(f).
1939 hrs / Vehicle Incident / 4500 block Carpinteria Avenue
A male subject was stopped for having illegal window tint on his vehicle. A DMV caution note onhis vehicle stated the registered owner had an outstanding felony warrant.A records check revealed the subject had an outstanding warrant from Los Angeles Countyfor $125K for drug charges. They would not extradite. A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of marijuana. He was ultimately citedfor driving on a suspended license.
0021 hrs / Violation / Santa Ynez Avenue and Via Real
Suspects were stopped for a minor traffic infraction (parked in a red zone). One suspect, the passenger, was on probation with search terms. During the search, a handgun was found in the back seat of the vehicle. No one wanted to admit posses-
sion. The suspect was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition and for having a concealed firearm in the vehicle. The driver was charged with having a concealed firearm in the vehicle.Both suspects were arrested.
Tuesday,May 5
0835 hrs / Ammunition / 5700 Carpinteria Avenue
A male subject turned in six 12-gauge shotgun shells that he said he no longer had any use for. The ammunition was booked for destruction.
1248 hrs / Violation/Linden Avenue and Sandyland Road
An officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for having no front license plate displayed. The driver was found to be driving on a suspended license and was cited. The vehicle was left legally parked at the scene.
Thursday,May 7
0400 hrs / Violation /Cactus Lane and Carpinteria Avenue
A female subject was camping behind a restaurant near downtown Carpinteria. The subject was advised that shecan’t camp on city streets and behindbusinesses.The subject was offered resources for housing, but she refused. She was cited and was observed getting her belongings and leaving the area.
Saturday,May 9
1341 hrs / Vehicle Incident / 5700 block Via Real
While patrolling in the 5700 block of Via Real, deputies were flagged down for a vehiclevs e-motorcycle collision that had just occurred on Via Real. In essence, the e-motorcycle, which was occupied by two juveniles, was traveling eastbound on the wrong side of Via Real. As the e-motorcycle approached the entrance near the 5700 block of Via Real, it collided into a vehicle that was turning right out ofthe entrance. When the e-motorcycle collided into the vehicle the two juveniles were thrown into the street. Medics responded to the scene, evaluated the juveniles and released them to their parents. The e-motorcycle was towed. Report to follow.
Calvin Duke
Calvin Duke was born to parents Erika Delk and Daniel Duke of Santa Barbara on March 7, 2026. Calvin was born weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces and measuring 20.25 inches. Calvin has an older sister, 2-year-old Ezri Duke, and his grandparents are Jeff and Betty Delk of Carpinteria.
Submit your baby announcement online at coastalview.com
ed spa celebrates first birthday Carpinteria ed Spa celebrated one year of business on Thursday ay 7 ith an open house Pictured is o ner Dr aclyn ucharski ith Lindsay axoutopoulis The medical spa is located at 5212 Carpinteria Ave Lean more about Dr ucharski s practice at carpinteriamedicalspa com
Shirley Kimberlin 805-886-0228 skimberlin@aol.com Lic. #00623395
Terry Stain 805-705-1310 seascaperealty@ gmail.com Lic. #01484280
BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED AND UPDATED
Two Bedroom, One Bath Condominium in well maintained Casitas Village. Top floor unit with a “peek of ocean” view. Recent upgrades include: new laminate flooring throughout, freshly painted with smooth ceilings, new window blinds, new kitchen appliances include: stove, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher. Association amenities include pool and .playground. Casitas Village is near Monte Vista Park and within walking distance to the ocean. PRICE REDUCED $620,000.
George Manuras 702-460-2726 kailuua@yahoo.com Lic. #01991682
Sylvia Miller 805-448-8882 sylvia@sanbarb.com Lic. #00558548
Diana Porter 805-452-8931 dianaporter370@ gmail.com Lic. #01842390
JUST LISTED ON
fixtures,
Mark Brickley 805-680-3770 mpaulsb3@gmail.com Lic.#02119204
Lynda Bohnett 805-637-6407 bohnettlynda@ gmail.com Lic. #01268751
Please call Shirley Kimberlin at 805-886-0228 DOWNTOWN MIXED USE Rare, mixed-use property on the 'T' in downtown Carpinteria-fantastic location! Parcel currently configured as 5 residential rental units and 1 commercial rental. Commercial building is a florist, but past uses include a salon, art gallery/gift shop, bike shop, and was once the location of the Carpinteria Herald newspaper! All but one residential unit currently rented. Some tenant parking onsite, W/D hookups in storage area. PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB TENANTS.
OFFERED AT $2,500,000
Please call Terry Stain at 805-705-1310
Please call Shirley Kimberlin at 805-886-0228 or Terry Stain at 805-705-1310
Realtor Office Hours: Tues-Friday 11am to
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