Coastal View News • August 28, 2025 by Coastal View News

Labor Day Weekend

Hot dogs, furry friends and dog park plans at Dog Day Afternoon

The Carpinteria Dog Owners Group (C-DOG) and the city of Carpinteria will team up on Saturday, Sept. 6 for the second annual Dog Day Afternoon, inviting residents and their fluffy pets to Monte Vista Park for free hot dogs and a look at preliminary plans for a permanent dog park.

Participating pups will also have the chance to be photographed for Coastal View News photographer Robin Karlsson’s upcoming book, “The Dogs of Monte Vista Park.”

The event begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Monte Vista Park is located on the north end of Bailard Avenue.

Swimmers make their way onto the city’s beach platform in the ocean in late June. The platforms will be removed next week as summer comes to a close.

Labor Day weekend updates: city divisions closed Monday, trash pick-up delayed

Summer is coming to a close.

All Parks, Recreation and Community Services Facilities — the community pool, the Carpinteria Community Library and the AgeWell programming — will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1 due to the Labor Day Holiday.

Trash will also be delayed next week due to the Labor Day holiday. Instead of the usual Thursday collection, residents will have their trash, recycling and organic waste picked up on Friday, Sept. 5. Regular collection will resume the following week.

After Labor Day, lifeguard towers on Carpinteria beaches will only be open on weekends until the California Avocado Festival. The city’s ocean platform and buoys will also be removed on Sept. 2, per city staff.

The city’s Boathouse on Ash Avenue, where locals and visitors can rent beach gear, will close after Labor Day weekend.

continued on page 4

KARLSSON FILE PHOTO

From left, Jacquelyn Geary, Barbara Bongiovi and Van Fleisher play with their dogs at the Monte Vista Dog Park in April 2024.

KARLSSON FILE PHOTO

ASK US ABOUT CAPP

A new, reliable water source is coming to Carpinteria Valley.

The Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP) will recycle water using advanced technology to recharge our groundwater basin—rain or shine. This means a clean, consistent, and cost-effective supply for our community.

Why does CAPP matter?

CAPP keeps water local by purifying what would otherwise be lost to the ocean. It strengthens our water security and supports conservation.

How will CAPP work?

Projects like CAPP are common across the Southwestern states. Advanced purification systems produce water that meets or is better than drinking water standards. The recycled water is pumped into the groundwater basin to be used when the community needs it!

What’s coming?

• Advanced Water Purification Facility

• Pipeline

• Injection wells and monitoring wells

Construction is expected to start in 2026 and be completed by 2028.

Carpinteria faces a 29% water supply shortfall during extended droughts.

Demand in Carpinteria

Water available during drought

Email us at info@cvwd.net—we’re here to help! Visit cvwd.net/capp or scan QR code for Frequently Asked Questions.

continued from page 2

Dart Coffee officially opens

Linden Square’s Dart Coffee officially opened last week on the 700 block of Linden Avenue. Open 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. daily, this is Dart Coffee’s third Santa Barbara County location.

Owners Carter Hallman, David Dart and Erika Carter are at the helm, with Hallman responsible for operations, Dart as the head roaster and Carter as the artist and designer.

“We offer a full selection of specialty coffee drinks, organic teas, and sweet and savory pastries,” Hallman told Coastal View News last week.

Sunday swim lessons kick off Sept. 7

The next round of Sunday swim lessons, for everyone ages three and older, will begin on Sept. 7.

Group lessons and private lessons for levels 1–3 will be offered. A parent and child class has also been added for kids ages nine months to three years, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Jeanette Gant told the Carpinteria City Council on Monday. A parent or guardian must join their child at this class.

All lessons will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 3:40 p.m. Registration for the Sunday lessons closes on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. Learn more online at cityofcarp.co/SwimLessons.

In August, the city ran 23 classes on Sundays with five instructors: seven group lessons and 16 private lessons. Thirty-six people participated, ranging in ages from three to 45 years old, Gant said.

Summerland Beautiful board welcomes three new members

Three residents have joined the board of Summerland Beautiful, a nonprofit that preserves Summerland’s charm and nature: Tracy Gunn, Crescent LoMonaco and Andrea Gruber.

Gunn is the manager of Porch Summerland. She was born and raised in Southern California before moving to Hawaii in her late teens; she lived there for 30 years, where she worked as the special events and restaurant manager for the Honolulu Museum of Art, before returning to California and settling in Summerland.

LoMonaco is a longtime Summerland resident, business owner, editor and artist. She has served on several local boards, including the Carpinteria Parking and Business Improvement Advisory Board, the California Avocado Festival, and the Chamber of Commerce. Her husband is Carpinteria Summerland Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Mike LoMonaco; they have one child enrolled at Carpinteria High School. Gruber works in public relations, marketing and special events. Gruber, who has a bachelor of arts in English and communications from the University of California, Los Angeles, grew up in Santa Barbara before leaving for Los Angeles for 20 years and returning to Summerland in 2021. She worked in public relations at The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., and today is involved with organizations including Heal the Ocean, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, and the Surfrider Foundation.

All three said they are honored to join the board.

Summerland Beautiful Board President D’Arcy Cornwall said the nonprofit is thrilled to welcome the three women. The all-volunteer nonprofit was founded in 2019.

“(...) Each brings unique experience and skills to our vibrant organization,” Cornwall said in a press release sent out last week. “Their dedication will undoubtedly strengthen our mission to protect, revive and beautify our town.”

Other board members include Elizabeth A. Winterhaler as treasurer, Penny Mathison as secretary, and Sharon Curry as member at large.

Board members will be present at Summerland Beautiful’s annual potluck, scheduled for Sept. 4, 5:30–7:30 p.m., at Lookout Park in Summerland. Locals can meet neighbors, bring a dish, and play bocce ball, ping pong and cornhole.

Learn more online at summerlandbeautiful.org or by emailing info@summerlandbeautiful.org.

Temporary homes needed for 50+ dogs as Animal Services undergoes construction

Santa Barbara County Animal Services is looking for community members to temporarily foster or adopt — roughly 50 dogs now through Sept. 30.

The Lompoc shelter at 1501 W. Central Ave. is getting a fresh coat of paint, and the shelter’s Goleta location at 5473 Overpass Road will soon welcome new enriching spaces for dogs through an ASPCA and Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation grant. These new spaces will expand playground opportunities and reduce dogs’ stress, according to a press release from the county sent out last week.

While both locations undergo construction, the Lompoc shelter will temporarily decrease capacity to 20 dogs, and Goleta to 30 dogs.

is available for foster or adoption through Santa Barbara County Animal Services.

“This is a unique moment where the community can directly help us improve the quality of life for shelter dogs — both now and for years to come,” Sarah Aguilar, Animal Services director, said. “By fostering or adopting this month, you’re not just helping one dog — you’re helping us create better spaces for every dog who comes through our doors.”

See all available dogs online at sbcanimalservices.org.

Due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, Sept. 1, trash, recycling and yard/organics waste will be collected one day later than usual, on Friday, Sept. 5 in the City of Carpinteria. Thank you and Happy Holiday E. J. Harrison & Sons 805-647-1414

Behind the bar at Linden Square’s Dart Coffee are Isaac Rumohr and manager Sera Quinteros.

From left, Crescent LoMonaco, Andrea Gruber and Tracy Gunn.

SPENCE

Two-year-old Biscuit

Avenue Bridge Project are some of the few that have received partial funding and precedential actions to prepare for construction.

BRIEFLY

Thursday, Dec. 19

CALENDAR

Additionally, the Living Shoreline project has been partially funded, with all environmental work costs covered. The project will address coastal erosion and coastal floodingmitigation; it also includes the relocation of the Linden lifeguard tower and improvements to Ash and Linden parking lots.

AgeWell Senior Program: Veterans Morning Meet Up Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 8:30–10 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279

“Having a priorities list helps us seek funding,” Environmental Program Manager Erin Maker told the council. City Manager Ramirez agreed, explaining that Congressman Salud Carbajal advised

English Language Conversation Group/Grupo de Conversaciónen

Inglés Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 8:30 a.m. For ESL students. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

One-on-One Tech Help Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.carpinterialibrary. org, (805) 684-4314

AgeWell Senior Program: Zumba Gold Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 11 a.m. – noon. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Carpinteria Creative Arts Eighth Street and Linden Avenue. 2:30–6 p.m. Handmade pottery, beach art, cards, jewelry and sewn articles. (805) 698-4536

the city several weeks ago to have plans and responding to the Community Pool

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria,

prioritize improving accessibility within the Veterans Memorial Campus, Library and El Carro Park Playground.

A man was identified as the suspect in a July Carpinteria cannabis farm burglary because of his orange shoes, police said this week.

Sunday, Dec. 22

COURTESY PHOTOS

––Liv Klein

AgeWell Senior Program: Creative Studies Veterans Hall Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 1–2:30 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

SCE gives out supplies at Veterans Hall

Live Music: Morganfield Burnett Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6–9 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805) 745-8272

Unique shoes help identify suspect in cannabis farm burglary

Live Music: Bobby, Finn & Dave Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 6–9 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

Saturday, Dec. 21

Carpinteria Farmers Market 800 block of Linden Ave. Thursdays, 3–6:30 p.m.

David Stephens, 58, of Carpinteria was arrested Monday in connection with a July burglary of a Carpinteria cannabis farm.

Southern California Edison (SCE) set up at Carpinteria’s Veterans Hall on Wednesday, giving out kits with LED bulbs, solar chargers and sanitizer packs to those affected by recent power outages. These Community ResourceCenters—where community members can also charge their mobile devicesandsign up for alerts— are set up in areas most likely to experience Public Safety Shut Offs, per SCE.

Salt Marsh Nature Park Docent Tours Meet at the entrance across from the corner of Sandyland and Ash Avenue. 10 a.m. – noon. Free. (805) 886-4382

Stephens was arrested on the 3900 block of State Street on Monday around 8:30 a.m. He was found in possession of burglary tools and a stolen bicycle from Isla Vista.

The Juniors Under 17 heat paddles out during the January 2024 Rincon Classic.

City departments closed Thursday, Friday

In other city news…

941 Walnut Ave. 1–1:45 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Chaney Avenue Emergency Repair project authorized

Dungeons & Dragons Club for Tweens Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3–4:45 p.m. Every Thursday. Full. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

Live Music: Soﬁa Guerra Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 6–9 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

Holiday Performance: “Lime Creek” Spoken Word Veterans Memorial Building, 941 WalnutAve. 2–3:30 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279

Rincon Classic registration opens Sunday

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) deputies responded to a cannabis farm on the 5800 block of Via Real on July 21 for a report of a burglary that happened two days prior. The suspect wearing bright orange wrestling shoes — stole 30 pounds of cannabis, a generator, growing lighting and a utility terrain vehicle. Patrol deputies recognized the shoes from prior interactions with Stephens.

Carpinteria’s Community Resource Center will be open through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Another center in Goleta at the Residence Inn, at 6350 Hollister Ave., will also be open through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Live Music: Dusty Strings Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6–9 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805) 745-8272

“Most of the property stolen from the cannabis farm is presumed destroyed; however, the stolen UTV has not yet been recovered. The stolen bicycle was returned to the owner,” SBSO spokesperson Raquel Zick said on Tuesday.

Registration for the 2025 Rincon Classic opens Sunday, Dec. 1 and closes Dec. 31. The waiting period for the annual classic, put on each year by Surf Happens, is Jan. 11 – Feb. 16 , 2025.

Open Mic Night brewLAB, 4191 Carpinteria Ave., #8. 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Beau James Wilding. Every third Thursday of the month. Message @brewlabcraft, @beaujameswilding on Instagram

See more online at sce.com/outage-center/customer-resources-and-support/ community-resource-centers.

Live Music: The Coveralls Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 6–9 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

This will be the contest’s 44th year, and the 25th year since Surf Happens took over. It was founded in 1979 by Roger Nance, Jeﬀ White and a crew of local surfers. It ran for 17 consecutive years before pausing in 1996, and was revived in 2001 by Chris Keet and Surf Happens.

Live Music: Bob Schetter Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 2–5 p.m. islandbrewingcompany.com, (805) 745-8272

AgeWell Senior Program: Mind Games Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 2–3 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

The city of Carpinteria’s community pool, city hall, AgeWell programming and library will be closed on Thursday and Friday due to the Thanksgiving holiday, city staﬀ said Monday.

On Monday night, the Carpinteria City Council unanimously authorized the Chaney Avenue Emergency Repair Project and approved the not-to-exceed budget of $358,000. Mayor Natalia Alarcon was absent.

Early Music Concert: Medieval and Renaissance Music Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 4 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

Dancing with Santa Gordo On the rooftop of Dirt Botanicals, 3815 Santa Claus Lane. 5–8:30 p.m.

The community pool will reopen on Saturday, while the library will reopen on Monday, Dec. 2. “These temporary closures allow our staﬀto enjoy the holiday period while ensuring services resume promptly afterward,” City Manager Michael Ramirez wrote in the city manager’s report presented to the Carpinteria City Council on Monday.

During spring 2024, a considerable amount of groundwater was observed on the roadway of Chaney Avenue where it meets Highway 101 and Aragon Drive.

Live Music: The Neighbors Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 5:30–8:30 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

Monday, Dec. 23

Tuesday, Dec. 24

Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center 865 Linden Ave., Carpinteria

According to a city engineer’s inspection, it is not common for this considerable amount of groundwater to seep through street pavement. In order to maintain the structural integrity of the existing street infrastructure, including both the sidewalks, gutters, and road pavement, but also underground facilities related to electricity, water, and natural gas, city staff advised council to authorize the repair plans and costs for Chaney Avenue.

Holiday: Christmas Eve

Wednesday, Dec. 25

6:00-7:00 pm

Holiday: Christmas Day

AgeWell Senior Program: Line Dancing Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 10:30–11:30 a.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

ONGOING

“Ponding water can degrade the pavement over time and create a slip-and-fall hazard,” Environmental Program Manager Erin Maker told the council.

Monday Mahjong All levels of play. 1 p.m. (805) 729-1310

Council designates

AgeWell Senior Program: Holistic Movement Veterans Memorial Building,

AgeWell, AHA!, Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA), Carpinteria Children’s Project, Carpinteria Community Library, CommUnify, Compassionate Care of Carpinteria, Carpinteria Senior Citizens Inc., Family Service Agency (FSA), HopeNet of Carpinteria, Hospice of Santa Barbara, SB County Behavioral Wellness, SB County Public Health and YouthWell. Bilingual therapists and Spanish translation will be available. Mental Health & Wellness Faire

January

2025 Human Trafficking Awareness Month

7:00-8:00 pm Annual Candlelight Vigil

Staff presented a grand cost proposal of $358,000 for the project, with construction and inspection costs from Toro Enterprises and Filippin Engineering.

On Monday night, the Carpinteria City Council designated January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in the city of Carpinteria.

In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day

We honor and remember those who have died by suicide, survivors, and those affected by suicide. We strive to increase awareness and sensitivity about suicide and suicide prevention. Program includes speakers, resources, candles and refreshments.

Since 2017, there have been 269 human trafficking investigations within Santa Barbara County.Almost halfofthe survivorswereidentifiedascounty residents,staffsaid.

In recent years, the risk factors for human trafficking have grown exponentially for a number of reasons, according to Tiffany Carty, Victim Witness Supervisor with the Santa Barbara County District Office.

Stay updated or sign up online at rinconclassic.com.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Call/Text/Chat)

Crew members work on slope paving, new sidewalks, curbs and gutters and drainage improvements at the South Padaro Lane Undercrossing.

“Human trafficking awareness month is a time when we have the ability to bring attention to the reality of human trafficking within our own community,” Carty said. “People often think of human trafficking as something that happens out there in larger cities, without realizing that our neighbors, friends and at-risk youth in our own backyards are frequently exposed to the pain of this trauma.”

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and conﬁdential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.

Crews focus on landscaping in Summerland, grinding pavement near Padaro

The Santa Barbara Human Trafficking Task Force — a multidisciplinary coalition of law enforcement agencies, community service providers, community advocates and a District Attorney Victim Witness Program — provides training, public outreach, survivor centered services and other supporting tools to prevent and decrease human trafficking locally.

He has been charged with burglary, grand theft, vandalism and possession of burglary tools. His bail is $502,500. ––Evelyn Spence online. community. news.

Between Nov. 4 and Dec. 7, construction crews are focusing on landscaping in Summerland, with planting and mulching along Wallace Avenue and Via Real, and grinding pavement in the Padaro Lane segment, to improve traction and long-term noise reduction. Night noise should be expected.

“Please know that our task force is always at-the-ready to provide prevention and awareness training at any local sights,” Carty shared with the council.

TheSantaBarbaraHuman Trafficking Task Forceinvitesresidentsandcommunity members of Carpinteria to join their in-person vigil for freedom on Wednesday Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. in De La Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara.

Senior Nutrition Program Carpinteria Veterans Hall, 941 WalnutAve. Monday–Friday, 12:15 p.m. No cost for seniors ages 60+. (805) 925-9554, meals@ centralcoastseniors.org @

––Liv Klein

For closures on the northbound Highway 101, on Sunday nights between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., one lane between Santa Monica Road and Lillie Avenue, as well as the onand oﬀ-ramps at North Padaro Lane and South Padaro Lane will be closed non-consecutively. Those same areas are closed Monday – Thursday nights, 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.

John Villar Real Estate Representation • DRE #OO855771 Sell

KARLSSON

Supes decrease Carpinteria cannabis acreage cap

BY LIV KLEIN

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors last week voted to reduce the Carpinteria Valley’s acreage cap by 52 acres, bringing the cap down to 134 acres.

As of February, 120 acres of cannabis are being cultivated in the Carpinteria Valley, Daisy Weber, representative from First District Supervisor Roy Lee’s office, told the Carpinteria City Council on Monday.

Effective April 2026, all cannabis operators must install carbon scrubbers, which clean up most of the cannabis smell before it leaves a greenhouse. Cannabis farmers who miss this deadline may lose their county licenses. Freelance reporter Melinda Burns reported in March that of the 19 farms currently

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Email event listings to news@coastalview.com

cultivating, seven have carbon scrubbers in their greenhouses.

Enforcing scrubbers is the board’s number one plan to address the cannabis-related odor issue near cultivation sites, Weber said on Monday.

“(County Planning & Development is) doing a better job of using their inspection teams to monitor the growers, to inspect the greenhouses, to make sure their odor abatement plans are in place, and that — if they have the equipment — it is in use,” Weber told the council.

Weber said the county’s goal is to get cannabis odor down by 80% in the Carpinteria Valley by spring of next year. “The scrubbers are going to be important,” Weber said, adding that P&D is currently trying to identify odor hot spots.

TThe Coastal Commission is expected to review several properties the

Supervisors rezoned back in May, including Carpinteria Valley

Wingerden 2 and Bailard Avenue.

Rezoned county properties remain in Coastal Commission hands

BY LIV KLEIN

The Coastal Commission is expected to review rezones of Carpinteria Valley properties for high density housing later this fall, per Daisy Weber, a representative from Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Roy Lee’s office.

Back in May, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to rezone three properties in the Carpinteria Valley — Van Wingerden 1, Van Wingerden 2 and Bailard Avenue — for high density housing as part of the Santa Barbara County Housing Element.

The Bailard Avenue property, at 1101 and 1103 Bailard Avenue, was originally zoned as single-family residential.

The Bailard property has an active project application: the seven-acre Red Tail Multifamily Housing Development. Preliminary plans reviewed in 2023 show plans for six apartment buildings with 132 market-rate units and one apartment building with 49 affordable housing units and one manager’s unit. This is a

builder’s remedy project; because it was submitted before the county’s housing element was certified, the developer can bypass certain design standards in exchange for offering affordable units.

County Planning & Development staff confirmed to Coastal View News that after a county review of the application, it was determined inconsistent with applicable ordinances and policies.

The developers are likely to resubmit under the new zoning once the Coastal Commission reviews the rezone, staff said.

Both Van Wingerden 1 and Van Wingerden 2 were originally zoned for agriculture. The 15-acre Van Wingerden 1 property, at 4098 Via Real, was rezoned by supervisors for 118 units of lower-income housing, 59 units of moderate-income housing and 59 units of above-moderate income housing. The nine-acre Van Wingerden 2 property at 4711 Foothill Road was rezoned for 90 units of lower-income housing, 45 units of moderate-income housing and 45 units of above-moderate income housing.

The county is still waiting on development applications for both properties, Weber said.

The county is also reviewing a fourth Carpinteria Valley property on Cravens Lane, an active builder’s remedy project. The application, which was deemed incomplete, has a proposed 46 units. Weber told the council she plans to return with more information about the Cravens Lane project.

Councilmembers on Monday expressed concern with the board’s rezoning decision. If all of the proposed county and city housing projects are built, the population of the Carpinteria Valley could double by the next housing element, Councilmember Wade Nomura pointed out.

“(...) we could potentially double the size of the Carpinteria population at the end of this Housing Element. And that means that if the city is going to be responsible for payment of all the infrastructure, we need to at least be able to address this,” Nomura said.

SPENCE FILE PHOTO

Cannabis plants at an Autumn Brands operation in March.

COURTESY GRAPHIC

Santa Barbara County Board of

properties known as Van Wingerden 1, Van

City approval of Chevron decommissioning project appealed

BY LIV KLEIN

The Chevron Carpinteria Oil & Gas Facilities decommissioning and remediation project, which was approved by the city’s Planning Commission in May and reaﬃrmed by the city council in July, was appealed by a member of the public, putting the project on hold.

Coastal Commission staﬀ are currently reviewing the appeal and anticipate scheduling a public hearing in the near future, Carpinteria city staff said this week.

Per the city manager’s report, city staﬀ will continue to monitor the appeal while also reviewing the required mitigation plans and permit application materials. It is expected that the project could start later this year.

Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs President Patrick Crooks told the council during the public comment portion of the meeting that the appeal is intended to realign the project with the city’s General Plan.

“Instead of a Planned Unit Development land use designation that the community does not support and before this General and Local Coastal Plan update proceeds to the next steps, we would encourage city council to redirect staﬀ to change this designation of the Chevron parcels to open-space recreation to be more consistent with the General Plan and more compatible with the community vision of protecting coastal resources as the priority of the Coastal Act,” Crooks said.

The Carpinteria oil and gas facility, originally built in the 1950s to handle offshore production from the Summerland oil ﬁeld, has been inactive since 2017. Under the current project plan, all equipment, pipelines and structures will be removed, and the impacted soil underneath will be remediated.

Homeless contacts down, but number of encampments increase

BY LIV KLEIN

The city of Carpinteria’s Code Compliance division made 30 homelessness-related contacts during the 2024-25 ﬁscal year, while local law enforcement logged 433 calls for homelessness-related matters during that same period. Of those 433 calls, 190 resulted in ﬁled police reports, and 129 resulted in arrests.

Both law enforcement calls and Code Compliance contacts went down from the previous year, but remained relatively in line with past trends, Code Compliance Supervisor David Hernandez told the council on Monday. In 2023-24, code compliance officers made 53 contacts and law enforcement oﬃcers responded to 538 calls; of those, 257 reports and 195 arrests were made.

However, staff reported cleaning up 53 different homeless encampments, up from 32 cleanups in the prior year. Most of these were located along the Carpinteria Creek bike path, near the railroad tracks, or in the Bluffs preserve.

Per the city staﬀ report, “...many of the calls to law enforcement involve recurring contacts with a small number of individuals that are resistant to receiving services, and that reestablish encampments in or around the same area repeatedly.”

This year’s Point in Time Count (PIT) — an annual county-wide count conducted on a single night in January to measure Santa Barbara County’s homeless population — reported 2,436 persons experiencing homelessness countywide. This represents a 14.96% increase from the previous year.

Of that count, 58 are experiencing homelessness within the city of Carpinteria, up from last year by 16.

According to New Beginnings Coun-

Staff reported cleaning up 53 different homeless encampments, up from 32 cleanups in the prior year. Most of these were located along the Carpinteria Creek bike path, near the railroad tracks, or in the Bluffs preserve.

seling Center, a nonproﬁt in Santa Barbara that provides services to help people experiencing homelessness transition into permit housing, the PIT count showed a 38% increase in Carpinteria’s homeless population this year — one of the steepest increases in the county.

However, the city’s unsheltered count was relatively low, at seven reported persons. Other homeless contacts were made with people living in their cars.

Additionally, PIT data showed that the number of people countywide living in shelters has increased by 61%, while the number of people living unsheltered has decreased by 25% since 2022.

Currently, the city of Carpinteria oﬀers a lunch program that provides weekly lunches along with services from a county drug and alcohol specialist, the county’s Behavioral Wellness, Good Samaritan — the regional homeless services entity — City Net, and New Beginnings, among others. This year, the program served 1,350 guests, a 250 person increase from last year.

New Beginnings continues to expand its Safe Parking Program, which provides monitored, confidential parking lots where individuals and families living in their vehicles can safely rest, access supportive services and transition back

David Patrick Roach 12/10/1965 — 08/02/2025

David Patrick Roach passed away peacefully at home in the early hours of Aug. 2, 2025, in Omaha, Neb., after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of cancer. He was 59 years old. He was born on Dec. 10, 1965.

David helped form the band Junkyard and traveled the world. They wrote several albums and achieved much success. David spent many years living here in Carpinteria, helping me raise our awesome son Ray, who very fortunately inherited his artistic talents.

David was more than a musician — he was a true artist. Whether on stage, on canvas, or in conversation, he brought creativity, intelligence, a lightning-fast wit and a huge heart. He was absolutely hilarious and loved by anyone who knew him.

David is survived by his beloved wife, Jennifer, whom he married just two weeks before his passing in a hospital ceremony that brought him peace. The ceremony was oﬃciated by his sister Courtenay. He leaves behind his son Ray; his siblings Megan, Pat and Courtenay; and a cherished group of nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts. Though he wrestled with inner battles — as many gifted, creative souls do — David’s life was rich with love, friendship, art, and purpose. He found profound joy in his ﬁnal days, surrounded by those who knew his heart.

Previously published obituaries may be read online at coastalview.com

into stable housing.

Since oﬃcially launching back in 2023, the program has doubled its spaces to 12, serving 47 individuals and successfully housing 21.

“Safe Parking has enjoyed fruitful partnerships in serving and housing Carpinteria members experiencing vehicular homelessness. Our staﬀ provide intensive case management services to clients to connect them to resources, increase their income, and transition them into housing,” Safe Parking Program Director Cassie Roach told Coastal View News on Wednesday.

Additionally, countywide eﬀorts are showing positive responses, staﬀ said on Monday.

Within the ﬁrst year of California Encampment Resolution Funding (CERF) — a grant program that provides funding to jurisdictions to help transition people from homeless encampments to housing and services — 151 homeless individuals were connected to services.

Two new interim housing facilities within the county served 359 people this year and assisted 56 individuals in ﬁnding permanent housing.

According to the Assistant Director for Santa Barbara County Housing and Community Development Joseph Dzvon-

Holy spirit, you who made me see everything and showed me the way to reach my ideals. You who gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I thank you for everything and conﬁrm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Thank you for your love towards me and my loved ones. Amen

Persons must pray the prayer 3 consecutive days without asking the wish. After 3rd day the wish will be granted no matter how difﬁcult it may be. Promise to publish this dialogue as soon as favor is granted. Thank you.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Advertisement

ik, homelessness across the entire Santa Barbara County continues to rise, but remains within an approachable margin. Dzvonik reported that data from this year’s PIT and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) show that the number of people experiencing homelessness represents about 1% of the total county population.

“I do not say this to minimize the issue in any way — or the trauma and suffering associated with it — I only say this to generate the perspective that this is an issue that we can address, one that is not beyond our ability to affect, and we want to hold the line at this 1% and then figure out new ways to drive it down even further,” Dzvonik said.

COURTESY GRAPHIC

What happens when

Fraudulent

BY EVELYN SPENCE

An envelope filled with $20,000, handed directly to a stranger who told a woman she had a virus on her computer.

Forty thousand dollars in cash, given to someone impersonating a federal agent.

Over $200,000 wired to a person who claimed they were helping a woman from a country in East Africa.

Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, sent online to an unknown person through a cryptocurrency platform.

Twenty thousand dollars given to a stranger in the Albertson’s grocery store parking lot.

For an RV that never arrived, $40,000.

Money scams — often preying on Carpinteria’s elderly residents — are a growing and pressing problem.

Between January and mid-August of this year, 20 money scams in Carpinteria were reported to local police, compared to 24 in 2024 and seven in 2023. The actual number of scams occurring locally is likely higher, Lieutenant Rich Brittingham, the chief of police services for Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) Coastal Division, told Coastal View News These incidents are often underreported because the victims are embarrassed, he said.

“I am seeing a vast amount of our community members getting scammed,” Lt. Brittingham told Coastal View News last month. “It’s so easy (for scammers) to reach out to people. Phone calls, text message, social media, email. It’s so easy to just hit a couple buttons and reach thousands of people.”

In the incidents described above and below — pulled from Commander’s Recap reports published in Coastal View News between April 2023 and July 2025 and verbal reports given to the Carpinteria City Council — locals have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It starts like this.

You click on a strange link in your email inbox, a pop-up window opens on a website, or perhaps you get a phone call or an odd text message, all offering an imaginary problem. A “relative” needs money to bail themselves out of jail. A person posing as a police officer says there’s a warrant out for your arrest. (The Sheriff’s Office will never ask for payment over the phone, request gift cards, or threaten to arrest people for unpaid fines, police reminded residents in a press release sent out last week.) Someone claiming to be from a cartel says they will hurt you or your family if you don’t send them money. A person who says they’re from your bank or the federal government tells you your identity has been stolen.

In May of this year, one suspect scammed a resident out of $20,000 after a pop-up screen on the internet told the woman her identity and bank accounts were stolen. They said she needed to pull out her money and put it in a “security box” to keep it safe.

The victim went to her bank, withdrew $20,000, and met the scammer at the Alberton’s grocery store parking lot. After the suspect told her the code word “Mission Impossible,” they took the money and drove away.

Another resident in April of this year also lost $20,000 to two unknown men in a parking lot for a business on Carpinteria Avenue after she received a phone call stating her bank account had been hacked. The caller told her she needed to withdraw her cash immediately to “keep it safe.”

Most recently, one Carpinteria man reported to the police this month that he fell for an online scam and sent $350,000 to an unknown person through Coinbase, a cryptocurrency platform.

a stranger asks for thousands of dollars?

phone calls, money scams are on the rise, police say

”These scammers prey upon people’s situations or emotions. They’ll manipulate emotions by creating scenarios that bypass rational thought, leading people to act against their own best interests.”

SBSO Lt. Rich Brittingham

At times, scammers will use the real names or images of police officers or government officials, or spoof phone numbers — changing their caller ID — to make it seem as though they’re calling from phone numbers that ordinarily could be trusted.

In March, a scammer claiming to be with the U.S. Marshals Service told an 80-year-old resident her identity was stolen and “associated with illicit purchases.” A second scammer, using a spoofed number that appeared to be from the city of Carpinteria, supported the first man’s claim. They said they needed her to withdraw funds from her bank and give it to them to secure in the U.S. Federal Reserve.

She gave them $40,000 in cash.

Another scammer, using the images of a real police sergeant from the state of Indiana, stole $200,000 from one man between April and August of 2023. The unknown suspect, using the name “Williams Noronha,” told a local man that a woman wanted to come to the United States from the Republic of Mauritius, a country in East Africa, and needed money to do so.

The victim sent payments for months before he ran out of money. He then confided in a friend, who told him he had been scammed.

If the opportunity presents itself, scammers will come directly to a person’s home.

One resident in June received a notice on her computer stating she had a virus. A scammer, who gave the name “James Allen,” told her to withdraw $20,000 to fix the issue. A person came to her home that evening and collected the money she had placed in an envelope.

“These scammers prey upon people’s situations or emotions. They’ll manipulate emotions by creating scenarios that bypass rational thought, leading people to act against their own best interests,”

Lt. Brittingham said.

“(...) it’s happening a lot. The people that are doing this are professionals. They know how to manipulate your emotions. Even if you’re somewhat aware of it, you can still fall into it.”

It’s that sense of urgency that often flusters folks, Lt. Brittingham said. If you get a strange phone call and begin to feel pressured, “hang up. Call somebody — a friend, the bank, or call the police department or Sheriff’s Office,” he continued.

Other scammers targeting locals use websites such as Craigslist to offer goods or services that don’t exist.

In June 2023, one Carpinteria resident was scammed out of $3,700 through a Craigslist advertisement after handing over money for a rental property. Another, in August 2023, wired $40,000 to a person who said they were selling an RV, also through Craigslist; the RV never arrived. This year, in February, one victim transferred $150 to a person who told them they could view a rental property.

(Never send money before seeing a rental property, the Santa Barbara County Housing and Community Development Division reminds residents, even if the person offers to refund the money if you don’t like the property.)

If someone falls victim to a scam, they should call their bank and reach out to law enforcement through the non-emergency number or in person to make a report. The Sheriff’s Office Communications Center can be reached at (805) 683-2724, and the SBSO Coastal Division is located at the Carpinteria City Hall campus at 5775 Carpinteria Ave.

Locals concerned about getting scammed should be proactive, Lt. Brittingham said.

“Talk with your family members, especially if you’re a younger person and you have elderly parents, aunts or uncles.

In a press release sent out last week, police said there has been an increase in fraudulent phone calls, and reminded residents not to send money if they receive a suspicious call.

Pre-warn them of the potential that something like this could happen, and if it ever does, (tell) them to reach out,” he said. “If it sounds too good to be true, or if you’re feeling pressured or uneasy, hang up and call somebody.”

Sometimes, residents are lucky and stop just short of handing over thousands of dollars, like one would-be Carpinteria victim in August 2024.

Three unknown suspects wired $25,000 to a local woman and told her to cash $24,000 to “remove a fraudulent computer program,” according to a summary of the incident from SBSO. The suspects had arranged a time to pick up the money from the woman but were spooked after hearing another person in her residence.

The victim called 911, and deputies helped guide her through the process of returning the money at her bank.

But some people aren’t as lucky. As far as Lt. Brittingham is aware, no one who has fallen for these scams locally in Carpinteria has gotten their money back.

“(Scammers) send hundreds and hundreds of calls out there, and the majority of people just hang up,” he said. “But if you get just that one person, you can potentially get hundreds of thousands of dollars — especially elderly people who are in situations where they’re lonely and these things just become believable because that’s what they want to believe.”

SPENCE

In May, one scam victim met a stranger in the Casitas Plaza parking lot — pictured here in late August — after they claimed her identity and bank accounts were stolen and she needed to pull her money out to keep it safe. She lost $20,000.

COURTESY GRAPHIC

CAPP is too great a burden

Regarding CAPP, the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project. I finally figured out why I feel so dubious about funding this huge undertaking. Carpinteria is a town of 14,000 residents, yet we are being asked to fund this enormous project. This would be financially burdensome for even a city like Santa Barbara or Ventura. My question is, why? Why does Carpinteria even have its own Water District? If it is for agriculture, then they should be footing the bill for this upgrade. I live alone, I don’t excessively use water. My water bill last month was $230. It was $120 this time last year. Again I say, we are 14,000 residents!

This is too great a burden to place upon us.

Teresa Peacock Carpinteria

Relocate well from residential neighborhood

Coastal View News features articles about CAPP, a project of the Carpinteria Valley Water District. CAPP involves capturing groundwater runoff and injecting it back into the water table. This is a great project and I and the people with whom I have spoken agree it is a good idea. However, the project as currently planned inflicts significant costs on nearby neighbors. What the news does not mention is that the construction of the injection wells where water will be pumped into the ground require extremely loud drilling, 24/7, for months (apparently, if drilling stops, the well will collapse).

LETTERS

“Carpinteria

is a town of 14,000 residents, yet we are being asked to fund this enormous project. This would be financially burdensome for even a city like Santa Barbara or Ventura. My question is, why?”

— Teresa Peacock

Helmets protect during accidents

No one wakes up and says, “Today I’m going to crash on my skateboard or wipe out on my bike.” But accidents happen! And when they do, a helmet can be the one thing that keeps a minor crash from becoming something way worse!

Carpinteria is an incredible place to ride a bike or skateboard. Our small town allows kids and adults to commute by bike and skateboard pretty much anywhere in town. What incredible freedom and fun!

The reality of riding bikes is that we share the road with motor vehicles and one wrong move, or one distracted driver can change everything in a second. That’s why wearing a helmet matters.

One injection well will be at the Catholic Church on Linden Avenue. The other well was originally sited at the LDS Church, but they declined to participate. So, the water district decided to put the injection site on the sidewalk easement on Meadow View Lane, adjoining the church parking lot.

Our community backs onto Meadow View Lane. Several houses in the community would be little more than 50 feet from the construction site. The noise from the drilling will register at 85 decibels, a level known to cause hearing damage. The project’s solution to this nuisance is to build a 24-foot wall around the drill, but that will decrease the sound level by only 10 decibels. Apparently, relocating this well is possible but expensive.

I do not want to be NIMBY, but it is not reasonable to put this kind of nuisance in a residential neighborhood. Meadow View Lane perhaps does not look like a residential street because of the LDS

church parking lot and the fact that our homes back onto it rather than face it. But it is a residential street, and it is unfair to impose this public burden on us when it can be located elsewhere.

Carrie Miles Carpinteria

WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Even the best skaters and cyclists fall, and professionals wear helmets because they know the risks. Wearing a helmet means we can get back up and keep riding tomorrow. Helmets are rad!

Carpinteria City

Councilmember Julia Mayer Carpinteria

CoastalView.com

CoastalView .com

Coastal View News welcomes your letters Letters must include your name, address and phone number. Letters are subject to editing. Letters over 300 words will be edited in length. Submit online at coastalview.com

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SCHOOL NOTES

COMPILED BY JUN STARKEY | COURTESY PHOTOS

FFA leader is county’s 2026 Distinguished New Educator

Carpinteria High School teacher and leader of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program Emily Garcia has been selected as a 2026 Distinguished New Educator by the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO).

“Ms. Garcia is a profoundly compassionate educator who consistently seeks opportunities to broaden her students’ horizons,” CHS Principal Gerardo Cornejo told the SBCEO. “Her innate ability to connect with students and ignite their curiosity is clearly evident in the thoughtful lessons and activities she meticulously prepares.”

SBECO said Garcia has transformed CHS’ agriculture program in her two years there.

Carpinteria High School teacher

“As the school’s sole agriculture teacher and Future Farmers of America advisor, she develops engaging, hands-on lessons that integrate Career Technical Education and science standards, while coaching multiple student leadership and competition teams. Her commitment extends beyond the classroom, from early mornings at the school farm to securing community partnerships that expand student opportunities,” SBECO representatives said.

Garcia will be honored at the 12th annual A Salute to Teachers gala on Oct. 25.

Students stock up on back-to-school supplies at Girls Inc.

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted its Back to School and Community Resilience Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 19, where 112 students took home school supplies ahead of school year. The event also included dinner, kids’ activities and resources from local organizations.

Local organizations that attended the event included the Red Cross, the city of Carpinteria, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, Community Environmental Council, Carpinteria Children’s Project, Fire Safe Council, B-Well, Tri-County Regional Center, AgeWell of Carpinteria, Carpinteria Community Library, Carpinteria Aquatics Team, and Reliant Notary Services.

The event was supported by Farmers & Merchants Bank, Lynda Fairly, and the city of Carpinteria, Girls Inc. representatives said.

Coastal Family Preschool expands infant, toddler programs

The Coastal Family Preschool, which operates out of the Family Baptist Church of Carpinteria, has expanded its classrooms after receiving a grant from United Way. The preschool will now be able to accommodate additional infants and toddlers, school representatives told Coastal View News this week.

The Coastal Family Preschool includes three classrooms for preschool and pre-kindergarten. Due to the $15,000 grant, the preschool was able to expand its infant and toddler classrooms to accommodate 25 students, according to Brittney Grimshaw, director of the preschool.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue serving Carpinteria families with quality early education,” Grimshaw said.

Emily Garcia

The Coastal Family Preschool has expanded its infant and toddler programs to accommodate up to 25 students, thanks to a recent grant.

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s College and Career Coordinator Johanna Valdez helps students Arlet and Marlen Quintero pick out supplies at the Back to School and Community Resilience Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Hey, baby!

Davey Rollin Haag

Davey Rollin Haag was born on May 29, 2025, to Samuel and Erica (Konieczny) Haag in Beaverton, Oregon. He arrived at 7 pounds, 5 ounces, and 20 inches long.

COMMANDER’S RECAP

Sunday, May 17

His grandparents are David and Alice Konieczny of Carpinteria and Chris and Kristi Haag of Beaverton, Oregon. His great-grandparents are Larry Ternes, Sr. of Bismarck, North Dakota; Bobbi Konieczny of Goleta, California; and Doris Marie Haag-Cupp of Salem, Oregon.

9:54 a.m. / Unregistered Firearm / 1400 block Sterling Avenue

“We didn’t know our hearts could hold more, but when our second grandchild arrived, he leapt right into our hearts, ﬁlling them with even more joy and love,” his grandmother, Alice, told Coastal View News.

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 Office property department for safekeeping.

11:44 a.m. / Misdemeanor Hit and Run / 6500 block Rincon Road

hit and run call, but the male subject ﬂed 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.

2:12 p.m. / Narcotics / 4600 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.

3 p.m. / 015F / Linden Avenue and Malibu Drive

Malibu, then booked for safe keeping. The owner was not contacted.

Sunday, May 17

8 p.m. / Trespassing / 3200 block Via Real 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.

was recovered and booked into Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Ofﬁce property.

6:15 p.m. / Theft / 3200 block Via 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.

8:28 p.m. / Meth Possession / 1100 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.

10:12 p.m. / Weapon and Dope Violations / Hales Lane and Via Real

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.

3:38 a.m. / Dope Violations / 4100 block Via Real

A woman and man were in a vehicle with a stolen license plate, reported to

5 p.m. / Open Beer Violation / Linden Avenue and 9th Street session of an open container.

5 a.m. / Welfare Check / 2100 block Ortega Hill Road

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 North 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.

Monday, May 18

10:41 a.m. / Tossed Mail / Via Real and Carpinteria Creek Mail was found scattered off a county access road by a Caltrans site. The mail

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.

10:06 p.m. / Suspended License / Via Real and Vallecito Road

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 Burlene for making the Carpinteria Lumberyard Nursery area a joy to visit. “Her outgoing personality (Southern style), friendly conversation and plant knowledge make it a pleasure to visit and shop.”

A reader sends a halo to the Carpinteria Community Church Crafty Ladies for sharing their amazing skills and ﬁxing things.

A reader sends a halo to Summerland Beautiful for involving young people in picking up litter around the community.

A reader sends a halo to the generous person for paying for the reader’s gas when she forgot her ATM card at the gas station. “I’m sorry I chose the most expensive oil, I’d love to reimburse you, and thank you. I’m deeply moved by your generosity.”

A reader sends a halo to Sean and Dayna for being wonderful neighbors and helping the reader through another frazzled mom situation.

A reader sends a halo to the 93013 Fund, Uncle Chen Restaurant and Marybeth Carty for the surprise delivery of a delicious dinner complete with a fortune cookie, candy bar and painted rock. “Wonderful kindness and quite a thrill!”

Many readers send a halo to Rori’s Ice Cream for giving away free ice cream cones to seniors on Aug. 21. “Yum! Thank you very much!”

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 Jen Medina at CMS for organizing the cleanup of the middle school before the students returned.

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 Mayor Wade Nomura for the city’s beautiful ﬂower wreath at the Carpinteria Cemetery for the Memorial Day program.

A reader sends a halo to Louise Moore, who always sends the reader a thank you note when their name or picture is in Coastal View News for Carpinteria Beautiful. “Thank you back.”

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 Eddie Nesheim whose seagull guarding skills are unrivaled. “This gentleman protected our charcuterie like a knight in shining armor.”

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 postman who delivers on Maple Street. “He heard the smoke/ﬁre detector going oﬀ and checked on the occupant! Thank you for your kindness!”

A reader sends a halo to the Carpinteria Beautiful lady picking up trash in a neighborhood near the beach. “Thank you! We need all the help we can get keeping trash picked up in the neighborhoods on the beach-side of the tracks.”

A reader sends a halo to Kassandra Quintero at The Spot. “When the roof-top ﬂag 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 the Carpinteria Fire Station for sending help to disarm a smoke alarm. “So appreciated.”

A reader sends a halo to Emma and Justin. “It was a wonderful wedding, great food, spectacular location and great people! It was moving and wonderful.”

A reader sends a halo to Carpinterians who put out boxes in front of their homes full of surplus oranges, avocados, etc. from their trees. “Thank you for sharing your abundance.”

A reader sends a halo to Jose at Giovanni’s for delivering to this senior reader the best pizza they’ve ever had. “Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness.”

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. I had the best time! Someone get this girl a TV show, she should be on the Food Network already.”

A reader sends a pitchfork to parents who don’t watch their kids at the new establishment in town. “(Kids) partially destroy ﬂower arrangements, roughly grabbing merchandise, etc. Teach your kids to respect boundaries!”

A reader sends a halo to Diana, a caregiver at Carpinteria Senior Lodge for nearly three years.

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 parents who let their toddlers pee in public. “Ick!”

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 pitchfork to adults who take their kids to parks, stay glued to their phones and can’t take 30 seconds to help their child. “So disappointing.”

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 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 the city of Carpinteria for “ushering in an era where loud, impaired persons traverse our main drag — Linden Avenue — with open alcoholic containers in hand and seemingly without a second thought. On a recent weekend, I witnessed no fewer than three groups of ‘disabled’ young adults carrying boozy beverages and stumbling down the street next to families with toddlers and baby strollers. The ‘family-friendly’ scene was instantly transformed into something more than a little seedy.”

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.

Submit

suspended. The man was cited, and his vehicle was released to a licensed driver.

2:37 a.m. / Public Intoxication / Bailard 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 not being the most cooperative, but once he was convinced to exit the vehicle, a pat down search of his person was conducted. Deputies located a collapsible baton in the man’s front waistband. He was cited and both were released to a sober friend.

COMMANDER’S RECAP

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 Office property for destruction.

Saturday, May 23

5:49 a.m. / Domestic Violence / 4100 block Via Real

Friday, August 15

Friday, May 22

Saturday, August 16

1716 hrs / Incident / Salt Marsh

7:41 a.m. / Theft / 5500 block Calle Arena

1719 hrs / Assault / 5100 block Carpinteria Avenue

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 received a call of a ﬁght. A man approached the subject while he slept on a bench, and punched the subject multiple times on the head and face. The subject held onto his cane and used it in attempts to create space/block the man from hitting him further. The man forcefully removed the subject’s cane and brandished it as a weapon. The man then tossed the cane out of reach and proceeded to willfully punch the subject in the head and face, causing him substantial physical injury. The man was arrested, transported, and booked at the Santa Barbara County Main jail for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

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 conﬂicting statements regarding their mutual altercation and obvious injuries, both parties were arrested for corporal injury on a spouse.

10:36 a.m. / Hit and Run / Cameo and Casitas Pass roads

2:07 p.m. / Found Drugs / 6000 block Jacaranda Way

A man was contacted after reporting

Deputies responded to the Salt Marsh to investigate the report of a child screaming profanities. A subject was found with his child, who was having a behavioral episode. The subject was found to have an active warrant from Santa Barbara County. The suspect was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail without further incident. The child was released to his mother, who responded to the scene.

2128 hrs / Theft / 5400 block Granada Way

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 ﬂed 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 victim returned to her residence and found someone had forced entry through the glass door in the master bedroom. The unknown suspect(s) took several highly valuable items and personal documents. Forensics responded and processed the scene.

A fresh take on retro with Loveworn

BOSSES BY BOSTROM

INGRID BOSTROM

Loveworn, the one-of-a-kind local brand with a fresh take on retro, is breaking in their new space in the heart of downtown Carpinteria. Beloved business partners Jill Johnson and Wallace Piatt are the visionaries and operators of Loveworn, now open at 905 Linden Ave. Johnson speaks on her passion for entrepreneurship and offers tried and true business advice in the following interview with Coastal View News.

CVN: What is the backstory of Loveworn? How did you know it was time to expand to Carpinteria?

Johnson: I created Loveworn in 2017, inspired by an old warehouse near the beach in the early days of the Funk Zone. It was very gritty and creative and I had a vision that I knew was right for the time. I called my old retail partner, Wallace Piatt, from True Grit (a Santa Barbara staple in the ‘90s and early 2000s). His art career was really taking off, but he offered to help me with graphics and decor as it was another creative outlet for him. We worked hard on creating the space and the inventory. Everything fell into place, and the shop was a huge hit!

During the pandemic, I created the website shoploveworn.com, which was essential for the survival of the business and another outlet for creativity and in-

come. Post-pandemic, when everything was booming again, the Funk Zone got busier and busier, which was great, but as more tourists flooded in, I kept hearing complaints from my long-time local clients that it was just “too busy,” “too touristy” and “I can’t even find parking.” I listened and started looking for a sister home for Loveworn. Carpinteria was the perfect location! I had been going there with my parents, who lived in Summerland since the ‘80s. It’s the coolest, cutest, last little beach town on the West Coast and the demographic was perfect for the Loveworn brand.

After considering retail spaces in Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria, one day I saw a “for rent” sign posted in the window of my favorite historical retail spaces in Carpinteria, right on the main drag with big, beautiful display windows! I had chills — I knew it was a sign and was thankful that one of the other spaces hadn’t worked out. This was totally meant to be.

How do you find time for sourcing and repurposing items while operating two shops and a website?

There are a few factors that make this work.

We can make things while working at the shop. We have an art studio nearby where all the silk-screening is done, while the cut-and-sew, heat-pressing and so much more is done at our Funk Zone location.

We’ve been experts in vintage denim for over three decades, so we have great resources, knowledge of the process and we absolutely love creating and sourcing new and vintage products with our customers and friends in mind. We get so much excitement from it!

The “work” load is enormous, but it’s what we love to do. So, imagine your hobbies, passions and social life being all rolled up into one — near the beach where you love to be, and it also provides your income. It’s a pretty good plan that doesn’t usually feel like work.

My weapon of choice is to get up early. I can get so much more done in the morning before the world is churning. Also assembling a great team, communicating and delegating helps free up more time to work on other essential tasks.

For Wallace, sobriety, not waking up hungover or feeling bad, frees up a lot of time and energy to keep being creative and get things done! He lives near the studio and the beach and kicks ass with an enviable work-life balance.

What are a few words that best describe the Loveworn aesthetic?

The Funk Zone location is a little edgier, artful, couture, punk-preppy vibe and the Carpinteria store shares that vintage rebel feel, but more beachy, family, casual road-trip feeling. Both are vibrant, colorful, creative and intentional.

What advice would you give to someone opening a niche retail store? Get ready to ride the rollercoaster! And

don’t do it if your heart isn’t 100% into it! Work hard, treat your customers and employees well — they are everything. Make it fun! And behind the scenes, watch your analytics, prepare for a rainy day, don’t neglect the stuff that you really don’t want to do.

When you have a moment of free time, how do you like to spend it? What is that? Kidding (kind of). Self-employment is freedom. I don’t really take days off unless I’m out of town visiting family or friends. When I’m in town, my favorite places to be are truly at Loveworn in Carpinteria or Santa Barbara or at the studio making inventory for the stores. I like to squeeze all of my wouldbe days off into a nice vacation in Capri, Italy, my other favorite place.

Ingrid Bostrom is a photographer, drawn to open space and stories told in each new face. Send ideas of impactful Carpinterian bosses to ingrid@ingridbostromphotography.com.

BOSTROM PHOTOS

Loveworn collaborators Wallace Piatt and Jill Johnson

It’s all smiles as kids go back to school

PHOTOS BY ROBIN

Carpinteria kids went back to school last week, backpacks full of textbooks and pencils and faces plastered with smiles. Carpinteria photographer Robin Karlsson captured that backto-school energy on Thursday and Friday at Aliso Elementary

Christian Crocker, who lost his first tooth on the first day of school, grabs a free breakfast.

KARLSSON

School, Canalino Elementary School and Carpinteria Middle School; read more below to see how Carpinteria kids were feeling on the first day of their 2025-26 school year.

Teresa Gonzales wore her magical Disney shirt for her first day of school.

Canalino second grade teacher Maestro Sonia Aguila welcomes student Hadley Humbles.

Phoenix steps into school with mom Autumn Fiore Palm on their way to Phoenix’s second grade classroom.

Principal Luis Quintero lends a helping hand to Rebecca Reyes-Rojas.

Nick and Amber Buckey escorted three Canalino Kara and Mia.

From left, Andre and Sebastian kick off first grade.

Kara Home gives her son Leo a goodbye hug in his first-grade classroom.

Damien Garcia is officially an Aliso kindergarten Lion.

LEFT: Teacher Dawn Piccoletti’s fifth grade class poses for a photo.

Fifth graders Emma and Mika work on a puzzle.

Crossing guard Michael Hickey stops traffic for Rosanna and her grandson, Sebastian Rodriguez. This is Hickey’s 42nd year as a crossing guard.

Autumn second

Canalino kids to school: Quentin,

Carpinteria Middle School Assistant Principal James Anderson and Principal Jamie Persoon greet Lylas Valikonis and Scarlette Milne as they enter the school.

Bryce Glasgow, with her birthday flowers from Aylon Ramirez.

ARTCETRA

COMPILED BY JUN STARKEY

GranVida launches end-of-summer concert series

GranVida Senior Living and Memory Care center, at 5464 Carpinteria Ave., will host a free end-of-summer concert series on Thursdays at 6 p.m. at the center’s back patio, with upcoming shows scheduled for Aug. 28, Sept. 4, Sept. 11, Sept. 18, and Sept. 25.

Performers include Gem, Studio O, The Ragtime Brothers, Wildflower Collective, and Mike & Mandy. Outside food and drinks are welcome at the event, and attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to sit on. Shows are open to the public.

Arts center Bunco fundraiser brings in $12k

The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center raised more than $12,000 at its second annual Bunco Scholarship & Programs Fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 23, which was attended by 68 local players.

Winners of the day at Saturday’s event included Jenny Gulland with the most wins, Belinda Lee with the most Buncos, and JulieAnna Netzel with the most losses. The funds support the Arts by the Sea camp scholarships and free programming at the arts center.

“This event was such a joyful celebration of community,” said Jodi Wilson, the arts center’s development director. “We had perfect summer beach town weather, so much fun, and thanks to the generosity of our players, volunteers, and local businesses, we will be able to open more doors to the arts for children and adults in Carpinteria. It was truly a win-win for everyone.”

Locals and organizations that assisted with the event included Backdrop Boutique, Esau’s Café, Little Dom’s Seafood, Thario’s Kitchen, PeeBee & Jay’s, Rori’s Artisanal Creamery, Siam Elephant, Tina’s Pizza, Uncle Chen Restaurant and Lourdes Trigueros, who donated handcrafted prizes and created whimsical party favors for all attendees.

Learn more online at carpinteriaartscenter.org.

Arts & Craft Faire: Sept. 6

The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center will host the Carpinteria Arts & Crafts Faire on Saturday, Sept. 6 in the Koch Courtyard, 10 a.m. — 4 p.m., with featured artists of the month Chris and Betty Young.

The Youngs create unique 3-D designs which include whimsical ocean-inspired shapes and intricate geometric-designed succulent planters. They will be featured alongside 20 additional local artists.

Music will be provided by the Ukulele Jammers in the morning and the Americana Cats throughout the afternoon.

Local artists who are interested in participating in future fairs can visit the arts center’s website at carpinteriaartscenter.org to apply. All entries must be handmade by the selling artist.

Thursday, Aug. 28

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

AgeWell Senior Program: Pickleball Freeplay Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road. 8–10 a.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Dementia Caregivers Support Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10:30 a.m. – noon. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

AgeWell Senior Program: Chair Yoga Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 11 a.m. – noon. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Food Bank Senior Food Distribution Veterans Memorial Building courtyard, 941 Walnut Ave. 1–2 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Carpinteria Creative Arts Eighth Street and Linden Avenue. 2:30–6 p.m. Handmade pottery, beach art, cards, jewelry and sewn articles. (805) 698-4536

Carpinteria Farmers Market 800 block of Linden Ave. Thursdays, 3–6:30 p.m.

Dungeons & Dragons Club Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3–4:45 p.m. Full. carpinterialibrary. org, (805) 684-4314

Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning Member Fall Rush Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center courtyard, 865 Linden Ave. 5:30–7:30 p.m. RSVP (805) 886-2798

Dia de Los Abuelos Celebration Carpinteria Veterans Hall, 941 Walnut Ave. 5:30–7 p.m. Free, family-friendly celebration.

World’s Safest Bingo! Main Beach at Linden Avenue. 6–7 p.m. Free. All ages. Held Thursdays through Aug. 28. Sponsored by Carpinteria Community Library. WorldsSafestBingo@gmail.com

GranVida Summer Concert Series: Gem GranVida Senior Living, 5464 Carpinteria Ave. 6 p.m. Outside food, drinks welcome; bring folding chairs or blankets.

Live Music: Will Breman Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 7–9 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

Friday, Aug. 29

Friday Fun Day Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10–11:30 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

Gaming Club for Teens Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 3:15–4:15 p.m. carpinterialibrary. org, (805) 684-4314

Live Music: Will Breman Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6–9 p.m. Movie Night: “Death on the Nile” Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 6–8 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

Saturday, Aug. 30

Santa Monica Creek Trail Restoration El Carro Lane at Santa Monica Creek, 4405 El Carro Lane. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (805) 705-3429 Community Pop-up Carpinteria Community Church, 1111 Vallecito Road. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Support local vendors, browse handmade goods and gifts, enjoy treats; family-friendly, free admission, all welcome

Live Music: Top Shelter Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 6–9 p.m. South Coast Stand-Up Comedy The Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. 7 p.m. Comedians: Jann Kara, Don Friesen, Brian Kiley. Tickets: $15. thealcazar.org, (805) 684-6380

Live Music: Sea Lion Reggae Vinyl Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 8–11 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

Sunday, Aug. 31

Corktree Anniversary Party: R&B Brunch and Definitely Maybe Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

Live Music: Adam Giocopuzzi Island Brewing Company, 5049 Sixth St. 3–6 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 1

Holiday: Labor Day Labor Day Rally and March: Workers Over Billionaires Seal Fountain, 855 Linden Ave. 10 a.m. – noon.

From left, clockwise, Elissa Christensen, JulieAnna Netzel, Nikki Wilmore and Nancy Otto play together at the second annual Bunco Scholarship & Programs Fundraiser.

COURTESY PHOTO Chris and Betty Young are the featured artists for the art center’s September arts fair.

Tuesday, Sept. 2

AgeWell Senior Program: Walking Club Meet at Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279

Carpinteria Writers Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 10 a.m. – noon. (202) 997-0429

AgeWell Senior Program: Mind Body Balance Exercise Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 11 a.m. – noon. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Bridge Group Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 1–4 p.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Spanish Conversation Group Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 2–3 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

Carpinteria Songwriters Circle Carpinteria Community Library, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 4–5:30 p.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

Showing: “The Chosen” (Season 5) Carpinteria Community Church, 1111 Vallecito Road. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Shown on big screen, with discussion. Through Sept. 23. (805) 684-2211, carpinteriacommunitychurch.org

Al-Anon Meeting Faith Lutheran Church, 1335 Vallecito Place. Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Carpinteria Improv Classes The Alcazar Theatre, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. 7–9 p.m. Tuesdays, weekly. $10 at the door. thealcazar.org, (805) 684-6380

Wednesday, Sept. 3

AgeWell Senior Program: Pickleball for Beginners Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road. 8–10 a.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

AgeWell Senior Program: Veterans Morning Coffee Meet Up Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. 8:30–9:30 a.m. agewell@carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 8811279

Senior Arts & Crafts Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, 865 Linden Ave. Wednesdays, 9–11 a.m. Free. info@ carpinteriaartscenter.org, (805) 684-7789

Babies Are The Best Carpinteria Library Community Room, 5141 Carpinteria Ave. 9–10 a.m. carpinterialibrary.org, (805) 684-4314

Carpinteria Knitters Group Carpinteria Library Community Room, 5141

Carpinteria Ave. 1–3 p.m. Free. (805) 886-4382

AgeWell Senior Program: Meditation Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. 2:45–4 p.m. agewell@ carpinteriaca.gov, (805) 881-1279

Live Music: Vinny Berry Corktree Cellars, 910 Linden Ave. 6–9 p.m. corktreecellars.com, (805) 684-1400

ONGOING

Senior Nutrition Program Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. Monday–Friday, 12:15 p.m. No cost for seniors ages 60+. (805) 925-9554, meals@centralcoastseniors.org

CARPINTERIA SENIORS

Getting together for Fun • Friendship & Fellowship

FIRST FRIDAY EVERY MONTH

Special events and Local Travel Trips scheduled frequently The fun starts at age 55!

Join us at our next event: FRIDAY, SEPT. 5 • NOON BBQ at Lions Park

This week we meet at LIONS PARK!

Carpinteria Senior Citizens Inc. Call (805) 368-5644 for information

Ghost hunting talk comes to history museum

Paranormal investigator Earlene deMoulpied is the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History’s next Talk & Talkback speaker. deMoulpied is scheduled to speak on Friday, Sept. 5, 6–7 p.m. at the museum’s 956 Maple Ave. campus. She will discuss ghost hunting, including myths and types of paranormal activity.

“Earlene deMoulpied is first and foremost an educator,” Jayme Yahr, the museum’s director, said in a press release sent out last week. “If you’ve ever wondered what paranormal activity might look like or what searching for ghosts actually entails, deMoulpied’s talk is a great place to start. She has a wealth of knowledge to share, including ghost history!”

The talk is free for museum members and $10 for visitors. Learn more by calling (805) 684-3112, emailing info@carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org, or visiting carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org.

— Evelyn Spence

DAVID DEMOULPIED

A full moon photographed by ghost hunter Earlene deMoulpied’s husband, David.

CLUB SCENE

COMPILED BY JUN STARKEY | COURTESY PHOTO

Lions present Melvin Jones Fellow Award

Larry Doris of the Lions Club of Carpinteria was recently awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow Award, the highest honor a Lion can receive. The award is named after the founder of the Lions Club International, Melvin Jones.

Doris was presented with the award by Ken Towers, the club’s representative for the Lions Club’s International Foundation (LCIF). Towers said the award can be given for every $1,000 that is donated to the LCIF, and the Carpinteria club annually donates between $5,000 and $12,000 to the foundation.

During this past year, with accumulated donations from Lions clubs worldwide, the LCIF awarded a major catastrophe grant of $100,000 to help deliver longer-term wildfire relief to Southern California. Additional $10,000 grants were given to each Lions district as well as some $5,000 grants to clubs in the areas affected by the fires, to be distributed within their communities.

Morning Rotary donates $4k to CCP

The Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning Charitable Foundation recently presented a $4,000 grant from its Community Relief Fund to the Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP).

The grant will help the children and families impacted by immigration enforcement activities in Carpinteria, according to the foundation’s chair, Les Esposito.

Teresa Alvarez, executive director of CCP, added: “We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning for creating this fund and helping where it is most needed.”

Tenth annual Rally4Kids Gala to be held at Polo Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County will host its 10th annual Rally4Kids Gala and After Party, with the theme of “Paris Nights,” which will include dinner, a live auction and stories from youth, on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club.

The after party will also include signature cocktails, live music and food. All funds raised from ticket purchases and the auction will go back to funding academic and mentorship programming at the Boys & Girls Club.

The Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club is located at 3300 Via Real. Learn more online at unitedbg.org/events.

Santa Barbara County Sheriﬀ’s Deputy Erica Pereyra from the Fraud Unit recently made a presentation to members of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon about her experience investigat-

Scams to defraud unsuspecting victims do occur in Carpinteria, Pereyra told club members, citing some recent examples throughout the county. She also shared tips on how to be safe and encouraged the members to report suspected fraud to her department.

Morning Rotary to host member rush

The Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning will host a Member Fall Rush, where members of the public can meet with Rotary members and learn more about the club, at the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center on Thursday, Aug. 28, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Those interested in attending the event may RSVP with member Susie Schneider at (805) 886-2798.

CAR • PET • ERIA

Meet gentle giant Santiago

Meet Santiago, a four-year-old, 111-pound rottweiler mix who is known as Santa Barbara County Animal Services’ gentle giant. He’s been looking for his forever home since May. Santiago walks nicely and at a chill pace, volunteers said. “Santiago has great car manners, knows sit down, and loves aﬀection! He is a volunteer favorite.”

Interested in fostering or adopting Santiago? He’s at the SBCAS shelter in Goleta at 5473 Overpass Road. The shelter is open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Learn more by emailing sbcassouthfostercoordinator@ gmail.com.

From left, Lions Club of Carpinteria member Larry Doris recently received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award, presented by fellow club member Ken Towers.

From left, Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning member Kim Fly, Jessica Ramirez and Teresa Alvarez with the Carpinteria Children’s Project, Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning Charitable Foundation Chair Les Esposito, and Rotary President Stephen Gerteis.

From left, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Deputy Erica Pereyra and Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon members Carrie Kirchner and Ryan Reed.

UNPREDICTABLE WILDERNESS

CHUCK GRAHAM

The grasslands were still smoldering as a pair of barn owls flew from one burned-out cottonwood tree to the next. The Madre Fire was still blazing in parts of the Carrizo Plain National Monument in the middle of July 2025.

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I rolled down Simmler Road in my van the night before. As I headed westward to the east side of Soda Lake, I couldn’t see the burned portion of the grasslands. Still, the air was thick with smoke, and it was eerily quiet. There were no yelps from marauding coyotes, no barn owls screeching or any bugling from rutting tule elk.

Scorched earth

The Madre Fire began on July 2. It was completely out by July 28. It started on private property off Highway 166, between Santa Maria and New Cuyama. The origins of the fire are still under investigation. It burned up and over the daunting Caliente Mountains, burning nearly 81,000 acres.

I parked my van above a parched and desolate Soda Lake and slept fitfully. However, by 4 a.m. I was up, anticipating the pre-dawn light. What would the Carrizo Plain look like after the Madre Fire? When Soda Lake has no water and is dry, the alkali mud cracks and lifts as the sun sears the surface, a thick layer of salty crust turns into “puzzle pieces” across the largest natural alkali lake in central and southern California. It’s so pearly white that even during the darkest nights on the Carrizo Plain it’s still easy to see it stand out across the national monument.

After first light, the contrast between Soda Lake and the burn scar was severe. The entire Caliente Mountains to the west were scorched. The fire reached Soda Lake Road at two points, but it didn’t jump the perpetually pot-holed track. It burned around Painted Rock, a significant Native American site, but not the natural sandstone cathedral itself. I rode my mountain bike out there at dawn. It was too silent.

Usually, Painted Rock is teeming with life. It’s common to see ghostly barn owls, steely prairie falcons, aerodynamic American kestrels, flitting Say’s phoebes and flocks of white-crowned sparrows. Desert cottontail rabbits live around Painted Rock’s perimeter. After I rode my bike there, some hardy cottontails still lingered around the rock outcropping that stands prominently on the Carrizo Plain.

Burned out

From afar, I could see all the cottonwood trees that once shaded the southwest side of the historic Saucito Ranch had burned. When I rode my mountain bike out there, the burnt leaves sounded like thousands of rattles being shook in unison. The main barn east of the ranch house burned to the ground.

Later, as I slowly drove along Soda Lake Road, the only wildlife I saw were ever-present ravens and one or two resilient antelope ground squirrels. They behaved as if nothing had happened. Burrowers do well in large wildfires, hiding deep in their maze of tunnels. Still, within the burn area, there wasn’t much

Grasslands ablaze

of anything for them to forage. However, the two antelope ground squirrels that emerged from their burrows displayed typical behavior with their little stubby tails twitching behind them.

Further along, I pulled into the KCL Campground to the south and found half of it burned. The old tack shed in the rear of the camp was burned down. Half the trees were burned, and I feared the great horned owls that had nested there for at least two decades had fled. Happy to say, though, that I was wrong. In one of the two trees that didn’t burn, I found the breeding pair perched next to each other. Wildlife can be stubborn too.

That night I parked my van in the burned-out campground. And at dusk the breeding pair of great horned owls sounded off, hooting in one of two trees that survived the blaze. They continued their nocturnal serenade until an hour before first light. From there, I slowly drove to the visitor center looking for signs of life.

Grassland bugling

As the sun rose above the Temblor Range in the east, the typically dry summer grasses to the west were momentarily transformed into fields of gold, that low light setting the grasslands ablaze. The impressive burn scar beyond the golden grasses was also impressive. From the Caliente Mountains to Soda Lake Road, the landscape was blackened.

I listened to the grasslands, hoping for sounds to drift across the semi-arid biome. And then I heard a familiar song wafting down from the north. A bull tule elk bugled on the west side of Soda Lake, solidifying its territory, and with my binoculars, I found his herd of cows and calves strolling in my direction.

Carrizo Plain has some of the fastest growing tule elk herds in California. Hunted to near extinction during westward expansion, small herds of tule elk were translocated back to the grasslands

in 1998. Over the years, their numbers have steadily grown into the hundreds. Dawn and dusk have always proven to be great opportunities to see California’s only native elk.

As burned out as the Carrizo Plain appeared, it was the small herd of tule elk demonstrating how resilient wildlife can be, even in the direst circumstances. They strutted in front of Painted Rock, occasionally looking back at the bull tule elk that was trailing after them.

The Carrizo Plain will come back, but it was good to see tule elk already returning to their usual grassland path announced by a stout and steadfast tule elk bull.

Adventure and travel writer Chuck Graham lives in Carpinteria and contributes his writing and photography to publications far and wide. For more wildlife photos, visit chuckgrahamphoto.com or follow Graham on Instagram at @chuckgrahamphoto.

CHUCK GRAHAM PHOTOS

A dry Soda Lake with the burn scar on the Caliente Mountains in the background.

An early morning for Tule elk. Painted Rock and the burn scar can be seen in the background.

Saucito Ranch

Great horned owls at the KCL Campground live.

Desert cottontail on the periphery of the Madre Fire burn scar.

The Weekly Crossword

Margie E. Burke

ON THE ROAD

with

Editor’s note: Hey readers, would your house be a good fit for Throwback Thursday? If you have an old photo of your home that we can share, please contact Lea at lea@coastalview. com or 684-4428. We’re happy to take a contemporary photograph of

particularly striking features. She was a mother. In fact, she died in childbirth. But here is the real kicker: She was also

CVN celebrates a marriage proposal in South Korea

matt duncan

Times have changed. They’ve changed in reality between 1982, when “Blade Runner” first came out, and the present. And they’ve also changed in the fictional world of the movie between 2019, when “Blade Runner” takes place, and 2049, when the more recent tale is set.

Not possible, they say. Replicants cannot reproduce. So everyone—not just the police—wants to know more. Why? Well, the police—and the authorities more generally—are worried about a replicant uprising. So they don’t want replicants reproducing, and they don’t want replicants thinking they are on a par with humans.

He said, she said History doesn’t have to be boring. readers sent in their funniest captions for the photo above, and we selected our favorites (in no particular order). Enjoy.

Victoria Bennett and her family brought their copy of Coastal View News all the way to Hyeopjae Beach in South Korea in July, where Bennett’s son proposed to his girlfriend. “Korea has always been (on) my son Alec’s bucket list, so we traveled for summer vacation in July,” Bennett told Coastal View News. “He proposed to his girlfriend, Zoey, so they took pictures on this beach the day after. We traveled with her mom and brothers, and Alec’s roommate, Arthur.”

“it’s absolutely amazing how much money we save on sunscreen by wearing our bikinis at night.” ––Marty Panizzon

are the same. The people of Earth are still crowded into cities, bombarded with sa lacious advertising, manipulated by rich overlords, and, to a large extent, have no idea who they are or why they are doing what they are doing.

The replicants also want to know about the mystery mother (and child). Why? Well, because they want to rise up and be more fully human.

The locals finally put up a fence to keep out the intruders who, they believed, ––Anonymous

And, just like the last movie, the current installment focuses on one particular “blade runner”—a cop (LAPD) whose job it is to “retire” (i.e., blow to bits) bioengineered, human-looking beings called “replicants.” The thing is, a certain generation of replicants wasn’t too great at taking marching orders. They didn’t always obey their overlords. So they needed to go bye-bye.

thought you were my friend! Whoop-wheooo.” (song

“Hey you, missy in the white bikini. Just because you managed to be first in line, don’t even think of setting up your towel in front of oh-so-handsome Mike’s life-

K (Ryan Gosling) is the man for the job. He himself is a replicant (“K” is short for “KD6.somethingorother”). But he obeys. Replicants were once outlawed because of their slight propensity for not-so-civil unrest. But a new corporate bigwig—Ni ander Wallace (Jared Leto), who figured out a new way to farm despite a recent ecological collapse—is in charge. And he managed to design a new generation of replicants, like K, who do as they are told.

CVN takes a family trip to Hawaii

The Sanchez/Quiroga family — including Paul

K is caught in the middle. He is a replicant. But he is also LAPD. His instincts push him in one direction, but his “programming,” so to speak, pushes him in another. You might think this is about the human/replicant divide. But it isn’t. Not really. For we all fight these battles from within. We feel the power of emotion, intuition, and reason, but are also pulled by baser, hard-wired biological urges. We see the value of freedom and know the wrongness of oppression, but we also dislike unruliness, messiness, and anarchy. Our better angels want to help others; our demons desire only self-satisfaction. So, the real question of this movie, and that which came before it, is: What is it that makes a being human? The capacity for reason or reflection? Or free will? Is it the capacity to feel love, or some other social/relational trait? Or maybe it’s something to do with morality—with our ability to do the right thing, even if it costs us something?

does. Take, for instance, the giant, hulking man of a replicant he has to take down in the beginning of the movie. Pretty shortly after they say their hellos and get other pleasantries out of the way, K is punched in the face, bashed through a wall, choked, and stabbed in the arm. No problem. Pop back up. And … replicant retired.

are more curious than others. And when K notices a tree outside his latest victim’s farm (trees are rare these days), he becomes fixated. He ends up discovering a coffin filled with bones buried under the tree. Now, lots of people die, especially in the apocalyptic wasteland K inhabits. But, in this case, the deceased had some

“Blade Runner 2049” meditates on these themes with patience and gravity. It’s a slow burn. This movie isn’t fast paced or action packed. It is methodical and atmospheric. Each formal element—from cinematography to music to staging—presses the point with such persistence and clarity. The drama unfolds, not just as a series of events, but as something closing in on you, weighing

This, in short, is a beautifully done

“Blade Runner 2049” is rated R for violence, some sexuality, nudity and

CVN spots bears in Alaska

Coastal View News Editor, has taken physical but not emotional leave from Carpinteria to be a philosophy professor at Rhode Island College. In his free time from philosophizing, Duncan enjoys chasing his kids around, watching movies, and updating his movie review blog, duncansreeldeal.blogspot.com.

Mike and Diane Wondolowski brought their Coastal View News along to stay up to date while photographing grizzly bears in Alaska. During their stay at Silver Salmon Creek in Lake Clark National Park, the long summer daylight hours allowed them to start photographing at 6 a.m. and wrap up around 10 p.m. every day. “With (our) small photography group (we) saw many different bears, including a mother with two 6-month-old cubs,” Mike said. “But the unexpected experience was the multiple times bears wandered closer than ten feet away from (us), with some of these bears close to 1,000 pounds!”

GOING ON THE ROAD?

Snap a photo with your Coastal View News in hand and email it to news@coastalview.com. Tell us about your trip!

CarpintEria VaLLEy MusEuM of History

surgeon General’s Warning: What you are thinking is a leading cause of getting slapped in the chops by your wife. ––Robert Miller

Photos Courtesy of Jill Castro

KarlssoN

and Michelle Sanchez, and Ryan, Alix, Luciana, Nico and Camila Jo Quiroga — packed their copy of Coastal View News to Kauai, Hawaii, for a family trip in July.

THROWBACK

Beyond Thunderbowl!

BY DR. JIM CAMPOS

Editor’s Note: A version of this article originally ran in CVN Vol 27, No. 13, on Dec. 17, 2020.

James and Pearl Slaybaugh started the process of creating a racetrack on their Carpinteria Bluffs property in 1946, and they had a great deal of help from the Carpinteria community to do it.

Men like Ray Rollins, Joe Escareno Sr., Tom and Kenji Ota and others pitched in to grade the track with their farm and landscaping equipment and/or elbow grease to make the dream project come true. Backing the project were two experienced promoters from Tulare: Robert Murphy and Jack Harwood. They assured the Santa Barbara Planning Commission the proposed Thunderbowl racetrack was under the sponsorship of the United Racing Association for midget racing and would not include motorcycles.

Writing in the Grapevine (July/August, 2011), Jon Washington and Roxie Grant Lapidus reported that many concerned citizens expressed alarm at a town meeting of 350 people. They were countered by other citizens who fully backed the proposal, however. Washington and Lapidus noted that a Mrs. Hill thought “the smoky dump of Carpinteria (the Dump Road waste removal site) was a bigger nuisance than any race track could be,” while another resident said “the site could not be more unsightly than the present labor camp (the bracero program) on the other side of town, nor could there be any more trouble than there is now at this labor camp.”

A rancher put the cherry on top of the pro-side of the argument by taking a dig at other local ranchers, saying “All good things do not come on lemon trees.” A year later in 1947, the dream was a reality.

(For local proximity of the Thunderbowl’s location, it was on the bluffs above the beach, just west of the Ventura County line and south of the present-day industrial park on Mark Avenue. Divide Peak could be seen on the left side; on the right side is the west end of Shepherd’s Mesa. Lee Hammock has been an indispensable source of information for anyone writing about the Thunderbowl and for a multitude of photos depicting the thrills and spills of the Thunderbowl.)

Once the Thunderbowl got the show rolling, the Slaybaughs introduced entertaining sideshows to the main attraction

of the midget racing cars. There were spectacular leaps from one ramp to another through hoops of fire for motorcycles, Destruction Derbies for jalopies, crashing through lit bales of hay, and more. By 1950 the midget racing was replaced by jalopies, and some of those races were for female drivers only. One of the women was Hiela Paulson, who would later rise to fame as a stock car driver at more prestigious racing venues in the United States. She was, in fact, the first woman to drive in a NASCAR stock car race.

According to Washington and Lapidus (Grapevine September/October, 2011) the end of the Thunderbowl era in Carpinteria might have had to do specifically with jalopy drivers matriculating to stock cars. Jalopies — cars not newer than 1937 were getting scarce, and stock cars were in.

About the time the Thunderbowl was coming to a close, another race track was graded in Carpinteria smack-dab in the

THUNDERBOWL

continued on page 23

We are taught at an early age not to play with fire, but, like a

flame, stunts involving pyrotechnics drew crowds to the Thunderbowl. One spectacular stunt involved a racer laying belly-down on his windshield folded flat, speeding, with the assistance of a driver, through a

doused by gasoline and set on fire. Flames would burst sky high

crashed through the wall, eliciting “oohs and aahs.”

LEE HAMMOCK

The driver of the jalopy in this photo is Lee Hammock. He is joined by Carpinterians Joe Escareño Sr. and Frank Colson Sr. Escareño was kept busy towing damaged race cars off the track with Colson’s tow truck; Colson was the owner of Colson’s Garage and sponsor of many of the cars driven in the races.

JONATHAN BROWN

Tom Schmidt and Willie Norland gather speed at the Thunderbowl in 1969. The track lay dormant after its closure in 1957 from its main fare of jalopy races, but was still a go-to place for motorcycle enthusiasts.

LEE HAMMOCK

The Thunderbowl was an equal opportunity employer of women drivers in the jalopy races. Pictured is Hiela Paulson, the first woman to drive in a NASCAR stock car race. Jon Washington (Grapevine) speculated it was stock car racing that killed the appeal of the Thunderbowl jalopy races.

CARPINTERIA VALLEY MUSEUM OF HISTORY

moth

haystack

as the car

ROSEBRO

Another racetrack in Carpinteria existed at about the same time as the Thunderbowl. Ray Rollins landscaped a small oval track on the corner of Holly and Carpinteria avenues where the Rosebro Garage is located. Pictures of boys, like Lonnie Johnson in 1959, adorn the office walls at the garage to this day. Note the original Reyes Market in the background, and the ENCO service station in what is today an empty lot across from the Sansum Medical Center.

middle of downtown. Ray Rollins, who had a hand in landscaping the original Thunderbowl, put a small oval track on the corner of Holly Avenue and Carpinteria Avenue where the Rosebro Garage is located. The track was designed for race car drivers in training – for youngsters! C’mon kids, build your own go-cart and head over to Rollins’ racetrack! Pictures of boys, like Lonnie Johnson, adorn the office walls at Rosebro’s Garage to this day. A note in the garage says that the older Colson brothers from Colson’s Garage — presumably Tommy and “G.G.” (James) — always won the races. With the closure of the Thunderbowl, race cars whizzing around the track came to an end. This does not mean that the track was not in use. Those motorcycles that were not meant to be raced on it

when the racetrack was opened in 1947 now made it their domain. The Thunderbowl, without the stands and barricades, became a haven for motorcyclists.

Jim Campos is a native born Carpinterian. Upon retiring from a 35-year career with the Carpinteria Unified School District in 2006, he joined a group of local historians to publish two pictorial history books on Carpinteria. Jim’s curiosity of local history grew from that experience. He is currently serving on the Carpinteria Cultural Foundation which honors the achievements and contributions of Carpinteria’s diverse community. He is also on the board of the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, where he writes occasional in-depth articles. In 2020, Jim wrote an entire year of columns for CVN’s Throwback Thursday.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION will hold a virtual public hearing starting at 9:00 am, Thursday, September 11, 2025

The Coastal Commission meeting will be a hybrid meeting occurring both in‐person and virtually through video and teleconference. Please see the Coastal Commission’s Virtual Hearing Procedures posted on the Coastal Commission’s webpage at www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html for details on the procedures of this hearing. If you would like to receive a paper copy of the Coastal Commission’s Virtual Hearing Procedures, please call 415‐904‐5202. The in‐person hearing will be held at Fort Bragg Town Hall, located at 363 North Main Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437.

The public hearing will act on the following items of local interest:

Item Th8c: County of Santa Barbara Local Coastal Program Amendment No. LCP‐4‐STB‐25‐0017‐1‐Part D (Cannabis Odor). Public hearing and action on County of Santa Barbara’s request to amend the Implementation Plan/Coastal Zoning Ordinance (IP/CZO) portion of the certified Local Coastal Program to update cannabis regulations related to odor control, including new odor thresholds, Odor Abatement Plan requirements, compliance timelines, and procedures for minor permit changes.

Item Th8d: County of Santa Barbara Local Coastal Program Amendment No. LCP‐4‐STB‐25‐0018‐1 Part E (Telecommunication Facilities). Concurrence with the Executive Director’s determination that the request by the County of Santa Barbara to amend the Implementation Plan/Coastal Zoning Ordinance (LIP/CZO) portion of its certified LCP to update permitting requirements and development standards for commercial telecommunication facilities is de minimis.

Check the Coastal Commission’s website for the staff report and more meeting information at www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html

“The Naked Gun”

DUNCAN’S REEL DEAL

MATT DUNCAN

Spoofs used to be all the rage. “Monty Python” and “Blazing Saddles” were early examples. Then “Airplane,” “Spaceballs,” and “The Naked Gun” came in, followed later by “Hot Shots” (and don’t forget about “Hot Shots: Part Deux”) and “Austin Powers.” Plenty of others were mixed in there from the 1980s into the 2000s.

Spoofs aren’t as popular anymore, or at least that’s the way it seems. People still like puns, I gather, but the pun-heavy spoof genre has taken a hit. Which is fine by me. I grew up on spoofs, but I lost my taste for them. I don’t find puns all that funny, for one thing. And slapstick… eh.

Anyway, given the spoof decline, when I first saw that they were making a reboot of “The Naked Gun” my first thought was, “Huh?” Then I saw it was going to star Liam Neeson, and my second thought was, again, “Huh?”

But here we are.

In the opening scene of “The Naked Gun,” a little schoolgirl with a lollipop enters a bank while it’s being robbed. When a robber asks her what she wants, she pulls off a mask and reveals herself to be a full-sized adult (somehow): Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson).

To the question of what he wants, Drebin responds, “Your ass.” Then he wrecks the shop. The scene ends with award-winning, Oscar-nominated thespian Liam Neeson standing triumphant… in a tiny schoolgirl’s outfit, his pink underwear in plain view.

Thus, “The Naked Gun” returns.

Like many cop movies that “The Naked Gun” is spoofing, its lead character — Drebin — is both brilliant and a menace. He solves crimes, but he doesn’t follow the rules, he’s arrogant and stubborn, and he breaks things. It’s so frustrating to his superior, Chief Davis (CCH Pounder), that she relegates him to investigating car crashes.

Lucky for Drebin, the first car crash he investigates is a juicy one. A car flew off a cliff into some kind of lake or quarry. At first it looks like a suicide. But further investigation, and prodding from the deceased’s sister, Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), turns up some real fishiness, and not just because he died in a lake (see, I made the pun, and I hated it, and I kinda hate myself for making it, but I felt obligated).

Drebin and Davenport keep digging. They unearth a scheme by billionaire tech celebrity, Richard Cane (Danny Huston). Cane had one of his henchmen steal a P.L.O.T. (“Primordial Law of Toughness”) Device, which, when activated, turns people into mindless animals who can’t help but attack each other. The idea is to thin the population enough so that billionaires can rule the survivors with ease.

Like its spoof predecessors, a lot of the rest of the movie is silly diversions that don’t really add much to the plot. Drebin and Davenport fall in love (of course), Drebin gets in further trouble at work (of course), and it all leads to a final showdown between Drebin and Cane (of course).

Given my past relationship with spoofs, I thought I wouldn’t like “The Naked Gun.” In fact, I worried that I’d hate it. I’m halfway embarrassed to say, I kinda liked it. It was funny. I admit it, I laughed. And even when I didn’t outright laugh, I chuckled. Or smiled. At least on the inside.

The humor in “The Naked Gun” is surprisingly diverse. Yes, there are puns galore, which I’m not crazy about. Then there’s slapstick stuff. I’m still “eh” on that. But the movie also has a lot of clever social commentary and situational humor. There are some pretty subtle jokes in there.

A lot of credit is due, not just to the writers, but to Liam Neeson. He does such a fantastic job in the lead role. He has that stern growl, which is perfect for spoofing the ultra-serious action/suspense movies that he’s typically in. But he’s also remarkably subtle in the lighter moments. He’s not limited to the “gruff guy” octave. He hits notes in a wide range of seriousness. Which is key. Acting seriously while doing something silly is the juxtaposition that makes spoofs work, when they work.

I can’t say that I hope spoofs are back. But I’ll admit, this one is pretty good.

“The Naked Gun” is rated PG-13 for crude/sexual material, violence/bloody images and brief partial nudity.

Matt Duncan, a former Coastal View News editor, is now a philosophy professor at Rhode Island College. In his free time from philosophizing, Duncan enjoys chasing his kids around, watching movies, and playing the mandolin.

JIMMIE

AUGUST 28, 2025

Leona McClellan sets the ball to a teammate in Carpinteria’s home opener against Santa Clara.

Carpinteria volleyball opens up 2025 season

BY RYAN P. CRUZ

Carpinteria girls volleyball has opened up the 2025 season, and although the Warriors dropped their ﬁrst three matches, the young team is gaining valuable early season experience.

The Warriors started the year with a home match against Santa Clara on Aug. 19, where Carpinteria picked up one set win but couldn’t keep the Saints in check for the remainder of the match. Santa Clara came away with the win, 3-1.

In the second match of the year on Aug. 21, Carpinteria traveled to Oxnard to face Pacifica. In this match, the Warriors overcame a slow start to find a rhythm against the tough Tritons team, though Pacifica was able to claim the first set by a score of 25-19. Pacifica went on to win the match in three straight sets, 3-0.

Despite the loss, Carpinteria’s Evelyn Aviles made a splash in the match with 25 assists, 12 digs and a serving ace. Leona McClellan contributed on both sides of the net for the Warriors with seven kills, 13 digs and two serving aces, while Harper Rowbottom added in ﬁve kills, 10 digs and three aces of her own.

“We started oﬀ a little slow, but once we found our groove, the team showed great ﬁght and energy,” said Carpinteria coach Richard Quitoriano. “I’m proud of the way we competed and I believe we can build on this momentum as we begin our volleyball season.”

Warriors fall in home opener against Santa Clara

The Warriors had another tough test with a road match against Orcutt Academy on Aug. 26. Carpinteria’s team started out in rhythm, putting up a battle in the first set before Orcutt Academy took control to sweep the match in three sets.

“We showed some ﬂashes early, especially with our defense in terms of digs and blocking,” coach Quitoriano said. “We knew we had a tough matchup ahead of us with their size, but I thought we put up a decent ﬁght. This is going to be a challenging road for us — we’re still a fairly young team, learning who we are and continuing to build our chemistry.”

In the loss to Orcutt Academy, the Warriors players turned in some positive individual performances. Aviles ﬁnished with seven assists, three kills, three digs and a pair of aces; Rowbottom continued to show promise with three kills, two assists and four digs; Isla Moore made her presence known at the net with two blocks and three kills; and Kelly Dominguez brought the team some energy oﬀ the bench with four digs and an ace.

“I really believe it’s a good thing for us to face tough opponents in the preseason,” coach Quitoriano said. “It shows us what we need to work on, teaches us to ﬁght through adversity and reminds us that there’s always room to get better. More importantly, it shows me which players are truly passionate about improving and committed to learning.”

ON DECK

Thursday, August 28

Carpinteria Girls Golf at Ventura (Saticoy Regional Golf Course), 3 p.m.

*Carpinteria Boys Water Polo vs. Righetti, 3:45 p.m.

*Carpinteria Girls Volleyball vs. Cabrillo, 6 p.m.

Saturday, August 30

Carpinteria Cross Country at Gaucho Invitational (UCSB), 8 a.m.

*Denotes Home Game

ROSANA SWING PHOTOS

Lyra Moore drops a shot over the net.

Harper Rowbottom keeps the ball alive for the Warriors.

Skyla Delwiche smashes a shot past a defender.

SHORT STOPS

BY RYAN P. CRUZ

Warriors football hosts end-of-summer cookout

Carpinteria’s football and cheer teams celebrated the end of preseason practices with a summer beach cookout at Linden Field on Saturday, Aug. 23.

Coaches Henry Gonzales and Van Latham wanted to return to the decades-old Warriors football tradition of hosting a friends and family barbecue prior to the first game of the new season. Former Warriors football players Nito Camargo, Tim Parra, Bobby Gonzales, Ray Gonzales and Eddie Saenz teamed up to cook up a big lunch for this year’s football players and cheerleaders, building up Warrior Spirit before Carpinteria’s opening game at Santa Clara on Sept. 5.

This year’s team is looking to build on Carpinteria’s deep football roots with head coaches Gonzales and Latham — both former Warrior players — and a group of passionate assistant coaches, including Rick Candaele, Noah Gilbert, Cristian Quintero, Gary Feramisco, Kevin Convissar, BJ Shamblin, Ty Shamblin and Ron Contreras.

Boys water polo wins three at Thousand Oaks tournament

Carpinteria boys water polo started its 2025 season on a high note under new head coach Russel Russo-LeVasseur, winning three of four matches during the Thousand Oaks Fall Classic on Aug. 22-23.

The Warriors started out with a 14-7 win over Cleveland in the first match of the weekend on Friday, Aug. 22.

Carpinteria scored many of its goals off counterattacks, with several players — including Jake Ehlers and Sky Korling — coming away with multiple goals in the win.

Coach Russo said the team’s ball movement and passing improved during that first match, and that he was impressed that the team did not have any trouble getting back into action during the first game of the season.

Later that day, the Warriors took on Schurr, one of the top-rated teams in the tournament. Carpinteria traded goals with Schurr for much of the first three quarters, though the Warriors battled early foul trouble and Schurr took advantage to take a one-goal lead in the final quarter and take the win 12-11.

Despite the loss, coach Russo highlighted Warriors standout players Taison Lee and Stefano Piccoletti. Lee played strong defense and Piccoletti held firm with 12 blocks and two steals.

“I thought our boys put together a good game and we hope to play (Schurr) later during CIF,” coach Russo said.

After a short rest, Carpinteria returned to the pool for two more matches on Saturday.

The Warriors took control early in their first game of the day against Crespi, with Ehlers scoring four goals in the first quarter to help Carpinteria sail through to a 11-7 victory.

“We managed to allow very few goals from center and the boys gelled very well

all game,” coach Russo said. “I was very proud of how they stepped up on every possession and continued to show great stamina throughout. Our big strength is our speed and endurance and that shined this weekend throughout each game.”

In the final game of the tournament against St. Francis, Carpinteria dominated in counterattacks once again, building a steady lead and keeping control to cruise to a 12-7 win.

Korling led the Warriors with five goals and three steals, while Ehlers also contributed to the win with three goals and three steals. Lee, Chris Reed and Massimo Bonilla-Zakosek each picked up steals on the defensive side, while Piccoletti kept St. Francis in check with nine blocks, an assist and a steal.

“I was very impressed with our composure throughout the game on defense and not allowing the ball to move easily around the perimeter,” coach Russo said. “We are getting better every game and adapting on the fly much better… We still have a ways to go, but I’m happy with the growth over the weekend.”

Carpinteria girls tennis grabs win in opener

Carpinteria girls tennis opened up the 2025 season on the road at Thousand Oaks on Aug. 25, where the Warriors picked up a win over the Lancers, 15-3.

Carpinteria coach Charles Bryant said the team didn’t show many first-game jitters, and much of the squad displayed composure, energy and grit in the first win of the year.

Aubrey Alcaraz and Izzy Scott set the tone in singles, with both finishing with 3-0 sweeps and showing complete control in their play. Newcomer Cailyn Gillen, a freshman, also contributed with a win in singles.

The Warriors have two different doubles duos who look to dominate on the court this year, and both teams got a hot start to the year against Thousand Oaks. Mina Handall and Emily Banks teamed up to go 3-0, including a comeback win in one round. Sisters Charlotte and Caroline Cooney played together for the first time, with the freshman Caroline joining her sister Charlotte, a senior who has already become a multi-sports star and three-time league doubles champion for the Warriors. The Cooney sisters proved to be a natural pair, finishing 3-0 with just one game dropped. Finally, the duo of Kacy Kramer and Yaretzi Moctezuma turned in two wins over the Lancers, giving the Warriors a combined 8-1 record in doubles play.

“Overall, it was a great start for the girls,” coach Bryant said. “We have great team leadership and great chemistry, which makes a huge difference. I am looking forward to their growth throughout the season.”

Friday Football Focus turns 40

The Central Coast’s longest-running weekly highschool sports broadcast, Friday Football Focus, celebrates its 40th year as the football season begins this week.

Since 1985, the show has brought local highlights from Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, capturing memorable moments for generations of local football players. It was the first weekly high-school highlight show in all of Southern California, pre-dating similar shows on cable networks across the state.

Twenty-two-year-old KEYT Sports

and Weekend Anchor David Bolton interviews Santa Barbara Dons player Scott Anderle.

“To be honest, it was everything,” said former Santa Barbara High School quarterback Poncho Renteria, who starred on the Golden Tornado CIF championship team of 1989. “After every game we would meet and watch the highlights. I grew up watching the show and everyone was always looking forward to it — students, parents, everyone.”

Friday Football Focus was the vision of former KEYT weekend sports reporter David Bolton, whose idea became a reality when he worked with local businesses and high school booster clubs — including the Carpinteria High School Booster Club — to get the funding necessary to get the show off the ground.

“Businesses, supporters and booster groups in southern Santa Barbara County made the show possible for everyone in the tri-counties,” Bolton said. “This community should be very proud.”

Since then, Friday Football Focus has aired more than 500 episodes, growing

connection with local viewership each year. View

JULIE LATHAM

Carpinteria’s football and cheer teams celebrated the end of summer workouts with a beach cookout at Linden Field.

JANEL SHAW

Taison Lee launches a shot during the Thousand Oaks Fall Classic.

COURTESY DAVID BOLTON

Reporter

CRUZ ON SPORTS

RYAN P. CRUZ

and a guy who might be found playing basketball with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on his off days (thanks, “Space Jam”). This mythologized version of Jordan was the product of sports media, and while it was clearly crafted to create a marketable persona, it also made us, the fans, feel like we had a connection to this cultural superhero. We listened to the stories about Jordan and created our own folklore around him.

like SportsCenter, which today is a shell of the show I remember sneaking around to watch in the late-night hours as a kid.

Regular readers of my monthly ramblings have probably noticed by now that one of my chief complaints about the current sports landscape is the overwhelming influence of money on sports. Stock market pressure, investors and private equity interests have squeezed every last cent of profit out of sports, and all that’s left these days is a stale, lifeless version of what we once had.

to adjust to the public’s ever-shortening attention spans, and now what do we see? Deep-fried memes on corporate social media accounts, and podcasters with lucrative gambling deals taking over as on-air hosts for national sports broadcasts.

SportsCenter

I remember as a child I used to sneak out of bed late at night, tip-toe to the living room, plop down in front of the TV and turn the channel to ESPN. Sure, I loved cartoons and kids movies, but there was something more magical to me about watching my favorite show, SportsCenter, the screen glowing in the dark living room, showing me not just game scores and highlights, but storylines that build the myths of the biggest stars of the times. It seemed, to me at least, that prior to the days of the internet, sports journalism and media had mastered the art of “mythmaking” — creating athletes that seemed larger than life through personal interviews, magazine profiles and television segments that built up these personalities while still keeping a mysterious aura about them.

I think of Michael Jordan in the ‘90s, who I saw as the superstar of the NBA, the smiling face of Gatorade and Wheaties,

That image of Jordan was shattered when we saw a glimpse of the actual human being behind the myth, years later in the 2020 documentary “The Last Dance,” which revealed the other side of Jordan: the ruthless, at times verbally abusive competitor with a crippling gambling addiction and a history of personal conflicts with friends, family and teammates. In 2021, his longtime right-hand man, Scottie Pippen, would reveal even more in a memoir in which he called Jordan “selfish, hypocritical and insensitive.”

I get a pit in my stomach when I turn on the first week of college football — competition meant as a way for students to battle for bragging rights against other schools — and see ESPN’s onscreen anchors talk about million-dollar brand deals and gambling lines.

COURT FOOD

While this new image of Jordan is arguably a fuller picture of the man as a flawed person, what it represents to me is the death of the days of the mythmaking magic of magazines and sports media

I’m not blind to the fact that there were likely rooms full of suits crafting Jordan’s persona in the ‘90s. But in a way, I’m nostalgic for the days when marketing was at least palatable.

The internet has forever changed the way we take in media, and in the decades since its inception it has continued to wield influence over the rest of culture. With the dawn of the internet, those suits at ESPN in the 90s — when SportsCenter was at the height of its cultural power — were forced

I know that we tend to look at the past with rose-colored glasses, but it’s really difficult to keep from yearning for the good ole days of SportsCenter hosts like Stuart Scott (may he rest in peace) and Rich Eisen, who were relatable, funny and shared their love for sports without ever having to dip into gambling talk about the over/under or the spread of the games. My sense of nostalgia grows especially heavy on those nights I stay up late, hoping to catch some sports highlights or storylines on TV, only to find sports media has now become overrun by gambling and gossip.

I don’t think we’ll ever get those mythological athletes of the past. The manifestation of fame is far different in 2025 than it was in Jordan’s prime. Most mainstream athletes now have millions of followers, a team of promotional professionals and a network of major media partners — we see too much of their personal lives, and everything they do is now made public and scrutinized under the glaring eye of social media.

Unfortunately, it’s not just the sports world. This need to maximize profits and monopolize the markets has taken away the magic of a lot of things we once remembered as special — food, fashion, movies and music included. I’m willing to admit that I’ve grown older, and in some ways grumpier, but I can’t kick that feeling that things were a bit better before.

Ryan P. Cruz is the sports editor for Coastal View News. This is the latest installment of a monthly column where he explores local sports, sports history, and what’s in store for the future of Carpinteria sports. Have an idea, tip, or sports story? Email him at sports@ coastalview.com.

Save Our Seals August Recap

REPORTS COMPILED BY SAVE OUR SEALS

High counts

Aug. 3–9: 118

Aug. 10–16: 110

Aug. 17–23: 76

Aug. 24–26: 90

What to know

Note that counts are taken in the early morning, and many days have few or no seals, which is not reflected in the high count. There are rarely seals hauled out on the beach beyond mid-morning.

This report will be published monthly June — November to share interesting information about our local harbor seal colony. The seals live here all year, even though the beach is only officially closed during the pupping season (Dec. 1 — May 31). In general, most harbor seal rookeries see the highest counts of seals during their annual molt. Here, that occurs throughout mid-summer to early-fall and is hormonally driven. This past month, seal counts have been variable in response to the seals being driven from the beach by humans, dogs and sonic booms.

When visiting the beach

Please observe the seals from the Overlook, accessed from the Coastal Vista Trail.

When walking on the beach, do enjoy the sand on your feet, and the life in the Tide Pools, but please, turn around at the sign about seals. Leave the seals resting as long as they want or need to.

Read carpinteriaca.gov. Click “Visitors Info,” then “Parks and Recreation,” then “Harbor Seal Rookery.” Scroll down to see a map of the Coastal Vista Trail.

The mission of Save Our Seals is to protect and preserve the Carpinteria harbor seal colony. Our efforts are based on science-based data, and we strive to increase the public’s understanding of harbor seals and engagement in protecting our local colony. Reach us through our website at savecarpseals.com. Harbor seals have called Carpinteria home for hundreds of years, and generations of people have enjoyed our seals by visiting the overlook year-round. We encourage you to go to our website and share your stories about viewing the seals.