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OCT. 1-8, 2026

VOL. 40 NO. 2080

Fracture into

Radiance The Art of Cassandria Blackmore

by Roger Durling | Photos by Ingrid Bostrom

City Rent Cap Passes

by Ryan P. Cruz

New Details in Chase Palm Park Homicide

by Elaine Sanders & Diego Melgoza

Small-Batch Davo Tequila Brings a Big Dose of Love by Leslie Dinaberg

VOICES: Did 101 Construction Impact State Street?

by Nathan Vonk

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See Akram Khan Company in its Final International Tour

Akram Khan Company Thikra: Night of Remembering

By Akram Khan and Manal AlDowayan

Tue, Oct 6 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre “One of the most influential choreographers of his generation.” The Guardian (U.K.)

Tony Award-winning Broadway Legend

Bernadette Peters Thu, Oct 15 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre “Peters is more than talented: As an actress, singer, comedienne and allaround warming presence, she has no peer in the musical theater.” The New York Times

Created by Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble

Sun, Oct 18 / 4 PM / Granada Theatre ★★★★ “Graceful aerial solos. Jaw dropping lifts. Superhuman balances. Swan Lake as you’ve never seen it before.” The Times (U.K.)

Visit our website to view the full 2026-2027 lineup

(805) 893-3535 | www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu Granada event tickets can also be purchased at: (805) 899-2222 | www.GranadaSB.org INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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2026-27 CONCERT SERIES

OCT

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TRADITION TRANSFORMED:

NICHOLAS CANELLAKIS | MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN

HUMOR & HARMONY:

RACHMANINOFF, BRITTEN & BAIK

THE CANELLAKIS-BROWN DUO

RICHARD O’NEILL viola | AUGUST BAIK piano

NICHOLAS CANELLAKIS cello MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN piano

JAN

ANNIE WU

JULIE ALBERS

FEB

CHASING THE SUN:

MAPLE QUARTET & THE ALBERS SISTERS

MAPLE QUARTET Emerging Artists String Quartet REBECCA ALBERS viola | JULIE ALBERS cello

NOT TOO SWEET:

A STORYTELLING SHOW BY ANNIE WU ANNIE WU flute | MARKUS KAITILA piano

MU SI CACADEMY.ORG/ M ARI POSA PERFORMA N CE S 7:3 0 P M i n H A H N H A L L • P RE -CO NCE RT WI N E R ECEPTI ONS T h e M a r i p osa Co n c e r t S e r i es i n i t i a t i ve i s g e n e ro u sl y su p p o r te d by Ka n d y B u d g o r ; Lu r i a / B u d g o r F a m i l y F o u n d a ti o n

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OCTOBER 1, 2026

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Print subscriptions are available, paid in advance, for $120 per year. Send subscription requests with name and address to subscriptions@independent.com. The contents of the Independent are copyrighted 2026 by the Santa Barbara Independent, Inc. No part may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned. The Independent is available on the internet at independent.com. Press run of the Independent is 25,000 copies. Audited certification of circulation is available on request. The Independent is a legal adjudicated newspaper — court decree no. 157386. ISSN 2834-3174 (Print) ISSN 2834-3204 (Online) Contact information: 223 E. De la Guerra St., Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 PHONE (805) 965-5205; FAX (805) 965-5518 EMAIL news@independent.com, letters@independent.com, advertising@independent.com Staff email addresses can be found at independent.com/about-us

TABLE of CONTENTS Volume 40 #2080, Oct. 1-8, 2026

COVER STORY

Fracture into Radiance The Art of Cassandria Blackmore

by Roger Durling | Photos by Ingrid Bostrom

NEWS..................................................... 7 OPINIONS......................................... 14 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 An Unruly Woman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

OBITUARIES.................................... 18 In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

THE WEEK........................................27 ARTS LIFE .........................................33 LIVING ................................................. 41 FOOD & DRINK............................ 47 Restaurant Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

ASTROLOGY .................................. 54 CLASSIFIEDS..................................55

Meet the Mastermind of Brave New Work This week, we’d like to introduce the producer and creator of Brave New Work, Michael Delgado, who has a history in West Coast contemporary art and moved to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles. “Honestly, panels on each of the three days are all fascinating, and the installation at 410 State Street is spectacular,” said Delgado. “If you can only attend one panel, I’d slip out of work, skip class, or take a long lunch to catch the panel topic you find most interesting. Of course, the Hahn Hall Michael Delgado performances are going to be inspiring and you can’t miss that on the evening of the sixth. That Tuesday is ‘Art Day.’ The panels are filled with artists represented in the exhibition. Wednesday the 7th is ‘Tech Day.’ Have your mind blown as world leaders in neurobiology and quantum physics will be explaining quantum theory and its implications for computing in a ‘post-classical computing’ world. Thursday is ‘Reality Day.’ The final panel brings all the future-talk home by focusing on the impacts of AI in contemporary life. Accompanying these fascinating discussions is a massive immersive installation in the 15,000-square-foot former Staples building at 410 State Street. Architect/artists Nefeli Manoudaki and Iason Paterakis monitor the electrical impulses between plants that will fill up the space and through a generative program, ‘translating’ the plants’‘conversation’ into a stunning live video projection.” You can catch a sneak peek of the projections on the Odd Fellows Temple, above the Sullivan Goss Gallery today, October 1. Find all the details at bravenewworksb.org and get your tickets now at sbindytickets.com.

Date:9-28-2026 2:25 PM| Client:SUTTER| Studio Artist: Emily Devlin / Emily Devlin| PrintedON At:THE NoneCOVER: Cassandria Blackmore. Photo by Job number: SUTHEA0014.1 | SUTH0014_1_Print_GenNurse_SantaBarbara_Independent_v1.indd Ingrid Bostrom. Design by Xavier Pereyra. T: 9.375” x 6.166”, L: None, B:None, Gutter: None, Bind: None, Linescreen: None, MD: 220, Color: None INSTAGRAM | @SBINDEPENDENT • FACEBOOK | SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT • NEWSLETTER | INDEPENDENT.COM/NEWSLETTERS • SUBSCRIBE | INDEPENDENT.COM/SUBSCRIBE Notes: 4C - Newsprint

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INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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Editor in Chief Marianne Partridge Publisher Brandi Rivera Executive Editor Nick Welsh Senior Editor Tyler Hayden Senior Writer Matt Kettmann News Editor Jackson Friedman Opinions Editor Jean Yamamura Arts and Culture Editor Leslie Dinaberg Calendar Editor Terry Ortega Calendar Assistant Olivia Ison News Reporters Ryan P. Cruz, Callie Fausey, Elaine Sanders Senior Arts Writer Josef Woodard Mickey Flacks Fund Fellow Christina McDermott Photographer Ingrid Bostrom Assistant Editor Tiana Molony Copy Chief Tessa Reeg Copy Editors Evan Ragland, Nathan Vived Sports Editor Victor Bryant Web Content Manager Don Brubaker Social Media Manager Maya Johnson Food Writer George Yatchisin Travel Writers Macduff Everton, Mary Heebner Art Director Xavier Pereyra Associate Production Manager Bianca Castro Graphic Designers Leah Brewer, Diego Melgoza, Haley Snyder Columnists Dennis Allen, Gail Arnold, Sara Caputo, Christine S. Cowles, Laura Gransberry, Betsy J. Green, Emily Kellow, Austin Lampson, Melinda Palacio, Cheri Rae, Hugh Ranson, Amy Ramos, Lorissa Rinehart, Starshine Roshell Contributors Rob Brezsny, Jim Buckley, Cynthia Carbone Ward, Ben Ciccati, Cheryl Crabtree, John Dickson, Roger Durling, Chuck Graham, Keith Hamm, Rebecca Horrigan, Gareth Kelly, Kevin McKiernan, Carl Perry, David Starkey, Ethan Stewart, Brian Tanguay, Tom Tomorrow, Jatila Van der Veen, Isabelle Walker, Maggie Yates, John Zant Director of Advertising Sarah Sinclair Marketing and Events Manager Richelle Boyd Advertising Representatives Suzanne Cloutier, Bryce Eller, Ariana Hugo, Tonea Songer, Scott Maio Digital Marketing Specialist Graham Brown Business Operations and Accounting Manager Erin Lynch Office Manager/Legal Advertising Tanya Spears Guiliacci Distribution Gregory Hall Interns Taylor Cusimano, Madeline Slogoff, Danielle Verlardi Columnist Emeritus Barney Brantingham Photography Editor Emeritus Paul Wellman Founding Staff Emeriti George Delmerico, Richard Evans, Camille Cimini Fruin, Laszlo Hodosy, Scott Kaufman Honorary Consigliere Gary J. Hill Indy Kids Bella and Max Brown; Elijah Lee, Amaya Nicole, and William Gene Bryant; Henry and John Poett Campbell; Emilia Imojean Friedman; Rowan Gould; Finley James Hayden; Ivy Danielle Ireland; Madeline Rose and Mason Carrington Kettmann

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THE INDEPENDENT

OCTOBER 1, 2026

INDEPENDENT.COM

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 1, 2026

NEWS of the WEEK

by RYAN P. CRUZ, CALLIE FAUSEY, JACKSON FRIEDMAN, TYLER HAYDEN, CHRISTINA McDERMOTT, ELAINE SANDERS, NICK WELSH, and JEAN YAMAMURA

EDUCATION

NEWS BRIEFS

Blackface Incident Roils San Marcos High

CHP

PUBLIC SAFETY

Episode Comes amid Ongoing Concerns About Anti-Black Harassment at S.B. Unified Campuses

CO U R T E S Y

by Tyler Hayden subjected to slurs and monchool has “instituted consequences” key noises. on a group of students after they Speakers criticized what shared a social media post that they described as inconsistent consequences and inadequate “portrayed blackface,” Principal responses from administraDare Holdren announced Friday in a message to families. tors, and called for a zeroThe TikTok post featured a photograph tolerance policy on racial of four female students with artificially slurs, stronger discipline, full darkened skin striking the poses of the investigations of reported “meet the gc” (group chat) meme, which incidents, and more teacher training. is based on an AI-generated image of four young Black boys in matching school In 2022, the mother of a uniforms. Santa Barbara Junior High School student said her son “The racial stereotype was reported to the administration through our Safe to was subjected to racist slurs Speak Up system two weeks ago, and our and assaulted by classmates administrative team responded promptly,” The students posted the AI-generated meme (left) with their recent photo during class. According to Holdren wrote. “As the image has continthe mother, students called him the N-word, pinned him ued to circulate among students and has The incident comes less than a year after affected members of our school community, a substitute teacher was removed from San down, knelt on his head and neck, and we believe it is important to address it with our Marcos after reading the N-word aloud invoked George Floyd. Santa Barbara Unibroader community as well.” during a classroom discussion of Of Mice fied condemned the incident and said “corThe school contacted the offenders’ fami- and Men, despite explicit instructions not rective action” was taken. The Santa Barbara Unified School Dislies and “are working to educate the students to. about the impact of their actions,” he said. This June, Santa Barbara Unified School trict serves about 13,065 students, with Holdren did not disclose any details about District students told the school board Hispanic or Latino students making up the the consequences that were imposed and that racial slurs and anti-Black harass- majority of enrollment at roughly 58 perdid not immediately respond to requests for ment remain persistent across campuses cent. White students account for 32 percent despite years of district initiatives aimed of the student body, while 4 percent identify comment. “Racial stereotypes are harmful and have at combating racism. Students described as two or more races. Asian students make no place in our schools,” he continued in his a Dos Pueblos High School staff member up 2 percent of enrollment, and African message. “Regardless of intent, students need allegedly treating use of the N-word as an American, Filipino, American Indian or to understand the impact their words, images, offense punishable by putting a dollar in a Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander students and actions can have on others.” “swear jar,” as well as Black students being each account for less than one percent. n

COURTS & CRIME

New Details in Chase Palm Park Homicide Pablo Fabian Hernandez’s Family Says He Went Missing Two Weeks Before His Death ccording to the uncle of Pablo Fabian Hernandez, who was murdered in Chase Palm Park on Thursday, the 18-year-old had been missing for two weeks before his death. Santa Barbara Police Department investigators confirmed that Hernandez’s death was a homicide and have not yet released any details as to the events that led up to the incident. At about 7 p.m. on Thursday September 24, SBPD received a 9-1-1 call reporting an unresponsive man in Chase Palm Park. Upon arrival, officers found Hernandez with multiple injuries to the upper body and tried to revive him at the scene. Paramedics arrived and transported him to Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. According to his uncle, police told the family that Hernandez was stabbed to death.

Hernandez had moved to Santa Barbara from Mexico two years ago to join his father, who had moved to the area in 2022. Hernandez did not go to school and instead helped his father with his landscaping business. The last time Hernandez’s father heard from him was two weeks before his death, and his uncle said in an interview in Spanish that “his S.B. City Fire at the crime scene on Thursday father could not find him.” Hernandez’s family and friends As of Tuesday, the police have not are inviting the Santa Barbara community to a fundraiser on Sunday October 4, at La announced whether there are any suspects Virgencita (227 N. Nopal Street). Funds or if any arrests have been made. The investiraised will go toward sending Hernandez’s gation remains ongoing, but police say there body back to his hometown in Mexico to be is “no information indicating the incident is buried by his mother and loved ones. gang related.” Police are encouraging those who may In a flyer circulating on social media, it says that every donation, however small, know something about the incident to contact “brings Pablo Fabian closer to home.” the SBPD office by calling (805) 897-2355. n

For the latest news and longer versions of many of these stories, visit independent.com/news.

J O H N PA L M I N T E R I

by Elaine Sanders and Diego Melgoza

Just before 2 a.m. on 9/24 on the U.S. 101, a threevehicle crash just north of Montecito’s Sheffield Drive in the construction zone caused all southbound lanes to be closed for several hours. A 34-year-old driver from Corona was driving a Freightliner in the slow lane when a semi-truck attempted to pass the Freightliner in the fast lane. The Freightliner then veered to the left into the passing semi, which collided with the concrete center divider. A Lexus driving behind the Freightliner collided with the back of the truck before crashing into the guardrail on the right side of the road. As a result of the crash, 60 gallons of diesel were spilled on the highway. CHP is asking those with any information about the crash to contact Officer De Mara at (805) 770-4800. A swath of downtown Santa Barbara between Anacapa and Haley streets went dark at 9:18 p.m. on 9/24, leaving businesses and homes without power. The City of Santa Barbara’s fire department and police department were both on scene in the hours after. The electricity company Southern California Edison said that a broken underground transformer caused the outage, based on preliminary information. SoCal Edison reported that the outage impacted more than 1,500 of its customers in the area and that power was restored at 3:44 p.m. on 9/25. An overwhelming number of people responded to the county’s announcement of an El Niño webinar for 10/1, which is now being moved to a livestream on YouTube. The program includes meteorologists from the National Weather Service with the most recent information — at least two months out from any expected bad weather — and updates from county Public Works and Community Services personnel on the work being done to prepare for the coming storms. County Fire and the Sheriff’s Office will also report on training ongoing for swift water rescue and evacuation and emergency communications. The livestream will appear in English at youtube.com/@CSBTV20/streams and Spanish at youtube.com/@csbtv20espanol/streams at 5:30-7 p.m. For more information on getting an early start on winter prep, see ReadySBC.org.

COURTS & CRIME The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office provided an update to its 9/15, 2026, notice of an in-custody death at the Northern Branch Jail. The Coroner’s Bureau has classified the death of James Edward Murphy, 68, as a homicide. Another incarcerated man, 46-year-old Peter James Anderson from Santa Barbara, has been booked on additional charges to his existing incarceration for CONT’D ON PAGE 10

INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 1, 2026

CITY

Jim Knell’s Big Move

PAU L W E L L M A N F I L E P H OTO

S.B. Real Estate Mogul Launches Drive to Get Cars Back on State St.

Signature gatherers outside Ralphs in downtown Santa Barbara are seeking registered city voters to sign Jim Knell's petition for a voter referendum on reopening State Street.

In Conversation Joseph Fink The Nudge

Join Chaucer’s Books for a conversation and signing with author and critically acclaimed creator of the podcasts Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn't Dead, Joseph Fink, around his new book The Nudge. Joining Fink in conversation will be local author Craig Clevenger. The book: Late one night, a wounded man checks into a remote roadside hotel. He's running from something he can't explain or escape. And over the course of a night, he'll tell the hotel's proprietor how his life fell apart, wandering the country as a fugitive and hoping to break free from the evil that's wormed its way into him. But as our narrator's story unfolds, he begins to question whether he's fled far enough

Tues, Oct 6, 6pm 3321 State Street Scan the QR code to see more event info on our website. 8

THE INDEPENDENT

OCTOBER 1, 2026

by Nick Welsh im Knell may be far from a household name. But on State Street, Knell — founder of SIMA Corp — is by far the biggest commercial landlord in town, with 300 business tenants. Definite in his attitudes and blunt in his delivery, Knell is now letting his money do his talking, having just launched a campaign to bring cars back to State Street by a voter referendum should Knell’s paid signature gatherers collect 5,400 signatures of registered city voters. “This is my last hurrah!” said Knell. “This is not something I wanted to do. But I feel have no other recourse.” If Knell and his Committee to reopen State Street succeed, it would put the kibosh on the State Street Master Plan — five grinding, intense, and laborious years in the making — which the City Council voted to ratify by a rare 6-1 vote on September 1. Knell’s timing comes just as implementation of that plan — an ambitious, expensive effort to create a new downtown reanimated more by housing than retail — is poised to begin. Technically, Knell’s proposed referendum asks voters whether they think an ordinance known as Title 31 — initially deployed as a COVID-era emergency measure to ban cars from State Street in perpetuity — should be repealed. But Title 31 also would allow cars back on State Street, though only at certain times and on certain blocks, neither of which have been worked out yet. Knell says that since cars were banned in 2019 in response to COVID, downtown sales taxes increased by just one percent; by contrast, Coast Village Road tax rev-

enues increased by 42 percent in that same period, the Funk Zone by 15 percent, and Milpas Street by 14 percent. The difference, Knell contends, is the presence of cars, cars that allow visitors to make their way up the city’s main drag and see where they want to stop. What was adopted as a “stopgap” during COVID has now “been converted into a permanent policy on a nine-block stretch of downtown without ever asking the people who live here,” according to Knell. The State Street Master Plan, he said, will cost taxpayers $100 million and has at best a 10 percent chance of success, he said, according to one of the city’s own consultants. “If the people want this, then fine, I’ll acquiesce,” Knell said. “But I think someone other than the City Council should be voting on this.” He also charged that City Hall has conveniently absolved itself of complying with any of the state environmental review requirements and put City Hall on notice that he intends to sue on those grounds. City Attorney John Doimas issued a statement acknowledging he is investigation Knell’s claim. In the meantime, Knell complained that pop-up businesses are replacing long-term tenants and that commercial space that used to rent for $4 a square foot now goes for a buck. Downtown office space is now, he said, at an all-time high vacancy rate of 40 percent. “And half the businesses on Coast Village Road started out on State Street,” he added. “They’re paying $9 a square foot there; here, they were paying me $2.25.” Tess Harris, the city administrator charged with shepherding the State Street CONT’D ON PAGE 11

INDEPENDENT.COM

CITY

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

Rent Cap Passes

E L A I N E S A N D E R S P H OTO S

Four-Vote Council Majority Comes Together to Pass Ordinance Following Debate over Affordable Housing Exemptions

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Councilmembers Meagan Harmon and Wendy Santamaria by Ryan P. Cruz fter multiple public hearings — and several moments where it looked as if years of planning efforts might fall flat at the finish line—the Santa Barbara City Council’s four-vote majority came together to pass the long-awaited and much-debated citywide rent stabilization ordinance in a milestone 4-3 vote on Tuesday night. While some of the of the drama spilled over from last week’s contentious hearing — when the drafted ordinance inched forward after a standoff between two of the policy’s biggest supporters, councilmembers Wendy Santamaria and Meagan Harmon, over exemptions for affordable housing—this week’s hearing served as the symbolic final stretch in what’s been a rocky road to rent stabilization. Prior to the meeting, rumors swirled about whether the ordinance would still have the four votes it needed to earn the final seal of approval. The prolonged planning process had strained the most recent discussions, and the council majority that agreed on rent stabilization as a concept began to drift further apart as the finalized version became more complicated. Tuesday was supposed to be an informal approval of the ordinance on the council’s consent agenda, but due to the uncertainty and split votes during the previous week, the City Council pulled the item for a deeper discussion about the final details. More specifically, councilmembers Harmon and Santamaria played another game of political poker over whether the ordinance would include exemptions requested from the city’s Housing Authority. Councilmember Harmon said the exemptions were her red line: Without the exemptions as proposed by the city’s Housing Authority and its outgoing director Rob

Fredericks, she would not vote in approval. Councilmember Santamaria worried that the exemptions would leave tenants who live in Section 8 housing without protections and was adamant that tenants should have access to the rent stabilization petition program should their deed-restricted affordable units fail habitability inspections. The debate over the two exemptions continued during the public comment portion of the hearing, when several housing advocates and affordable housing tenants shared testimony of situations in which they said Section 8 units had failed to meet habitability requirements. Fredericks, who wrote an op-ed published in the days leading up to the hearing, pushed back on the criticism, saying that it was “just not true” that voucher holders were unable to report habitability problems to the Housing Authority. Fredericks said the audits referenced by housing advocates presented inflated numbers, and while the Housing Authority did identify a small number of instances where it failed to provide a timely follow-up (three in 2024 and seven in 2025), those overdue cases were not based on health and safety or emergency habitability concerns. “None of those overdue cases involved exigent health or safety deficiencies,” Fredericks said. “That does not excuse the delays, but it is relevant context.” Councilmember Harmon supported the Housing Authority’s request to exempt Housing Authority–controlled and Section 8 deed-restricted affordable housing. She agreed with Fredericks and worried that failing to exempt affordable housing units from the rent stabilization ordinance would be counterintuitive, leading to a more limited number of Section 8 units citywide. She cited the more than 1,500 voucher holders currently on the Section 8 waiting

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Prof Prof Prof Slam Slam Slam

Battle of the Brains UCSB Profs face off live! Who will take the 2026 crown?

Denise Montell

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October 15, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM M.Special Brewing Co, Downtown alumni.ucsb.edu/profslam

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 1, 2026

RENT CAP PASSES list and said that another layer of bureaucracy “does nothing to improve habitability,” but could disincentivize landlord participation. Harmon acknowledged that there were units that fell through the cracks, but she said that deed-restricted units already have a higher level of oversight and inspection than any other type of units in the city. She said she wanted the ordinance to include the exemptions, and urged her fellow councilmembers not to allow the ordinance to be delayed any further. “We have spent the last year claiming that there is a five-alarm fire of need for this ordinance,” she said. “I earnestly believe that the time is now, today.” Councilmember Santamaria pushed back on Harmon’s claim about the potential of losing landlord participation. She argued that the 1,500-person waiting list represented those waiting for a voucher due to lack of federal funding — not voucher holders waiting for a landlord to make a unit available. “As a landlord, you’re gonna want to take a Section 8 voucher because it’s guaranteed money from the government,” Santamaria said. Santamaria said she was willing to allow the deed-restricted units to be exempted from the ordinance, as long as the tenants themselves would be able to have some form of recourse if they have habitability concerns that aren’t quickly addressed by the Housing Authority. Councilmember Kristen Sneddon, who had aligned with Santamaria in nearly every step of the planning process, vented her frustration on Tuesday, saying she was “deeply disappointed” by the prospect of the ordinance being pushed down the line while the city continued to debate the minute details. “There is a limit,” Sneddon said. “We are playing with people’s lives here.” Sneddon said she was concerned the ordinance that was originally a “protective, bold” policy had turned into a clunky and complicated set of regulations and that it seemed that the goalposts were moved in every additional discussion. “I’m deeply disappointed that this comes down to an argument about one very specific form of exemption,” Sneddon said. “Yes, we want to protect all vulner-

BRIEFS murder in connection with the assault. Peter Anderson was originally booked into custody on 8/24 and was being held on felony domestic violence with no bail. On 9/24, he remained in custody and was booked on additional felony charges of murder and elder abuse in connection with Murphy’s death. Anderson is being held without bail at the Main Jail.

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OCTOBER 1, 2026

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The deadline to comment on the Trump Administration’s proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule — a law enacted in 2001 to protect 58 million acres of National Forest from logging and road-

CONT’D FROM P.9 able tenants — every one in the city — but if we don’t have this passed at all, if this doesn’t even exist at all, not a single person is covered.” After an exhausting set of questions for city staff and the city attorney’s office, Santamaria and Harmon came to a version they could both support: the ordinance would be passed as recommended by staff, with the two exemptions for affordable housing, and the city would direct staff to pursue a pathway for tenants to address habitability concerns through the upcoming “just cause” amendments, which will be updated to align with the new citywide rent cap. The compromise was enough to secure the four votes necessary to get the ordinance adopted on schedule for the January 2027 launch date. Councilmember Sneddon joined in the vote with Santamaria, Harmon, and Oscar Gutierrez, who remained silent during the hearing but stayed consistent with his previous support of the rent cap. Mayor Randy Rowse and councilmembers Mike Jordan and Eric Friedman voted in opposition. Friedman, who is running for mayor against Sneddon, said that he is concerned that the stricter rent cap will diminish the overall supply of housing while increasing rent rates overall. Friedman also worried about how the city will pay for the potentially $2 million to $2.5 million price tag, which would be mostly covered by rent registry fees but would potentially require hundreds of thousands of dollars from the city budget. “I don’t hear any conversations about how we are going to pay for this,” Friedman said. The approval also included a plan to appropriate $500,000 from the city’s flexible housing fund to pay for implementation and a fee study to decide the costs for the rental registry. Once in place, the citywide rent cap will be set at 60 percent of the Consumer Price Index or 3 percent, whichever is lower, for units built prior to 1995. While the approval marks a major accomplishment for the supporters of a rent cap, there is a distinct possibility that property owners will file a referendum, potentially sending the issue to a ballot in 2027 alongside a similar referendum to reopen State Street to vehicles. n

CONT’D FROM P.7 building — has been extended to 10/6. The Trump administration’s proposed reasoning behind repealing the rule is that it would increase access to remote forest areas for wildfire prevention work, but environmentalists counter that it would do the opposite, as studies show wildfires are more likely to ignite on the side of a road. They say that repealing the Roadless Rule will lead to more fires, polluted waterways, erosion, and logging. Every federal lawmaker representing the Los Padres National Forest region — where 635,000 acres are at risk if the rule is repealed — has joined a bipartisan coalition of 164 members of Congress urging the administration to halt the repeal. n

CITY

NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D J AC K S O N F R I E D M A N

Calle Cesar Chavez to Be Renamed Limuw Street

JIM KNELL’S BIG MOVE

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mits, and business records. The council did direct staff to pursue a small business grant or forgivable loan program to help property owners with the related costs. Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez, who led the push for the name change, spoke firsthand with property owners and supported returning the street to its former name, but a vote on his proposal was defeated. Eventually, the council voted 6-1 in favor of changing the name to Limuw Street. Mayor Randy Rowse voted in opposition, saying he preferred the street simply go back to its previous name. —Ryan P. Cruz

CONT’D FROM P.8

Master Plan through its exhaustive public process, took issue with Knell’s economic doomand-gloomism and his reliance upon the car as the solution. State Street’s slide began in 2017, she pointed out, well before the street was shut down in response to COVID. In the five years since, she said, some blocks have fared well — the 500, 700, and 900 significantly so, she said —and others, notably the 1000 and 1200 blocks, not so much and also significantly so. Mostly, she said, the downtown sales tax picture has been flat. In the past six months, she noted, nearly 20 new businesses have either signed leases or opened their doors. More than that, she added, UCSB has leased space on the 400 block, and the Music Academy of the West is about to break ground on the Real estate mogul Jim Knell 900 block for what will become a major music performance, noted. “They’re choosing to move downrehearsal, and instruction space with a town. That says something.” stellar rooftop deck. The Santa Barbara Should Knell get the signatures he International Film Festival’s Film Center needs — and he most likely will — it would is already up and operating right across be up to the City Council to vote to make the street. City College is moving its cos- the changes he’s seeking voluntarily or put it metology program to State Street, and to a vote. The soonest such a special election Westmont is already downtown. could be scheduled will be next March. The “These are tenants who could pretty cost of holding such a special election to City n move anywhere they wanted,” Harris Hall would be $300,000.

PAU L W E L L M A N F I L E P H OTO

anta Barbara City Council voted 6-1 in favor of renaming Calle Cesar Chavez to Limuw Street, paying homage to the original Chumash name for Santa Cruz Island, which, on a clear day, can be seen from the corner where the street meets Cabrillo Boulevard. The city had been pursuing a name change ever since Chavez, the once beloved labor organizer and cofounder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, faced a wave of public disgrace after allegations of decades of sexual abuse were revealed in a New York Times investigative report earlier this year. The half-mile stretch that runs between East Gutierrez Street and East Cabrillo Boulevard is home to 86 unique addresses, many of which are businesses and residents who were skeptical about the city forcing another name change less than 30 years since the city renamed the street after Chavez back in 1997. The city will pay the estimated $1,500 to change the actual street signs, but the property owners would be responsible for changing their signage, vehicle lettering, printed materials, websites, licenses, per-

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NEWS of the WEEK CONT’D

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 1, 2026

ELECTION 2026

High-Stakes S.B. School Board Race Underway

Four Candidates for Two Seats Discuss Budget Deficit, Declining Enrollment, Low Test Scores, and Future of District’s Leadership

Trustee Area 1 Jacqueline Inda Karlsen Jacqueline Inda Karlsen (who goes by Jacqueline Inda) is making a second run for the school board after an unsuccessful bid in 2008. She said that was a “different lifetime,” and she now approaches the race with more experience, having spent years involved with several nonprofits and political organizations in Santa Barbara. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Inda attended Santa Barbara High and S.B. City College and now has two foster children in the district. She is director of the Restorative Justice Education Center that operates out of La Casa de la Raza and has worked on issues including immigrant rights, gun violence, youth programs, and gang diversion. She was also involved in the effort that led Santa Barbara to adopt districtbased elections. Her campaign focuses on representing the predominantly Latino community in Trustee Area 1 and building stronger partnerships within the broader community. A large gap still exists in proficiency rates between Latino and white students. “For the success of our students, we need to make those connections again,” she said. She also emphasized student and teacher safety amid concerns about immigration enforcement and other federal “interference” and policy changes. She said the district must explore ways to partner with its “allies” to protect students. Additionally, she said that the district should collaborate with its “feeder schools” to help address test scores. On the budget, Inda said the deficit ought to prompt the district to examine its facilities, declining enrollment and potential new uses for district-owned properties. She specifically highlighted the former Armory, where the district has discussed career-technical education, and said community input — such as from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which she co-founded — should guide its future. Inda also pointed to deteriorating facilities and portable classrooms as issues that have not received enough attention.

Mark Philibosian

With a background in finance and a wife who is a teacher, Goleta-raised Mark Philibosian positions himself as someone who can ask the right questions about balancing budgets and improving instruction to raise student performance. A Goleta native and Dos Pueblos High School graduate, he holds an MBA from UCLA and a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He previously worked at BlackRock in New York and now works in trust services. Philibosian said he sees the district at an “inflection point,” with decisions ahead concerning the budget, labor negotiations, enrollment, and the superintendent. He added that his two young children will eventually attend district schools.

CO U R T E S Y P H OTO S

by Callie Fausey wo seats are up for election on the Santa Barbara Unified School District board amid a projected $10 million budget deficit, declining enrollment, questions surrounding the superintendent’s contract, and stubbornly low test scores. Districtwide, only 52 percent of students meet grade-level standards in reading and 42 percent in math. Trustee Area 1, which includes much of the Eastside and lower State Street, has two candidates: activist and business owner Jacqueline Inda Karlsen and financial analyst Mark Philibosian. Trustee Area 4, covering Old Town Goleta and surrounding areas, pits incumbent Rose Muñoz against nonprofit executive Valerie Amparan. The Independent sat down with the candidates to gauge their answers to the issues confronting the district.

From left: Jacqueline Inda Karlsen, Mark Philibosian, Rose Muñoz, and Valerie Amparan

He proposes stronger financial oversight, a long-term enrollment strategy, and a goal of returning district reserves to 15 percent. He said he would also seek to reduce administrative overhead while directing resources toward students. Philibosian emphasized measurable results in academic improvement. He said the board should track investments in curriculum and teacher training to determine whether they are improving student outcomes, particularly in literacy. Philibosian said some schools continue to struggle and argued that teachers need better training and support. “Our teachers … are the front line,” he said. “Are they given the tools and training they need to be successful?” Philibosian has also said the district has “dropped the ball” in its implementation of its new reading curriculum, adopted in 2023, saying the board needs a clearer plan for training teachers and evaluating results. He said the next superintendent should be able to work with teachers, align management with enrollment, and implement a specific academic and financial plan. When asked about concerns around immigration enforcement, Philibosian said student safety should be the district’s priority. While not addressing the subject of immigration enforcement itself, he emphasized listening to school communities about such fears, while acknowledging that some matters fall outside the board’s control.

Trustee Area 4 Valerie Amparan Valerie Amparan, a nonprofit executive and former technology sales professional, entered the race after becoming involved in fundraising and volunteering at her children’s school, Santa Barbara Charter School. She helped parents and teachers raise $75,000 to expand programs, but she still wasn’t satisfied. Amparan said that experience encouraged her to examine issues on a broader scale. She conducted a “listening tour” with parents, educators, nonprofits, and elected officials before deciding to run for school board. Her professional background includes a decade in sales at technology companies including AppFolio, Ontraport, and 8am. She later left the corporate sector to lead 4 Kids 2 Kids, a nonprofit that operates group homes that provide therapeutic support to young survivors of abuse and trafficking. It was a complete shift from her previous life, she said, but she wanted to “multiply the impact” she had on kids — which applies to her interest in the school board, as well. She describes herself as “numbers-oriented” and focused on measurable outcomes. She said the district needs clearer goals, stronger guardrails against overspending, and a multiyear plan for balancing its budget. During our interview, she brought a printed copy of the district budget, which she called her “homework.”

Amparan said spending decisions should be tied to measurable student outcomes, not just chasing reading or math achievement without any percentage or number attached. She suggested identifying successful schools and seeing if their practices can be scaled districtwide. She said the board needs better communication with teachers, parents, and neighboring districts, particularly Goleta Union, whose elementary schools feed into S.B. Unified. Amparan has received endorsements from the Santa Barbara Teachers Association and sitting trustees Sunita Beall and Celeste Kafri. While Muñoz received the Democratic Party endorsement, Amparan said she values remaining “unencumbered” by a political party.

Rose Muñoz

Rose Muñoz is seeking a third term after eight years on the board. She said she remains “committed to public education” and wants to continue work already underway, including sustainability programs, teacher workforce housing, and career-technical education facilities at the former Armory. Muñoz’s background includes migrant education, social work, and community organizing. She previously served as a commissioner for the city’s Housing Authority and volunteered with CAUSE. She said her experiences as a Latina and Spanish speaker have informed her focus, saying that through her two daughters’ experiences in the district, she saw “the need to have schools be more inclusive, especially for Latino and Black families,” she said. She touched on the district’s efforts to address racial incidents and expand ethnic studies. The board has also created a committee focused on anti-Blackness, although racial incidents continue to be reported and remain a pressing concern for some families. Muñoz also highlighted housing initiatives, including the sale of the Tatum property for housing and work toward developing the Parma school property. She cited sustainability as another area of accomplishment, pointing to solar installations and potential future efforts involving electric vehicles and waste reduction. She acknowledged that there is “more work to do” and said she hopes to see existing initiatives completed. Muñoz has received the Democratic Party endorsement but not endorsements from the teachers’ union or fellow trustees. She said she nevertheless considers her relationship with teachers positive. Some community members have criticized her for being reserved during board discussions, and for not being actively involved in policy initiatives and conversations. Muñoz described herself as “very observant” and said she speaks when she believes she can contribute. She added that she would like to speak up more in future meetings. n

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magine being told that the best way to improve a life-changing program is to expect less of it. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has a New Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to Head Start Program Performance Standards that plans to dismantle Head Start through deregulation instead of strengthening the model for the next generation. Head Start is more than childcare. Congress created it as a comprehensive, two-generation strategy to disrupt poverty, connect families with resources, and ensure children are kindergarten-ready. A proposed 5 percent administrative cap would strain an already stretched infrastructure supporting health, nutrition, disability, and family services. Reduced program hours would make it harder for working parents to have affordable, safe childcare and earn the wages they need to care for their families. Larger child-to-teacher ratios would dramatically reduce individualized attention and the quality of the children’s education. Weakened disability standards would put quality and vulnerable children at greater risk. The need is particularly urgent in our community. The Public Policy Institute of California’s most recent annual report on poverty will show our county has the highest poverty rate in California for the second consecutive year, when poverty is measured using a methodology that accounts for our exceptionally high cost of living. Currently 21.4 percent of our overall population and 24 percent of our children live at, or below, the poverty line. In a community where families are struggling, we should not be weakening the standards that protect Head Start’s quality. Any fundamental transformation should be decided by Congress — not accomplished incrementally and destructively through government regulation. For families, the stakes are too high. Please go to SaveHeadStartSB.com and tell OMB and Congress “No” to the NPRM.

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She is accessible to citizens beyond her own. She listens and gives reasoned and rational responses. She knows that each district may be unique, but they all play a part in the city’s overall well-being. She is aspirational, but not foolhardy. She understands the effects of decisions she makes — or does not make — may last far beyond her term of office, but she expects to live with those decisions in the future just like the rest of us. Almost all decisions at the council level have economic impacts, but finances cannot hold absolute veto over good ideas and citizen benefit. Other candidates might not consider progress if the money numbers don’t add up. Sneddon has almost a decade of success balancing citizen well-being with limited city funds. I expect that to continue with her as our mayor. In short, Kristen Sneddon is smart and has a heart. That is the combination I want in my mayor. I will be voting for her. —Richard Closson, S.B.

Calling for Paul Revere

request the Independent become the Paul Revere of our times as we approach the midterms. Support for Trump and many red/purple state Republicans continues to evaporate. It seems apparent if (big if) voting/vote tabulation are free, fair, and accurate, Congress will change hands. Dems will control the House and Senate. Trump is not going to accept that result without fighting, hard and outside the law. It is past time for the Independent to encourage fellow news outlets throughout our country to call for governors of to plan for Trump sending in (under the trumped-up guise of “National Emergency”) the military/ICE/DHS/assorted Jan6 goons to disrupt dozens of races, rendering them uncountable. Governors must ready the National Guard, and other vote venue protections at their disposal. And governors must make their plans public very soon, clearly indicating why said plans are critical to our democracy. Be the new Paul Revere: “They’re coming, they’re coming. The Fascists, they’re coming.”

risten Sneddon is not my City Councilmem—Richard Ellison, Pasadena ber, but she is my choice for Santa Barbara mayor. As a 42-year resident and voter in Santa Bar- The Independent welcomes letters of less than 250 words that include a daytime phone number for verification. Letters bara (longer than Sneddon), I have seen campaigns may be edited for length and clarity. Send to: Letters, S.B. and councilmembers come and go. I have studied Independent, 223 E. De la Guerra St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101; them all. Sneddon has the qualities of the best of or fax: 965-5518; or email: letters@independent.com. Unabridged versions and more letters appear at independent.com/opinions. them.

In Memoriam

Ayesha Shaikh, MD 1948–2026

COURTESY PHOTOS

A Life of Healing, Strength, and Grace

Ayesha Shaikh, MD

BY SARAH SHAIKH r. Ayesha Shaikh, a pioneering obstetrician-

gynecologist, passionate advocate for women’s health around the world, and longtime Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital physician, passed away on August 1, 2026. Her life was defined by service, fierce devotion to family and friends, and a joyful appetite for the world around her. Ayesha did not set out to become a doctor. As a voracious reader from her early years, she first dreamed of being a journalist. But after losing her own mother at the age of 15, she made the decision in 1967 that would come to define the next 59 years of her life. Born in Chennai in 1948, Ayesha received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Stanley Medical College in Chennai and subsequently earned her Medical Degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology from Seth GS Medical College in Mumbai. Upon moving to the United States in 1980, she completed her second residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center of Chicago. She and her husband, Mohammed Shaikh, made Santa Barbara their home in 1984, where Ayesha became one of the city’s first female OB/GYNs. Over the following four decades, she cared for thousands of women as a physician at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where she went on to serve as Chief of Staff and Chair of the OB/GYN Department. She was a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a member of the American Medical Women’s Association, and a past president of the Central Coast Medical Association, which later named her County Physician of the Year in 2016. Ayesha’s commitment to service and women’s health reached far beyond her own practice. As a board member of Direct Relief International, she traveled the world — including to Nepal, El Salvador, Uganda, and the Middle East — in support of Direct Relief’s Maternal Fetal Health initiatives. She also served three terms on the board of Planned Parent-

Christmas in 2025: Sebastian (left), Ayesha, Muhammad, Sarah, Sanah (and furry son Chip)

hood California Central Coast and led the organization as board chair during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision. Additionally, she gave her time as a trustee of the William Sansum Diabetes Center and Santa Barbara Middle School. Outside of her work, travel remained one of her deepest passions throughout her life. She was always the first to volunteer for an adventure, whether climbing a mountain to see the gorillas in Uganda, sailing in Croatia, exploring the pyramids of Egypt, traveling to Amsterdam to see the Vermeer exhibit, or snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. With all her adventures, she never forgot her roots in India, returning as often as she could to reconnect with family and friends. In the later years of her life, the travel that gave her the most joy was visiting her granddaughter, Sanah, in New York City. At the center of her extraordinary life was her marriage with Mohammed. After an advertisement in the Times of India brought them together, they were married for 46 years. Their love was built on deep affection, laughter, and an unshakable partnership — through decades of raising their daughter, Sarah, building a life in a new country, and chasing adventures together. He was her steadiest companion and her greatest champion, and she his. Their bond was a quiet constant beneath everything else she did, and it never wavered. And then there was her daughter — me. She wasn’t just my mother — she was my best friend. Our bond was one of the great joys of her life, and of mine: full of daily check-ins, long talks, and a closeness that only deepened with the years. I was there for all of it, and my mother, in turn, showed up for me with a special devotion that was full, unconditional, and without ever holding back. That same closeness carried straight through into her role as a grandmother — she was every bit as present, as playful, and as loving with my daughter, Sanah, as she had always been with me, and being Nani was one of the greatest gifts of her life. In her final year, Ayesha faced illness with the same courage and grace that defined everything she did. She met it

head-on with remarkable positivity, holding fast to hope for as long and as fully as she possibly could — attending book club, playing mah-jongg, practicing tai chi, making Indian food for Mohammed, seeing Sanah thrive in kindergarten and taking her on a special birthday trip to Paris. Her strength through it all was, in the truest sense, an extension of how she lived: fiercely, lovingly, and without giving up on what she cherished most. Ayesha was known for her impeccable sense of style, each piece chosen with the same eye and confidence she brought to everything else in her life. It was simply part of who she was. Whether she was in a tailored suit heading into the hospital, an elegant dress for an evening out, or a beautiful sari for a visit in India, she wore each with the same effortless grace — always polished, always radiant, and always unmistakably herself. Though she was small, she was mighty — her presence filled every room she entered. She would always tell you “as it is,” and she was never one to “mince words”; those who had the privilege of Ayesha’s directness will carry it close to their hearts. Ayesha was a loving wife, mother, Nani, sister, and friend. She was a pillar of strength and honesty, with an indomitable spirit built on her love of life, her laughter, and her devotion to others. She will always be remembered for her glowing smile and her hearty laugh — a force larger than life, vibrant and graceful. Ayesha is survived by her husband, Mohammed; her daughter, Sarah, and son-in-law, Sebastian; her granddaughter, Sanah; her elder sister, Rafiqa; her elder brother, Ashraf, and his wife, Shirin; her younger brother, Afzal, and his wife, Aman; and her beloved dog, Chip. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in her memory to Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, Direct Relief International, and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. If you would like to share thoughts with the family, feel n free to email shaikhfamilysantabarbara@gmail.com.

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Art gallery owner Nathan Vonk charted declining sales to Montecito customers, which he believes tracks to construction on the 101.

BY NATHAN VONK ullivan Goss Gallery has been part of

Santa Barbara’s downtown community for more than 30 years, making it one of the older retail businesses. We regularly collect address information from our customers so that we can deliver, install, or ship paintings to collectors when an exhibition ends. We do business with people from all over the country. But most of our sales — nearly 50 percent over the past two decades — are to people in one zip code: 93108, a k a Montecito. In recent years, my colleagues and I have noticed that we have been making fewer and fewer deliveries to our neighbors just down the 101. So, while visitors were scarce during July’s extended heat wave, I decided to dive into our institutional database to see if I could get a measure of what was going on. The results were surprising and suggest that the heated discussion we have been having about cars on State Street might be missing the point entirely. After many years of slight fluctuation, our business with Montecitans more than doubled in 2020, when people were unable to easily travel, see movies, attend performances, or dine out. As a result, people focused their spending on sprucing up their isolation chambers. They remodeled. They built additions. When the new construction was finished, there were bare walls that needed new art. And for the next three years, people came downtown to appreciate art at Sullivan Goss in record numbers. In May 2020, as the pandemic settled in, State Street closed to auto traffic and many shops and restaurants spilled out onto what became a promenade of people, eager, despite the worldwide pandemic, to carry on with living and be safely around other people. The record sales we had during the first three years of the promenade — and that I know my friends who own restaurants also had, with the explosion of al fresco dining — suggest that State Street’s closure was no hindrance to getting people downtown to shop and dine.

So, what happened in 2023 that caused sales to suddenly drop by 50 percent from the previous year to pre-pandemic levels? There still were no cars on State Street. But traffic elsewhere in the area — especially due to construction on the 101 — can absolutely explain the downturn since. In 2023, the freeway widening project moved north over Ortega Ridge from Summerland and began to have a significant impact on travel between Montecito and Santa Barbara. Since then, with freeway entrances and exits closed through Montecito, traffic in the area has become increasingly tedious and time consuming. As a result, it has become increasingly hard to persuade people from the 93108 to come to downtown Santa Barbara. Now that the freeway construction has overtaken Hot Springs Road, our sales to Montecitans for the first six months of 2026 suggest we will have another record-breaking year — but not the kind you celebrate. We have been fixated on the fight over cars on State Street when what we ought to acknowledge is the impact of construction on the 101. For the restaurants, retail establishments, and cultural institutions downtown that rely on business from Montecito — and we all do — the current impact of freeway construction seems far more significant. As further evidence, consider the daily traffic jam that clogs Coast Village Road. Yet no one has been talking about this. Not City Hall, not the downtown business community, not the Chamber of Commerce. Locals, especially those from 93108, have more buying power than all of the tourists combined who visit our beautiful city each year. It is locals who sustain the art and culture that make Santa Barbara such a special place. If we continue moving toward a State Street where art and culture thrive, then when freeway construction finally ends, State Street will still be a unique place that locals and tourists alike are excited to visit. Nathan Vonk owns Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara.

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Power of the Towns, Power of the People

A CELEBRATION OF THE

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INGRID BOSTROM

From School Admissions to Rent Control, Local Government Shapes the Lives We Actually Live

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Santa Barbara City Council

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October 22

or parents, the New Year does not start on Take, for instance, the scourge of ICE. Local governJanuary 1. It starts on a day in August, who ments have been central in resisting draconian immiknows why, on a date of which we are not gration policies. In Santa Barbara, the County Board exactly sure until it is too late to get the per- of Supervisors voted in April to prohibit ICE from fect backpack, when school begins again. Because far using county properties, parks, and recreation areas more than forgotten resolutions, when and where our for unauthorized activities. They also directed county kids go to school determines the trajectory of our days. planners to research how to prevent ICE detention So, when I got an email informing us that our child centers from being built in the county. This research wasn’t accepted into the public school around the cor- can and will inform other city and state policies. What about the rent being too damn high? City ner from our house, I broke down sobbing. Not only would this mean two drop-offs, quadrupling the Council is currently embroiled in debate over time we had to spend in the car, but it also ULY WO whether to implement rent control and, if UNR meant my kids wouldn’t be able to highMA so, how. Thousands of Santa BarbarN five each other at recess or give each ians will be affected on both sides of the equation, and no doubt the other a boost when they needed it. I turned to the internet for next mayor will have a hand in answers and discovered our determining how this policy is implemented. Surely, other cities child’s denial was based on an undisclosed policy that the school will look to Santa Barbara’s sucboard unjustly used to override cess—or failure—to shape their the publicly posted policy I based own proposals. With Governor Newsom’s decour application on. LO EH laration of a state of emergency over I’ll cry all the details to you if you N RISSA RI the historic El Niño, climate change is top buy me a cup of coffee. But here in black and white, I’ll just say we had the law on our of mind for many, where, again, our local govside and we won. Hurray! ernment plays a crucial role. Last March, the County But you may be asking: Why am I writing about Board of Supervisors added an Environmental Justhe minutiae of school board policy in An Unruly tice Element to its General Plan, including measures Woman? such as planting trees, opening climate resiliency hubs, and cleaning up hazardous sites. As progressive as it Because revolution, that’s why. With the midterms looming and the fate of our sounds, community advocates rightly point out that democracy in the balance, many, myself at times under this plan, marginalized communities receive included, often focus our full attention on the federal less-than-equitable protection. Indeed, every issue that we too frequently expect government as the most important lever to shift the the federal government to fix is being addressed on a balance of power. Yet, in many cases, the most tangible aspects of our local level every day. National policy of course plays an lives are determined by local government. In the case important role, but it is from the local government that of my children, requiring the school board to abide by the federal government most often and most accupublicly stated policies got my kid into our neighbor- rately takes its cues. Because, democracy. And yet, a recent Portland State University study hood school and also prompted discussions of a fairer found that in many major American cities, fewer than admission standard. This is the whole point of city government: to 15 percent of eligible voters participated in mayoral empower citizens to control the mechanisms that and city council elections. The next time you wonder shape their lives. This truth is inherent to the very defi- why the fascist movement was able to erode American nition of democracy, which does not, as some would democracy in just two presidential election cycles, have us believe, translate from the Greek as “power of remember this number. Our democracy begins and ends with local electhe super PACs” or “power of the over-bloated, parations. Accordingly, preserving our freedom neither sitic politician.” Rather, democracy most accurately translates to begins nor ends in November, but rather in every sin“power of the towns” because it is in our towns and gle election that we have the right and responsibility cities that We the People can effect immediate change. to cast our ballot. Vote accordingly. Vote every chance More often than you might think, these changes do you get. Vote like your life depends on it. Because it double work, rippling out to state and national laws. n does. See you at the ballot box.

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obituaries Corinne "Coe" Dall'Armi Bellaart

09/14/1950-09/16/2026

Coe exemplified living life to its fullest. She wore bright colors, laughed loudly, talked to strangers as though they were old friends, and was unapologetically herself from beginning to end. She loved all the little pleasures that came with being alive: a warm pastry, a long drive, coffee in bed, a lively conversation on the phone with a friend, a colorful outfit, or a beautiful arrangement of flowers. She had a remarkable ability to turn these ordinary things into something special simply by enjoying them so completely. Coe was an excellent cook and an enjoyer of food, although it would be nearly impossible to name her signature dish because she was amazing at far too many. Coe loved people wholeheartedly and never did anything halfway. If someone mentioned a particular loaf of bread they enjoyed, she might drive an hour out of her way just to get it for them. She called these spontaneous adventures her “commando runs,” which could mean driving from Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara and straight back again, all to deliver a gift, a favorite treat, or a much-needed hug on a bad day. She was a loving mother, and she and her son, Dan, stayed extraordinarily close throughout their lives. Her family was at the center of her life, and in the last days of hers, they were together celebrating her 76th birthday. Those final days were healthy, happy, and full of the people and food that she loved. At one point, she was overheard talking on the phone with a friend, telling them that it had been some of the best days of her life. Coe passed unexpectedly but peacefully in her sleep on September 16th. 18

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To submit obituaries for publication, please call (805) 965-5205 or email obits@independent.com

She left this world in a fabulous set of purple pajamas: comfortable, colorful, and entirely herself. There was no ceremony to it, no formality or fuss, just quintessential Coe. If you knew Coe, you know there is no single story that could possibly contain her. You probably have your own: a dinner, a phone call, a commando run, a laugh you can still hear. And if you didn't know her, we hope you will picture her anyway. Maybe she's driving down the coast with a Joni Mitchell song playing, her ring-adorned hands resting on the wheel, and a bunch of peonies tucked into the passenger seat. Maybe she's at the dinner table, laughing so loudly that everyone else starts laughing too. Maybe she's telling the joke, turning to the side, one hand raised, whispering the punchline as if it were a secret. Coe was one of a kind, and the world was very lucky to have her. She will be profoundly missed. A celebration of Coe’s life is being planned and details will follow.

Marcella (Marcy) Pauline Eckberg Tuttle 10/30/1930-09/16/2026

"A Life Well-Lived" Marcy Tuttle, who called Santa Barbara home for over 70 years, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026, at the age of 95. Born in Boone, Iowa, to Pearl and Herman Eckberg, Marcy grew up alongside extended family and her late brother, Dwain. After graduating from Boone High School—where she met her future husband, Arnold Tuttle—she moved west at 18 to attend Westmont College, graduating in 1953. Always independent and adventurous, Marcy bicycled across Europe in her twenties. She was an elementary school teacher when she mar-

OCTOBER 1, 2026

ried Arnold on June 23, 1959, in Long Beach, California. The couple spent their first year of marriage traveling through Europe. Settling permanently in Santa Barbara in 1963, Marcy worked parttime in admissions at Santa Barbara City College and later managed Arnold’s business, Security Sign Co., after his passing. She loved swimming with her family at Samarkand during the oil spill that closed the beaches in the early '70s and fondly remembered a month-long 1980 European road trip covering 13 countries and 5,000 miles in a Volkswagen Golf with Arnold and their children, Mark and Corinne. Marcy cherished Santa Barbara’s ocean and foothill views, activities, and community. Passionate about music her entire life, and later, theater, she ushered for decades at the Lobero, Arlington, and Granada Theatres, and the Music Academy of the West, volunteering dedicatedly well into her nineties. When she broke her hip, while ushering, at the age of 90, her daughter had to cancel 40 ushering commitments that were scheduled over the next 30 days. She also played recorder with local ensembles at community gatherings and was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church. Kind, witty, independent, and curious, Marcy read a book a day until a month before her passing and walked up to three miles daily into her mid-90s. She delighted in visiting her son’s family in Vienna and her daughter’s family in Colorado. She lived by her grandmother’s favorite motto: “It’s a good life if you don’t weaken.” Marcy was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold, and her brother, Dwain. She is survived by her children, Mark Tuttle and Corinne Tuttle-Dragten; her five grandchildren, Connor, Colin, Claire, Daniel, and Ella; and several nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, October 9, at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel at First Presbyterian Church (21 E. Constance Ave., Santa Barbara), with a reception following. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Serenity House (930 Miramonte Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109).

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Laurie Potter

07/19/1936-08/22/2026

George and Loretta Scholarship fund at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Jeanine Brooks 1958-2026

Laurie Potter died peacefully at the Hidden Valley home she shared with her late husband, Dr. George T. Potter. Born in Brooklyn, Laurie spent significant years in New Jersey, where Dr. Potter was founding president of Ramapo College. They moved to Santa Barbara after he retired in 1992. In a written tribute, current Ramapo president Cindy R. Jebb said, “Together, the Potters championed groundbreaking programs at Ramapo that expanded higher education opportunities for traditionally underrepresented students including women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. . . . Laurie’s steadfast advocacy, warmth, and dedication helped lay the groundwork for a culture of access and belonging that remains a defining mark of excellence at Ramapo College today.” After George died in 2009, Laurie established the George T. Potter and Laurie Potter, Ph.D. Endowment, benefitting students with disabilities who plan to pursue graduate school. Laurie earned a doctorate herself from Fielding Graduate University and had wide-ranging interests in art, music, literature and nature. She enjoyed singing in the choir at the Santa Barbara Unitarian Society. She was a close friend of the late Ken Ryals, director of the choir, and would often take care of his dog, Millie. With Millie on her lap, they would meditate together in the afternoon. Laurie is survived by her son Paul Schulz, daughter Kathy Schulz, stepdaughter Beth Potter, and her granddaughter Kelly Potter. A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 3, at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. Donations may be made to the Unitarian Society or the

Jeanine Brooks, born in Anaheim in 1958, died September 21, 2026. Those who knew my mother know she was a complex person. She experienced challenges and tragedies but her life is a tale of overcoming them and carrying on to be a light in this world. She touched the lives and hearts of many. I will forever cherish her stories of being the first female firefighter at the Morgan Hill station, crashing an ambulance during her time as an EMT (accidentally, of course), her many adventures at Disneyland (as she was an Anaheim gal), meeting my father through a pen pal program for soldiers overseas, etc. She will live on in our annual holiday tradition of baking bread/cookies, whenever “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong comes on, and whenever we see her favorite flower (Bird of Paradise). She wrote these words before her passing: The life accomplishments I am most grateful for are caring for family and friends as a friend and nurse, and nurturing my daughter Shannon to be a strong, kind person. Among my favorite memories are seeing the beauty of the Sistine Chapel with Shannon, celebrating Shannon’s marriage to Keith, and riding across the Golden Gate Bridge on the back of a Harley Davidson motorcycle with dear friend Morty. Death is nothing more than passage into another realm of existence; we live on in the hearts and memories of loved ones. So please do not grieve. Wherever you are, spread love and kindness and live every day with vigor and laughter.

obituaries Wendy Anne Clapp 11/15/1939-09/04/2026

Wendy Anne Clapp was born in Hollywood, California, to Richard and Elaine Walt on November 15, 1939. Her life was filled with lots of love and laughter! Starting in Sherman Oaks, she attended Westlake Girls School and later moved to Santa Barbara with her mother, grandmother Baba, stepfather William Lee, and two brothers, Tim and Jeff Lee. She graduated from Santa Barbara High as a Don, and while playing King of the Raft on Hope Ranch Beach, met her husband-to-be, Walt Clapp. Before marrying him, she became a passionate Pi Beta Phi, graduated with a BA from UCSB, and became an elementary school teacher with her two lifelong friends, Alice and Anne. The highlight of her life was becoming a mother to Doug and Jill, a Gamma to Antoine, Alex, Andre, Jarin, and Calen, and a great-Gamma to Mark, while later welcoming Christina, Rafic, and Helena into the family fold. She took mothering and Gamma’ing to the next level while moving around the country from coast to coast, with stops in the Midwest, supporting Walt’s career! She shared her artistic and creative talents in painting, flower arranging, knitting, and needlepointing along the way, working at the premier flower shop Bachman’s and raising money for organizations close to her heart. She was especially proud to volunteer at Transition House Auxiliary when she and Walt moved back to retire in Santa Barbara in 2004. She became president and led a highly successful Mad Hatter fundraiser, as well as finding a real-life Santa at Christmas for the kids with her two dear friends, Mimi and Florence! Walt and Wendy embraced being back in Santa Barbara and were very active in Newcomers, Westerners, and La Cumbre Country Club, just to

To submit obituaries for publication, please call (805) 965-5205 or email obits@independent.com

name a few, before Walt’s death in 2022. Adventures were not over for her, though. With Evelyn’s support giving her an extra boost of energy, Wendy continued to enjoy life to the fullest. In 2023, she met Bud Katter, went on her first river cruise on the Mississippi, and happily enjoyed her last years with him at Maravilla. She will be missed by many and remembered for her style, intellect, kindness sense of humor, hosting of many a gathering, and the love that she shared with her family, her cat Ruby, and her friends!

Tina (TT) M. (Rochlin) Feeley 04/16/1952-08/29/2026

Tina (TT) M. Feeley passed away on August 29, 2026, following a courageous 10-month battle with leukemia. She was 74 years old. Tina was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Fred and Jean Rochlin. She was the only girl in a family with three brothers, Melvin, Clifford, and Paul. In 1958, the family moved to California and settled in the Covina area, where Tina attended school and graduated from Charter Oak High School in 1970. That same year, Tina was accepted to the University of California, Santa Barbara. While living in an off-campus dormitory, she met John Feeley. They became friends, fell in love, and were married in June 1972. Tina earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in 1974 and received her teaching credential in 1975. In 1975, Tina and John moved to Visalia, where Tina began her teaching career and where their first child, Kelley Renae, was born. In 1979, they returned to Goleta so John could pursue his engineering career. In October 1980, their second daughter, Katey Nicole, was born. Always ready for an adventure, Tina packed up the family’s Goleta home in June 1984 and moved the family to

London, Ontario, Canada. She was six months pregnant with their third child, Kevin Casey (KC), who was born in August of that year. Tina quickly made friends with many Canadians and maintained those friendships for decades, staying in touch with many of them until her passing. The family returned to Goleta in 1986 after two Canadian winters, and Tina resumed her teaching career in Carpinteria as a resource specialist. Her career as an educator spanned more than 30 years. She taught elementary school students in Visalia, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, and, ultimately, the Goleta Union School District, where she spent more than 20 years before retiring in 2011. Tina dedicated nearly her entire adult life to education. She cared deeply about her students and took great pride in helping children learn, grow, and succeed. Tina also had a zest for life and an enthusiasm for trying new things. She was an avid runner and participated in numerous local 5K and 10K races. She began each New Year by running a New Year’s Resolution 5K, a tradition she enjoyed for many years. She loved to travel and enjoyed many overseas adventures. She had a deep appreciation for music and ballroom dancing and was always willing to try something new. Even into her 70s, Tina continued to challenge herself, taking up boxing and embracing yet another new adventure. Perhaps one of the greatest joys of Tina’s life was becoming a grandmother. Affectionately known as “TT,” she treasured her five grandchildren—Oscar, Dysten, Eve, Dennen, and Daelen—and they held a very special place in her heart. Tina is survived by her husband of 54 years, John R. Feeley; her children, Kelley Feeley, Katey Spach, and Kevin Casey (KC) Feeley; her son-in-law, Stephen Spach; her nephew, Kyle Rochlin; her brother and sister-in-law, Clifford and Giannina Rochlin; and her two beloved dogs, Pepper and Mini. Tina had a remarkable ability to bring smiles and joy to the people around her. She made everyone feel welcome in her presence, and her warmth, energy, and zest for life touched countless people. She will be deeply missed by her family,

friends, former students, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Tina lived her life with love, curiosity, adventure, and an open heart. Her memory will live on in the many lives she touched and, most especially, in the family she loved so dearly. Tina’s Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday October 24 at Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Congregation from 1 to 4 pm, 820 N Fairview Ave, Goleta, Ca 93117.

James Dimitre Andros 12/3/1927-8/5/2026

James Dimitre Andros Jimmy - died peacefully in his sleep at home on August 5, 2026, at 98. As he wished, his wife of 21 years, Laurie Brecheen Ballard, and his dogs Bandi and Loki were at his side. In his final months he was visited by family and by friends of all ages, many of them from Rancheros Visitadores (Vaquero Camp), Los Pobres, and the Santa Barbara Trail Riders. Born in El Centro, Jimmy grew up in Santa Barbara, attended Lincoln and Roosevelt Schools, and played football for Santa Barbara High School under Coach Clarence Schutte, graduating in 1947. He turned down a football scholarship up north for the flooring trade, working at Star Rug and Haywood Floor Covering before building Andros Floor Covering into Santa Barbara's largest and best. Into his 90s the city's top realtors still called him - no one else could solve a flooring problem in a vintage Montecito estate. He worked side by side with his crews his whole career and was proud of the young men he trained, many of whom started businesses of their own. Fascinated by real estate and known for his deep knowledge of Santa Barbara land, Jimmy was also a fine horseman and a tireless one, riding well past his 96th birthday. For five decades he helped build and defend the Montecito Trail Foundation system. With his partners and lifelong friends Joe Zebrons-

key and Dr. Glen Couvillin he worked to preserve Romero Canyon, and he purchased and helped transfer hundreds of acres important to the California Condor Sanctuary and at Gibraltar Dam - work that supported public trails, parkland, and the Los Padres National Forest. He met Laurie in September 2001 on the MTF fundraiser trail ride. The group broke into a gallop, his Stetson blew off, and Laurie - raised on a ranch in southeastern Arizona and schooled in its etiquette - dismounted, picked it up, and handed it back. Later that day he bought her bronze, & Dance Without Music,& from the MTF silent auction. They spent 21 years on horseback together: trail riding, the Ventura County Mounted Sheriff 's Posse, therapeutic riding for veterans, polo, and outriding the Fiesta parade. Both loved animals and gave good homes to many - dogs, cats, house rabbits, and horses. Until his buckskin Nugget died in January 2025, the two were a fixture on the trails, often ending a two- or threehour ride up Lillie Avenue, where a margarita would find its way into Jimmy's hand outside the Nugget Bar and Grill. He was preceded in death by his son Mark, killed in an accident at seven, and his daughter Chauncy, in 2015. With the help of MTF, Jim built a stone memorial bench for Mark at the summit of the Buena Vista trail. In 2025 he also lost Rudy Castillo, his best friend of 89 years, within weeks of losing Nugget. Jimmy is survived by Laurie; granddaughter Chauncy and grandson Shawn of Texas; great-grandchildren Bryan, Logan, and Helen ;great-greatgrandson Liam; stepdaughter Tia, daughter of the late Antoinette Foreman Andros; his sister Kathleen Helm; nieces Deborah, Cynthia, and Mary; and cousins Jerry and William Shalhoob. His extended family includes Laurie's sister and brother-in-law, Leigh Brecheen and John Dellaverson, and their sons Griffin and Hunter, whom Jimmy taught to drive a vintage tractor on Laurie's horse farm. He was true to his word, loyal to his friends, and never without a joke or a kind word. A celebration of life is planned for a date to be announced.

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T: 9.375” x 6.166”, L: None, B:None, Gutter: None, Bind: None, Linescreen: None, MD: 220, Color: None Notes: 4C - Newsprint

We promise to find more ways to see you sooner A WHOLE TEAM ON YOUR TEAM

Struggling with Nerve Pain? Relief May Be Possible! There is a facility right here in Santa Barbara that offers you hope without taking those endless drugs with serious side effects. (see the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article) In order to effectively treat your neuropathy three factors must be determined:

Figure 1: Notice the very small blood vessels surrounding each nerve.

Figure 2: When these very small blood vessels become diseased they begin to shrivel up and the nerves begin to degenerate.

Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and the most debilitating balance problems. This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet which will cause the nerves to begin to slowly degenerate due to lack of nutrient flow. As

The treatment that is provided at First Step Regenerative has three main goals: 1. Increase blood flow 2. Stimulate small fiber nerves 3. Decrease brain-based pain

you can see in Figure 1, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not receive the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms. 20

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OCTOBER 1, 2026

· What’s the underlying cause? · How Much Nerve Damage Has Been Sustained · How much treatment will your condition require

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Figure 3: The blood vessels will grow back around the nerves much like a plant’s roots grow when watered.

The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation.

Don’t Hesitate to Act Now!

We can objectively measure the severity of deficit in both small and large nerve fibers prior to start of care. NP Charles Sciutto Lac at First Step Regenerative, will do a neuropathy severity consultation to review peripheral neuropathy history, symptoms and discuss plan of treatment. This consultation will be free of charge and will help determine if our therapy protocol may be a good fit for your needs. First Step Regenerative will be offering this neuropathy severity consultation free of charge from now until October 31, 2026.

Free Consultation! Call 805-450-2891 to make an appointment with our team. (Offer Ends October 31, 2026)

Over 65 Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Commercial PPO insurances accepted.

First Step Regenerative

216 W. Pueblo St. #A. Santa Barbara 93105 Our officetreatment programis coveredbyMedicare or otherinsurancecoverage. It will be determined as free of charge, have co-payment, or not be covered prior to start of care.

C OV E R S T O RY

Fracture into Radiance

more at her Santa Barbara home, I was listening to Leonard Cohen and thinking about the challenge of arriving on time. Parking in her neighborhood can be difficult, and as the minutes passed, I felt the familiar tension of punctuality begin to rise. Then Cohen’s “Anthem” came on: “Ring the bells that still can ring / Forget your perfect offering / There is a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in.” I have long admired the song for the way it beckons us to release ourselves from the burden of flawlessness. Cohen reminds us that our cracks, failures, and sorrows are not defects to conceal, but openings through which insight, empathy, and redemption can enter.

INGRID BOSTROM

n my way to meet artist Cassandria Black Black-

The Art of Cassandria Blackmore by Roger Durling Only later would I realize how prescient those lyrics were. The song formed an uncanny prelude to my encounter with Cassandria Blackmore, an artist whose work transforms fracture into radiance. Blackmore is acclaimed for her unconventional approach to reverse painting on glass. After painting the image in reverse, she shatters the glass and reassembles it, allowing every crack to become an essential part of the composition. The result is a body of work that pushes glass beyond its traditional boundaries and into the realm of contemporary painting. “For me, her cracked glass works create a physical spiritual awe,” says Freddy Janka, contemporary art curator and president of the board of directors of the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. “I admire her technical dexterity—something that appears so simple is far more complex and has a deep conceptual underpinning.” Blackmore’s work has been collected internationally and exhibited by institutions across the country, including the Crocker Art Museum, the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Oakland Museum of California, the Portland Art Museum, and the Imagine Museum. It also belongs to numerous private collections, including those of Kevin Costner and Melinda Gates, among others. Blackmore’s discovery of glass as an artistic language began during a painful season in Seattle in the early 1990s. She had lost her job, endured a major breakup, and found herself alone in a small apartment during the dark, rain-soaked months of a Pacific Northwest winter. One night, she opened a bottle of wine, dimmed the lights, and listened as Etta James sang “I’d Rather Go Blind.” Outside her window, a flashing red book-

Cassandria Blackmore

store sign cast intermittent bursts of crimson across the room. She glanced at a photograph of herself with her parents in a picture frame. Each pulse of the red lights coming from outside illuminated the glass above the frame, briefly transforming the image into something vivid, charged, and unfamiliar. At that moment, glass ceased to feel like a barrier. It became a surface capable of carrying memory, presence, and transformation. Moved by the image before her, Blackmore painted a self-portrait directly onto the sheet of glass covering the photograph — the same glass that had seemed to separate her (or perhaps shielded her) from the past. Overcome with emotion, she burst into tears and smashed the portrait. Looking down, she saw her own broken face

scattered across the floor. Almost instinctively, she began piecing the shattered image back together. “This was symbolic of my condition,” she clarifies. “I was going to put my broken pieces together, and the work became a reflection of the human condition. It was the perfect fusion of image-making, tactility, reflection, and resurrection.” Glass is invisible in our daily life. We take it for granted. We look through it, drink from it, and drive behind it. Yet when it shatters, it reflects light. “I came to see these ‘shatter points’ as metaphors for the moments in our lives that define us,” she states. “We break not only in sorrow, but also in transformation. It is in those fractures that we begin to reflect light.”

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Cassandria Blackmore in her home studio space.

COURTESY

To better understand Blackmore’s place within contemporary art, I turned to Donna Davies, executive director of the renowned Pilchuck Glass School, for insight into the artist’s singular trajectory. She explains, “Cassandria’s work is obviously very unique in her use of reverse painting glass and then shattering it. What I find really compelling about Cassandria’s work is first and foremost, her remarkable approach to the material. Most people consider the characters of the material of glass — its perceived fragile nature, the perfection of a vessel or form, its translucence — and Cassandria takes those notions of the materials and literally shatters them to create work that is bold, dynamic, and rich in process. The depth of the material and colors interweave to create wonderful movement that seems to emanate from the crux of the breaks and extend beyond the frame. Further, her use of color is superb — sometimes so deeply luscious, other times contemplative.” “Cassandria is beautiful — inside and out,” Ginni Drier, a collector of her work, tells me. “She has a heart that glows, a quick and happy sense of humor, and a funny, contagious laugh.” Spending time with Cassandria in her studio, which is also her home, deepened my appreciation of her both as an

Cassandria Blackmore, “Iliovasilema” 22 THE INDEPENDENT

artist and as a person. Behind the gates, the place feels like a veritable oasis, its garden peppered with her artwork and sculpture collection. She apologizes for the untidiness, explaining that she has been helping her daughter Leona prepare to leave for the Rhode Island School of Design, where she will major in film. A piano sits in the center of the workspace. Her 22-year-old son, Orion, practices on it; he is a writer and illustrator who works at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Her father, Glenn Blackmore, was born in England. Her grandfather, Johnny Utley, was an American serving in Europe during World War II when he got Marjorie Blackmore pregnant. They never married, and Johnny died in the war. Glenn had read about the hippie movement in the United States and came to San Diego in 1968. Her mother, Jacqueline, was a go-go dancer. Glenn went to see her perform, and they fell in love. “They were bohemians,” Cassandria said. “They started managing rock bands.” She was born in San Diego in 1968. The young family moved to Berkeley, where they opened a bead shop. When Cassandria was around 7, her parents bought a school bus and moved to Oregon to live off the land. They settled in the Willamette Valley before it became wine country. They lived in a barn with no indoor plumbing or running water, with an outhouse and a wood stove. They spun their own wool, and her mother made their clothes. She recalls both of her parents being creative. Her mother made sandals decorated with beads, and she encouraged a young Cassandria to study art. Growing up on a farm instilled in her a strong work ethic. After high school, Cassandria worked for four years waiting tables and working in retail. In 1989, she attended the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, a very rigid fine arts school. She took it very seriously because she was paying for it herself. She wrote her thesis on the Minoan culture of Ancient Greece — artistically known for vibrant wall frescoes showing nature, bull-leaping, and athletics, alongside delicate pottery and metalwork. She recalls that her commencement speaker warned the graduating class that within 10 years, only about seven of the 300 students in her class would still be working in the arts. She knew she would succeed. “It’s not about being great,” she says. “It’s about discipline. When you don’t practice, you get in your head and become intimidated and self-doubt can set in. I knew better. I was going to persevere.”

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While at school, she also studied sculpture and started to be interested in glass — which was not something that was taught. “I noticed that works with glass did not deteriorate,” she said. “It felt like a permanent way of working. An art that doesn’t deteriorate.” After getting her degree she moved to Seattle. Fortunately, by then she had already gotten her first public art commission — the Lincoln City Library on the Oregon coast asked her to create a glass mosaic doorway titled “Doorway to Wisdom.” She held several jobs while continuing to pursue her artistic goals. In the late ’90s, during the grunge scene, she met her future husband, Jon, at Mama’s Mexican Kitchen, the legendary restaurant in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood that served as a central hub for many of the city’s most famous musicians during the late 1980s and 1990s. “He was my server,” she remembers. “I left a note with my tip. He was a musician.” They opened a gallery showcasing her work on East Pike Street 30 years ago, and Jon runs her business. About 10 years ago, they opened galleries in San Francisco and Carmel. The latter was forced to close during the pandemic. Blackmore is represented by art dealers across the country and one in Belgium. “The conceptual aspect of my work is very much interwoven into the physicality of the work and how it is created,” she says, describing her reverse glass painting technique to me. “The glass is pigmented from the reverse side. This process takes many layers and a lot of patience. The glass is heated to a high temperature and then cooled rapidly, which causes stress and vulnerability in the glass. It is then shattered and reassembled.” She has two distinct styles in her work — abstract and figurative. “One is emotionally charged,” she explains. “The other is more methodical and literal.” The abstract paintings on glass are heated to a high level and cooled off fast, creating stress on the glass that is shattered with a single strike. In advance, she plans where the strike is to take place — whether it will be offcenter or on the horizon line, etc. In her figurative art, the glass is cooled down slower. It is more deliberate. The cuts or breaks are done by hand and then reassembled. As she’s putting it together, the glass is expanding. It has to be broken evenly. Her signature is signed in reverse in the figurative work. She does not sign her abstract paintings. COURTESY

INGRID BOSTROM

C OV E R S T O RY

Cassandria Blackmore, “Nerissa”

In 2008, because of her son’s autoimmune issues, they left Seattle and started living in an RV. A doctor had suggested that a change of environment would be good for him. They started driving south. She points out the irony that her parents moved north, and that she found herself moving south with her family. “If you can make a living as an artist, you can live anywhere,” she says. Thirteen years ago, they made it to Santa Barbara. “Just as my work is about reflecting light, Santa Barbara to me is also about light,” she says. “As soon as I experienced the southfacing coastline and the way it glows, I was mesmerized. There

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endary space for the past 120 years. The event is a fundraiser for the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, where she is the vice president of the Board of Directors. (See tinyurl.com/yeyxfpm6 for details.) “Inspiration can come to me at any moment, and just through a doorway from my living space is a working space,” she says about her home in Santa Barbara. “For me to have access to my studio effortlessly day or night is such a privilege, especially when my children were young. I don’t really see a difference between life and work. I am an artist; it’s who I am, not what I do. Therefore, the line is completely blurred.”

1230 Coast Village Circle, Suite A Montecito, CA 93108 CALL TO SCHEDULE: (805) 749-7806

Cassandria Blackmore will be a special featured guest artist on October 2 when, as part of the first-ever Santa Ynez Art Walk, she will appear at Artiste Winery & Gallery (1095-A Edison St., Santa Ynez) for a special exhibition of her reverse paintings on glass from 4-7 p.m. See tinyurl.com/3925kj97

COURTESY

is a different quality to the light here. The warmth of it envelops you even when it is diffused by a marine layer. Just as light dances across the Santa Barbara sea, so does light glisten across the surface of shattered glass.” They found their home on Craigslist. The building, which includes four apartments, was once the studio founded by the legendary husband-and-wife photography team Carolyn and Edwin Gledhill. They positioned their studio just one block away from the luxurious oceanfront Potter Hotel to attract wealthy, prominent tourists and local luminaries. Diego Rivera painted his iconic 1941 self-portrait here. That very painting would later appear on Mexico’s 500-peso banknote, paired with Frida Kahlo on the reverse side. On Sunday, October 25, Cassandria is hosting a dinner open to the public where she will share ghost stories celebrating the remarkable artists who inhabited this leg-

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The country’s longest running magic and variety show is celebrating its 70th anniversary! A dazzling all new revue featuring award-winning magicians, It’s Magic! brings to the stage the finest stars of magic, comedy, sleight of hand, and stage illusions. Sponsored by ParSonics Studio in association with Barbara White Design

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Julian Lage Quartet feat. John Medeski, Jorge Roeder, Kenny Wollesen with special guest Laura Itandehui Prolific guitarist Julian Lage’s new project was forged for a special quartet featuring bassist Jorge Roeder, drummer Kenny Wollesen, and keyboardist John Medeski — close collaborators who had never before recorded together. The music emphasizes interaction, restraint, and real-time discovery over virtuoso display. @loberotheatre

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INDEPENDENT CALENDAR

oct. 1-7

the As always, find the complete listings online at independent.com/events. Submit virtual and in-person events at independent.com/eventsubmit.

FARMERS MARKET SCHEDULE THURSDAY

Carpinteria: 800 block of Linden Ave., 2:30-6:30pm

FRIDAY

Plant with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian: Up the 10/1: Robert Sharp End Tour, with Rosie Flores Take in a night of roots,

folk, and Americana music with unique arrangements. Robert Plant on vocals and harmonica alongside co-vocalist Suzi Dian, and a band of accomplished musicians in support of the 2025 album Saving Grace of cover versions and reinterpretations of material by various artists. 7:30pm. The Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St. $122$502. Call (805) 963-9580. arlingtontheatresb.com

10/1: S.B. County Virtual El Niño Community Meeting/Reunión virtual para la comunidad sobre El Niño en el condado de S.B. Join the County of S.B. for a virtual community meeting on El Niño preparedness and learn about the weather outlook, county creek and road preparation, and key storm and flood safety tips. Únete al Condado de S.B. en una reunión comunitaria virtual sobre la preparación ante El Niño y conoce las previsiones meteorológicas, las medidas de preparación del condado en relación con los arroyos y las carreteras, así como consejos clave de seguridad ante tormentas e inundaciones. 5:30-7pm. Zoom. Call (805) 963-0611. tinyurl.com/Storm-Ready-Zoom

10/1: Natural History of Mezcal and Agave Spirits Enjoy a tasting kit with six 0.5-oz expressions of curated mezcal and agave spirits and a delicious snack while you explore the natural history of mezcal from chef, cultural steward, and advocate for Indigenous traditions Jorge Báez of Licores Perros. 6-7:30pm. Fleischmann Auditorium, S.B. Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol. $55. Ages 21+. Call (805) 682-4711 x112 or email awarner@sbnature2.org. sbnature.org/calendar

10/1: Low Brow: A Dance Party from the Underground Event producer and electronic music aficionado DJ Blasé invites the uninhibited to a dance party for fans of newer electronic music such as glitch, nu-jerk, hyperpop, and the Indie Sleaze Revival for fans of Frost Children, Jane Remover, Hellp, and more. A free ticket is available on the website. 10pm-1:30am. The Little Bar, Eos Lounge, 500 Anacapa St. Free. Ages 21+. Email deejayblahsay@gmail.com. tinyurl.com/Low-Brow-Oct1

FRIDAY 10/2

SUNDAY

Goleta: Camino Real Marketplace, 10am-2pm

TUESDAY

Montecito: 1100 and 1200 blocks of Coast Village Rd., 8-11:15am

Old Town S.B.: 500-600 blocks of State St., 3-6:30pm

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

Downtown S.B.: Corner of State and Carillo sts., 8am-1pm

Solvang: Copenhagen Dr. and 1st St., 2:30-6:00pm

FISHERMAN’S MARKET

SATURDAY Rain or shine, meet local fishermen on the Harbor’s commercial pier, and buy fresh fish (filleted or whole), live crab, abalone, sea urchins, and more. 117 Harbor Wy., 6-11am. Call (805) 259-7476.

cfsb.info/sat 10/2: Comedian Ron White Performs at Chumash Casino Resort American stand-up comedian, actor, and author Ron White will bring his dry, witty, and brutally honest comedy to the Valley. 8-10pm. 8pm. Samala Showroom, Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. $69-$169. Ages 21+. Call (805) 686-3805.

chumashcasino.com/ entertainment

SATURDAY 10/3 10/3: Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk The American Founda-

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tion for Suicide Prevention invites the entire community to this powerful community event to honor loved ones lost to suicide, support those struggling, and raise awareness for mental health and prevention. Registration is required. Check-in: 9am; walk: 10am. Goleta Beach Park, 5986 Sandspit Rd., Goleta. Free. Email Suzkirk@sbcbwell.org.

afsp.org/SantaBarbara

10/3: Center of the Heart Fall 2026 Healing Arts Faire Sample extraordinary 10/2: The Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series: Brooklyn Rider With 20 years of shared musical exploration, Brooklyn Rider, consisting of Johnny Gandelsman (violin), Colin Jacobsen (violin), Nicholas Cords (viola), and Michael Nicolas (cello) will perform a program featuring pieces by Beethoven, Haydn, Bob Dylan, and newly commissioned work. 7-9pm. St Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos. GA: free-$25; patron: $60. Call (805) 705-0938. syvconcerts.org/brooklynrider

Shows on Tap COURTESY

COURTESY

THURSDAY 10/1

BY TERRY ORTEGA & OLIVIA ISON

modalities not found in traditional doctor’s offices such as clairvoyant readings, energy healing, tarot and oracle readers, and a pet psychic. First-come, first-served. Noon-4pm. Center of the Heart, 487 N. Turnpike Rd. $20/15-minute sessions. Call (805) 964-4861 or email centeroftheheartsb@gmail.com.

centeroftheheart.com/fallfaire

PLEASE CONTACT THE VENUE TO CONFIRM HOURS AND EVENT CANCELLATIONS OR POSTPONEMENTS.

Lois Mahalia

The Grand on State Thu.: Lois Mahalia 10/1-10/3: and Friends, Friends 7pm. $37-$45. Fri.: Schnack-nSat.: Shawn Thies, Kim Collins & Brian Mann, 6pm. Bari Quartet, 7:30pm. $35. $25. Colin Richardson and The Grand Band Classic, 8pm. $37-$45. 1218 State St. Email thegrandonstate@gmail.com. thegrandonstate.com/events

10/1: Arlington Theatre Robert Plant with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian, 7:30pm. $152-$942. 1317 State St. Call (805) 963-4408. arlingtontheatresb.com

10/1: Island Brewing Co. Camp Carpas, 6pm. 5049 6th St., Carpinteria. Free. Call (805) 745-8272.

islandbrewingcompany.com/ calendar

10/2: Carr Winery Barrel Room Sessions: Smelly Cat, 7pm. 414 N. Salsipuedes St. Free. Email info@carrwinery.com

carrwinery.com/event

10/2: Chumash Casino Ron White, 8pm. $69-$169. 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez. Ages 21+. Call (800) 248-6274.

chumashcasino.com

Jazz Jam, 5pm. 5 W. Canon Perdido St. Free. Call (805) 705-0991.

10/2: M.Special Brewing Co. (Goleta) The Mustangs, 7pm. 6860 Cortona Dr., Goleta. Free. Call (805) 9686500. mspecialbrewco.com

10/1-10/2, 10/4: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club Thu.: Shane Sato

10/2: Roblar Winery Jesse Strickman, 5:30pm. 3010 Roblar Ave., Santa Ynez. Free. Call (805) 686-2603.

10/1: The Blue Owl First Thursday

tinyurl.com/Jazz-Blue-Owl

& DreamHoppers with Val-Mar Records, 8pm. $10-$15. Ages 18+. Fri.: Funk It Up with Area 51! 8:15pm. $15-$18. Ages 21+. Sun.: I Will Always Love You: A Tribute Concert for Dolly Parton, 12pm. $40-$45. Alastair Greene Band, 7pm. $18-$25. 1221 State St. Call (805) 962-7776.

sohosb.com

10/1-10/3: Eos Lounge Thu.: DJ Godfather & KinAhau, 9pm. $12.36. Fri.: Miley Serious, 9pm. $7.42. Sat.: Valentino Khan, 9pm. $21.02. 500 Anacapa St. Ages 21+. Call (805) 564-2410.

eoslounge.com

10/1-10/5: The Red Piano Tue/ Thu.: Live music, 5pm. Free. Fri/Sat.: Live music, 3pm. Free. Sun.: Live music, 4pm. Free. Mon.: Church on Monday: Nick Hames Band, 7:30pm. $5. 519 State St. Ages 21+. Call (805) 358-1439.

theredpiano.com

Volunteer Opportunity

roblarwinery.com/events

10/2: St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series: Brooklyn Rider, 7pm. $25-$60. 2901 Nojoqui Ave., Los Olivos. Call (805) 705-0938.

syvconcerts.org

10/2: Topa Topa Brewing Co. Freddy and Friends, 6pm. 120 Santa Barbara St. Free. Ages 21+. Call (805) 324-4150.

topatopa.beer/pages/ happenings

10/2-10/3: M.Special Brewing Co. (S.B.) Fri.: The Channels, 8pm. Sat.: DJ Janu, 8pm. 634 State St. Free. Ages 21+. Call (805) 308-0050.

mspecialbrewco.com

Shows on Tap Continued Page 31 Fundraiser

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10/3: Family Art Workshop: Pumpkin House Painting In this special Saturday family painting workshop, artists will draw and paint, through guided instruction, a charming pumpkin house nestled among colorful fall foliage. No experience required. 1:30-3:30pm. Ages 6-18 (with parent). Art Studio 4 Kids, 815 Puente Dr. $65. Call (805) 6898993. tinyurl.com/PumpkinHousePainting

COURTESY

SATURDAY 10/3

10/3: The 42nd Annual Sips & Ships Wine Tasting & Yacht Tour Fundraiser The S.B. Sea Shell Association invites

of Chumash Indians’ largest cultural event of the year will feature dancing, singing, drumming, arts, crafts, food and drink for purchase, artisan vendors, and more. See members of tribal nations from throughout the U.S. and Canada participate in dancing and drumming competitions, Bring a reusable water bottle. Sat.: 10am-10pm. Sun.: 10am-6pm. Hwy. 246/Meadowvale Rd., Santa Ynez. Free-$5. Call (805) 688-7997. chumash.gov/powwow

10/4: Card-Making Event for Fall & Halloween! Have a cup of tea or cider as you make three spooktacular cards. Noon and 2pm. Pippin, La Arcada, 1114 State St., Ste. 24. $25. Call (323) 528-8377 or email helleyshollywood@gmail.com. tinyurl.com/FallCardMaking

10/3: Storytime in the Backyard with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: You Belong in the Wild Guest storyteller Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant will

10/5: Gary Gulman’s Seventh Hour: An All-New Standup Show With more than 30 years in comedy and successful stand-up

read from her new children’s book, You Belong in the Wild, about Noa, who has always been drawn to the wilderness and obsesses over nature documentaries and learns that she can belong in this world. 11:30am-12:30pm. S.B. Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol. Free-$20. Call (805) 682-4711 or Email jhaas@sbnature2.org.

MONDAY 10/5 specials for HBO and his off-Broadway debut of Grandiloquent this year, Gary Gulman will bring his observations, storytelling, absurdity, and vulnerability to S.B. 7:30pm. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. $79-$129. Email boxoffice@lobero.org. lobero.org

tinyurl.com/BelongintheWild COURTESY

TUESDAY 10/6 10/6: Storytelling for the Screen: The Weight See a screening of the 2026 film (rated R) that follows Samuel (Ethan Hawke), who is sent to a brutal prison in Oregon after being torn from his daughter, and the warden (Russell Crowe) offers him a high-stakes proposition of smuggling gold out of a remote mine with a dangerous crew of prisoners in exchange for his freedom. Director Padraic McKinley will join moderator Ross Melnick (Dick Wolf Director of the Carsey-Wolf Center) for a post-screening discussion. 7-10pm. Pollock Theater, UCSB. Free. Call (805) 893-4637. carseywolf.ucsb.edu/events

bring home rare, hard-to-find plants and exceptional specimens sourced and propagated from top nurseries, private collections, and Lotusland. Bid on more than 250 auction lots (including rare, drought-tolerant, and climate-resilient plants) and enjoy tacos, wine, beer, and signature cocktails with proceeds benefiting Lotusland. 1-4pm. Lotusland, Cold Spring Rd. $125-$175. Email events@lotusland.org.

tinyurl.com/LotusLandAuction

10/3: Fight Like a Girl: Sword Yoga & Wellness Fair All experience levels are invited to this community event that will bring together movement, connection, and a great cause. The day will feature Weapon Up Sword Yoga (a combination of tai chi, kung fu, straight sword, qi gong, and vinyasa yoga. No previous yoga or sword experience required. A wellness fair will follow. Net proceeds will benefit cancer research and treatment. 10am-1pm. 651 Paseo Nuevo. $33.75. Email allbookedupsb@gmail.com.

BEN MEKLER

tinyurl.com/FightLikeAGirlSwordYoga

WEDNESDAY 10/7 Theatre Group at S.B. City College 10/7: The Presents Clue You’ve played the board game and you’ve seen the cult classic film, now watch the action unfold in this madcap comedy as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard race to find whodunit in Boddy Manor before the murderer finds them. The play previews on October 7 and 8 and shows through October 24. Garvin Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 721 Cliff Dr. $10-$22. Call (805) 965-5935 or email sbcctg@sbcc.edu. theatregroupsbcc.com

10/7: It’s a Bug-Eat-Bug World with Ron Whitehurst

Raíces y Sueños

Roots and Dreams

y Sueños: Recepción artística del primer jueves 10/1: Raíces del mes: Historias de familias hispanas de Santa

Bárbara, 1850-1970/Raíces y Sueños: 1st Thursday Art Reception: S.B. Hispanic Family Histories, 1850-1970 Explora la exposición Historias de

familias hispanas de S.B., conoce a los descendientes que han contribuido a dar vida a estas historias y escucha relatos de primera mano sobre la historia y el legado de sus familias. Los miembros de la Sociedad Genealógica del Condado de S.B. estarán a tu disposición para ayudarte a iniciar tu viaje genealógico. Trae algunos datos sobre tu familia y ellos te ayudarán a investigar a uno de tus antepasados. Explore the S.B. Hispanic Family Histories exhibit, meet descendants who helped bring these stories to life, and hear firsthand accounts of their families’ history and heritage. Members of the S.B. County Genealogical Society will be available to help you begin your genealogy journey. Bring a few details about your family, and they will help you research one of your ancestors. 4-7pm. Faulkner Gallery, S.B. Public Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. Free. Call (805) 962-7653. tinyurl.com/Raices-Suenos-Oct

10/7: Club de Creadores: Edición Raíces y Sueños/Creator’s Club: Roots and Dreams Edition Se invita a los niños y niñas, desde infantil hasta bachillerato, a participar todos los miércoles hasta el 14 de octubre en actividades STEAM inspiradas en la cultura y la historia latinoamericanas, como los luchadores inspirados en las ricas tradiciones y el patrimonio cultural de México. Kids in grades kindergarten through high school are invited to join every Wednesday through October 14 for STEAM activities inspired by Latin American culture and history such as Luchadores (wrestlers fighting freestyle), inspired by the rich traditions and cultural heritage of Mexico. 2-3pm. Eastside Library, 1102 E. Montecito St. Free. Call (805) 963-3727. tinyurl.com/Raices-Suenos-Oct

Whether you’re battling aphids or other unwanted garden visitors, this introduction to applied biocontrol will give you new tools for working with nature instead of against it. Join the S.B. County Horticultural Society and co-owner of Rincon-Vitova Insectaries, Inc., Ron Whitehurst to learn about how beneficial insects can become and practical ways to create a landscape where they can thrive. 7pm. Trinity Lutheran Church, 909 N. La Cumbre Rd. Free. Email sbcountyhorticulturalsociety@gmail.com. sbchs.org

Chaucer’s Author Talk 10/6: and Book Signing: Joseph Fink, The Nudge Critically acclaimed creator of the podcasts Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn’t Dead and New York Times best-selling author Joseph Fink will talk about and sign copies of The Nudge, a new horror novella about a wounded man who checks into a remote roadside hotel, running from something he can’t explain or escape. 6-7pm. Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. Free. Call (805) 682-6787.

CO UR TES Y

10/3:

Lotusland’s Exceptional Plants Auction Browse and

COURTESY

SUNDAY 10/4

COURTESY

The 61st 10/3-10/4: Annual Chumash Intertribal Powwow Join the Santa Ynez Band

you for an evening of wine tasting from area wineries paired with hors d’oeuvres and an amazing motor tour of sailing yachts where you can meet their owners and crew. 4-7:30pm. Marina 1, S.B. Harbor. $75. Ages 21+. Email commodore@sbssa.org. tinyurl.com/SipsShips

chaucersbooks.com/events

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THE

UPCOMING EVENTS

THU 10/1/26 7:30 PM Robert Plant

w/ Saving Grace + Suzi Dian

SAT 10/17/26 8:00 PM Orchestrated Tribute to The Beatles

Art Happenings

COURTESY

Tickets & Info: ArlingtonTheatreSB.com · AXS.com

+ Light Artist Reception: Hilary Brock 10/1: Salt See new works from S.B. native Hilary Brock, known

SUN 10/18/26 7:00 PM

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Tribute to Tim Curry

Salt Light Undisturbed by Hilary Brock

for serene, light-filled landscapes, who has a new body of work inspired by water and a fascination with the way light moves across its surface. 5-8pm. Art & Soul, 1323 State St. Free. Call (805) 724-2470.

SUN 12/13/26 - 2:30 PM The Nutcracker

SAT 12/5/26 7:30 PM Herb Alpert + The Tijuana Brass

THU 1/28/27 7:00 PM An Evening with Alysa Liu

SUN 1/31/27 3:00 PM Theresa Caputo

THU 5/6/27 7:00 PM Matt Mathews

FRI 5/7/27 7:30 PM John McEnroe

FRI 4/23/27 7:30 PM Margaret Atwood

that carries inherited meaning while remaining open to personal interpretation and encourages viewers to draw from their experiences and collective understandings of the zodiac to generate an understanding of each artwork’s meaning. The exhibition will show through October 31. Exhibition Walkthrough with Scholar Responses: 3:30-4:30pm; opening reception: 4:30-6:30pm; Compline: Story and Sound: 7-9pm. College of Creative Studies Art Gallery, UCEN Rd., Bldg. 494, UCSB. Free. Email religion-spirituality@ucsb.edu.

cosmicsynastry.info

In Conversation w/ Pico Iyer

1317 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 MetroTheatres.com

Thu 10/1 8:00 PM

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10/1: The UCSB Metaphysical Spirituality Project Presents Cosmic Synastry: Collective Codes and Personal Readings Walkthrough, Reception, and Compline This group art exhibition corresponds to astrology, a shared language

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and Emerging Technologies 10/1, 10/6-10/8: New in the Hands of Artists: Brave

New Work 2.0: A Symposium and Public Art Exhibition Join global leaders and

visionaries for a week of insights and discussions in art, science, and technology with breathtaking art installations and concerts. Visit the website for the full schedule of panels, forums, concerts, performances, field trips, and more. This event goes through October 8. Tue.: 8:30am-8:30pm; Wed.: 8:45am-10pm. Various locations. Thu.: 6:30-8:30pm. GA: $50-$75; passes: $250, $350. Email michael@brandwellarts.com.

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Dialogs About Death Tell the Truth: Dr. Diana Hill and 10/1: Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer Join clinical psychologist and author Dr. Diana Hill, who will explore the powerful journey of grief and discover pathways toward healing, resilience, and transformation in a conversation with poet Rosemerry Wahtola Tommer. 5-7pm. Groundless, 230 Santa Barbara St. $95. Email jaclynstrong@gmail.com.

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10/3: SBCC School of Extended Learning Lecture: The Transformational Power of Grief with Dr. David Cumes Western-trained surgeon Dr. David Cumes, who is also initiated as a “sangoma” (African shaman), will explore the powerful journey of grief and discover pathways toward healing, resilience, and transformation and discuss how to manage pessimism, guilt, the Broken Heart Syndrome, and toxic emotions. 10am-noon. SBCC Schott Campus, 310 W. Padre St. Call (805) 683-8201.

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Death Café In conjunction with The Center for 10/7: Successful Aging, join in a relaxed, safe, respect-

ful, and confidential setting to discuss death without agendas, objectives, or themes for a discussion rather than grief support or counseling. Partake in some tea and nibbles. 3:30-5pm. Fireside Room, First Congregational Church, 2101 State St. Free. Email cominghomesb@gmail.com.

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THU 11/12/26 6:00 PM Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival

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Oct.

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Shows on Tap

WELC OME TO T HE S O U N D T R A C K OF F REEDOM LOS FARMERZ OCTOBER 9 / $105+

Punch Brothers

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10/7: $47-$62. Campbell Hall, UCSB 574 Mesa Rd. Email

UCSB Arts & Lectures Punch Brothers, Brothers 7:30pm.

OCTOBER 16 / $25

info@artsandlectures.ucsb.edu. artsandlectures.ucsb.edu

10/2-10/3: Maverick Saloon Fri.: Colonel Angus, 9pm. Sat.: Rebel Heart,

10/3-10/4: Vega Vineyard Sat.: Nataly Lola, Noon. Sun.: Jimmy Becker,

8:30pm. 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. Free. Ages 21+. Call (805) 686-4785.

noon. Joel Martin, noon. 9496 Santa Rosa Rd., Buellton. Free. (805) 688-2415.

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10/2-10/4: Draughtsmen Aleworks Fri.: Free Radicals, 6pm. Sat.: Junkyard, 6pm. Sun: Looking East, 2pm. 53 Santa Felicia Dr., Goleta. Free.

10/3-10/4, 10/6: Lobero Theatre Sat.: The Pink Floyd Concert Experience

Call (805) 387-2577.

draughtsmenaleworks.com 10/2, 10/4: Carhartt Family Wine Fri.: Stacked, 5pm. Sun.: Hector Hurtado, 2pm. 2939 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. Free. Call (805) 693-5100.

carharttfamilywines.com/events 10/3: Validation Ale Art of Funk at Oktoberfest, 2pm. 102 E. Yanonali St. Free. Call (805) 500-3111.

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10/3-10/4: Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Fri.-Sat.: Live music, 7pm. 137 Anacapa St. Free. Ages 21+.

starring Shine On, 7:30pm. $46.50$76.50. Sun.: Rickie Lee Jones, 7pm. $50-$115. Tue.: Toad the Wet Sprocket with Willy Porter, 7:30pm. $82-$256. 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Email boxoffice@lobero.org.

10/3-10/4, 10/7: Brick Barn Wine Estate Sat.: Different Strings, 1pm. Sun.: Hwy. 246, 2pm. Wed.: Adrian Galysh, 4:30pm. 795 W. Hwy. 246, Buellton. Call (805) 686-1208.

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2:30pm. Tuxedo Junction, 3:30pm. 210 S. Signal St., Ojai. Free. Email kristy.rivera@ojai.ca.gov.

10/3-10/4: S.B. Bowl Sat.-Sun.:

10/4: Longoria Wines Live music, 3-5pm. 732 State St. Free. Email

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10/3-10/4: Rancho La Patera & Stow House Sat.: 54th Santa Barbara Old-Time Fiddlers’ Festival, 10am5pm. $5-$25. Sun.: MoneyLuv, 4pm. Free. 304 N. Los Carneros Rd., Goleta. Call (805) 681-7216.

GLADYS KNIGHT NOVEMBER 13 / $80+

GRUPO BRYNDIS & GUARDIANES DEL AMOR NOVEMBER 20 / $40+

10/4: Libbey Bowl Ben Buttner,

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Jack Johnson with Special Guest G. Love, 6:30pm. $68.50-$155.50. 1122 N. Milpas St. Call (805) 962-7411.

NOVEMBER 6 / $20+

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Call (805) 324-4461.

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ANYTHING FOR SALINA’S

TOWER OF POWER DECEMBER 4 / $49+

info@longoriawine.com.

longoriawines.com/events 10/4-10/5: Cold Spring Tavern Sun.: Brian Kinsella, 1:30pm. Mon.: Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan, 1:30pm. 5995 Stagecoach Rd. Free. Call (805) 967-0066.

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INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

Lang Lang, piano Fri, Oct 9 / 7 PM / Granada Theatre “Lang the magician is slowly transforming himself into Lang the musician… his playing was so raptly beautiful that one was afraid to breathe for fear of missing anything.” Chicago Tribune Program includes Mozart, Beethoven, Albéniz, Granados and Liszt

Clarice & Sérgio Assad

CelloGayageum

Wed, Oct 21 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall

Thu, Oct 29 / 7 PM / Hahn Hall

Legendary Brazilian guitarist and composer Sérgio Assad joins his daughter, the pianist, vocalist and Grammynominated composer Clarice Assad, for an evening showcasing the warmth, rhythmic vitality and rich musical inheritance of one of Brazil’s great artistic families.

Bridging the soulful resonance of Western classical music with the elegance of Korean gugak tradition, CelloGayageum engages in a dialogue across musical traditions, evoking a sound that is both ancient and modern.

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(805) 893-3535 | www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu Granada event tickets can also be purchased at: (805) 899-2222 | www.GranadaSB.org

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CONDUCTING A TOUR THROUGH THE SYMPHONIC SEASON L I F E

THE TRADITION OF SANTA BARBARA SYMPHONY SEASON PREVIEWS CONTINUES COURTESY

s has become a tradition, the Santa Barbara Symphony (SBS) gave the community a free, brief, and thorough tour through what’s to come in its 2026-27 season. Officially, the season opens its round of monthly concerts at The Granada Theatre on October 24 and 25 (Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, a traditional pairing), with the crowd-pleasing Rachmaninoff ’s Piano Concerto, No. 2, and Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, continuing through seven main concerts and a handful of ancillary programs and appearances. But the first introductory salvo of SBS’s 2026-27 season unfolded over this hour-plus Lobero preview presentation. A pre-event reception featured the Symphony’s Music Van, giving visitors, young and otherwise, a chance to try out instruments. Maestro Nir Kabaretti, about to embark on his 20th season at the helm of the orchestra, was the principal tour guide, joined by the Symphony’s President and CEO Kathryn Martin, and with contributions from State Street Ballet’s Megan Philipp, addressing the season finale (May 22 and 23), a collaboration of the two organizations for Brahms and Balanchine. The program centers on Berlioz’s famed Symphonie Fantastique, along with music by Debussy and Poulenc. “If you don’t like French music, this is not the concert for you,” Kabaretti joked. “People tell me that 20 years ago I had darker hair. As I have been working with the Symphony Orchestra and worked with unions, that’s what happened,” Kabaretti said, pointing to his gray coiffure, making a reference to a recent four-year deal between the Symphony and the Musicians Union. “When I compare my first season 20 years ago with what we are about to start, it’s completely different. I was coming from a European tradition, having studied in Vienna, whereas the orientation now moves

beyond the traditional boundaries. And I believe music is a way to have a dialogue. There’s a dialogue between our musicians and the guest artists, between the musicians and the audience. And this dialogue, the feedback, the energy from the audience comes back to us on stage.” In the upcoming season, “There’s a dialogue between music and other art forms. So, you will hear music from ballet and from opera, from film. We have visuals and images. There are theater components, vocal music. I think it is probably the most versatile season we’ve ever presented.” Maestro Nir Kabaretti and the Santa Barbara Symphony To illustrate his point, he walked through the season’s programs, traditional New Year’s Eve wingding and a including projected 4-D space images return to the lavish compound of Bellosfor Holst’s The Planets (January 23 and guardo on July 4. 24)—also featuring violinist Anne Akiko In general, one theme Kabaretti and Myers performing Michael Daugherty’s Blue Martin emphasized was widening the symElektra, a rare contemporary work on the phony’s audience beyond experienced symroster. Opera has its spotlight on April 24 and phony-goers—a democratizing viewpoint. 25, with music from Boito’s Mefistofele and a “Our mission is not just to produce those dramatized Homage to Maria Callas, with wonderful concerts and all of the music script by former Ensemble Theatre director education programs that we do that you’ll Jonathan Fox. hear about today. Our mission is to create Film goes to the top of the Hollywood the impact that happens in those moments game, with another evening tribute to John that reverberates through the audience and Williams (February 13 and 14); an added spills out into our community,” said Martin. SBS-linked attraction is that many musicians Kabaretti seconded that emotion, comin these ranks work closely with Williams menting that “we all…believe that symon his scores. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, phonic music is for everyone. If you just turn returns to the SBS agenda on March 20 and on the TV, you will hear a film that features 21, alongside Manuel Ponce’s guitar-featuring a symphony orchestra. If you go to a theater Concierto del Sur. piece, you may hear a symphony. On the Among the ancillary dates on the ros- radio, there are all kinds of possibilities to ter are a Youth Symphony concert as part hear symphonic music—and most people of the upcoming Brave New Work sympo- don’t even know what it is. “So, when I say it’s for everyone, it means sium (October 6 at Hahn Hall), Psychedelic Symphony program (November 7) with the that we are versatile and we are accessible. Doublewide Kings, the live-to-film pro- We are welcoming new people.” gram OCEAN in Concert (December 9 at the Granada), and pops concerts such as the See season information at thesymphony.org. The cast of this blackmail plot/murder

Frank, SBCC is working with Andrew Laython. “When I found comic timing: Ray Wallenthin, Tiffany Story, out I was directing this play, the Tyler Gilbert, Will Muse, Leslie Story, and first question out of my mouth Nicholis Sheley—each of whom harbors a was, ‘When can I talk to the set designer?’” says Love. “We dark secret. The show is set in the McCarthy era, when talked a lot about how the set is the Red Scare turned neighbors, friends, and really another character. It’s all family against each other.“That’s the tapestry Raymond Wallenthin and about surprising the audience Leesa Beck star in Clue. with reveals of hidden rooms for this tale of blackmail,”says Love.“Everyone is already scared of getting accused and going to jail, that appear out of nowhere.” and this is a period where social appearances were very See Clue October 7-24 at the Garvin Theatre important. It drives the motivation of the characters.” After the retirement of longtime set designer Pat theatregroupsbcc.com.

CATCH A CLUE AT SBCC mystery consists of performers with a gift for by Maggie Yates Director Amy Love, who helms Santa Barbara youth theater initiative Lights Up! Theatre Company, joins the SBCC Theatre Group’s stable of directors for the company’s upcoming production of Sandy Rustin’s Clue. “I love farce so much, so it was a match made in heaven,” says Love. “The show is heavily based on the Tim Curry film, so it’s a nice way to pay homage to him.” Created in the classic farcical style, audiences can expect hijinks and shenanigans, comedic disposal of unexpected corpses, and lots of slamming doors.

BEN CROP

by Josef Woodard

PAGE 33

S.B. ARTS COLLABORATIVE HOSTS A CANDIDATES’ FORUM

by Taylor Cusimano The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative (SBAC) will host a City Council and mayoral candidates’ forum on the arts on Wednesday, October 7, 5-8 p.m. As city elections approach, this event provides a unique opportunity to hear directly from City Council and mayoral candidates on how they plan to support and sustain the arts in Santa Barbara. This forum is open to all City Council Candidates in Districts 4, 5, and 6, as well as the mayoral candidates. The SBAC, a nonprofit committed to sustaining and growing all forms of the arts in Santa Barbara, has worked to sustain and grow the unique cultural ecology of the community through long-term programs such as the Community Arts Workshop, the Funk Zone Maps, Pianos on State, and many smaller projects and collaborations. During election years, the SBAC has had a tradition of hosting a candidates’ forum on the arts, allowing artists, advocates, and appreciators to ask candidates how they plan to secure funding and protect arts programs. Helene Schneider, former Santa Barbara mayor and current Arts Collaborative board member, said, “Several candidate forums focus in depth on a variety of timely important municipal issues; this forum is unique in its focus on how to include the arts in city decision making throughout time.” Schneider added, “We encourage all voters to come and learn how candidates for mayor and City Council ensure that the City of Santa Barbara keeps its status as the artistic and cultural spot of the Central Coast.” The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative will host the forum at the Community Arts Workshop (631 Garden St.) on Wednesday, October 7, 5:15-8 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. To learn more, visit sbcaw.org.

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AN ADVENTURE IN BARBRA-LAND LANDS IN S.B.

THE ART OF TOUCH, TOUCH EXPLORED AND EXPANDED

Art by Carol Shaw-Sutton, Westmont Museum of Art 2026

by Josef Woodard

ertain art exhibitions tempt even the most ethically and aesthetically upright among us to violate a first rule in art spaces: “Do not touch the art.” Ironically, or not, this temptation comes to roost at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, with the fascinating show Haptic Knowing. “Haptic” is a term relating to touch, from the Greek word haptesthai. In various ways, the art here reaches across conventional boundaries of form and function, and makes representations of nature and ritual palpable, by their own expressive terms. In turn, we want IN, tactility-wise. Gathered fortuitously under one museum roof, artists Carol Shaw-Sutton, Eliot Spaulding, Lea Feinstein, Andrea Bersaglieri, and Janet Neuwalder make art that is definitively unique but somehow hangs together well in the show, organized by interim director and curator Chris Rupp, in collusion with Shaw-Sutton. Among other qualities, the exhibition is a refreshment and requires “being there,” as touch and physical presence are becoming rare and ever-more precious in the AIsuffused modern moment. We get a strong introductory general impression in the museum’s long entryway gallery, featuring the work of Los Angeles artist Andrea Bersagliari. She digs into and contemplates dirt — in finely detailed charcoal on paper “portraits” of discrete, almost sculptural hunks of earth and roots. These drawings, in the Home Soil Pod series, are isolated and lionized against white backdrops, for greater impact. Bersagliari is dealing with nature as subject, but also writes, “I am interested in the gray space between form and formlessness.” Another artist with an intimate relationship with nature is Spaulding, whose deceptively faint and quiet art in one corner of the main gallery invites lingering and cogitating upon. Spaulding, whose work often involves inventive resourcing of ideas and actual elements of nature, conceptualized a new way of working while in a residency at Ojai’s Taft Garden, a special nature preserve with cultural intentions. There, she made palimpsest-like tracings of tree-bark textures, as

a way of preserving the innate look and literal feel of trees. Her Taft Gardens impressions range from “daily prints,” indexing her own time there, and a set subtitled “small eyes,” for their resemblance of tree knots to animal eyes. In her series here, Quercus Impressions, made with the delicate and hard-to-find kozo paper, she shows images from Taft Garden mixed in with impressions from a personal tour of tree-adorned spots in Santa Barbara — Jesusita Trail, Romero Canyon, Cold Spring Trail, Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, and, yes, the woodsy enclave of the Westmont campus. Nature and art converge, conceptually and literally. A starting point for this exhibition’s gestation came with a visit to the Ventura River–adjacent Ojai studio of Shaw-Sutton back in 2024, by Rupp and then museum director Judy Larsen. That encounter led to discussions and selections of other compatible artists. Shaw-Sutton’s art is unconventional and organic — in different definitions of the O-word. Essences of ritual and poeticized forms are expressed through work made from linen, reed, kozo paper, pigment, wool and, in the skeletal “Trickster,” a taxidermied creature and goat skin, and mythology makes an appearance in “Persephone’s Tools” and “Five Goddesses.” Neuwalder blurs lines of sculpture, nature and tactile forms in her own way. Multiples appear in compact, small works fitted into larger structures, but with a sense of organization less tidy than it might seem on paper. A large table greets visitors to the main gallery, spilling over with roughly formed sculptural objects in stoneware and porcelain, in “Topography of Use,” and 18 rectangular stoneware slabs, varied in hue and surface character, in the mosaic “Accumulation.” Similarly, yet disparately, “Aperture” sparsely places glossy leaf-like forms against a vast yellow circle on one wall. Alas, touch is allowed in the case of the “wearable art” by Feinstein. Her delicate yet fantastical, and sometimes deliciously absurd, brand of fashion is crafted from the material of Tyvek, which seems fragile and paper-like but is surprisingly durable, and often used in construction. Attention is paid to her treatment, and creative “mistreatment,” of the material, in regard to crinkled, cut-up and rainbowcolored designs. As proof-of-concept, some of her art was very much touched and worn by some insider attendees of the opening for the Haptic Knowing show, including Rupp himself, clad in a coat of many Tyvek ruffles. In this life, exceptions to rule can be a beautiful thing. Haptic Knowing shows at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art (955 La Paz Rd.) through November 7. See westmont.edu/museum.

ETC’S BUYER & CELLAR IS AN OUTRAGEOUS COMEDY COURTESY

JOSEF WOODARD

HAPTIC KNOWING, AT WESTMONT RIDLEY-TREE MUSEUM OF ART

Brian McDonald stars in ETC’s production of Buyer & Cellar.

by Maggie Yates

rian McDonald and Jamie Torcellini team up for Ensemble Theatre Company’s season-opening production, Jonathan Tolins’s Buyer & Cellar. Torcellini directs this quirky comedy and McDonald reprises his role as Alex, a failing actor who becomes the entire staff of Barbra Streisand’s private, underground mall of collectables and keepsakes. McDonald received rave reviews for his performance in the same role at the Rubicon Theatre in 2018. Even in revisiting a one-man show, says McDonald, there’s always room to fine-tune the performance to keep it emotionally authentic. “We’re open to rethinking,” Torcellini agrees. “Brian’s done the show before, so as the director, I want to see where it takes him and guide him in the way I think is helpful.” The show, says McDonald, is about a character who is seeking agency while trapped in Babs’s massive collection. “What he realizes,” he says, “is that Barbra’s life is defined by all of these things she has. It’s so big and outside of her. And it hasn’t made her any more happy. I mean, she enjoys the stuff, but what has it really done for her?” McDonald describes the play as asking the audience to consider our cultural obsession with celebrity, wealth, and materialistic ideology. Torcellini calls the show fast, funny, sharp, and a little bit naughty. “This is a tour de force for Brian,” he says. “You have to be likeable right off the bat, and he is.” McDonald also plays people beyond his primary character, presenting personalities such as James Brolin and Streisand herself. “Yes, it’s hilarious and intimate and gives Brian a chance to go in and out of these characters,” says Torcellini, “but the show is also surprisingly touching.” McDonald stars in Buyer & Cellar at the New Vic Theatre (33 W. Victoria St.) October 7-25. See etcsb.org.

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PUNCHED-UP ‘BROTHERLY’ LOVE, REIGNITED

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PUNCH BROTHERS RETURN TO CAMPBELL HALL WITH BEST ALBUM IN TOW

John Waters

JOHN WATERS, WATERS ‘POPE OF TRASH,’ PREACHES TO THE CONVERTED JOHN WATERS RETURNS TO THE 805 WITH HIS ONE-MAN SHOW LET’S TAKE OVER THE WORLD Punch Brothers

by Josef Woodard

hris Thile, the mandolin master and maverick (pardon the alliteration) is no stranger in these parts, and he’s becoming less strange by the season. We first heard him in the modern bluegrass group Nickel Creek — which would, years later, record its album Celebrants after a stint living and waiting out the COVID lockdown in a Montecito homestead. After relocating to the wilds of Brooklyn, Thile has brought his stellar prog bluegrass Punch Brothers to Campbell Hall, wowing all ears in sight. But wait, there’s more: Thile, with classical garb on, appeared in solo, Bach-leaning mode and otherwise as part of the CAMA programming, showed up at the Music Academy of the West’s Gala headlining in 2025 and now rises to the lofty classical world level of being announced as the Music Director of next year’s Ojai Music Festival. Meanwhile, back at the Punch Brothers ranch, the band has released a new album, The Unsung Adventures of the Punch Brothers — its first in four years — which may be its strongest to date, and the attached tour brings them back to Santa Barbara on Wednesday, October 7, at Campbell Hall, as a proud part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures season. In another local Punch-y connection, the group’s ace banjoist, Noam Pikelny, put

on a smashing performance with his own group at Campbell Hall last season. As Thile, juggler of many a project and strand of art-making, commented in an interview, “What’s so fun about music is that you go out and you hand it to people. You don’t just leave it for them to find in the form of a record. You go out there and you get a vigil.” [Laughs.] “And you look forward to giving it to the Santa Barbara community that means so much to me and has influenced me so much over the years.” From the first two tracks of the new Punch Brothers album — the propulsive “New Bike” and the alternately dreamy and driving “Found in a Frozen Fog” — we get a sense of a conceptual kernel on this project. Each of those pieces (they beg to be considered “pieces” versus songs), and continuing throughout the sequence, feels like a compact journey, through tightly structured parts and open-ended improvisational side tripping. On a larger scale, the album itself has the narrative quality of a holistic artistic journey in itself. This music is decidedly not your grandfather’s bluegrass, although the root system dips into that soil. At Campbell Hall, expect refined postmodern pickin,’ grinnin,’ and thinkin.’ Punch Brothers perform at UCSB’s Campbell Hall on Wednesday, October 7, at 7:30 p.m. See artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

by Josef Woodard

ans of little-known factoids may be pleased to learn this tidbit: John Waters discovered his signature “pencil moustache” in Santa Barbara. The famous and infamous director of the indie film smash hit Pink Flamingos, the box office boffo Hairspray, Polyester, and many other left-ofmainstream films, was briefly living in Isla Vista when the “aha moment” arrived. On the phone from his hometown of Baltimore, Waters explained the origin of the ’stache: “I did it for the first time in [former Santa Barbara Museum of Art director] Ron Kuchta’s house and Sique, Mink Stole’s sister and his wife. And I was trying to grow it, but when she just put a little eyebrow pencil on it, I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ And ever since, it’s been there. This was in their guest bedroom in Santa Barbara, probably in 1970.” Waters functions as a kind of American renegade in plain sight, having put his stamp on subversive films with Hollywood’s blessing (mostly), along with a legacy of books, appearances, LGBTQ advocacy, and other résumé bullet points. Now 80 and proudly brandishing William Burroughs’s description of him as the “pope of trash,” Waters has returned to the area various times over the years, moustache and one-man showings in tow, including with his one-man shows A John Waters Christmas and The Naked Truth to the Lobero. He returns to the 805 with the one-man show Let’s Take Over the World, in the gloriously reborn Ojai Playhouse, on Thursday, October 8. We checked in with Waters for an update.

How long has this one-man show been in existence? I’ve been doing it for 50 years, but every year, I write a completely different show. This particular show, we take over the world. I’ve only done it, this week was the second and third time. Every October, I rewrite the entire show. Do you have a bit of the preacher in you? Oh, on this show, I’m really like a preacher. I’m behind a pulpit. This is a spiritual moment for some, for the unchosen people. Have you always sort of appreciated your role as this subversive in Hollywood who was always pushing the envelope. Well, I tried to set an example for people, and I think I have. And I wrote a book called Role Models about the people that did that for me. So, people come up to me all the time and say, “Oh, without you, it’s really moving. I would have never been able to be what I wanted and all.” And I’m happy for that. I always was unashamedly proud of not fitting in. And I think my audience today is that also. They don’t even fit in their own minorities. What’s on the horizon after this? Oh, I have so many things on the horizon, but a lot of them you can’t announce yet.… I mean, have you ever seen a documentary I’m not in? That’s true. You’re an ever-present face and voice in America. Whether you like it or not. Yeah, whether others like it or not. See tinyurl.com/mpme55uw for show details. For a longer interview, see Independent.com.

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MUSIC ACADEMY’S MARIPOSA GAMES BEGIN COURTESY

SERIES KICKS OFF ITS BETWEEN-SUMMERS PROGRAM

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We appreciate your support in continuing this 17 year tradition. Canellakis-Brown Duo

by Josef Woodard

nce upon a time—for many decades, in fact — the Music Academy of the West (MAW) was strictly a summertime enticement for classical music lovers in town. Its dense summertime schedule remains the centerpiece and heart of this internationally respected and almost 80-year-old institution, but its tentacles have been spreading into the off season in recent years. Welcome to MAW’s Mariposa concert series, a handful of concerts throughout the year, spotlighting illustrious alums from the Music Academy who have gone onto established positions in the classical music world at large. For the kickoff of this season’s roster, on Thursday, October 8, in the Music Academy’s pristine Hahn Hall, the focus is on a musician very familiar to local audiences, violist Richard O’Neill. O’Neill was part of the Camerata Pacifica stable of fine musicians, performing on many occasions in this very Hall. Since that time, O’Neill has risen in the music world ranks, joining the esteemed Takács String Quartet (which we heard at the Lobero in June) along with other notable credits. For this concert, he will be joined by pianist August Baik, and the program is a provocative one, off to the side of conventionality. Aside from the usual business of Rachmaninoff, the program also includes Frederic Rzewski, Benjamin Britten, and the world premiere of cycle, a new work adapt-

ing Korean folk songs, by Baik. Mariposa will get the 2026-27 classical calendar a few more times before this summer season begins. On November 10 at Hahn Hall, the spotlight expands beyond just live performance, to the CanellakisBrown Duo, being cellist, filmmaker, and MAW alum Nicholas Canellakis and pianist-composer Stephen Brown, presenting chamber music, comedy and Canellakis’s short film My New Cello. An Academy alum club convenes at Hahn Hall on January 14, 2027, with Maple Quartet (the Music Academy’s Emerging Artists String Quartet this summer), and alum sisters Julie Albers and Rebecca Albers. Their balanced program sports Haydn’s “Sun” string quartet, a world premiere new work (as yet unnamed) by John Crowley and Schoenberg’s “accessible Schoenberg” piece “Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night).” Finally, in this round of Mariposa, February 12, 2027, at Hahn Hall brings along flutist and “storyteller” Annie Wu. She is offering a program she calls Not Too Sweet, with music of Fauré, Sibelius, and Dvořák on a menu also including her own wistful observations and actual sweet stuff, courtesy of chocolate pairings by Santa Barbara chocolatier Chocolate Maya. A few months later, MAW, proper, launches its summer spectacular, in its milestone 80th anniversary season.

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SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL BABIES

HELMETS SAVE LIVES

Carpinteria Cataleya Neri-Trujillo, 7/1/2026 Goleta Brighton Macy Whelan, 7/23/2026 Francesca Marie Nagle, 7/31/2026 Aviel Collin Ssekajja, 8/6/2026 Colette Calonne, 8/7/2026 Lompoc

A properly fitted helmet is the most effective way to prevent a head injury resulting from a crash. So it’s important to always wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter, skateboard or roller skates. Wearing a helmet can even save your child’s life.

Jensen Alexander Kinsey, 7/16/2026 Long Beach Theodore Ford Iglesias, 7/3/2026 Santa Barbara Marilyn Elizabeth Bonilla, 6/3/2026 Iris Aurora Anastacio, 6/5/2026 Francisco Dean Jimenez, 7/1/2026 Rosalinda Ledesma, 7/3/2026 Kennedy Jane Haney, 7/15/2026 Nico Sam Torres, 7/18/2026 Elias Flores-Melchor, 7/19/2026 Wells Jonathan Stoker, 7/22/2026 Salomé Garcia-Howen, 7/25/2026 Cruz Santana Barron, 8/2/2026

E-BIKE HELMETS E-bikes are heavier and maintain higher speed — it is recommended to choose a helmet rated for higher speeds. Look for MIPS technology or a NTA 8776 label when purchasing a helmet for your e-bike. For more information about e-bike rated helmets, reach out to Trauma Services at 805-569-7451. Scan here for E-Bike Safety Tips.

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• A helmet is considered safe if it has a certification sticker inside or if the box states that it was certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Layla Sofia Khan Markum, 8/16/2026

• Never buy or use a second-hand helmet. It may be too old to protect your child’s head or it may have been involved in a crash.

Ronan David Shanny-Csik, 8/26/2026

• Before purchasing, your child should try the helmet on to ensure proper fit.

Santa Ynez

• Children under the age of 18 are required by law to wear helmets. Be a good role model by always wearing your helmet too. Learn more at cottagehealth.org/helmetsafety

OCTOBER 1, 2026 INDEPENDENT.COM

Reka Leigh Shanny-Csik, 8/26/2026

Rowan Elizabeth Ogilvie, 7/7/2026 Brooks Rayner, 8/3/2026 Ventura Mercury Sweo Arcuni, 8/13/2026

P. 41

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Hundreds Join Hands Against Offshore Drilling

undreds of people gathered at Santa Barbara’s West Beach on Saturday, September 26, joining hands along the shoreline to protest new offshore oil drilling and to mark the 50th

WEEK

Toni Cordero, a tribal leader, tomol paddler, and Environmental Defense Center boardmember, opened the gathering by recognizing the Chumash people’s ancestral connection to the land and water. “I ask you please to reflect on the fact that you are standing on unceded ancestral homelands of the Chumash peoples,” Cordero said. “ ‘Unceded’ means that we never voluntarily relinquished them. Please think about what that means to us and what it means to you.” Sixteen-year-old organizer Ethan Maday also addressed the crowd, arguing that continued reliance on petroleum does not justify expanding offshore drilling. “We still need oil today, and that sucks,” Maday said. “We are trying to move away from that.…We don’t need to build more infrastructure for a dying industry. We have the technology to move away from oil and gas, and we need to start doing so while thinking of the workers that depend on that.” n

Saturday Event Marked 50th Anniversary of Coastal Act by Ingrid Bostrom anniversary of the California Coastal Act, the 1976 law created to protect California’s coastal resources and preserve public access to the shoreline. The “Hands Across the Sand” demonstration was one of nearly a dozen held in coastal communities across California. Participants formed a human chain and posed beneath a banner reading, “WATER IS LIFE. PROTECT OUR COAST.”

BY VICTOR BRYANT

Elina Stump

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Tiny Plovers Hit the Beach with a Little Bling Shorebirds Return to the Wild Wearing Bands and High-Tech Trackers by Callie Fausey

t Coal Oil Point Reserve in Isla Vista, 11 tiny western snowy plovers recently traded zoo life for the open beach—and they did it wearing a little extra bling. The birds, raised by the Santa Barbara Zoo after being rescued as abandoned eggs or chicks, were released as part of a partnership with UC Santa Barbara and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Some bounded out eagerly. Others needed a little encouragement before stepping onto sand for the first time. The release capped the zoo’s plover season and brought the number of birds returned to the wild through the program to more than 200 since it began in 2016. Western snowy plovers were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1993 after habitat loss and human disturbance caused popula-

ach week, the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table recognizes student-athletes whose standout performances helped lift their teams and showcase the region’s sporting talent.

tions to decline. Coal Oil Point has since become an important local refuge, where fencing, habitat protection, and volunteers help give nesting birds some breathing room. This year’s fledglings also came equipped with more than colorful ankle bands. Several carried tiny tracking devices that use radio and Bluetooth technology to help researchers follow their movements through the international Motus wildlife-tracking network. The new tags could give scientists a better picture of where the birds go and how well they fare after release. Previous zoo-raised plovers have turned up as far south as San Diego and as far north as Oregon. For now, though, the latest class has a simpler assignment: get used to the beach, find food, and join the flock. n

Stump contributed one rushing touchdown and dominated defensively with eight flag pulls and five sacks in a 21-0 win over Del Sol. In a 26-0 victory over Buena, Stump racked up 80 rush yards, 71 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns on offense. Defensively, she finished with 10 flag pulls and five sacks.

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Paolo Borgioli

Santa Barbara High Boys’ Water Polo Borgioli led Santa Barbara to a second-place finish at the Saddleback tournament with 24 goals, 12 exclusions earned in four games. He finished with seven goals, including the game-tying goal and a game-winning assist in 13-12 win over Westminster. Against Torrance, Borgioli added six goals and four exclusions in a 15-12 win. In a matchup against Yorba Linda he finished with seven goals, four exclusions earned. n INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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The Botanic Garden Is is Burning Plants—For Science Meet the New Fire Scientist Finding Native Species that Withstand Flames by Callie Fausey Using a combustion chamber, Fauss and her team can test a plant’s ability to resist ignition, and study how it burns, using hot plates and wires that reach up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. In Fauss’s words, the garden is “going fishing” for natives that don’t burn easily—aiming to reduce property loss from wildfire while conserving water and supporting biodiversity. Santa Barbara County and its neighbors are prone to wildfires. Looking north, three Monterey County fires that broke out in August are still actively burning after charring nearly 60,000 acres. County and state assessments show that wildfire hazards have increased significantly in the past 15 years, mainly due to warmer temperatures and drier fuels. Santa Barbara County has certainly felt the heat. One past Central Coast fire led Fauss to change directions. She began her studies at the University of Virginia in civil engineering and coastal flooding but decided to head west around 2018 after learning about the devastating Thomas Fire spreading across the Central Coast. “I decided to go west, towards wildfire,” she said. “There are just so many different ways to think about the problem of wildfire.” She switched focus to wildfire hazard and ecology — looking at questions around plant flammability—and recently earned her doctorate in geography from UC Santa Barbara. At UCSB, she scaled up the combustion lab run by Wildfire Specialist and Adjunct Professor Max Moritz. She implemented new ignition methods and led the lab for four years. During that time, she established a relationship with the Botanic Garden “very early on” to explore testing plants’ flammability before taking on her current role. Their primary focus boils down to three components: ignitability, which is how easily a plant lights on fire; combustibility, which is how aggressively it burns; and sustainability, which is how long it burns. One thing the garden is doing is testing oak trees to be used in fuel breaks, or the places where vegetation is carefully managed to slow a wildfire and reduce its intensity. Oak trees could interfere with wind and embers—and are one of the hardest species to light on fire. Leaving a fuel break entirely barren, Fauss noted, can contribute to other problems such as worsened erosion. “Even just thinking about fuel break maintenance,

Building on her PhD work, Fauss aims to begin finding answers. She will use the garden as a laboratory to identify species to recommend for fuel breaks and defensible space — “buffer zones” that slow or prevent a fire’s spread — starting with 15 different native plants. Additionally, Fauss noted, there are plenty of fire-related studies happening at UCSB, and she hopes to collaborate with the school’s research labs. During her studies, Fauss looked at the probability that ignition will turn into a wildfire. She looked at the moisture content of plants. And she found out that moisture didn’t matter nearly as much as wind. Overall, fires driven by high winds account for about 90 percent of the areas burned during fire season in Southern California, research shows. So, if wind is the primary hazard, how can the region’s fuel breaks be improved? One of the things Fauss hopes to accomplish at the garden is combustion testing for different tree species, such as oaks, coupled with wind-modeling at Kristina Fauss is the Santa Barbara UCSB, to determine recommendations for fireBotanic Garden’s new fire scientist. fighting trees. Because, as Fauss said, “trees mess with the wind.” What they can do at the garden, she said, is establishing a traditional fuel break is really expensive, and burn things. “At the garden, we need to be able to deliver results it costs communities a lot of time and energy just to clear and deliver change,” Fauss said. “We’re taking almost that piece of land over and over every year,” Fauss said. Finding more fire-resistant, low-maintenance native like repetitive, boring science, and then turning that into real change.” plants could reduce that burden. Fauss arrives at a time when the state is attempting But there are a lot of questions scientists don’t have answers to, “because we haven’t actually done combustion to combat a proclaimed wildfire crisis. It has ramped testing on a lot of our common native species,” Fauss said. up wildfire prevention, including the Board of Forestry For example, Santa Barbara experiences seasonal and Fire Protection recently adopting a 5-foot rule for drought, but for many of the region’s plants, scientists are defensible space around homes in high fire hazard areas. still figuring out how their flammability changes through- The emergency regulation — known as Zone 0 — is pending review by the Office of Administrative Law. n out the year in varying drought conditions, Fauss said. COURTESY PHOTOS

t the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, scientists are burning things. It may sound counterintuitive, but it serves a purpose. Led by its bright-eyed new fire scientist, 29-yearold Kristina Fauss, the garden is testing native plants’ ability to withstand wildfires.

In 2022, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden planted Central Coast live oak saplings to be studied for their potential use in fuel breaks.

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All Aboard the Island Hopper Travel Writer Michael Kew Returns to S.B. with New Book by Ethan A. Stewart

or the last 25-plus years, there ample skill as witness of the far flung is, as aren’t many who have traveled per usual, at the heart of his writing, along more diligently and more far afield with his understated passion for animatwith a surfboard in tow than the writer ing surf lore and finding good beer. That Michael Kew. His passport, dog-eared being said, Xanatollu is less a Beat-inspired and creased a couple times over, has meditation on surf adventure and more of been stamped in more than 45 countries. something in the ways of Kew’s other primary literary inspiration, And while his itinerant famed travel writer Paul inclinations once had Author Michael Kew will Theroux. him chasing stories from be at Mollusk Surf Shop, 208 Gray Avenue in the Funk Zone, on Instead, it is a mix of Norway and Greenland Saturday, October 3, for a book signwell-researched aviation to East Africa and the ing and slideshow from Micronesia. and World War II history Seychelles, it’s his clasThe event, which starts at 5 p.m., chopped up with edgesical, if not romantic, will include live music from Landoof-the-earth, intentional tropical wanderings mon and Easy Trip. An after-party travel along the fabled around various outposts is planned at The Mullet next door commercial airline route of Micronesia and Oceaand will feature Kew’s old footage of of the book’s namesake, nia that have been his the surf scene at Rincon from 2010 Island Hopper, a United most consistent muse through 2014. Airlines flight that conthrough more than a nects Honolulu, Hawai‘i, half dozen books of salt to the U.S. Territory of Guam via multiple water–soaked writing. “Not sure what to say, I love warm stops at remote atolls throughout Microwater,” summed up Kew recently, his nesia and the Marshall Islands. And while trademark rapid-fire laugh punctuating Kew certainly scores waves, it’s his figurathe thought. “The colors of a perfect reef tive “surfing” of the unique flight route and pass with good waves, good weather, and the various ports of call and interactions maybe a cold beer—it’s a pretty hard vibe with people along the way that makes up the real meat of the book. to beat.” “Basically, I was drinking wine in front A Santa Barbara City College alum and former Rincon regular, the 52 years young of my fireplace here in Oregon a couple Kew, who now calls the forests of coastal winters back trying to come up with a good Oregon home, is returning to town this idea for a new project,” says Kew of Xanaweek to celebrate his newest collection of tollu’s origin story. And so, at the start of writing, Xanatollu: Surfing the Island Hop- September in 2024, Kew set out on a sevenper Express. Kew’s eighth book, it is per- week trip aboard the Hopper in search of haps his most polished effort yet, one that what he likes to call “travel magic,” packing transcends the topic of surfing in a new little more than a surfboard and his own way for the author and offers a fascinat- curiosity. “Traveling and exploring and ing and fun read for those who ride waves then coming home to my own little herjust as much as it does for the non-surfers mitage in the woods here in Oregon and writing about it—it’s all I really know what among us. n Certainly, Kew’s ear for dialogue and to do and I feel lucky for it,” he said.

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Montecito’s New Wine Bar hen I first walked into the light and bright Vic’s

Vic’s Wine Bar’s Warm, Kiwi Style Hospitality is the Spot for Weekend Fun

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club where her family cooked for more than 20 Wine Bar, the new weekend-only respite in friends regularly, and Aleah enjoyed a front-row the Little King space, owners Aleah and Ethan seat to the magic of nourishing others. Ethan was greeted me with such warmth I felt like I had inspired by his Auntie Victoria, who lives in Auckarrived at a friend’s house for happy hour. Eyes genuinely land and whose grace left such an impact on him bright and wine bottles in hand, it was as if they couldn’t that they created Vic’s in her honor. “I lived with wait to catch up, pour me a glass, and offer me a her and my uncle during COVID, and bite of the latest recipe they’ve been obsessing that time staying with them had a profound impact on my life, over. This kind of hospitality is rare, and especially being hosted and the vibe at Vic’s is as refreshing, natural, and delicious as their fantastic cared for by them as an wine list. early twentysomething in “Ethan tracked every time we a really uncertain time,” hosted friends for a meal last year Ethan said. “The sort of at our tiny studio apartment, and easy, warm hospitality I we hosted people almost 100 felt from them is what I times in 2025,” said Aleah Schepps want Vic’s to feel like.” Elisara, who co-owns the bar with The duo was also inspired by Kiwi café culhusband, Ethan Elisara. “Vic’s feels by Rebecca Horrigan like a natural extension of that shared ture during a recent trip to love of having people over to ours for a visit Ethan’s family. Many cofmeal and drink.” fee shops and cafés in Auckland Yes, folks could go to hospitality school or do a morning coffee and breakfast spend years in the service industry (and the couple does service and then shift into a fun wining and Ethan and Aleah Schepps Elisara have loads of service experience), but I’ve found that dining destination in the evening. business owners who were raised with the value of hostWhile it’s a quick transformation from morning have an innate gift for making guests feel special that ing to night, and they are only open Friday through noir and gamay blend from Sea Creatures, an Alamati simply cannot be taught. Sunday from 5-9 p.m., everything the couple does oozes albariño, and a perky pet-nat from Ashakan. From there Ethan and Aleah both exhibit this homegrown cor- intentionality. The napkins they use for bottle service they chose imports they felt connected to, such as the diality in spades. Aleah’s parents were part of a dinner are repurposed from their wedding and hand-sewn by bottle they shared on their anniversary — a Loire Valley Aleah and a friend. The bright hanging canvases Grolleau from Domaine du Bobinet, a pioneer in the are a collaboration with their friend Nick at Mira- natural wine world. mar Building Company, and much of their food “Almost all of our wines are organic, biodynamically is locally sourced. farmed, zero-zero, or natural,” Ethan said. This must be “The energy for us to push through long days part of the reason why after my visit, which included and nights comes from the encouragement and tasting many wines, the next morning I felt as if I hadn’t support of so many people in our lives here in imbibed at all. The quality of the wine must play a part, Santa Barbara,” Ethan said. Ethan specifically and of course the delicious food I had to soak it up with. acknowledged Grace Gates and Ryan DoBosh of Before it sells out, be sure to place an order for their Little King Coffee as “fast friends who trusted us Auntie Vic’s sausage roll. Once you try a bite of the tenenough to give us the keys at night. They are the der Coyote’s Market sausage filling, wrapped in buttery reason Vic’s can exist, and we’re indebted to them puff pastry, and best dipped in dijon, you’ll want to thank for their kindness and generosity.” Auntie Vic yourself for teaching Ethan this recipe. The This reverence for the community is not just Central Coast Cheeseboard features a lovely selection exhibited in their demeanor and decor, but in the of cheeses from Cambria’s Stepladder Creamery, corwine list as well. nichons, Ojai pixie marmalade and Oat Bakery charcoal “For us, it’s the little stories and connections bread, and the tinned fish plate bursts with lemon and to wine and winemakers that really set apart EVOO, sea salt crackers, fromage blanc, and citrus-marwines that we like and wines that we love.” I was inated Casteltrevano olives. To cap off the night, the duo delighted by the approachable list, which offers makes great use of the resident espresso machine with a something for every palate from juicy orange Rori’s ice cream and Little King coffee affogato. and chilled reds, to old-world French varietals, As the sun set over the glowing mountains, and we to well-loved favorites, such as Scribe’s refresh- savored our last bites and sips, we hugged Aleah and ingly chablis-style chardonnay. There are also Ethan goodbye, planning our visit back to this sweet little brews from Third Window and ciders as well. wine bar that already feels like home. The duo started creating their short but sweet wine list to highlight options from talented Cen- Vic’s Wine Bar, 1801 E. Cabrillo Blvd.; vicswinebar.com. Open Friday– Some of the food at Vic's Wine Bar tral Coast winemaker friends, such as a pinot Sunday from 5-9 p.m., inside Little King Coffee at the Post.

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Slice of Sicily

The Little Pizza Engine That Could Loren Manser serving up a slice

here is no freezer at Gino’s Sicilian Express. No fryer,

either. No stovetop. No prep kitchen hidden somewhere in the back. There is only one oven, a small workspace, a refrigerator that only holds so much, and owner Loren Manser showing up every morning to make the dough, bake the bread, prep the sauces, and start another day at the beloved West Figueroa Street pizza shop that has chugged steadily along for 30 years. “We’re like the little engine that could,” Manser said. “We’re still doing it.”

Gino’s Sicilian Express Celebrates 30 Years with 99-Cent Slices by Tyler Hayden | Photos by Elaine Sanders

In downtown Santa Barbara, where restaurants routinely appear and disappear, that is a major feat, accomplished by the pizzeria staying true to itself. The menu has barely changed over the decades and retains its tonguein-cheek Italian-American character. Specialty pizzas still have names such as Gotti, Gambino, and Capone. More remarkably — even with Manser making daily trips to the market and cutting their meats and vegetables fresh — prices have stayed low. How does he do it? “I work seven days a week,” he chortled. “That’s how I do it.” The story begins with Gino Milano, the Sicilian restaurateur whose name remains above the door. Milano got the keys to the space in 1996 and spent the next several months building it out. Manser, originally from Detroit, was dating Milano’s stepdaughter at the time and pitched in with the construction. Then, he started making deliveries. He knew restaurants — his mother had managed them — but he learned how to cook by watching Milano.

FOOD & DRINK

Julia Brown and Loren Manser at Gino’s

Gino’s business comes from nearby workers — county employees, courthouse staff, retail workers, students, and young people living on Santa Barbara wages. Some of those customers have practically grown up inside the pizzeria. One current employee first came in as a child, started working there at 16, and is now 21. “Parents used to bring their kids in for a pizza,” Manser said, “and now those kids have kids.” The other day, a newly married couple, still in their dress and suit, stopped by for an impromptu photo shoot. They ordered a pizza, documented the cheese pull, and shared a Coke with two straws. “We love that kind of stuff,” Brown said The years have also brought serious tests. Manser One day, with Milano occupied outside, the phone rang remembers the Thomas Fire and subsequent Montewith an order from a well-known Italian chef who regu- cito debris flow. For stretches, Gino’s was taking in only larly got delivery. Rather than bother his boss, Manser about $200 a day, he said. He kept paying his employmade the pizza himself. The next time the chef called, ees, stopped paying himself, and lived off credit cards. he told Milano: “I want the kid to make it.” From there, “I didn’t want to let go of anyone,” Manser said. It took “Gino taught me more and more and really just mentored him years to chisel down the resulting debt. me,” Manser said. Then came COVID. At first, Manser thought it Around 2005, Milano moved to Camarillo and might be the end. Instead, deliveries exploded as peoopened another restaurant before returning to Sic- ple stayed home. Gino’s still operates its own delivery ily. Manser took over operations service within about a twowith his long-time partner Julia mile radius, charging no Brown, who became the keeper delivery fee on orders more of one of Gino’s most important than $20. assets: its regulars. To celebrate 30 years in Brown estimates she knows business, Manser and Brown about 90 percent of their customwill offer cheese and pepers by name. When uncertainty peroni slices for just 99 cents over the Gino’s lease raised the on October 1. Later in the possibility that it might close, she month, Gino himself will fly in to thank the customers started making a list from memory of the people she wanted to who have seen the restaurant thank. She got to 346 names, and through its good times and in many cases, she knew their bad. They recently signed orders too. another five-year lease and “We’ve tried to keep it as oldwill close in January for a school as possible,” Manser said, remodel. “We still have life describing the kind of mom-andin us,” Brown said. pop businesses that used to be Thinking back to 1996 and more common downtown. “There Loren Manser pointing to a framed magazine cover musing on the pizzeria’s jouraren’t that many places left where featuring the namesake of the pizza joint, Gino (right ney to today, Manser struck a more serious tone. “I’m really you can call and say, ‘Hey, it’s Jim. center, glasses) proud of it,” he said. “And I I want my usual,’ ” Brown agreed. Even the restaurant’s name remembers the past. In feel blessed — just very grateful the community has the beginning, it served thick, square Sicilian pizzas. supported us this long. If it wasn’t for people like you,” Santa Barbara customers, Manser said, preferred thin- he said, pointing to this reporter, who has devoured ner, round pies, so the squares eventually disappeared. countless Gino’s pies and paninis over the years, “we Now, of course, Sicilian pizza is fashionable again. wouldn’t be here.” Manser can only laugh. Though tourists regularly come through, most of Gino’s Sicilian Express, 12 W. Figueroa Street, ginospizzapies.com.

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Italian

Ancora Osteria Revives the Upper Village’s Al Fresco Scene

n the mid-2000s, I spent some time with a wealthy toy

maker from Chicago who lived in a massive Montecito mansion. No, he wasn’t the most famous Chicago toymaker-turned-Montecitan, but Rouben Terzian wanted to promote his latest line of dolls, the Only Hearts Club. I’d written a tiny bit about him for Time magazine, but he wanted something more. So, we’d lunch at Via Vai in Montecito’s Upper Village, where the alfresco scene felt plucked from a prime-time soap opera.

Montecito’s Newest Restaurant Takes Over the Space and Sensibilities of Via Vai A spritz at Ancora Osteria

FOOD & DRINK

by Matt Kettmann | photos by Laura Casadonte

As we talked toys and tucked into anchovy-streaked pizza, I watched the other patrons — all dressed couture-casual, some freshly coiffed, others in post-tennis gear — trade glances and polite salutations, inquiring about the kids and the homes and the summer trips. It seemed to be where Montecito felt most comfortable with itself: supported by dappled sunlight and mountain views; nourished by reliably delicious, not-too-heavy cuisine; and embraced by the friendly atmosphere of a country club, albeit one with no annual dues required. I’d largely forgotten about those lunches with Rouben until I arrived at Ancora Osteria for an early dinner a few weeks ago and experienced the exact same sensations on the exact same patio that was once Via Vai. Though not even 6 p.m., the tented space was nearly packed. There was a successful tech entrepreneur with his family on one side, a famous politician holding court on another, and probably enough wealth in the shade to start a large bank. As welltanned, pastel-wearing families strode in, sweaters draped over shoulders, they’d wave to their already seated friends, catching up on vacations and college plans. It felt again like an exclusive but open society, and I realized that Ancora, so long as it fosters this vibe, will almost certainly excel here. And that was even before I sipped my elderflower-kissed ‘Cito Spritz or nibbled on the seared yellowfin. “I like when people come in and see people they know — that’s part of the club feel,” said co-owner Luca Crestanelli, who opened Ancora in August. “My hope is that the rest of Santa Barbara will come in too.” They will, because Ancora brings Crestanelli’s captivating cuisine about a half-hour closer for those who crave his Santa Ynez Valley restaurants S.Y. Kitchen (in Santa Ynez, since 2013), Nella (Los Olivos, 2020), and the counter-service Stica (Santa Ynez, 2025). All were immediately popular upon opening and remain so to this day, delivering seasonally shifting, farm-dependent menus of Italian-inspired dishes that are focused on purity of ingredients and clarity of flavors. That’s the plan for Ancora too, where the menu blends the apps, salads, and homemade pasta that S.Y. Kitchen is known for with Nella’s more comfort-leaning entrees and pinsa, the fluffy, fermented-dough style of pizza from Rome. Our meal, for instance, included that delicately seared tuna with an uncommon array of savory veg ($24); a crunchy Caesar with delicate bleu cheese ($19); a summery zucchini-

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Polpette al Forno

Tomato Salad

basil soup ($20); the blistered cherry tomato pinsa ($27); and the Mezzi Paccheri all’Astice ($55), like a lobster bisque with macaroni. It was never a question of what to do on this side of the mountain for Crestanelli. “People always want the same thing, which is good high-quality food, well presented,” he said, his Veronese accent still sweet after more than two decades in California. “I don’t think here is anything different.” It was more about where. “We have been looking in Santa Barbara for a few years, even before the pandemic,” said Crestanelli. “We always had it in mind. But we never found the right place for us.” When Via Vai closed after 30 years, in early 2024, Crestanelli sensed some serendipity. “I’ve always loved this location,” he said. “It was the first restaurant I ever dined at in Santa Barbara.” He signed the lease by that fall. After opening doors on August 13, he’s now focused on mastering the newly acquired kitchen equipment and training the newly hired team to match the restaurant group’s renowned standards. That means Crestanelli, who lives in the Santa Ynez Valley, will be spending about 90 percent of his time at Ancora until it’s just right. “The most important thing we’re working on is consistency,” he said. “That’s the hardest part of any business. Anyone can cook a good meal once. Consistency is going to take a few months to be where we want to be. But we started with a good team, so I have a good feeling about it.” This learning phase hasn’t deterred diners from showing up steadily every night since they opened, when tables were booked more than three weeks out. Our meal was

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definitely reminiscent of the ones I’ve had at S.Y. Kitchen and Nella, showing textural and flavor surprises atop a satisfying foundation. I’d never had seared fish with tiny potatoes and zucchini, but it worked, and the stringy cheese in the zuc soup gave a chewy heft. The Caesar’s friendly funk was courtesy of the bleu cheese, and the pinsa was light as air. “The bread is just like a pillow,” said my wife. We drank a Normandy cider and a few Italian wines, and finished with madeira and tiramisu, which we’d now like to do at the end of every meal. We certainly over-ordered, which is somewhat of a job requirement when writing about a restaurant (and not paying, aside from a fat tip), so our bill exceeded $300. But a cost-minded couple could share two drinks, an app, a salad, and a pinsa and escape for around $120, which is similar to most other nice restaurants these days. Going forward, Ancora will likely feature brunch and lunch, which may do better than dinner, if the past is any indication. Expect the coast to become more of a focus. “We are getting more of a feel of where we are, and you have the ocean in the vicinity,” said Crestanelli, seagulls squawking in the skies above him. “I’m inclined to have a little more seafood. We started with very little.” He greatly admires the longevity of his octogenarian business partner, Mike Gordon, whose Toscana in West Los Angeles just celebrated 35 years. “In L.A., that’s like a thousand years old,” laughed Crestanelli. “And it’s going solid. It’s quite amazing to watch.” So don’t expect this to be Crestanelli’s last concept. “I love this job,” he said. “As long as we can find good people, we’re gonna keep going forward.” He’s just pleased to see Ancora’s club already gaining members. “We have been welcomed in an incredible way,” he said. “I hope we can deliver what people expect.” Ancora Osteria, 1483 East Valley Rd., Montecito; (805) 869-2338; ancoraosteria.com.

A Drink with intention “W

COURTESY PHOTOS

Spirits

remember”—Spotted on the wall of a bar in Antibes, France “We drink to remember.” That simple but meaningful sentiment is more than just a tagline for Davo, a new premium tequila from Santa Barbara entrepreneur Laura Kronen—it’s at the heart of the inspiration for the entire venture.

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Losing her beloved husband Dave “Davo” Kronen in 2022, after a long illness, Laura spent some time traveling and trying to figure out her next chapter of life. She and Dave had traveled together many times over their more than 30 years together, including multiple trips to Mexico, where they enjoyed a “not-too-sweet” almond-flavored tequila that they had never been able to find in the States. She soon became determined to create her own version, reading books, doing tons of research and experimentation, and touring distilleries in Mexico, because similarly to Champagne in France, tequila can only be produced in Mexico. She spent an intense week in Guadalajara, visiting 13 distilleries, bottle shops, and others involved in the business. “That strong urge to do something different really just kept me out of my comfort zone,” Laura confessed to me over a recent lunch. “I really fell in love with the people down there, especially the distillery that I’m at,” said Laura of working with Hacienda Capellanía, Master Distillers NOM 1545, and the Dávalos brothers. “I just fell in love with the quality of the tequila and the people, multi-generational people, they’ve been in the business for so long and they really welcomed us into their, kind of their, home. It was fabulous.” That welcoming, kind spirit of hospitality at the hacienda resonated deeply with Laura, as she and Dave are well known for making their Hope Ranch home into a gathering place for countless friends and family. As his health declined, “Thirsty Thursday” gatherings in his backyard with childhood friends—many of whom were his cofounding members of the nonprofit Friendship Paddle—became the norm. In addition to the hospitality and name similarity, there were other connections that made

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FOOD & DRINK

Small-Batch Davo Tequila Brings a Big Dose of Love—from Santa Barbara and Beyond

the match feel fated to Laura. The Dávalos brothers grew up on that farm and their father, David, passed away at the same time Dave Kronen did. “The distillery is situated around 300 acres of agave fields and fruit orchards, and they do the fermentation, which really brings in all that wild yeast from the citrus and that gives it the character, the flavor, the tequila, and they can cook it different ways,” Laura explained. Eventually, they developed a unique, natural open-air fermentation process and the fruit orchards on the estate and notes of the citrus, avocado, apple, peach, and guava trees that are cultivated near the agave fields, and the distillery also plays a role.

of THOUGHT

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Davo founder Laura Kronen in the agave field e do not drink to forget; we drink to

SCHOOLS

Davo flavor expressions: Blanco, Reposado, Almond Añejo, and Extra Añejo

In addition to the brand’s flagship Davo Tequila Añejo with Natural Almond, which initially inspired Laura’s quest, the handcrafted small-batch offerings launched in September with three other flavors: Davo Blanco, Davo Reposado, and Davo Extra Añejo. I found all of them to be smooth, delicious, and perfect for sipping. My personal favorite, the Extra Añejo ($175), resembles a fine whiskey, with woodsy chocolatey notes and a hint of cigars. The Almond Añejo ($125) is unique with a silky texture and light notes of citrus, as well as almonds. The Reposado ($75) is quite fruity with hints of banana, apple, and pear. And the Davo Blanco Tequila ($50)—which already won a gold medal at the San Diego Spirits Competition (and it was just released this September)—has some nice subtle hints of lemon and vanilla, making it ideal for both sipping and mixing in cocktails. (The website has some interesting recipes for each Davo bottle.) In Santa Barbara, you can find Davo at Mesa Liquor, Talevi’s, Corner Tap Bar & Eatery, The Cliff Room, La Cumbre Country Club, Harry’s Plaza Café, and Liquor & Wine Grotto in Montecito. Davo Tequila is also available for mail order in California. See davotequila.com for more details.

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“T

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my fiancé remarked on our way to Bistro Amasa on a recent Saturday evening. He was right. It was later than we’d usually go out to dinner, certainly later than most Santa Barbarians, who, by the time of our 8 p.m. reservation, were likely already tucked into bed with a good book.

Bistro Amasa’s Après Hour Makes a Case for Late-Night Dining by Tiana Molony

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digging in and started with a single fry: chewy, herby, with just enough crunch. Then I went for the burger. The caramelized onions were a flavor bomb, while the sesameencrusted bun added a welcome texture. I dug into my wedge salad, which, to my liking, was not actually in wedge form but broken apart. Topped with frozen blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes, radish, and onion, it was light and refreshing. We were about halfway through the meal when my fiancé remarked that he had regrettably eaten too many fries before discovering how good the yuzu aioli was. Luckily for me, I uncovered this early in the meal. I gave him my remaining fries, because what is love if not sharing your fries? Then came the drink. Listen, I’m not a martini gal. My experience with the cocktail extends mostly to random sips from the tops of friends’ glasses, in futile attempts to like it. This time I picked up the glass, twisted the stem between my fingers, and thought about the power of the martini—its ability to turn one from an average diner into Elizabeth Taylor. I sipped tentatively. The aromatics hit me first, followed by the olive juice, then the vodka. I quite liked it. Who knows, maybe I’ve been convinced. There was one more surprise to this meal, which I saved for last: the apples and caramel. Our lovely waitress, Nicole, said she initially thought they were “an afterthought,” but after trying them found they were actually her favorite part of the meal. Ready for my sweet treat, I scooped a hefty chunk of caramel onto an apple which was crisp, but it was the caramel — the thick, sweet caramel—that stole my heart. I admit this with no shame whatsoever, but when the apples ran out, I had no choice but to scoop the remaining caramel with my fork and eat it straight.

But we weren’t there that night for the regular dinner menu; instead we were there for Après Hour, Bistro Amasa’s late-night offering: a special menu served from 8 to 9 p.m. at the restaurant’s bar and a limited number of tables. One standout is the “Adult Happy Meal,” a grown-up take on the beloved McDonald’s Happy Meal. In addition to the usual burger, fries, apples, and caramel, this version includes a martini—all for $25. “We wanted to create a reason for people to come in during that later part of the evening and make it feel like its own occasion, rather than simply a discounted happy hour,” said chef and coowner Julian Martinez. If you’re not feeling like a burger, there’s the Girl Dinner, another Après Hour option that comes with a wedge salad, apples with caramel, fries, and the house martini, also for $25. (The martini can be swapped for any of the restaurant’s signature mocktails.) Martinez said the inspiration for the Girl Dinner came from the popular buzzword making its way through social media, referring to “a collection of things that maybe don’t traditionally go together but somehow make perfect sense when you’re the one eating them.” Our meals arrived atop gold trays, the presentation almost too good that I initially refrained from

Après Hour at Bistro Amasa (1404 De La Vina St.) is available 8-9 p.m. at the bar and limited tables. For more information, see bistroamasa.com.

Milio’s Hits the Ground Running M y family and I dined recently at

THE ELLWOOD CHANGES COURSE: The Ellwood restaurant at Goleta

Beach has announced significant changes to its menu and approach after hearing from customers that many considered it primarily a place for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. The Ellwood says it has now completely reworked its menus in an effort to make the restaurant more approachable and affordable for regular visits. The changes include new dishes as well as a new frozen cocktail called the “Goletarita.” More broadly, the restaurant says it wants to become what it calls “the living room of Goleta Beach”—a place where locals might stop after work, meet friends for a drink, bring the family for dinner, watch a game, hear live music, or simply spend an afternoon by the water. “The view hasn’t changed. But The Ellwood has,” the restaurant said in its announcement. John Dickson’s reporting can be found every day online at SantaBarbara.com. Send tips to info@SantaBarbara.com.

County of Santa Barbara County Planning Commission NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Ministerial Permitting and Streamlining Ordinance Amendments

FOOD & DRINK

Milio’s Pizza, the new New York– style pizzeria at 801 State Street, and afterward I sat down with co-owner Kamil Jumale to learn more about the story behind the restaurant. Jumale and business partner Miles Robbins originally came to Santa Barbara through their catering business. Robbins attended culinary school in New York and worked at restaurants including Carbone and two-Michelin-starred Ikoyi in London, while Jumale came from the fine-dining front-of-house side of the industry. The two moved to Santa Barbara in 2023 hoping eventually to open a restaurant. After considering several concepts, they settled on a New York–style pizzeria and enlisted noted pizza consultant Anthony Falco. The partners traveled to New York, where Falco took them on what Jumale jokingly described as “pizza college,” studying everything from ovens and dough to the thickness and texture of slices at different pizzerias. Falco later came to Santa Barbara to spend a week in the kitchen helping them develop their pizza. Milio’s dough is made with organic, unbleached flour and undergoes a 72-hour fermentation. In perhaps its most unusual nod to New York pizza, the restaurant even brings in water from upstate New York to make the dough. The partners also use organic cheese and source produce locally when possible. The response was immediate. Milio’s sold out during each of its first three days, producing roughly 65 to 70 pizzas the first day, about 110 the second, and more than 120 the third. “We probably did six times what we projected,” Jumale said. By Monday, the partners finally had a chance to regroup. “Holy moly—we are way busier than we thought,” he recalled. The classic pepperoni has emerged as the top seller, while the signature Milio—made with smoked pancetta, spicy vodka sauce, pickles, jalapeños, Pecorino, and chives—is another favorite. Sicilian squares and a white pie with French onion and garlic sauce, burrata, lemon zest, and chives round out some of the offerings. Despite the early demand, Jumale says the focus is on maintaining quality rather than simply producing as much pizza as possible. “We don’t cut corners,” he said. “The first time, and their first bite, is what they remember.” For Jumale, the concept ultimately comes back to applying their fine-dining background to something as simple as a slice of pizza. “It’s still pizza at the end of the day,” he said. “If you’re going to do something like pizza, make it absolutely delicious and use the best quality ingredients.” He summed up Milio’s approach simply: “It’s just a really well-done, culinary-driven slice.” Visit miliospizzasb.com.

On October 21, 2026, the County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider Ministerial Permitting and Streamlining Ordinance Amendments to the County Land Use and Development Code and Coastal Zoning Ordinance. The Planning Commission will consider making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding the following: 



Amendments to the County Land Use and Development Code (Case No. 26ORD-00013) and the Coastal Zoning Ordinance (Case No. 26ORD-00014) to: o Expand the list of uses and development that are exempt from planning permits; o Clean up the lists of allowed uses within each zone district and reduce permit requirements for certain uses where applicable; o Reduce, and in some cases eliminate, design review requirements for some single-family residential development and small commercial development; and o Create a streamlined, ministerial permit pathway for single-family residential and limited commercial development, eliminating some processing requirements that can add considerable time and cost to a project, including noticing and the potential for appeals. Determining that the proposed amendments are exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act

For additional information, please view the project webpage https://www.countyofsb.org/3449/Zoning-OrdinanceAmendment-Project or contact Ben Singer at bsinger@countyofsb.org or (805) 568-2025. The hearing will take place at 9:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at: Planning Commission Hearing Room County Engineering Building 123 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 For current methods of public participation for the hearing please see https://www.countyofsb.org/1625/CountyPlanning-Commission, or the posted agendas. The posted agenda will provide a more specific time for this item. However, the order of the agenda may be rearranged, or the item may be continued. Staff reports and the posted agenda will be available on the Wednesday prior to the hearing at the Commission’s website above or contact the Planning Commission Recording Secretary at dvillalo@countyofsb.org or (805) 568-2058 for alternative options. Attendance and participation by the public is invited and encouraged. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, American Sign Language interpreters, sound enhancement equipment, and/or another request for disability accommodation may be arranged by contacting the Hearing Support Staff at (805) 568-2000. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable the Hearing Support Staff to make reasonable arrangements. If you challenge the project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence to the County Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by Rob Breszny WEEK OF OCTOBER 1

ARIES

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(Mar. 21-Apr. 19): Orchids may lure pollinating insects with ingenious illusions rather than nectar. Some mimic the look or fragrance of other flowers. Others resemble female insects so convincingly that hopeful males unknowingly assist with pollination. From this, we might conclude that nature can be as duplicitous as humans. But rather than being bummed out by the facts of life, let’s use this as a lesson for you to wield in the coming days. Appearances can be deceiving—for both better and worse. If a situation initially seems disappointing or confusing, linger before drawing conclusions. Likewise, if something looks irresistibly attractive at first glance, investigate further. I predict your intuition will be extra skilled at distinguishing authentic richness from glamorous distraction.

TAURUS

(Apr. 20-May 20): I propose we make 93-year-old Taurus musician Willie Nelson your patron saint and role model for the foreseeable future. Earthy, unflappable, and unhurried, he has kept making his distinctive, soulful music for more than 70 years, devoted all the while to the land and the people who work it. He has never pushed to sound like anyone else; he has patiently, inexorably become more fully himself. It’s your birthright to live like Nelson, Taurus, with a steady, sensual, enduring devotion to what you love. In the coming weeks, I invite you to tend to your deepest roots.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): I may be preaching to the choir here, but there’s a fun kind of magic that thrives when you decline to be consistent. You Geminis are least likely, of all the signs, to exhaust yourself in trying to maintain a unified selfpresentation. Like the Gemini poet Walt Whitman, you’re often pleased with the fact that you contain multitudes. It’s a potential superpower! The you who loves solitude and the you who craves connection can both be true. The skeptic and the mystic can coexist in the same nervous system. Your assignment: Honor three contradictory impulses without trying to make them coherent. You’re boisterously excused from having to make too much sense.

THE

TRUTH

CANCER

FAIRY

Join veteran journalist & educator Starshine Roshell for her brand new column on how information is created, spread, consumed, and controlled. Read now at independent.com/truthfairy Santa Barbara

1986

4O YEARS

2026

(June 21-July 22): In certain caves, such as the Cave of the Crystals in Naica, Mexico, crystals grow to astonishing sizes. Why? Because the environment remains stable for thousands of years, with steady temperatures, minimal disturbances, and slow mineral flow. Under these stable conditions, ordinary molecules assemble into lavish structures. I believe you’re cultivating a similar sanctuary, Cancerian, as you invoke the powers of steadiness and devoted dedication. Even if progress appears slow, the underlying process is gradually generating a beautiful strength and/or lasting treasure. Now’s a good time to redouble your faith in your good work.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22): The cosmic powers have granted you a license to be magnificent. Not arrogant, please note, but majestic, resplendent, and marvelous. You know the difference, right? Arrogance is parasitic, demanding that everyone reflects your glory back at you. Magnificence is expansive, making everyone feel more vital and attuned to their own splendor. The second option is far more nutritious and delicious for you in the long run. In the coming eons, and especially now, I hope you’ll be lavish with your praise and generous with your attention. Glow and dazzle in ways that inspire others to glow and dazzle.

VIRGO

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A Zen teaching says, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” But being the post-Zen teacher I am, I protest and say, “No, the chopping and the carrying ARE the enlightenment. There is no separate ‘after.’” The sacred is ALWAYS lurking in the mundane, disguised as ordinary tasks. And you Virgos are potentially the zodiac’s supreme master of this controversial truth. Others may chase after astral bling and transcendent glitter, but you know that divinity lives in the earthy details that are right in front of

you. That’s how you transmute seemingly unremarkable stuff into the sublime. It’s time to wield your superpower to the hilt, please!

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Let’s make Libran writer Ursula K. Le Guin your patron saint. She believed that any human arrangement, however permanent it seems, was made by people and can therefore be unmade and remade by people. The divine right of kings once seemed eternal and inevitable, she liked to remind us. Be like her in the coming weeks, Libra. Refuse to accept that the way things are is the way they must continue to be. Imagine more beautiful, more just, and more loving arrangements in every area of your life, including your relationships, your work, and your inner life. Then take three steps toward making it so.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Volcanologists distinguish between two different eruptions. In the effusive type, lava flows slowly and steadily, while the explosive eruptions eject material fast and hard. What does this have to do with you? In my astrological estimation, you currently contain building pressures that need release. Here’s the good news: You can maneuver yourself in the direction of effusive expression and thereby make the explosive kind unnecessary. So, my advice is to find small, controllable outlets for what’s gathering inside you. Don’t wait until the only option is a massive, sudden discharge.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll flourish in the coming years if you ask daring questions and befriend sweet ambivalence and welcome adorable uncertainty. You’ll stumble upon weird but interesting success and project potent authenticity if you let your curiosity lead you to situations outside of your cozy bubbles and velvet ruts. On the other hand, you’ll flounder if you cling to folk wisdom foisted on you by the algorithms, treat all your opinions as facts, or pretend you always know what the f*ck is going on in this dazzling mess of a world. Keep it generous and exploratory, Sagittarius. Seek out wide-ranging conversationalists and playful skeptics.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A river delta is where a river finally meets the sea. Instead of arriving as one bold channel, it fans out into dozens of branching streams, depositing the rich silt it has carried for many miles. Deltas are fertile places because of everything the river gathered along the way and finally lays down. You’re approaching a metaphorical delta, Capricorn. All the experiences, emotions, and impressions you’ve been carrying are ready to be released and turned into fertile ground. Abundance wants to grow from all you’ve gathered.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the 17th century, Aquarian astronomer Johannes Hevelius mapped the moon with surprising accuracy. Yet he worked with funky homemade telescopes perched on a homemade observatory that he built on the rooftops of his three connected houses. I recommend you borrow his approach, Aquarius. You might feel tempted to postpone action until conditions are ideal, but I hope you’ll begin with what you already possess. Prediction: As you proceed, your tools and strategies will evolve. Momentum will become one of your key resources.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-Mar. 20): In traditional Chinese medicine, wei qi is a protective energy that circulates beneath the skin, forming a shield against harmful influences. To nourish it, you revel in sleeping and eating well. You work diligently, with tender discernment, to maintain healthy boundaries. How are you doing with that, Pisces? Is it possible you’ve been working so hard on your deep transformations that you’ve semi-neglected this outer layer of strength? I hope that in the coming weeks, you’ll nurture the subtle shields that prevent you from absorbing every stray particle of psychic weirdness in your environment. Think of this task not as building walls, but tending to your garden’s edges.

Homework: What’s a great thing about you that no one knows? tinyurl.com/b7b7b7b Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES and DAILY TEXT MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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HELP WANTED ENGINEERS: Sonos, Inc. seeks the following positions in Goleta, CA: Acoustical Engineer (QD1204): Design & engineer transducers from concept to launch & lead new tech devt. MS+3. $129,917‑$134K/yr. Radio System Integration and Compliance Engineer (CY0226): RF Testing & Perf Verification. MS+2. $159,453/yr. To apply: contact Carmen Palacios, Immigration Mgr: carmen.palacios@sonos.com (Must ref job code)

PROFESSIONAL

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT CAMPUS DINING ‑ UCFS

The Administrative Assistant performs all student functions related to hiring, payroll, and personnel actions for over 400 student employees. Duties include processing bi‑weekly payroll, corrections and changes to payroll, and separations in the payroll system (UCPath). Utilizes the timekeeping system to review, maintain, and troubleshoot timecard issues for payroll processing. Provides administrative support as needed to the Supervisor. Reqs: High School Diploma or Equivalent combination of education and experience; 1‑3 yrs: Experience working in an office environment and demonstrated ability to use standard computer systems including email, Microsoft Word, and Excel. Demonstrated ability to multitask and prioritize effectively. Experience with effective communication and strong interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing. Equivalent combination of education and experience. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check; Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $26.65/hr ‑ $29.62/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 9/30/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88892.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR A.S. TECHNOLOGY & INFRASTRUCTURE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS

Under the general direction of the Executive Director, the Assistant Director for A.S. Technology & Infrastructure is responsible for the strategic leadership, management, and collaborative development of Associated Students’ technological infrastructure. The position oversees computer, web, network, server, and strategic technical support and policy for a department of over 40 career staff and hundreds of student staff, and elected officials across six separate department locations. Serving as the highest‑level subject matter expert and technical escalation point for the technology team, the Assistant Director supervises the Website Developer, Information Technology Administrator, and Helpdesk Technician, as well as a team of student IT assistants. Provides advanced architectural direction, mentorship, and tier‑3 support across all supervised domains, including web development and design, server and network administration, and desktop support operations. To guarantee that independent, student‑driven goals are successfully achieved, the Assistant Director must possess the specialized expertise to effectively translate the unique technological needs of student‑led initiatives to central Campus Information Technology team, securing critical buy‑in, alignment, and collaborative support from campus partners. The Assistant Director holds primary operational responsibility for the campus‑wide Events and Ticketing system, coordinating critical networking hardware across multiple campus facilities. Additionally, the role manages and coordinates the technical execution of the campus‑wide student elections process, securely bringing together multiple campus departments, ballot initiatives, and candidates into a single, cohesive voting infrastructure. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree Required in related area and / or equivalent experience / training; 4‑6 yrs managing an information technology organization. 4‑6 yrs Experience with Critical thinking, persuasions/ negotiation, conflict resolution, mentoring and staff development, leadership/management, problem solving, human resources policies and procedures relating to management responsibilities; 4‑6 yrs Advanced experience using IT security systems and tools; 4‑6 yrs Experience configuring and managing network tools. Prior work in network administration, IT security, or cyber security. Experience in penetration, vulnerability, and incident response; 4‑6 yrs Experience with assessing business needs to determine how people, business processes and computer technology can be used to help accomplish the departmental objectives; Applies advanced Information Technology theories and concepts to manage and provide solutions; Requires a broad working knowledge of the applications programming development function; Requires the ability to gather, organize, and analyze data in the completion of assignments; Demonstrated skill in managing technical staff; Experience in the management of ongoing technology infrastructure acquisition and expansion, to include the

identification and integration of suitable emerging technologies; Thorough knowledge of technical concepts and basic operating principles of data communications, computer hardware, vendor IT products, and software; Ability to understand the process involved to adapt, integrate, and modify existing programs or vendor‑supplied products for use within the technical environment; Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively present technical topics to individuals and groups with potentially varied levels of technical sophistication; Experience of analyzing buy vs. build procurement for products for effective and efficient technology use. Notes: UCSB Campus Security Authority under Clery Act; Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/ Budgeted Salary Range: is $90,000 to $99,500/year. Full Salary Range: $81,600.00 to $147,800.00/year. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins October 5, 2026 Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88902.

EQUIPMENT ENGINEER

ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Under direction of the Equipment Engineer Manager, ensures the continuing development of equipment and process resources of the 400‑user nanofabrication research cleanroom for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Additionally, supervises the day‑to‑day laboratory operation of the cleanroom.. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $108,419.40/yr. ‑ $145,899/yr. Full Salary Range: $89,679.60/yr. ‑ $164,638.80/yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/6/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88866.

CAMPUS DINING The Cook performs culinary duties such as preparing soups and casseroles, grilling, roasting or barbecuing foods, working a sauté station, and preparing and assembling made‑to‑order entrees serving up to 1,500 meals per shift. Ensures that assigned responsibilities are accomplished and that high standards of food quality, service, sanitation and safety are met at all times. Assists with student training, food production and sanitation. Reqs: High School or Equivalent combination of education and experience; 1‑3 yrs Culinary experience in a high‑volume culinary environment; 1‑3 yrs Knowledge of and experience with culinary techniques, including but not inclusive of sauteing, grilling, frying, steaming, preparing sauces and stocks; Equivalent combination of education and experience. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check; Visa sponsorship is not available for this position; Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and work standing for up to 8 hours per day; Work hours/days may vary. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $26.78 ‑ $27.29/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/13/26. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 89137.

FINANCIAL OPERATION MANAGER

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT COOK

management work (i.e. budgeting, accounting, auditing, management analysis, program evaluation, financial reporting of program results), of which (b) at least 1 ( year must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (c) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below; 1‑3 yrs Experience with accounts receivable with troubleshooting ability to reconcile account balances, recognize unusual data, and interpret data. Notes: Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Range: $29.35/hr. to $31.38/hr. Full Salary Range: $29.35/hr. to $42.06/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins September 9, 2026. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88469

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS Provides comprehensive coordination of financial activities and record keeping practices for the Department of Associated Students as part of the central administrative unit. Supervises the preparation of minutes for Senate, Business and Finance Committee and various Boards and Committees, with particular emphasis on the tracking and routing of financial commitments approved by Student Leadership. In consultation with other administrative and unit staff members and students, designs and implements transactional and recordkeeping processes. Reviews and processes invoices and disbursement obligations for A.S. Admin; A.S. Units; student entities and manages the underlying paperwork to pay vendor bills and student reimbursements. Tracks action items and financial approvals of all A.S. Boards and Committees. Administers philanthropic giving practices. Requirements: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Organized and pays close attention to detail. Ability to solve problems, conduct research and present solutions to management. A team player as well as a leader in situations where required. Knowledge of office automation systems, procedures, and methods. Experience with Financial systems, accounts payable and receivable. Reqs: Associates Degree or Equivalent experience; 1‑3 yrs Computer skills and experience of Microsoft suite products; 1‑3 yrs Accounts payable or general accounting experience; 1‑3 yrs Adaptability, including implementing frequent changes in regulations, policies and procedures; 1‑3 yrs Billing, accounts payable or accounts receivable experience; 1‑3 yrs Demonstrated ability to independently prioritize, edit and proofread materials, organize and multi‑task with frequent interruptions and meet critical deadlines with a high degree of professionalism; 1‑3 yrs Experience in financial

The Financial Operations Manager oversees the daily financial, accounting, and administrative operations of Associated Students (AS). This position manages a complex, multi‑fund financial portfolio that includes an annual departmental budget exceeding $13 million, restricted funds, and a broad range of programmatic and enterprise accounts. The position develops and maintains financial operational workflows; ensures compliance with University, State, Federal, and Associated Students fiscal policies; administers campus and departmental financial systems (Microix and MIP); supports audit readiness; and provides financial analysis, projections, and operational recommendations as directed by the Associate Director of Finance & Budget. The incumbent exercises a high degree of independent professional judgment in reviewing, approving, and reconciling financial transactions while advising on internal controls, fiscal compliance, and operational efficiencies. The Financial Operations Manager provides direct supervision of up to three represented Financial Operations staff responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchasing, travel, reconciliation, and related financial functions. The position is responsible for recruitment, training, performance management, staff development, and fostering a collaborative, service‑oriented team committed to operational excellence. The position also leads special projects, represents Associated Students in campus and divisional financial management meetings, and maintains current knowledge of evolving University financial systems, regulations, and best practices to strengthen departmental operations and support continuous process improvement. This role is integral to safeguarding organizational resources, promoting fiscal accountability and transparency, and ensuring Associated Students fulfills its financial responsibilities to students, campus partners, and external stakeholders. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree; 4‑6 yrs Experience in fund accounting,

asset management, or financial services; 4‑6 yrs Direct experience with accounting principles and financial administration preferably in higher education and/or non‑profit; 4‑6 yrs Direct experience with financial analysis, accounting, payroll administration and reporting techniques; 4‑6 yrs Advanced interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, persuasiveness, and advising skills; 4‑6 yrs Act with sound judgment, maintain strict confidentiality, and work effectively as part of a team environment and as an individual contributor; 4‑6 yrs Ability to pay strict attention to detail and prioritize work to meet deadlines among competing demands with minimal errors; Prior experience with financial programs a must; Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines with frequent interruptions; Advanced knowledge of fiscal operations related to federal, state and institutional fund sources (Required proficiency); Able to maintain strict confidentiality in all aspects of work; Ability to create budget reports and summary analyses; Knowledge of financial and accounting policies and procedures; Ability to quickly assess and annotate financial data; Advanced organizational and analytical skills with unfailing attention to detail and accuracy. Notes: Strict On‑Site Requirement: This position requires 100% on‑site, in‑person attendance. Remote or hybrid work arrangements are not permitted, and this condition is non‑negotiable. Non‑Standard Hours: Requires a highly flexible schedule, including mandatory evening hours and frequent weekend availability to support student government meetings, events, and urgent financial operations. Student Safety and Mentorship: Because this role heavily interacts with the student government, the incumbent must maintain the highest standards of ethical behavior, psychological safety, and emotional regulation. The manager is strictly required to foster a supportive, non‑punitive environment for student leaders; UCSB Campus Security Authority under Clery Act; Satisfactory criminal history background check; Position is funded by federal contract/ sub‑contract and requires E‑Verify check. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $77,180/year to $80,000/yr. Full salary range for this position is $73,800.00 to $131,200.00/year. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins September 24, 2026. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88769.

LABORER (CUSTODIAL) FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Under the direction of Senior Lead Laborer(s) and Lead Laborer, will perform a variety of custodial tasks and other related duties. Laborer(s) will handle all heavy lifting and moving tasks, the moving of all furniture out of classrooms, offices, labs and the replacement of all furniture. Required to perform custodial duties in zone and campus wide as necessary. Reqs: Ability to perform heavy manual tasks

and follow oral and written instructions; Ability to perform a variety of unskilled manual tasks; and perform other related duties as required. Notes: a) Visual acuity: Eyesight correction to 20‑20. b) Depth perception: Average depth perception. c) Hearing: Ability to effectively hear and comprehend oral communication. d) Sense of smell: Ability to distinguish smells of various chemicals used in the cleaning process and to detect odors emanating from potentially hazardous conditions. e) Problem solving skills: Ability to understand and apply University and Department policies and procedures to specific situations. Ability to exercise sound judgment in solving problems. f) Working under pressure: Will assist emergency clean‑up projects, maintain closet inventory of equipment and supplies, and maintain work assignment to department standards. Ability to accomplish work within deadlines; may handle more than one project at a time. g) Working with others: Needs to be able to work effectively in a team environment and needs to receive and follow instruction from supervisors. h) Ability to read, write and follow oral and written instructions in English. i) May be required to wear an UCSB‑provided uniform; Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/ or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; For multi‑hire positions: Some positions filled under this posting may be required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $29.59 to $32.66/ hr. Full Salary Range: $26.79 to $37.49 /hourly. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/5/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88565.

LEAD AUTO TECHNICIAN

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Performs comprehensive maintenance and repair on UCSB fleet vehicles (includes gasoline, E85, diesel, bio‑diesel, natural gas, hybrid, and electric). Work ranges from simple maintenance to rebuilding components, with an emphasis on technician and customer safety. Performs technically advanced repairs on computer controlled vehicle systems using appropriate diagnostic equipment. Performs repairs to vehicle’s mechanical components using appropriate shop tools & procedures. Performs preventative maintenance inspections and repairs. Performs vehicle emission testing. Provides customer service and roadside assistance as needed. Provides coverage in absence of the Garage Supervisor. Performs driving duties assigned. Accurately documents all work performed. Completes repair orders promptly. Attends appropriate technical training classes on current and emerging automotive technology.

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EMPLOYMENT (CONT.) Participation in ASE automotive certification is encouraged. Must be able to work as a member of a team and share in the responsibility for maintaining a safe and secure work environment. Reqs: Minimum 5 yrs of experience diagnosing vehicle problems and performing needed repairs; Minimum 5 yrs of experience performing comprehensive maintenance and repair on vehicles (includes gasoline, E85, diesel, bio‑diesel, natural gas, hybrid, and electric vehicles); Minimum 5 yrs of experience utilizing a wide range of shop tools & equipment, including advanced electronic diagnostic equipment; Performs all necessary repairs to ensure proper vehicle operation & safety; Alerts Garage Supervisor to any non‑routine safety deficiencies. Test drives vehicle before and after repair. Installs accessory equipment per customer’s specifications; Maintains high safety standards while performing work to ensure the safety of self, coworkers, and customers. Notes: May be required to work overtime; Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Budgeted/ Hiring Hourly Rate: $42.53/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/1/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88907.

MARKETING DIRECTOR

PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION As the Director of Marketing at UCSB Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE), they lead marketing strategy, brand management, and multi‑channel promotional campaigns to drive enrollment growth and maximize ROI across all programs. Under the general supervision of the PaCE Chief Operating Officer and in close collaboration with leadership, they oversee market research, manage program marketing budgets, and direct staff, student employees, and media specialists. In addition, they serve as the primary media relations contact, manage content creation across digital and print platforms, and leverage advanced analytics to continuously evaluate campaign performance. Additionally, the Director of Marketing expands PaCE’s market reach by aligning outreach strategies with program managers, managing vendor relationships, and representing the division at regional and national forums. In collaboration with the AI and Automation Engineer, they manage marketing automation and website optimization, overseeing site architecture, user experience, SEO, digital brand consistency, and analytics integration to improve conversion rates. When needed, they also partner with other UC Extension programs on systemwide communication initiatives and strategic special projects. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related and / or equivalent experience / training; 4‑6 yrs professional experience in marketing, communications, media relations, or digital publications; 4‑6 yrs Experience managing budgets, prioritizing projects, and meeting production deadlines; experience recruiting, supervising, evaluating, and mentoring staff or contractors. Notes: Satisfactory Completion of a Criminal History Background Check. Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range: $100,100 ‑ $139,600/yr. Full Salary Range: $100,100 ‑ $187,500/ yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law. Application Review begins 10/13/26. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu Job #89146.

PAYROLL AND PERSONNEL COORDINATOR

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR AND PROVOST The Personnel and Payroll Coordinator administers personnel, payroll, and timekeeping for units supported by the Business Operations Team in the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. Processes personnel/ payroll transactions, and manages monthly and biweekly payroll cycles for academic, staff, and student employees. Supports recruitment, hiring, and separation workflows across various systems. Serves as a resource and ensures strict accuracy and compliance through an in‑depth understanding and interpretation of federal, state, bargaining unit, and UC personnel policies and procedures. Works closely with the departments of Human Resources, Academic Personnel, International Students and Scholars, Payroll Accounting, and Financial Aid. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree required in a related area and / or equivalent experience / training; 2+ yrs administrative experience; 2+ yrs experience in payroll/personnel operations; Demonstrated strong organizational skills with the ability to work on multiple projects with conflicting deadlines and to work efficiently with frequent interruptions; Proven track record of solid communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with a variety of people. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $34.20 ‑ $36.83/hr. Full Salary Range: $32.55 ‑ $53.32/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/8/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 89065.

REAL ESTATE OFFICER 3 SB HOUSING AUTHORITY

The Office of Strategic Asset Management (SAM) at UC Santa Barbara provides leadership and a broad range of professional services to support vital campus development initiatives, including physical planning, environmental assessment, and long‑range development for all campus projects. SAM manages a diverse real property portfolio that includes agricultural, institutional, research, residential, and commercial assets, which are administered in direct support of the University’s educational mission. Its core functions encompass the development and management of on‑campus and off‑campus leasing programs, the administration of complex contracts, and the oversight of faculty and staff housing communities. Furthermore, SAM facilitates third‑party development partnerships, oversees the due diligence process for acquisitions, and manages specialized licensing programs, including telecommunications and retail. Within this strategic framework, the Real Estate Leasing Officer is a vital member of the Office of Strategic Asset Management. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role is responsible for the professional administration of leases, day‑to‑day management, and operational oversight of properties and contracts owned or acquired by the University. The Officer ensures that all real estate operations and transactions incorporate facilities management requirements and cost accounting principles while remaining in strict compliance with University of California (UC) policies and campus regulations, directly in

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LEGALS support of the University’s educational mission; Reqs: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. 4‑6 yrs experience in Of professional experience in related area/field. Notes: Hiring/Budgeted Salary Range $100,000 to $120,000/ year. The full salary range for this position is $90,600 ‑ $166,400/yr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/1/26. Apply online at https:// jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88801.

SR. CUSTODIAN

HSKP ( R E S H ‑ LO D G I N G / HOUSEKEEPING) Under the general supervision of the Assistant Residence Hall Manager or Residence Hall Manager, performs duties in accordance with established standards and instruction, for University owned Residence Halls, Apartments and Dining Facilities. May be required to perform other duties as assigned to meet the operational needs of the department. Promotes a customer service environment to residents and clients. Assists with the development and maintenance of a work environment which is conducive to meeting the mission of the organization and supports the EEP. Responsible for completing job duties that demonstrate support for the Operations Team. Initiates communication directly with co‑workers and or supervisor to improve and clarify working relationships, identifying problems and concerns, and seeking resolution to work‑related conflicts. Reqs: Working knowledge and experience in utilizing the following equipment: vacuums, conventional and high‑speed buffers, extractors and related custodial equipment desirable; Must have effective communication skills. Ability to interact as a team member with sensitivity towards a multicultural work environment. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with others as a team. Notes: Required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies and procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; For multi‑hire positions: Some positions filled under this posting may be required to hold a valid driver’s license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program; Satisfactory criminal history background check. Budgeted/ Hiring Rate: $26.79/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Open Until Filled. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88731.

STUDENT AFFAIRS COORDINATOR FEMINIST STUDIES PROGRAM

Under the supervision of the Business Officer in Feminist Studies, the Student Affairs Coordinator supports the academic affairs of the department and provides advising to MA and PhD students. Coordinates all aspects of graduate recruitment, admissions, and orientation for MA and PhD students in Feminist Studies, and MA students in the joint MA program in Black Feminist Studies. Is responsible for classroom

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scheduling and assisting with the development of the department’s annual curriculum plan. Is responsible for the hiring, fee remission, and payroll of all student positions. In collaboration with the Chair and Business Officer, coordinates the selection process for fellowships, Teaching Assistants, and student awards. Serves as liaison for Graduate Division and Office of the Registrar. Provides academic advising to graduate students and makes referrals, as appropriate, to other services such as counseling or social services. Reports to Business Officer, Department Chair, and Director of Graduate Studies on budgetary matters regarding TA allocations, recruitment funds, and fellowship commitments. Maintains records for all graduate degrees in progress and all teaching evaluations. Edits, writes and consults with Chair and Business Officer on written publications for the graduate program as well as departmental brochures and the website. In collaboration with the Business Officer and Chair, develops and implements procedures to ensure efficient flow and retrieval of information. Serves as a resource for Chair, Business Officer, and Director/s of Graduate Studies on University policies and procedures. Communicates effectively with students, faculty, and staff. Works collaboratively and in coordination with Chair and Business Officer in a team environment to complete administrative tasks related to graduate and undergraduate matters in the Department. Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training; 1‑3 yrs previous advising experience. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $28.00 to $31.00/hr. Full Salary Range: $27.06 ‑ $45.76/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/6/26. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 89000.

UNDERGRADUATE ADVISOR

careful attention to detail; Ability to prioritize multiple tasks with minimal supervision set boundaries and adhere to them; Creatively problem solve; Ability to work effectively and cooperatively as a staff team member, and to work well with faculty members. Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $27.06 to $32.00/hr. Full Salary Range: $27.06 ‑ $45.76/hr. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Application review begins 10/5/26. Apply online at https://jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 88699.

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SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Under the general supervision of the Business Officer, with additional direction provided by the Department Chair, is responsible for coordinating undergraduate services for the Department of Sociology. Along with another Undergraduate Advisor, provides individual academic advising to 1600+ pre‑ and full‑ majors in Sociology. Advises students and faculty on all aspects of undergraduate affairs (ie. major requirements, academic planning, course requirements, academic problems, transfer coursework, independent studies, and graduation, etc). Coordinates quarterly schedule of classes, annual copy for general catalog, and master course approvals. Has authority to act independently, making decisions that affect students’ academic programs. Works with College of Letters and Science advisors to accurately communicate college policies to students. Provides input to the Business Officer, Department Chair, and the Undergraduate Program Committee regarding a wide variety of issues affecting students.Reqs: Bachelor’s Degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training; 1‑3 yrs Student advising experience at college level; Basic knowledge of advising and counseling techniques; Knowledge of Department / School / college policies, procedures, and requirements; Skills in judgement and decision‑making, problem solving; Ability to multi‑task. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including active listening; Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, assertiveness and diplomacy, and critical attention to detail; Able to exercise good judgment, common sense, and discretion, while providing

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ADMINISTER OF ESTATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JENNIFER LYNN BRADSHAW CASE NUMBER: 26PR00359 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JENNIFER LYNN BRADSHAW A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: HEATHER NOELLE BRADSHAW in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that : HEATHER NOELLE BRADSHAW be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 10/15/2026 at 9:00 a.m. Dept: SB5 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 SOUTH COUNTY‑PROBATE DIVISION IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 07/22/2026 by Kim Gallegos, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Anthony D. Zinnanti 4500 Park Granada, Suite 202, Calabasas, CA 91302; (818)‑273‑1100 Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JAMES L. MORRIS aka JAMES LESLIE MORRIS No.: 26PR00462 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JAMES L. MORRIS aka JAMES LESLIE MORRIS A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: RYAN K. MORRIS in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): RYAN K. MORRIS be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for

examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The Independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 11/12/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: SB5 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. SOUTH COUNTY PROBATE. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 9/24/2026 by Kim Gallegos, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Marla D. Garcia, Krause Law P.C.; 7429 N. First Street, Ste. 104 Fresno, CA 93720; 559‑431‑7777 Published: Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JOHN E. QUAST No.: 26PR00457 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: JOHN E. QUAST A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: STACEY A. WRIGHT in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): STACEY A. WRIGHT be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The Independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 11/12/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 5

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Tide Guide Day

High

Low

High

Low

Thu 1

2:14 am 3.4

6:03 am 2.8

12:51 pm 5.9

8:50 pm 0.3

Fri 2

4:20 am 3.3

6:51 am 3.2

1:58 pm 5.6

10:21 pm 0.2

Sat 3

6:13 am 3.6

8:47 am 3.4

3:29 pm 5.4

11:37 pm 0.0

Sun 4

6:56 am 3.9

11:06 am 3.2

5:01 pm 5.4

High

Mon 5

12:35 am -0.1

7:28 am 4.3

12:26 pm 2.6

Tue 6

1:21 am -0.2

7:57 am 4.7

1:24 pm 2.0

7:16 pm 5.5

Wed 7

2:01 am -0.1

8:25 am 5.1

2:13 pm 1.3

8:09 pm 5.5

Thu 8

2:35 am 0.2

8:52 am 5.4

2:58 pm 0.8

8:58 pm 5.3

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LEGALS (CONT.) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Anacapa Division. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 9/21/2026 by Kim Gallegos, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Robert B. Locke; 5290 Overpass Rd. Suite 204 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; 805‑683‑1459

Published: Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: RONNY JOSEPH MARC BOURQUE, aka RONNY J M BOURQUE No.: 26PR00427 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of: RONNY JOSEPH MARC BOURQUE, aka RONNY J M BOURQUE A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by: COLETTE M. BOURQUE in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. THE PETITION requests that (name): COLETTE M. BOURQUE be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The Independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will

be held in this court as follows: 10/28/2026 AT 9:00 a.m. Dept: 1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA, located at 1100 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101. PROBATE. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58 (b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE‑154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special notice form is available from the court clerk. Angela Braun, Executive Officer 9/23/2026 by Michael Rosales, Deputy. Attorney for Petitioner: Nancy Noel; 44694 Monterey Avenue Palm Desert, CA 92260; 760‑346‑8817 Published: Oct 1, 8, 15 2026.

Ordinance No. 5306 An Ordinance Amending Section 35-1, the Santa Barbara County Land Use and Development Code (LUDC), of Chapter 35, Zoning, of the County Code, by Amending Article 35.1, Development Code Applicability; Article 35.2, Zones and Allowable Land Uses; Article 35.3 Site Planning and other Project Standards; Article 35.4 Standards for Specific Land Uses; Article 35.8, Planning Permit Procedures; and by Adding Appendix I, Airport Safety Zone Compatibility, to Update Regulations and Development Standards Regarding Development within the Proximity of Airports. Case No. 26ORD-00004

Ordinance No. 5307 An Ordinance Amending Article II, the Coastal Zoning Ordinance, of Chapter 35, Zoning, of the Santa Barbara County Code, by Amending Division 1, in General; Division 5, Overlay Districts; Division 7, General Regulations; Division 11, Permit Procedures; and by Adding Appendix J, Airport Safety Zone Compatibility, to Update Regulations and Development Standards Regarding Development within the Proximity of Airports. Case No. 26ORD-00005

Ordinance No. 5308 An Ordinance Amending Section 35-1, the Santa Barbara County Land Use and Development Code (LUDC), of Chapter 35, Zoning, of the County Code, by Amending the County Zoning Map by Repealing the Airport Approach (F) Overlay Zone and Replacing it with the Airport Safety (AS) Overlay Zone, to Update Regulations and Development Standards Regarding Development within the Proximity of Airports. Case No. 26RZN-00003

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BLUE WATER REVOLUTION: 3463 State Street, #328 Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Michael P. Kenny (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Filed by: MICHAEL P KENNY/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 31, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002184. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PLUMBIFY PLUMBING SOLUT: 809 La Street, Suite A Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Glenn E Schuster (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jun 24, 2026. Filed by: GLENN E SCHUSTER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 27, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002173. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BEACH CITIES BRASS: 278 Ellwood Beach Dr #14 Santa Barbara, CA 93117; James R Labertew (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 2000. Filed by: JAMES R. LABERTEW/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 04, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 81. FBN Number: 2026‑0002235. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BRIDGES: 1309 State Street, First Floor Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Bridges Gallery LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 01, 2026. Filed by: JESSICA BRIDGES/GALLERY AND MANAGING DIRECTOR with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 03, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by

30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002226. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OSITA: 1224 Camino Palomera Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Raphael Simon (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 01, 2026. Filed by: RAPHAEL SIMON with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002068. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOODWIN PROPERTIES: 2000 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Win Good Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 31, 2026. Filed by: KEVIN GOODWIN/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 31, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 81. FBN Number: 2026‑0002188. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SB MOBILE NOTARY: 4509A Auhay Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Nels C Henderson (same address) Alexis C Henderson (same address) This business is conducted by A Married Couple Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 21, 2020. Filed by: NELS AND ALEXIS HENDERSON/OWNERS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 26, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 81. FBN Number: 2026‑0002163. Published: Sep 10, 17, 24. Oct 1 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CENTRAL COAST CELEBRATION STATION: 218 S K St. Apt D Lompoc, CA 93436; Sonya S Palos (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A Filed by: SONYA PALOS with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002278. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AFFORDABLE HANDYMAN SERVICES: 6559 Segovia Rd Isla Vista, CA 93117; Xavier R Darquea (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 25, 2026. Filed by: XAVIER DARQUEA/ INDIVIDUAL with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 25, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 81. FBN Number: 2026‑0002145. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PIPER LOAN: 1440 Cantera Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Piper L La Rocca (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A Filed by: PIPER LOAN LA ROCCA with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 4, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002240. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NAME TAGS PLUS: 315 Meigs Rd, A130 Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Uniquely Personalized, LLC 2108 N St #9078 Ste N Sacramento, CA 95816 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A Filed by: COLLEEN DENNIS/MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 1, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002198. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CONSTRUCTIVE: 69 Santa Felicia Dr. Ste 16 Goleta, CA 93117; Power Wave Holdings LLC 2108 N Ste N Sacramento, CA 95816 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 1, 2026 Filed by: JOHN KUBIAK/MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 9, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002260. Published:

Ordinance No. 5309 An Ordinance Amending Article II, the Coastal Zoning Ordinance, of Chapter 35, Zoning, of the Santa Barbara County Code, by Amending the Eastern Goleta Valley Zoning Overlay Map and the Goleta Community Plan Zoning Overlay Map by Repealing the F – Airport Approach Overlay District and Replacing it with the AS – Airport Safety Overlay District, to Update Regulations and Development Standards Regarding Development within the Proximity of Airports. Case No. 26RZN-00004 Passed, approved and adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara, State of California, on this 22nd day of September 2026, by the following vote: Ayes: Supervisors Lee, Capps, Hartmann and Nelson Noes: None Absent: Supervisor Lavagnino Abstain: None JANA PETERSEN CLERK OF THE BOARD By: Sheila de la Guerra – Deputy Clerk NOTE: A complete copy of Ordinance Nos. 5305 through 5309 is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and is available for public inspection and copying in that office in accordance with the California Public Records Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1. 58

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Ordinance No. 5305 An Interim Urgency Ordinance of Santa Barbara County, Prohibiting the Establishment, Expansion, or the Relocation of Firearm and Ammunition Retail Sale Uses Pursuant to Government Code Section 65858, within the Unincorporated Areas of Santa Barbara County. Passed, approved and adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara, State of California, on this 22nd day of September 2026, by the following vote: Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain:

Supervisors Lee, Capps, Hartmann and Lavagnino Supervisor Nelson None None

JANA PETERSEN CLERK OF THE BOARD By: Sheila de la Guerra – Deputy Clerk NOTE: A complete copy of Ordinance No. 5305 is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and is available for public inspection and copying in that office in accordance with the California Public Records Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1.

Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD: 7783 Jenna Dr. Goleta, CA 93117; Laurie Petrolino (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 24, 2026 Filed by: LAURIE PETROLINO/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 3, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002222. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DESIDERIO CONSULTING: 332 Avenida Garza Goleta, CA 93117; Daniel Desiderio (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 8, 2026 Filed by: DANIEL DESIDERIO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 9, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002261. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAR OF SANTA BARBARA, MAR COMPANY: 1424 Alameda Padre Serra Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Gregory T Geyer (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jul 1, 2007 Filed by: GREGORY T GEYER/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 1, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002202. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EAST VALLEY CONSTRUCTION, INDEXMAIN, INDEXMAIN TECHNOLOGIES: 1274 E Valley Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108; Jonathan P Allcock Jr (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 7, 2026 Filed by: JONATHAN PRYOR ALLCOCK JR./OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Aug 7, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 73. FBN Number: 2026‑0002014. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: M. BRODERIE: 1187 Coast Village Rd, Suite 1‑151 Montecito, CA 93108; General Workshop LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 10, 2026 Filed by: ALISON VINOLY/MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 11, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002286. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: INSPIRATION OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: 533 E. Micheltorena Street, Ste 103 Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Amber A Salas (same address) This business is conducted by A

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NOVEL READS PRESS: 7242 Del Norte Dr. Santa Barbara, CA 93117; Patricia Totton 7127 Hollister Ave #25 A Goleta, CA 93317 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 2, 2026 Filed by: PATRICIA TOTTON with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 8, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002252. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN ROQUE CABINETS: 6 Harbor Way, Suite 192 Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Craig S Gutshall (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A Filed by: CRAIG S GUTSHALL with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002275. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DISCOUNT MOBILE WINDOW SCREENS: 5369 Traci Dr Santa Barbara, CA 93111; James K Pinkston 3463 State St 1220 Santa Barbara, CA 93105 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Aug 30, 2026 Filed by: JAMES PINKSTON/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 2, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GENERAL WORKSHOP PRESS: 1187 Coast Village Road, Suite 1‑151 Santa Barbara, CA 93018; General Workshop LLC 2108 N St Ste N Sacramento, CA 95816 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 16, 2026 Filed by: ALISON VINOLY/MANAGER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 16, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002327. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PILATES & OR: 220 W. Canon Perdido St Ste 1 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Pilates & OR LLC 1438 Hillcrest Rd Santa Barbara, CA 93103 This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on May 02, 2023 Filed by: OR KAHLON/CO‑OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 18, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002341. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DOUDS GAMES: 629 N 6th Street Lompoc, CA 93436; Perl Consulting LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 11, 2026 Filed by: EMMA RECHER/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002300. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CENTRAL COAST ARMS, SEMPER FI, TACTICAL, CCFS: 529 South J Street Lompoc, CA 93436; Michael Peter Vasquez (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A Filed by: MICHAEL PETER VASQUEZ/OWNER/ MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 17, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002336. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SB BABY

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0002201 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Paws First Dog Trainin, 6520 El Colegio Rd, Room 2113, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 County of SANTA BARBARA Mackenzie Grace ClRY, 6520 El Colegio Rd Rm 2113, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. S/ Mackenzie Clary, This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 09/01/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15/26 CNS‑4079315# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0002265 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: By The Code Electric, 6408 Brown Rd, Guadalupe, CA 93434 County of SANTA BARBARA Armando Mincitar, 6408 Brown Rd, Guadalupe, CA 93434 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. S/ Armando Mincitar This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 09/10/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15/26 CNS‑4072446# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JOH HANDYMAN: 1608 Elm Ave Sovang, CA 93463; Jacob O Hanberg (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 1, 2026 Filed by: JACOB HANBERG/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 18, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002349. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SANTAFINO CPAS, SANTAFINO: 5142 Hollister Avenue, #577 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Anoushavan Bogharyan (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 3, 2026 Filed by: ANOUSHAVAN BOGHARYAN/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 8, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002245. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SANTAFINO

WEALTH MANAGEMENT, SANTAFINO ADVISORS, SANTAFINO: 5142 Hollister Avenue, #577 Santa Barbara, CA 93111; Santafino Wealth Management LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 3, 2026 Filed by: ANOUSHAVAN BOGHARYAN/MANAGING MEMBER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 8, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002246. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KM WALKER DESIGN, KM WALKER ART & DESIGN: 2963 Valencia Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Kristen Walker (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 1, 2026 Filed by: KRISTEN WALKER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002272. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CTG PUBLICATIONS: 929 Via Fruteria Santa Barbara, CA 93110; Self‑Esteem Seminars, Inc. PO Box 30880 Santa Barbara, CA 93130 This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above

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on N/A Filed by: DONNA BAILEY/ FINANCE DIRECTOR with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002271. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SBVDC: 3022 State St, Ste A Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Santa Barbara Veterinary Dental Care (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 01, 2026 Filed by: JEFF HEYMAN/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 16, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002322. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ONO NISI: 925 E. Cota St. Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Odilia Hernandez Onofre (same address) This business is

conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 3, 2026 Filed by: ODILIA HERNANDEZ ONOFRE with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 73. FBN Number: 2026‑0002305. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOLUTIONS IN PARENTING: 1129 State Street 3A Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Kristen J Miller 4015 Otono Drive A Santa Barbara, CA 93110 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Feb 28, 2013 Filed by: KRISTEN MILLER/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 22, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002362. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GRACE

KATHRYN PHOTOGRAPHY: 1707 Anacapa Street, Unit 25 Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Grace K Coccia (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Jan 01, 2013 Filed by: GRACE KATHRYN COCCIA/ OWNER & LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 22, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002367. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. FBN2026‑0002267 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: STAY SB, 1226 HANS PARK TRL, SOLVANG, CA 93463 County of SANTA BARBARA STAY SB LUXURY VACATION RENTALS INC., 1226 HANS PARK TRAIL, SOLVANG, CA 93463 CALIFORNIA This business is conducted by a Corporation The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 10/07/2021.

NOTICE TO SUBCONTRACTORS/SUPPLIERS & RESIDENTS Wallace & Smith Contractors invites bids from Qualified Subcontractors, Suppliers, and Residents to bid on the following project: SAN MARCOS RANCH MARKET RATE APARTMENTS. This is new construction for 720 apartment units in (36) 3-Story buildings with 29 acres of site work and amenity buildings. ALL TRADES NEEDED. If you would like to be placed on our bid list and receive an invite, please contact Wallace & Smith Contractors via phone at 661-327-1436 or email tbailey@wallacesmith.com / bids@wallacesmith.com. Include contact person, email, phone number and trade type in your bid request. Complete bids must be received no later than FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9th, 2026, BY 2:00PM. Wallace & Smith Contractors is an Equal Opportunity Employer. PUBLIC NOTICE TAXPAYERS OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY NOTICE OF CURRENT PROPERTY TAXES DUE Made pursuant to Section 2609, Revenue and Taxation Code

@sbindependent

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WITHIN PSYCHOLOGY: 5951 Encina Rd, 200 Santa Barbara, CA 93117; Dr Erica Haines Psychological Services Inc. (same address) This business is conducted by A Corporation Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 1, 2026 Filed by: ERICA HAINES/ OWNER/CEO with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 10, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002280. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RUBYLOO: 226 Calle Manzanita Santa Barbara, CA 93105; Rosebrook, LLC (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Feb 4, 2026 Filed by: SUSAN M MINIER/ PRESIDENT with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002298. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

WEARING: 595 Poppyfield Place Goleta, CA 93117; Sara BW Uhrig (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 13, 2026 Filed by: SARA UHRIG/CEO & FOUNDER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 14, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002306. Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026.

FACEBOOK

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RED ISLAND RESTORATION SAROBIDY CREATIONS: 1534 San Miguel Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Alissa Shattenberg (same address) James Shattenberg (same address) This business is conducted by A Married Couple Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 1, 2026 Filed by: ALISSA SHATTENBERG/OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 2, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 49. FBN Number: 2026‑0002207. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002213. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 3, 2026 Filed by: AMBER SALAS/MSOT, OTR/L with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 8, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002249. Published: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

Harry E. Hagen, Santa Barbara County Treasurer-Tax Collector, announces that the 2026-2027 secured property tax statements will be mailed on or before November 1, 2026, to all property owners, at the addresses shown on the tax roll. If you own property in Santa Barbara County, and do not receive a tax bill by November 10, 2026, contact the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office at the offices listed below. The FIRST INSTALLMENT of the 2026-2027 property taxes is due and payable on November 1, 2026, and delinquent if not paid by 5:00 p.m., or the close of business, whichever is later, December 10, 2026; thereafter a 10% penalty will be added. The SECOND INSTALLMENT is due on February 1, 2027 and will be delinquent if not paid by 5:00 p.m., or the close of business, whichever is later, April 10, 2027; thereafter a 10% penalty will be added plus the cost ($30.00) to prepare the delinquent tax records and to give notice of delinquency. BOTH INSTALLMENTS MAY BE PAID when the first installment is due. Credit card and electronic check payments may be made by phone or online. Visit our website at www.sbtaxes.org for online payments. If paying by phone, please call 1-805-724-3008 (Local) or 1-877-399-8089 (Toll-Free). Payments may also be made in person at the County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Offices between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted, at the addresses listed below. Santa Barbara: County Administration Bldg., 105 E. Anapamu St., Room 109, 805) 568-2920 Santa Maria:

Betteravia Government (805) 346-8330

Center,

511

Lakeside

Parkway,

Or mail to:

Harry E. Hagen, Treasurer-Tax Collector, P.O. Box 579, Santa Barbara, CA 93102-0579

Mailed payments must be UNITED STATES POSTMARKED BY THE DELINQUENT DATE to avoid late penalties. SUPPLEMENTAL TAX BILLS are additional taxes due and are separate from the above mentioned taxes. Supplemental bills result from a reassessment of property due to a change of ownership or new construction. These taxes are due upon issuance and become delinquent as specified on the tax statement. FAILURE TO RECEIVE A TAX BILL DOES NOT RELIEVE THE TAXPAYER OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. HARRY E. HAGEN, CPA TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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LEGALS (CONT.) NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING COMMISSION Hybrid Public Hearing – In Person and via Zoom October 12, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. ATTENTION: The meeting will be held in person and via the Zoom platform. The public may also view the meeting on Goleta Channel 19 and/or online at https://cityofgoleta.org/goletameetings. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing to give the public an opportunity to be heard and offer comments for the Mixed-Use Housing Development Project, as described below. The information regarding the date, time, and location of the Planning Commission public hearing is set forth below. The agenda for the hearing will also be posted on the City website (www.cityofgoleta.org). HEARING DATE/TIME: October 12, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. LOCATION:

Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA, 93117 and Teleconference Meeting; this meeting will be held in person and via Zoom (with detailed instructions for participation included on the posted agenda)

PROJECT LOCATION AND ZONING: The 1.98-acre project site is located at 5955 Calle Real (Assessor’s Parcel Number 069-110-018) and is located in the Inland area of the City. The General Plan land use designation and zoning of the property is currently Community Commercial (CC). PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Planning Commission will be acting as the local decisionmaker regarding the adequacy of the analysis included in the proposed Notice of Exemption and the merits of the Project. Nick Patterson on behalf of City Ventures (the applicant) and Bud Terrell QCI Real Estate Holdings, LLC (property owner) have submitted an application for a Tentative Tract Map, a State Density Bonus Project, a Development Plan, Two Land Use Permits to allow the two Live-Work units; and Preliminary Design approval for the new mixed-use 46 multi-unit development project. An existing approximately 12,000 square foot commercial building is proposed to be demolished to accommodate the new development. The case numbers assigned to the project by the City are:25-0010-DP, 25-0004-SUB, 25-0044-DRB, 26-0014LUP, 26-0015-LUP, and 25-0004-PHA The proposed Project includes the following primary components:

▷ Demolition of existing 12,000 square foot commercial building, parking lot, and abandoned pole sign.

▷ Divide the 1.98-acre parcel into 46 condominium units via a Vesting Tentative Tract Map #32,071.

▷ Residential Development ▷ 44 three-story attached townhomes • 2 three-story live-work units • Modern architectural design • Private garages and patios with each unit

▷ Parking • 92 private garage spaces • 6 guest spaces • Exceeds State Density Bonus Law parking minimums

▷ Site Amenities • Dog park in the southeast corner of the site • Shaded picnic and barbecue areas • Infrastructure • Internal private drive aisles • Pedestrian pathways and

stormwater

treatment

• All-electric construction with solar, smart technology, Energy Star appliances, dual-glaze windows with ultra-violet coatings and water efficient fixtures with each residence Lighting, landscaping, and the common area improvements will be the responsibility of the future homeowner’s association (HOA). As a Housing Development project with at least 5 percent of units for very low-income households, the Project is entitled to a 20% Density Bonus, one concession and an unlimited number of waivers or reductions of development standards that physically preclude the Project from being constructed by the applicant. (Gov. Code, § 65589.5(f)(6)(B)(i)(II), (C)(i), (iv).) State law prohibits the City from finding the Project inconsistent with the City’s standards as a result of Density Bonus law. (Gov. Code, § 65589.5(j) (3).) The one concession and three waivers are as follows:

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OCTOBER 1, 2026

1. The project is using its (1) granted concession to increase the quantity of very-low units from 2.5% to 5% and lower the quantity of low-income units from 5% to 2.5%. Waivers The applicant requests three waivers from the CC zoning district development standards: 1. Exceeding the height limits by 2’-6”’ for a maximum height of 37’-6” height (35’ maximum height allowed in CC zone); 2. Reducing common bicycle charging outlets from 5 to 0 (Goleta Municipal Code Section 17.38.090(C)); 3. Reducing parking lot heat island standards from 16,996 square feet to 635 square feet.(Goleta Municipal Code Section 17.38.110.J). Grading is anticipated to consist of 1,550 cy of cut and 350 cy of fill and 1,200 cy of export. Of the existing 34 trees, all 34 trees will be removed. The property is a 1.98-acre parcel is zoned Community Commercial (CC). The maximum number of units allowed by the CC zoning at this site is 39.6 dwelling units. Twenty (20) dwelling units per acre is the base maximum density allowed by the CC zoning district. The applicant will be meeting the City’s inclusionary housing requirements (20% of the project) by deed-restricting two of the units for low-income households and paying in-lieu fees for the remaining balance of 6 units. In addition to the protections afforded under the HAA and SB 330, the project is also utilizing State Density Bonus Law (SDBL) to achieve a density increase above the base density (23.2 units per acre), while providing parking in excess of the SDBL’s reduced parking standards. While the project will comply with the City’s two-covered spaces per two or more-bedroom unit parking requirement, the project will only provide 6 guest parking spaces (reduction of 9 from Title 17 standards) which is allowed under SDBL. SDBL supersedes Title 17 requirements. CORTESE LIST: Further, the site is not listed on any hazardous waste facilities or disposal sites as enumerated under Section 65962.5 of the California Government Code (the “Cortese list”) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FINDINGS: The City of Goleta, as Lead Agency, has determined that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.66, as added by Assembly Bill 130 (“AB 130”), which establishes a statutory exemption for qualifying housing development projects. The exemption is statutory rather than categorical; therefore, CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 exceptions do not apply. The NOE and associated technical reports can be accessed here: https://www.cityofgoleta.org/ your-city/planning-and-environmental-review/ceqa-review. PREVIOUS HEARINGS: On July 14, 2026, the Design Review Board conducted conceptual review and provided comments to the applicant. The DRB conducted Conceptual and Preliminary Design Review on September 8, 2026, and on a 6-0 vote, did not recommend approval to the decisionmakers. NEXT STEPS AND APPEAL: After the Planning Commission action, the next steps would be final map preparation, final design approval, securing an effecting zoning clearance, and then building permits. The Planning Commission action could be appealed within ten (10) calendar days of the action in accordance with Section 17.52.100 of the Goleta Municipal Code.

• Floor plans (1,333–1,668 sq ft)

• Utility connections features

Concession

PUBLIC COMMENT: Interested people are encouraged to provide public comments during the public hearing in person or virtually through the Zoom webinar, by following the instructions listed on the Planning Commission meeting agenda. Written comments may be submitted prior to the hearing by emailing the Planning and Environmental Review Department at PERmeetings@ cityofgoleta.org. Written comments will be distributed to Planning Commission and published on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page. FOR PROJECT INFORMATION: For further information on the project, contact Christina McGuire, Associate Planner, at (805) 961-7566 or cmcguire@cityofgoleta.org. Para consultas en español, comuníquese con Marcos Martinez at (805) 562-5500 or mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org. Staff reports and documents will be posted approximately 72 hours before the hearing on the City’s website at www.cityofgoleta.org. Note: If you challenge the nature of the above action in court, you may be limited to only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City on or before the date of the hearing (Government Code Section 65009(b)(2)). Note: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in the hearing, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (805) 961-7505 or cityclerkgroup@ cityofgoleta.org. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements. Publish Date: Santa Barbara Independent, October 1, 2026

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s/ABEL RAMOS, PRESIDENT This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on 09/10/2026. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22/26 CNS‑4080923# SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

be published in the Independent, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county, at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition. Dated September 8, 2026, JUDGE Thomas P. Anderle of the Superior Court. Published Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DOVETAIL WEDDING MUSIC: 104 S Salinas St Santa Barbara, CA 93103; Liam G Coggon (same address) Molly O’Connell 1725 San Andres Santa Barbara, CA 93101; Aurora Robathan‑Wu 104 S Salinas St Santa Barbara, CA 93103 This business is conducted by A Joint Venture Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 14, 2026 Filed by: LIAM COGGON with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 15, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002311. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026.

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: HALEY ANDREA FULLER CASE NUMBER: 26CV05825 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: HALEY ANDREA FULLER A petition has been filed by the above named Petitioner(s) in Santa Barbara Superior Court for decree changing name (s) as follows: PRESENT NAME: HALEY ANDREA FULLER PROPOSED NAME: HALEY FULLER FREEMAN THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing November 16, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, SANTA BARBARA SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa Street., Santa Barbara, CA 93121, ANACAPA DIVISION A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published in the Independent, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county, at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition. Dated September 16, 2026, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court. Published Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: QUIRKY QUALITY CURATIONS: 6635 Calle Koral Goleta, CA 93117; Kahryn M. Dill (same address) This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 05, 2026 Filed by: KATHRYN DILL with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 15, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 71. FBN Number: 2026‑0002256. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LARIMAR BLUES: 645 Surf View Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93109; Jeff H. Heyman 315 Meigs Rd Ste A‑608 Santa Barbara, CA 93109 This business is conducted by A Individual Registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Sep 24, 2026 Filed by: JEFF HEYMAN/ OWNER with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on Sep 25, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL) by 30. FBN Number: 2026‑0002390. Published: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 2026.

NAME CHANGE AMENDED IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: ALONSO ADONAY PARTIDA RANGEL CASE NUMBER: 26CV04114 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: ALONSO ADONAY PARTIDA RANGEL A petition has been filed by the above named Petitioner(s) in Santa Barbara Superior Court for decree changing name (s) as follows: PRESENT NAME: ALONSO ADONAY PARTIDA RANGEL PROPOSED NAME: ALONSO ADONAY ARRIAGA RANGEL THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing November 04, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: SB3, SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa Street. Santa Barbara, CA 93101, ANACAPA DIVISION A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: RAECHEL MARIE MORA CASE NUMBER: 26CV05467 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: PETITIONER: RAECHEL MARIE MORA A petition has been filed by the above named Petitioner(s) in Santa Barbara Superior Court for decree changing name (s) as follows: PRESENT NAME: RAECHEL MARIE MORA PROPOSED NAME: RAECHEL MARIE BERBERIAN THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing November 2, 2026, 10:00 am, DEPT: 5, SANTA BARBARA SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa Street., Santa Barbara, CA 93121, ANACAPA DIVISION A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published in the Independent, a newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county, at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition. Dated September 16, 2026, JUDGE Colleen K. Sterne of the Superior Court. Published Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Legal Notice Attorney or Party Without Attorney: Scott Jordan SBN 88455 303 I Street Los Banos, CA 93635 Telephone: (209) 826‑5024 Fax: (209) 826‑3164 Attorney for: Cassie Gann SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF MERCED

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LEGALS (CONT.) 1159G Street Los Banos, CA 93635 Family Law Division CASE NUMBER: 25FL‑01667 Petitioner: Cassie Gann Respondent: Michael Gann NOTICE OF HEARING Respondent Michael Gann that on November 24, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Dept. 13 in the Merced County Superior Court, at SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF MERCED at 2260 N Street, Merced, CA 95340 a hearing will be held for OTHER ORDERS REQUESTED: In order to effectuate the Judgment, it is necessary for the court to order the clerk of the court to sign on behalf of Respondent, Michael W. Gann, a Deed similar to the proposed Deed attached on behalf of Respondent transferring the title to 1520 Gulf Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405, to Petitioner. FACTS TO SUPPORT: A Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage was filed in this case on June 8, 2026. Pursuant to the Judgment of Dissolution, the Court ordered that the property located at 1520 Gulf Street, San Luis Obispo, California is awarded to Petitioner, Cassie Gann. The original Summons and Petition were served through an order of publication. The Judgment of Dissolution was sent to the last known mailing address of Respondent. There has been no response from Respondent. I am requesting that the Court order the Clerk of the Merced County Superior Court to sign a Deed similar to the proposed Deed attached to this Request for Order so that the transfer of the real property from Petitioner and Respondent to Petitioner can be affected. A copy of the current Deed to 1520 Gulf Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93405, is also attached. The original Summons was served by publication. THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons Interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated to show cause, if any, why these petitions should not be granted. Any person objecting to these petitions described above must file a written objection that induces the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is to be heard and at the hearing scheduled to show cause why these petitions should not be granted. If no objection is filed in a timely manner, and no appearance by another party is made, the court may grant the petitions at the hearing. Publication Dates: Sep 17, 24. Oct 1, 8 2026.

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department intends to accept a temporary construction easement from RTA San Simeon LLC, FLT San Simeon Oaks LP and San Marcos Holdings LLC. The temporary construction easement (TCE) is approximately 100–feet wide and extends from S San Marcos Rd in an easterly direction through portions of APNS 065‑040‑041 and ‑026 completing San Simeon Dr. The TCE is for the construction and continuation of San Simeon Drive from S Turnpike Road westbound to S San Marcos Rd. The TCE will be accepted on behalf of the County of Santa Barbara by the County of Santa Barbara Public Works Director as authorized by Santa Barbara County Code Section 12A–11.1 SANTA BARBARA MTD INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) UNIFORM, FLOOR MAT & COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD), a public transit operator, is accepting bids from qualified vendors to provide commercial laundry, rental, and maintenance services for uniforms, floor mats, shop rags, and linens. Invitation for Bids (IFB) packages will be available to interested parties starting Monday, July 20, 2026. Prospective bidders may obtain a package by contacting purchasing@ sbmtd.gov or by visiting MTD’s website at https://sbmtd.gov/about/ doing‑business/. Sealed bids must be received at Santa Barbara MTD at 550 Olive Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, no later than October 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM PDT, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Any bid received after that time will be rejected and returned unopened to the bidder. All contract terms and conditions are contained or referenced in the IFB package.

SUMMONS SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, a political subdivision, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, REBECCA BJORK, BJORK, in her official capacity as City Administrator (“Additional Parties Attachment form is attached”) YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTA DEMANDANDO

EL DEMANDANTE): Joann Olejnik, a Natural Person NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self‑Help Center(www.courtinfo. ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by

default, and your wages, money and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Website (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self‑Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. !ADVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión.

Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en el formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le de un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin

más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 o más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte

antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): SANTA BARBARA COURTHOUSE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA 1100 Anacapa St. , Santa Barbara, CA 93101 CASE NO: (Número del Caso): 26CV00231 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la dirección, y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante que no tiene abogado es): James F. Scafide, Figueroa Law Group, 7 W. Victoria Street, Unit 202, Santa Barbara, California 93101 (805) 651‑3021 APN: 039‑610‑018 DATE Fecha): 01/06/2026. Clerk, by (Secretario) /s/ Sarah Sisto, Deputy (Adjunto) Published: Sep 24. Oct 1, 8, 15 2026.

NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING Monday, October 26, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. GREENBARK 30 BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM Located at an Unaddressed Parcel on Viajero Drive (APN 079-210-053) Case Nos 24-0001-GPA, 24-0002-ORD, 24-0007-DP, 24-0002-CUP, 24-0002-DRB ATTENTION: The meeting will be held in person and via the Zoom platform. The public may also view the meeting on Goleta Channel 19 and/or online at https://cityofgoleta.org/goletameetings. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission (PC) will conduct a public hearing to review the project (Project) described in this notice and the proposed environmental determination. The date, time, and location of the PC public hearing are set forth below. The agenda for the hearing will also be posted on the City website (www.cityofgoleta.org). HEARING DATE/TIME: October 26, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. LOCATION: Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA, 93117 and Teleconference Meeting; this meeting will be held in person and via Zoom. Detailed instructions for virtual participation are provided under the Electronic Participation heading below and will be included on the posted agenda. The City Council will be acting as the local decision-maker regarding the adequacy of the analysis included in the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and the merits of the Project. The Planning Commission will weigh the merits of the Project and make a recommendation to the City Council whether to adopt the MND with the attached Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. The Design Review Board, at its May 26, 2026 meeting, recommended Preliminary Design approval on a vote of 7-0 (0 absent). LOCATION AND ZONING: The 2.1-acre subject parcel is currently vacant and located south of the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way and north of Hollister Avenue along Viajero Drive. The current General Plan land use designation and zoning at the subject site in the Inland portion of the City is General Commercial (C-G). PROJECT DESCRIPTION SUMMARY: The proposed Greenbark 30 Battery Energy Storage Project, proposed by Scale Microgrids, LLC (Applicant), would be a battery energy storage system (BESS) with an output power of 30-megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 120-megawatt hours (MWh). The BESS would be a Tesla Megapack 2 XL System, consisting of Megapack 2 XL units (Megapacks, or battery units) and a Tesla System Controller. The Megapacks and Tesla System Controller are modular ground-mounted enclosures. The development footprint would be within the central portion of the 2.1-acre Project site parcel, within an interior perimeter road. The BESS operational area would consist of the interior perimeter road, BESS equipment, and a perimeter fence. The applicant’s request includes a General Plan Amendment from General Commercial (C-G) to Office and Institutional (I-OI), an Ordinance Amendment to the Zoning Map from General Commercial (CG) to Office Institutional (OI), a Development Plan, a Major Conditional Use Permit, and Design Review approval. Environmental Review: A Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) (State Clearinghouse No. 2025120703) has been prepared pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq.,), the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 California Code of Regulations, §§15000, et seq.,), and the City’s Environmental Review Guidelines. The City of Goleta is acting as the Lead Agency for this project. The Final IS/MND identifies and discusses potential impacts, mitigation measures, monitoring requirements, and residual impacts for the identified subject areas. No significant and unavoidable impacts are identified as resulting from the project. Potentially significant effects on the environment can be mitigated to levels of less than significance in the areas of biological resources, cultural resources, and hazards/hazardous materials. Consistent with CEQA Guidelines (Sections 15074(d), 15091(d), and 15097), a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program will be adopted by the City and added as a condition of approval to ensure the mitigation measures are implemented. The Final Initial Study/MND along with the technical reports can be accessed here: https://www. cityofgoleta.org/your-city/planning-and-environmental-review/ceqa-review/greenbark-30-battery-energy-storage-system-project. CORTESE LIST: The Project site is not listed on the EnviroStor online database of hazardous site records maintained by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control TSC in coordination with the California State Water Resources Control Board consistent with Government Code § 65962.5 (the “Cortese list”).

Gateway Pacific Contractors, Inc. is seeking MBEs/WBEs to bid Santa Barbara County Montecito Water District Reservoir Seismic Retrofit and Replacement Project for Bella Vista Reservoir BID DAY 10/22/26@ 12:00PM Scopes included, but not limited to shotcrete, rebar, concrete saw cutting, Temp electrical, Temp water tank rentals. Call Nicholl Bell or email bell@gatewaypacific.com for more info. Please send quotes to bids@gatewaypacific.com Gateway Pacific Contractors, Inc. 8055 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95832 Contact Person: Nicholl Bell, Contract Administrator Email: bell@gatewaypacific.com License No. 517988, Class A & B Phone: 916-665-4100 Ext. 116 FAX: 916: 665-4119 Equal Opportunity Employer

PUBLIC COMMENT: Interested persons are encouraged to provide public comments during the public hearing in person or virtually through the Zoom webinar, by following the instructions listed on the Planning Commission meeting agenda. All letters/comments should be sent to PERmeetings@cityofgoleta.gov. Letters must be received on or before the date of the hearing or can be submitted at the hearing prior to the conclusion of the public comment portion of the Public Hearing. Written comments will be distributed to the Planning Commission and published on the City’s website. PREVIOUS HEARINGS: On May 26, 2026, the DRB conducted Preliminary Design Review of the project and unanimously recommended Preliminary Design approval of the plans under consideration to the decisionmakers. DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY AND PROJECT INFORMATION: Staff reports and related materials for the Planning Commission hearing will also be posted at least 72 hours prior to the meeting on the City’s web site at www.cityofgoleta.org. For more information about this project, contact project planner Travis Lee at 805-562-5528 or tlee@cityofgoleta.gov. Para consultas en espanol, comuniquese con Marco Martinez al (805) 9562-5500 or mmartinez@cityofgoleta.gov. ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION: Please register for the Planning Commission hearing on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 6:00 pm following the information provided in the Planning Commission agenda for remote participation. The agenda will be published at least 72 hours before the meeting. NOTE: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in the hearing, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (805) 961-7505 or cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.gov. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable City staff to make reasonable arrangements. NOTE: If you challenge the nature of the above action in court, you may be limited to only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City on or before the date of the hearing (Government Code Section 65009 (b)(2)). Publish: Santa Barbara Independent, October 1, 2026 INDEPENDENT.COM INDEPENDENT.COM OCTOBER OCTOBER 1, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT

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