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November election takes shape By Lea Boyd
The view of this fall’s election could change by the time the ballots are inked, but with just a few days before the first filing deadline, most of the local races appear more snooze than news. Not one of Carpinteria’s city council or special district races has more candidates than seats at the moment, and a few remain short a name or two. Among those with equal parts openings and contenders, there are only a couple new names—most seats look like they will hold the same bodies come 2015. Three incumbents have signed on for city council, water board and both the Carpinteria and Summerland sanitary districts. Thus far, the fire board election, with three slots to fill and only two runners, Pete Thompson and Nilo Fanucchi, doesn’t look particularly hot, but its outcome bears heavy weight. In 2012, two new members were elected to the board with the support of the firefighters. The newcomers pumped the brakes on plans for a $12 million bond measure to fund two new fire stations, a measure initially aimed for this November’s ballot. In the 2014 race, all three incumbents—all proponents of the station plans—have said they will not seek re-election. The current board could set the wheels in motion for a spring 2015 special bond election, but with three new faces joining the board in January, the fire district could find itself on a very different path in the new year. This go around it looks as though Pete Thompson will enjoy the firefighters’ backing heading into the election. Thompson, who says he has a lot to learn about the issues facing the district, said he hopes to bring a “fresh, open mind” to the fire board. He considered running for a school board seat before becoming interested in serving the community on the fire board. He wants to consider all options for the future of CSFPD—including alternative locations to the current fire station plans and consolidation with other fire agencies. Fanucchi’s hat was tossed into the ring just before Coastal View News went to print. In next week’s election update, we will present his reasons for seeking a seat on the fire board. The school board will see at least one new face in 2015 since one-term incumbent Grace Donnelly has decided not to seek re-election. Newcomer John Stineman’s name will appear on the ballot, along with incumbent Andy Sheaffer’s. The board’s Summerland area seat, now held by Sally Hinton, was wide open as of Aug. 6. The filing window will be extended until Aug. 13 if Hinton fails to file before the Aug. 8 deadline. Any race that lacks involvement of incumbents will have its filing deadline extended to Aug. 13. Stineman is the father of a Carpinteria Middle School student and a Carpinteria Family School student. He retired from a career as an electronics engineer over a
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DuGré
Featured artists of the Caminos 2 exhibit at Carpinteria arts Center include, from left, Freddie Castro, Lexie Lopez, Christina Zepeda, Amy Lynn Stanfield and curator Manuel Unzueta. On display is a painting by Unzueta.
Art show highlights Latino artists By Cat NeushuL When artist Manuel Unzueta decided to hold a local art exhibit to highlight the works of up and coming Latino artists, he had several objectives in mind. Not only did he want to offer a venue for new artists to share their work with the public, he also wanted to provide a way for individuals who wouldn’t typically go to an exhibit to connect to art. In particular, he sought to educate the Latino population in Carpinteria about art and help them find out more about the people who produce it. The art exhibit entitled Caminos 2 is the second Unzueta has held in Carpinteria to showcase the works of Latino artists. “In many Latino homes around the Central Coast there are people drawing with nowhere to show their artwork,” Unzueta said. “I don’t think that any artist should be ignored.” For this reason, he decided to feature the works of young and not well-known artists in his most recent exhibit to be held at the Carpinteria Arts Center beginning Aug. 7. Unzueta has a plan for ensuring that people in the local community know about the exhibit by doing such things as advertising at the Carpinteria Boys and Girls Club, the high school and on the radio. In addition, he wants to organize field trips for local students so they can visit the exhibit. He said that there
are many Latino parents from humble backgrounds who want to give their children all the things they might not have had. “I want them to understand that they have to get their kids to go to galleries because some of these kids might want to be artists,” he said. Unzueta, who is curating the exhibit and will have his own art on display, said that he plans to feature the work of seven artists, including works produced by his two children. The art will be in a variety of media, including watercolor, photography and paint. Sherri Frazer, executive director of the Carpinteria Arts Center, said that she had recommended three of the women whose art will be featured in the exhibit. “I have seen their work and thought it was amazing,” Frazer said. She said it was important for young artists to have opportunities to share their work, even though they might risk rejection. She said that as they become seasoned, they learn not to “take rejection to heart. It’s a part of the process.” One of the artists who will display her work at the exhibit, 39-year-old Christina Zepeda, said that her art expresses her feelings and Latino roots. She works with a variety of media, including acrylics, and often paints sunsets and ocean scenes. She said
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