Thursday, January 25, 2018 9
Coastal View News • Tel: (805) 684-4428
BRIEFLY continued from page 3 Rincon Classic postponed
Due to dwindling swell conditions, poor water quality and a need for the community to heal and rebuild after the fire and flood events, organizers have postponed the Rincon Classic for Jan. 27 and 28 in the surf contest waiting period. The Classic will now run—conditions and surf permitting—on the weekend of Feb. 3 and 4. The final call will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 5 p.m. For more information, visit rinconclassic.com.
Benefit poker match comes to the Carriage Museum
The Mike Moses Memorial Texas Hold ‘Em Benefit Poker Tournament will be held Sunday, March 11, at the Carriage Museum, 129 Castillo Street in Santa Barbara to benefit local charities and flood victims. Organized by Santa Barbara City Firefighters in memory of late firefighter Mike Moses, tournament will raise funds to support the Montecito Flood victims. A barbecue starts at noon, with poker beginning at 2 p.m. Donations are $100 per player, or $800 per table of nine—includes entry, food and drinks ($30 food and drink only). Prizes will be awarded to final table participants. Additional sponsorships are welcome and those interested can contact Jeff Zampese at jzampese@iaff525.org, or make a donation at iaff525.org
Woman’s Club offers info on new local Hospice program
On Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m., Carpinteria Woman’s Club will host a presentation about Compassionate Care of Carpinteria, a new program launched by Hospice of Santa Barbara. Tianna Swede and Nicole Romasanta of Hospice will inform attendees about the adult and children’s bereavement services and patient care services that will be offered locally, with a dedicated site and staff. A Hospice Volunteer Program will provide training and support for community members interested in volunteering for Compassionate Care of Carpinteria. Meeting presenters will outline the role and responsibilities of being a Hospice volunteer, and will review the structure of the training modules. Participants are asked to bring a bottle of wine or a dish to share. Call 566-8953 for more information.
Ocean Futures Society comes to Maritime Museum
Holly Lohuis, marine biologist with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, will give a multi-media presentation titled, “Nature, Wisdom and Mindfulness: Inspiration for a Sustainable Future of our Oceans” on Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, in Santa Barbara. Jean-Michel Cousteau’s dive partner for over 20 years, Lohuis will share stories and images from numerous expeditions with the Ocean Futures Society, including a behind-the-scenes glimpse of OFS’s latest IMAX film, “Secret Ocean 3D.” Using kelp forests and coral reefs to exemplify a sustainable underwater city, Lohuis will detail the lessons of the ocean and inspire participation in global marine conservation and stewardship. A member-only reception will be held from 6:16 to 6:45 p.m. at the museum, and the cost is $5 for members, $15 non-members. For more information call 962-8404, or visit sbmm.org.
Talent Showcase has been rescheduled
The Rotary Club of Carpinteria and the Alcazar Theatre have postponed the annual Talent Showcase due to fire and flood. The new date is Saturday, March 24, at 7 p.m. at the Alcazar, 4916 Carpinteria Ave. Additional details will soon be announced.
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MINDING OUR BUSINESS SHANE BRUCE
Fire and rain in Carpinteria
James Taylor’s 1968 song “Fire and Rain” with its line, “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end,” captures well the sentiment of what we have faced here in Carpinteria recently. Our tranquil paradise of “sunny days that never end” was threatened, first by the largest wildfire in California history, then by the most significant flood since 1969, not long after Taylor’s song graced the radio waves. Richard Bach, in his inspiring 1977 book “Illusions” highlights perspective. In his attempt to guide us out of despair, he reminds us, “Perspective: Use it or lose it.” In spite of having our lives here in Carpinteria significantly disrupted by fire and rain, we were spared the destruction that struck our neighbors to the northwest and southeast. Still, the 101 freeway being closed to through traffic significantly altered our lives. Crowds poured in to Carpinteria, as we became the railroad gateway between The Southland and The Central Coast. As a small business owner, I was unable to get to my office in Santa Barbara. When the train track in Montecito was cleared of mud, and I heard the train whistle, my heart leapt with joy. But it would turn out that getting to Santa Barbara was an epic journey. Preference was given to first responders (as it should be!) and those with the foresight to procure business class tickets for the train. By last Saturday, I took the train up the night before, rented a car, and took the taxi, after returning the rental car back to the Santa Barbara Airport. All told, it took six hours and cost me $84 to go nine miles to my office. But I was one of many small businesses affected. Charla Marshal, the manager at Jack’s Bistro, relayed the ups and downs of post-disaster business at the restaurant. During the fire, the bistro lost delivery services. Schools closed. The last delivery was Dec. 5 to Ventura School District. The students were back in the saddle by Jan. 9, but then the bagels couldn’t get to the kids. Jacks also delivers to UC Santa Barbara where students were left bagel-less in the road closures. “All the bagels are made here in Carpinteria, and we weren’t able to get to any of the schools that rely on us,” Marshal said. “In the 40 years I’ve lived here, I have never seen anything like this.”
The bistro was packed every day after the mudslides. “We had one cook, one server, one cashier, and one bus person, so Justin, who runs the catering business came down, and I bussed tables. We had power; we had no internet and no credit cards. We had to shorten the menu. Alvaro, our one cook who lives here in town saved the day. He is only one of six cooks. And Estela, our prep cook, rocked it! We fed everyone with no complaints.” Other business felt it too. Joaquin Gonzalez, owner of Gonzo’s Bike Shop, said not much changed for him, but that he saw an increase in mud and water damage on bike chains and brakes. Clyde “Jim” Rockwell of Rockwell Cleaners reported that he is still backed up with cleaning from the fires, and had to do his deliveries by going up Interstate 5 though Bakersfield. Deliveries to Santa Barbara from Carpinteria took up to five or six hours in commute time. Jody Kester of Tidepools told me that, in spite of increased foot traffic due to the proximity of her shop to the train station, not many people were stopping in for decorative items and lovely prints by local artists such as Ray Cole. Rincon Designs Surf Shop was empty when I stopped in. Fortunately for Bob’s Vacuums owner, Dave Evans, he lives here in Carpinteria. His store manager, Steve Flora, reported sales were down, and that the shop was unable to make deliveries. Though fewer people were out shopping, downtown parking spaces were scarce. Empty cars sat on local streets collecting dust while their owners boarded the train to Santa Barbara and stayed away for days. Most Santa Claus Lane businesses closed for up to a week while the highway opening was delayed then delayed again. In downtown Carpinteria, retailers remained desperate to recover from the days on end of ash and smoke that kept holiday shoppers inside or out of town. Local writer and entrepreneur Merle Yost reported that having the internet down for nearly a week significantly held up the production of his latest book, “Facing The Truth of Your Life.” Fellow author and Carpinteria Writers Group member Phoenix Hocking reported obtaining an antenna from an electronics store in Ventura to stay connected with local news while the internet was down. Even though Carpinteria has skirted disaster thus far, this season of fire and rain sent ripples through our local economy. Now that the internet is back and the 101 is open, local business owners are looking to recoup losses and return to normal. The best way to avert the disaster of shuttered local businesses is to get out and spend money in Carpinteria. Shane Bruce is a recent transplant from Los Angeles. He has been contributing to area publications for nearly 20 years, including the Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley News. He is grateful to be living in Carpinteria, a place he calls paradise. His column focuses on the heroics of overcoming challenges that small business owners face. Shane believes that small business owners are the true American heroes.
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